"Even Better Than The Real Thing" Song Lyrics by U2

EBTTRT was originally titled "The Real Thing", but was eventually renamed to a longer variant of the song's chorus lyric.

Bono has said this was done because the title, as well as the song's lyrics were more "reflective of the times [the band] were living in, when people were no longer looking for the truth, [they] were all looking for instant gratification.

"Even Better Than the Real Thing" is a song that plays with the dualities of desire, illusion, and the seduction of surface realities. 

Lyrically, Bono presents a tension between the superficial and the authentic, exploring the way modern culture often prioritizes the allure of the artificial over genuine experience. Phrases like "Give me one more chance, and you'll be satisfied" suggest a perpetual hunger for satisfaction that’s never quite fulfilled, while the title itself plays with the paradox of something being "better" than the "real thing." 

This reflects not only the human tendency to chase unattainable ideals but also critiques the hyper-commercialized, media-driven world that promises instant gratification and yet leaves people wanting more. The line "We're free to fly the crimson sky" seems to mock this fleeting illusion of freedom, as if saying that the more we chase after this "better-than-real" experience, the more trapped we become in the cycle of wanting.

In the ultimate irony, a Paul Oakenfold remix of the song charted higher on the UK charts than the original.

"Even Better Than The Real Thing" Song Lyrics by U2

Give me one more chance and you'll be satisfied
Give me two more chances, you won't be denied
Well, my heart is where it's always been
My head is somewhere in between
Give me one more chance, let me be your lover tonight
Oh yeah, check it out

You're the real thing
Yeah, the real thing
You're the real thing
Even better than the real thing, child

Give me one last chance and I'm gonna make you sing
Give me half a chance to ride on the waves that you bring
You're honey, child, to a swarm of bees
Gonna blow right through you like a breeze
Give me one last chance, we'll slide down the surface of things

You're the real thing
Yeah, the real thing
You're the real thing
Even better than the real thing, child

We're free to fly the crimson sky
The sun won't melt our wings tonight
Oh now, here she comes
Take me higher
Take me higher
Can you take me higher
Will you take me higher

You're the real thing
Yeah, the real thing
You're the real thing

Even better than the real thing
Even better than the real thing
Even better than the real thing

-

The song’s inspiration draws heavily from the cultural zeitgeist of the early 1990s, when the rise of consumerism, media saturation, and image-driven reality was at its peak. 

U2 recorded Achtung Baby in the wake of this transformation, and "Even Better Than the Real Thing" serves as both a celebration and critique of that era. Musically, the song mirrors these themes with its slick, polished production, designed to seduce listeners with its glossy, infectious groove. 

Yet beneath the surface, the distorted guitars and driving rhythm hint at something darker—a sense of disillusionment with the hollow promises of modern life. 

Ultimately, "Even Better Than the Real Thing" is a song about desire—both for what’s real and what’s imagined—and the inevitable disconnect between the two. It reflects U2's exploration of fragmentation in a postmodern world, where appearances often overshadow substance, and everything, from love to identity, seems to be filtered through a lens of distortion.

More Achtung Baby Lyrics