Which One ?

13 Sep 2011353

Twelve timeless tracks, twenty years old next month. But which is the one song from Achtung Baby that will always have a special place in your life ?

The single releases from the album colonised the airwaves in the early 1990's while tracks like Ultraviolet  and Until The End of the World have become live mainstays.

The Fly will always signal the moment when The Joshua Tree started toppling, Mysterious Ways has that unforgettable groove and One... what else is there to say about One?

But there are twelve tracks on this album and maybe your own Achtung Baby moment is none of these.

Which one song will always make it onto your U2 greatest hits collection - and why does it means so much to you ?

Who does it make you think of? Where were you when you first heard it? What is it about for you...  and why can you never let it go?


Comments
353
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Bridey
You're So Cruel
I believe that "I'm only hanging on to watch you go down, my love." is one of the saddest lines I have ever heard in my life. It is a great song on the complexities of love.
Acrobat212
ALL KILLER, NO FILLER
What a fantastic album, from start to finish! That said -- and completely ignoring the song title in my user name -- "Ultraviolet (Light My Way)" is the winner by about 87 babies and one sexy whispered "alright now." I'm in the black, can't see or be seen ...
mgibson21212
Until the End of the World
Judas.
Ultraviolet, One
Honestly, it is hard to choose just one song from Achtung Baby album... all of them are beautiful... but Ultraviolet and One still make me sing out loud...! These last 2 years I was so lucky to see your show in Rome and in Seattle... I felt like a teenager again! Thank you guys for these beautiful moments!!!
theshadow12
Until the End of the World
Until the End of the World is my favorite Achtung Baby track, followed by Acrobat and The Fly
pappalotti
Zoo station
I"m going with my 10 year old son on a father and son journey the 22 october till 25 october to Berlin. Let him see and hear over there Zoo station. Hopefully we can go into Hansa studios and listen to One over there. Feel the fibes of Berlin. Looking forward. By the way: his name is Boy. He's playing the guitar since a year and likes U2....... I"m loving live!
gabrielem
Who's gonna ride your wild horses
It's just so good and I love the video
TiKip
Who's gonna ride your wild horses
I was 9 years old when my mom bought the cassette and I borrowed it, to never give it back. I love this song, since the beginning and it has had different meanings along the way. But it continues to marvel me today.
Dave72
ultra-violet
My favorite song. in any case, this song "light my way".
colelandry
One, Until the End of the World, Fly, Ul
All of the songs on the album, especially these resonated with what was going on in my life. Being a Christian, I could understand the Biblical parallels-or at least come close-to the parables being sung. I can remember walking home through a parking lot after work one night with the FLY in my earphones-it gave me a sort of proud feeling, like happy with my life at that moment etc. Hard to explain.
dew-acrobat
Acrobat
When you need some confidence, especially when someone has screwed up, just listen to "Do not let the bastards grind you down". It's an energy boost!! These rhythmic foundation, the drums, the bass, Edge's guitar and of course Bono's voice above all ... Unique!!
Ade_Goldberg
Trying to throw your arms around the wor
I can´t really explain it, but it is my favourite song of the album and at all! The melody... The images that describes... There´s a line in the song "a woman needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle" that lift up my spirit whenever I get heart broken... And also the hope that lies within "I´m gonna run to you, woman be still"... It´s just beautiful!
dj_yanzta
Ultra Violet (light MY Way) & Acrobat
Both these songs are vintage, its an amazing album all in. But Ultra Violet sets my heart on fire, its moody but passionate and really shows an inner depth in U2's Music, almost touching on Rock and dance with its Rythymic beat and Edges vintage guitar work - with Love....Beautiful. Acrobat is so moody and dark. Most likely song that will bring me up out of the Blues, with the line 'Dont Let The Bastards Grind You Down'. Its Dark and Haunting, but at the same time - Gripping. I cant choose one, it needs to be these two at the Top - But if taken at Gunpoint, id go out with Ultra Violet... (Light My Way)
ArgentoRJ
Tough decision
I love all of them, but right now it came to my mind "Ultraviolet"
PLysaker
Ultraviolet, Everytime
