How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb
Released 22 November 2004
Recorded February 2003 – July 2004
Studio
Hanover Quay (Dublin)
South of France
Genre Rock
Length 49:03
Label Island, Interscope
Producer Steve Lillywhite, with additional production by Chris Thomas, Jacknife Lee, Nellee Hooper, Flood, Daniel Lanois, Brian Eno, Carl Glanville
How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb is the 11th studio album by Irish rock band U2. It was released on 22 November 2004 on Island Records and Interscope Records. Much like their previous album, All That You Can’t Leave Behind, How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb exhibits a more mainstream rock sound after the band experimented with alternative rock and dance music in the 1990s. The album was produced by Steve Lillywhite, with additional production from Chris Thomas, Jacknife Lee, Nellee Hooper, Flood, Daniel Lanois, Brian Eno, and Carl Glanville.
Looking for a more hard-hitting sound than that of their previous album, U2 began recording How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb in February 2003 with Thomas. After nine months of work, the band had an album’s worth of material ready for release, but they were not satisfied with the results. The group subsequently enlisted Lillywhite to take over as producer in Dublin in January 2004. Lillywhite, along with his assistant Lee, spent six months with the band reworking songs and encouraging better performances. U2 lead singer Bono described the album as “our first rock album. It’s taken us twenty years or whatever it is, but this is our first rock album.” Thematically, the record touches on life, death, love, war, faith, and family.
How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb received favourable reviews and reached number one in 30 countries, including the US, where first-week sales of 840,000 copies nearly doubled the band’s previous personal best. The album and its singles won all nine Grammy Awards for which they were nominated (U2 themselves were awarded eight out of the nine). The album also was the fourth-highest-selling album of 2004, with over 10 million copies sold, and it yielded several successful singles in “Vertigo”, “City of Blinding Lights” and “Sometimes You Can’t Make It on Your Own”. The album was also included in Rolling Stone’s list of the “100 Best Albums of the Decade” at number 68.
Personnel
Bono – lead vocals, additional guitar, piano
The Edge – guitar, piano, keyboards, backing vocals, lead vocals on bridge of “Miracle Drug”
Adam Clayton – bass guitar, keyboards
Larry Mullen Jr. – drums, percussion, backing vocals on “Miracle Drug”
Jacknife Lee – keyboards, synthesizers
Daniel Lanois – guitar, pedal steel, mandolin, shaker
Track listing
All lyrics written by Bono except where noted; all music composed by U2.
1. “Vertigo” Bono and The Edge Steve Lillywhite 3:14
2. “Miracle Drug” Bono and The Edge Lillywhite; Carl Glanville,[a] Jacknife Lee[a] 3:59
3. “Sometimes You Can’t Make It on Your Own” Chris Thomas; Lillywhite,[a] Nellee Hooper[a] 5:08
4. “Love and Peace or Else” Bono and The Edge Brian Eno, Daniel Lanois; Thomas,[a] Lee,[a] Flood[a] 4:50
5. “City of Blinding Lights” Flood; Thomas,[a] Lee[a] 5:47
6. “All Because of You” Lillywhite 3:39
7. “A Man and a Woman” Lee; Lillywhite,[a] Glanville[a] 4:30
8. “Crumbs from Your Table” Lillywhite; Lee[a] 5:03
9. “One Step Closer” Thomas, Lanois; Lee[a] 3:51
10. “Original of the Species” Lillywhite; Lee[a] 4:41
11. “Yahweh” Bono and The Edge Thomas 4:21
Total length: 49:03
UK, Ireland and Japan bonus track
No. Title Lyrics Producer Length
12. “Fast Cars” Bono and The Edge Lillywhite 3:43
Total length: 53:09
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