U2 - Rattle And Hum (1988)

"Rattle and Hum" is the sixth studio album by rock band U2 and its companion rockumentary directed by Phil Joanou, both released in 1988. The film and the album feature live recordings, covers, and new songs. To a greater extent than on their previous album, "The Joshua Tree", the band explores American roots music and incorporates elements of blues rock, folk rock, and gospel music in their sound. The motion picture was filmed primarily in the United States in late 1987 during The Joshua Tree Tour and it features their experiences with American music. Although Rattle and Hum was intended to represent the band paying tribute to rock legends, some critics accused U2 of trying to place themselves amongst the ranks of these artists. The album opens with a live cover of The Beatles' "Helter Skelter". Its inclusion on the album was intended by the band to reflect the confusion of The Joshua Tree Tour and their new found superstar status. Bono's introduction of the song "this song Charles Manson stole from The Beatles...we're stealing it back" was interpreted as U2 claiming to be the new Beatles. Bono said "Hawkmoon 269" was in part as a tribute to writer Sam Shepard, who had released a book entitled Hawk Moon. Bono also said that the band mixed the song 269 times. This was thought to be a joke for years until it was recently confirmed by The Edge in U2 by U2, who said that they spent three weeks mixing the song. He also contradicted Bono's assertion about Shepard, saying that Hawkmoon came from a section of a town in the midwestern United States. The album contains a live version of Bob Dylan's "All Along the Watchtower", which can be seen as a dual tribute to Dylan and to Jimi Hendrix, who popularized the song with his own blistering rendition. Aside from the covers, a couple of songs were written for other artists. "Angel of Harlem" is a vivacious, horn-filled tribute to Billie Holiday. The bass-heavy "God Part II" is an introduction to the Achtung Baby sound, and is a sequel of sorts to John Lennon's "God", his stark denunciation of everyone from Elvis Presley to Jesus Christ. The punchy lead single, "Desire", sports a Bo Diddley beat. During the Joshua Tree tour, in mid-November 1987, Bono and Bob Dylan met in Los Angeles; together they wrote a song called "Prisoner of Love" which later became "Love Rescue Me". Dylan sang lead vocals on the original recording, a version which Bono called "astonishing". The live performance of "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" (recorded with a full church choir) is a gospel song. "When Love Comes to Town" is a blues rocker featuring B. B. King on guitar and vocals. U2 recorded "Angel of Harlem", "Love Rescue Me" and "When Love Comes to Town" at Sun Studio in Memphis, Tennessee, where Elvis Presley, Roy Orbison, Johnny Cash and many others also recorded. The band started writing "Heartland", in 1984 during The Unforgettable Fire sessions, and it was worked on during The Joshua Tree sessions. All of the studio tracks apart from "Heartland" were performed in concert on the Lovetown Tour, which began almost a year after Rattle and Hum's release.

Track listing

01. "Helter Skelter" (live at Denver, Colorado) (Lennon–McCartney)  - 3:07

02. "Van Diemen's Land"   (The Edge)  - 3:06

03. "Desire"  (U2)  - 2:58

04. "Hawkmoon 269"  (U2)  - 6:22

05. "All Along the Watchtower" (live from "Save the Yuppie Free Concert", San Francisco) (Bob Dylan)  - 4:24

06. "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" (live at Madison Square Garden, New York with The New Voices of Freedom)  (U2)  - 5:53

07. "Freedom for My People"  (Sterling Magee, Bobb Robinson, Macie Mabins)  - 0:38

08. "Silver and Gold" (live from Denver, Colorado)  (U2)  - 5:50

09. "Pride (In the Name of Love)" (live from Denver, Colorado)  (U2)  - 4:27

10. "Angel of Harlem"  (U2)  - 3:49

11. "Love Rescue Me"  (with Bob Dylan) (Bono and Bob Dylan)  - 6:24

12. "When Love Comes to Town"  (with B.B. King)  (U2)  - 4:14

13. "Heartland"  (U2)  - 5:02

14. "God Part II"   (U2)  - 3:15

15. "The Star Spangled Banner"  (John Stafford Smith)  - 0:43

16. "Bullet the Blue Sky" (live at Sun Devil Stadium, Tempe, Arizona)  (U2)  - 5:37

17. "All I Want Is You"  (U2)  - 6:30

Released:  10 October 1988

Recorded at:  Sun Studio, Memphis, Tennessee, 1987–1988

Genre:  Rock, Roots Rock

Length:  72:27

Label:  Island

Producer:  Jimmy Iovine

Personnel

Bono - lead vocals, additional guitar, harmonica

The Edge - guitar, keyboards, backing vocals, lead vocals on "Van Diemen's Land"

Adam Clayton - bass guitar

Larry Mullen, Jr. - drums, percussion

Bob Dylan - Hammond organ on "Hawkmoon 269", backing vocals on "Love Rescue Me"

The New Voices of Freedom - gospel choir on "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For"

George Pendergrass, Dorothy Terrell - vocal soloists on "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For"

Joey Miskulin - organ on "Angel of Harlem"

The Memphis Horns - horns on "Angel of Harlem" and "Love Rescue Me"

B.B. King - guest vocals & lead guitar on "When Love Comes to Town"

Rebecca Evans Russell, Phyllis Duncan, Helen Duncan - backing vocals on "When Love Comes to Town"

Brian Eno - keyboards on "Heartland"

Benmont Tench - Hammond organ on "All I Want Is You"

Van Dyke Parks - string arrangement on "All I Want Is You"

Satan and Adam (Sterling Magee and Adam Gussow) - vocals, guitar, percussion, and harmonica on 'Freedom for My People'

Jimi Hendrix - electric guitar on "The Star Spangled Banner" (sourced from Woodstock)