The ‘horrendous’ and legendary U2 song that Bono rescued to become the biggest hit on ‘The Joshua Tree’

Picture the scene: it’s late 1985 and U2 is deep into The Unforgettable Fire tour when Bono walks in with a demo tape that, according to guitarist, The Edge, was “awful.” The singer’s bandmates were not impressed.

Bass player Adam Clayton didn’t hold back either: “It sounded overly sentimental and traditional, with the same chords repeating endlessly.” Even Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois—the sonic masterminds brought in to rescue any creative shipwreck—couldn’t figure out how to breathe life into it. The unpolished demo, seemingly beyond repair, looked destined for the trash pile.

Bono insists on working on discarded demo

But Bono refused to let go. He had a gut feeling. Beneath that repetitive melody, he believed something extraordinary was hiding. And when Bono digs in, he doesn’t budge. He called on his longtime friend Gavin Friday, an Irish punk artist with a mystical streak, who could see what U2 themselves couldn’t in the chaos.

As The Edge recalled in the documentary Ladies and Gentlemen (RTE, 2010): “We were about to abandon the song when Gavin and Bono heard the guitar, and Gavin said, ‘What’s that? That’s it!’”

That “it” was a ghostly sound from an experimental instrument called the Infinite Guitar, invented by Michael Brook. The device could sustain a note indefinitely—like freezing time. In 1985, it was revolutionary. Only three existed: one owned by Brook, one by Lanois, and one by The Edge. And it landed in the studio purely by chance, as a casual loan rather than part of any grand plan.

Experimental guitar breathes new life into U2 song

Once plugged in, everything clicked. Two takes were all it took to capture what Lanois called a “stratospheric sound.” That haunting electric sigh at the start set the tone for the entire track. Nothing was edited—those takes were perfect as they were. The Infinite Guitar riff intertwined with Brian Eno’s delicate arpeggios and Clayton’s hypnotic bass line, while Larry Mullen added subtle electronic textures with his Yamaha drum machine.

Then came Bono’s voice. He turned the lyrics into a raw confession: the struggle of being both a husband and a rock star. Married to Alison Stewart for five years at the time (she’s still his wife today), Bono felt torn between two irreconcilable worlds. He described it as “pure torment.” Part of the lyric was written while gazing out at the sea from Sandycove Martello Tower, a coastal fortress in Ireland where he often retreated to think.

Breaking the US

Meanwhile, the rest of The Joshua Tree was taking shape in two rented houses in Dublin, with marathon late-night sessions and debates about American spirituality. The band wanted to capture the essence of a country that fascinated and intimidated them. Out of those walls came anthems like “Where the Streets Have No Name” and “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For.” But it was “With or Without You” that unlocked everything.

The rest is history. On March 16, 1987, U2 released “With or Without You” as the lead single from The Joshua Tree. It became their first No. 1 hit in the US and Canada, spending three weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100. In the UK, it peaked at No. 4. Rolling Stone later ranked it among the 500 greatest songs of all time.

The track transformed U2’s career. Until then, they were a promising band with an epic sound but still searching for identity. The Joshua Tree catapulted them into superstardom, and “With or Without You” was the key. Overnight, they went from filling arenas to selling out stadiums. From “the intense Irish guys” to the biggest band on the planet. All thanks to a song they nearly scrapped.

Inspiration in a Martello Tower

And Bono has never stopped reinventing it. In 2022, on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, he performed it stripped down with just a harp, cello, and percussion. Before singing, he read from his memoir Surrender, recounting how the song was born in an Irish Martello Tower by the sea. “This isn’t exactly rock ’n’ roll, but I’d like to tell you the story,” he said. And he did—without fireworks, without embellishment.

Nearly 40 years later, “With or Without You” still feels fresh. Hard to believe it all started with a demo the band thought was terrible. What if Bono hadn’t called Gavin Friday? Who could have guessed that a ghostly guitar sound would rescue U2’s greatest song? Sometimes, the line between failure and triumph is nothing more than an Infinite Guitar—and a friend who knows how to listen.

Related stories

Entertainment

Marisa Tomei, stunning at 61

CINEMA

"I didn’t know that I showed my breasts so much"

Get your game on! Whether you’re into NFL touchdowns, NBA buzzer-beaters, world-class soccer goals, or MLB home runs, our app has it all.

Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more – plus, stay updated on the latest in current affairs and entertainment.Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.