Achtung Baby

Achtung Baby is the seventh studio album by Irish rock band U2. It was put in stores on 19 November 1991. The album came almost two years after the lead singer, Bono, said that the band would "have to go away and dream it all up again," after their 1988 album, Rattle and Hum was criticized.

Achtung Baby
Studio album by
Released18 November 1991 (1991-11-18)
RecordedOctober 1990 – September 1991
Studio
GenreAlternative rock
Length55:27
LabelIsland
ProducerDaniel Lanois, Brian Eno
U2 chronology
Rattle and Hum
(1988)
Achtung Baby Zooropa
(1993)
Singles from Achtung Baby
  1. "The Fly"
    Released: 21 October 1991 (1991-10-21)
  2. "Mysterious Ways"
    Released: 24 November 1991 (1991-11-24)
  3. "One"
    Released: March 1992 (1992-03)
  4. "Even Better Than the Real Thing"
    Released: 8 June 1992 (1992-06-08)
  5. "Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses"
    Released: August 1992 (1992-08)

Achtung Baby shows a very big change in U2's sound because they began to use alternative rock and electronic sounds in the rhythm, more production, and more guitar effects, also including darker and more personal song words. The results were much more adventurous and less traditionally rock-based than their previous albums, and Achtung Baby is one of U2's best-selling and most-liked albums.

Track listing

All lyrics written by Bono, all music composed by U2.

No. TitleProducer Length
1. "Zoo Station"  Daniel Lanois 4:36
2. "Even Better Than the Real Thing"  Steve Lillywhite, with Brian Eno and Lanois 3:41
3. "One"  Lanois with Eno 4:36
4. "Until the End of the World"  Lanois with Eno 4:39
5. "Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses"  Lillywhite, Lanois, and Eno 5:16
6. "So Cruel"  Lanois 5:49
7. "The Fly"  Lanois 4:29
8. "Mysterious Ways"  Lanois with Eno 4:04
9. "Tryin' to Throw Your Arms Around the World"  Lanois with Eno 3:53
10. "Ultraviolet (Light My Way)"  Lanois with Eno 5:31
11. "Acrobat"  Lanois 4:30
12. "Love Is Blindness"  Lanois 4:23
Total length:
55:27

20th anniversary reissue

Super Deluxe and Über Deluxe editions, CD disc 4: Unter Remixes
No. TitleNotes Length
1. "Mysterious Ways" (Tabla Motown Remix)B-side from "Mysterious Ways" single 4:29
2. "Mysterious Ways" (Apollo 440 Magic Hour Remix)B-side from "Mysterious Ways" single 4:28
3. "Can't Help Falling in Love" (Mystery Train Dub)B-side from "Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses" single 8:34
4. "One" (Apollo 440 Ambient Mix)Previously unreleased 5:04
5. "Lemon" (Momo's Reprise)B-side from "Lemon" single 4:09
6. "Salomé" (Zooromancer Remix)B-side from "Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses" single 8:05
7. "Even Better Than the Real Thing" (Trance Mix)B-side from "Even Better Than the Real Thing" single 6:51
8. "Numb" (Gimme Some More Dignity Mix)From Melon: Remixes for Propaganda compilation 8:51
9. "Mysterious Ways" (Solar Plexus Magic Hour Remix)B-side from "Mysterious Ways" single 8:15
10. "Numb" (Soul Assassins Mix)From Melon: Remixes for Propaganda compilation 3:58
11. "Even Better Than the Real Thing" (Apollo 440 Stealth Sonic Remix)B-side from "Even Better Than the Real Thing" single 6:44
Total length:
69:12
Super Deluxe and Über Deluxe editions, CD disc 5: B-sides and Bonus Tracks
No. TitleNotes Length
1. "Lady with the Spinning Head (UV1)"  B-side from "One" single 3:54
2. "Blow Your House Down"  Previously unreleased 3:31
3. "Salomé"  B-side from "Even Better Than the Real Thing" single 4:32
4. "Even Better Than the Real Thing" (Single Version)A-side from "Even Better Than the Real Thing" 3:41
5. "Satellite of Love"  B-side from "One" 4:00
6. "Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses" (Temple Bar Remix)B-side from "Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses" single 4:49
7. "Heaven and Hell"  Previously unreleased 5:02
8. "Oh Berlin"  Previously unreleased 4:31
9. "Near the Island" (Instrumental)Previously unreleased 2:46
10. "Down All the Days"  Previously unreleased 5:37
11. "Paint It Black"  B-side from "Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses" single 3:21
12. "Fortunate Son"  B-side from "Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses" single 2:40
13. "Alex Descends into Hell for a Bottle of Milk/Korova 1"  B-side from "The Fly" single 3:38
14. "Where Did It All Go Wrong?"  B-side from "Even Better Than the Real Thing" 3:57
15. "Everybody Loves a Winner"  Previously unreleased 5:12
16. "Even Better Than the Real Thing" (Fish out of Water Remix)U2 360° Tour remix 4:09
Total length:
65:18
Super Deluxe and Über Deluxe editions, CD disc 6: Kindergarten — The Alternative Achtung Baby
No. Title Length
1. "Template:-'Baby' Zoo Station"   5:34
2. "Template:-'Baby' Even Better Than the Real Thing"   3:43
3. "Template:-'Baby' One"   4:36
4. "Template:-'Baby' Until the End of the World"   4:32
5. "Template:-'Baby' Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses"   5:16
6. "Template:-'Baby' So Cruel"   6:08
7. "Template:-'Baby' The Fly"   4:45
8. "Template:-'Baby' Mysterious Ways"   4:03
9. "Template:-'Baby' Tryin' to Throw Your Arms Around the World"   4:12
10. "Template:-'Baby' Ultraviolet (Light My Way)"   5:50
11. "Template:-'Baby' Acrobat"   4:27
12. "Template:-'Baby' Love Is Blindness"   7:17
Total length:
60:23

Achtung Baby Media

Notes

  1. The recording location is credited in the album's liner notes as "Dog Town", based on the band's nickname for the house. Its official name is Elsinore.