Add a Laser-Beam Leather Jacket? PRICELESS!
bportala
Ultraviolet
I agree with those that have said it's too hard to choose, but if I had to, I would say Ultraviolet. I probably wouldn't have said that had I been asked 10 or 15 years ago, but it's come to be one of my favorites from the album. It has an uplifting strength to it, but also shades of desperation and longing. I was thrilled to see it performed live on the 360 tour-- it was definitely one of the highlights for me.
sby79
All AB songs!! My best are ULTRAVIOLET a
I fell in love with U2 with this album, that was the soundtrack of all my adolescence. I "shared" all great and bad moments with them..
SanElisa
Who's gonna ride your wild horses
This album is my life soundtrack! The most important of my life, I swear I can divide facts in "before achtung baby" and "after AB". But who's gonna ride your wild horses was wrote for me. It describes my heart and soul, and so far I couldn't find who's gonna ride them! Thank you guys, for singing my life out!
hmkopech
One
Their best song by far. Better live than from the studio (Slane Castle!). And it saved the band from splitting up.
ddryan
The Fly
Hard to pick out the best song on this classic album however the "standout song" is The Fly...Captures the essence of the album "Attention Baby."
ONE
I sing this song almost every day! I love this song and one of the best moments in my life was when I could sing ONE at the Olimpic stadium in Rome on october 2 years ago!!!! I was there.
eastcoast
Until the End of the World
The Last Supper metaphors...the opening guitar chords...the sweeping feel of the whole song. It's very hard to make a decision for one song, but I'm an ordained pastor now and when I was 17 and heard that song, with its blatant religious motif, it made me a little more confident in expressing my own faith.
eliezefalusi
Better
"One" is One!!
Lilo011
Until the end of the world
Bono's voice singing "love, love, love"...
luanne
Ultraviolet
There is a silence that comes to a house where no one can sleep I guess it's the price of love I know it's not cheap. 20 years later I can still play this song over and over
teha
One - Ultraviolet
All ARE amazing, but When I saw ONE live in stockholm 11/06/1992 it was something I had never seen before and neither since. Seeing ULTRAVIOLET during the 360 tour first 2009 in Dublin, then 2010 in Helsinki and last time 2010 in Auckland was something that brought me back to 1992 when I saw U2 first time live in my life. Actually it was the FIRST time I saw any band playing live gig, so IT made huge impact to me and changed my whole life.
rsd
can't really pick a single favorite
I have loved this band since I saw them live in 1984. But this album established their true greatness by its radical change in style yet total continuity of passion/ excitement/ yearning/ fervour/ obsession with the expression of being human. I find it impossible to choose a favourite song since they fit together so well. But one great memory in the January after it was released, stays with me so clearly. Trying to throw your arms around the world will forever have the Rocky Mountains as its back drop. I was driving beside the mountains with a clear blue sky, towards the end of a year of travel around the world (I am from Melbourne Australia). Soaring mountains, the open road and urgent melody were a searing combination; I was, quite literally, trying to throw my arms around the world. Thanks.
julie-b
Mysterious Ways
Rythm, dance, everything !
thafreack
"Ultraviolet (Light My Way)"
You know I need you to be strong And the day it is dark, as the night is long. Feel like trash, you make me feel clean. I'm in the black, can't see or be seen. Baby, baby, baby, light my way! These lyrics give me such a thrill! A big thank U when it was on the track list for the 360 tour! Nice jacket, bono! Yet, thinking of the intro to Zoo Station... Aargh! Too difficult
mcrockstar
Until The End Of The World, One, The Fly
Until the end of the world literally blew me away. The first time I heard One, it sent shivers up my spine. The Fly was the reason I learned to play guitar. After the *oh no* moment at the Point Depot when Bono announced the intent to "go away and think it all up again", I really thought U2 wouldn't make it. But then, that fateful evening listening to Dave Fanning on 2FM playing the new songs from AB, tears of joy were barely kept at bay. Not only had U2 come back from the depths, they came back kicking and screaming, with their best studio work to date. So, a big "thank you Bono, Edge, Larry and Adam" for enriching an otherwise ordinary life...
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