Unveiling the Story Behind U2's Iconic Song 'Where The Streets Have No Name
U2 and their team filmed a video for the song "Where The Streets Have No Name" on the first-floor roof of a liquor store in downtown Los Angeles on March 27, 1987. The video was meticulously planned and had a sense of urgency due to the LAPD's threat to block the filming. The band's director, Meiert Avis, revealed that the intention was to create a disruptive and attention-grabbing media event.
The song "Where The Streets Have No Name" was chosen as the opening track of U2's album "The Joshua Tree" and set the tone for their subsequent tour. The band's guitarist, The Edge, had a vision of creating the definitive U2 live song and spent weeks perfecting it with the band, producers, and engineers. The song's initial inspiration came from a story told to Bono in Belfast, and he wrote the lyrics on an airsickness bag during a volunteer trip to Ethiopia.
The recording process of "Where The Streets Have No Name" was challenging, with producer Brian Eno considering erasing the tapes and starting over. However, the song eventually came together through multiple takes and meticulous mixing by Steve Lillywhite. The band members reflected on the song's evolution, with Larry Mullen noting that it truly came alive during live performances.
Despite Bono's self-criticism of the song's lyrics, "Where The Streets Have No Name" was released as the third single from "The Joshua Tree" in August 1987. Over the years, the song has garnered critical acclaim, with Q magazine ranking it as the sixteenth most emotional song ever in 2002. In 2020, the Guardian and New York Magazine's Vulture website both ranked it as the best U2 song of all time, highlighting its enduring impact and significance.