Before the stadium screens and the multimedia irony: U2 paying their dues in the 1980s. (And oh, look! The Edge has hair!)
The Art of the Steal: Why U2 Records Covers
You might think that one of the biggest, fiercely independent bands in history wouldn’t need to rely on cover songs. The Beatles did it, and the Rolling Stones built their early career on it, but U2 emerged from a post-punk Dublin scene that prized raw originality over everything else. So why exactly does U2 record the odd cover song?
For U2, covers aren't just filler to pad out an album or a live set; they are a vital method of tapping into their roots, paying homage, and actively dismantling their own sound. They use covers as a sonic testing ground. A surprise track or a live staple provides fans with fresh angles on the band’s influences, shining a light on the specific musical obsessions driving them during any given era. They treat these songs with deep reverence—but they aren't afraid to tear them apart and rebuild them.
The Pivot: "Night and Day" (1990)
If you want to understand how U2 transitioned from the earnest, desert-dust rock of The Joshua Tree to the cyber-trash irony of Achtung Baby, look no further than "Night and Day." Recorded for the 1990 Red Hot + Blue AIDS benefit compilation, U2 took Cole Porter's classic jazz standard and dragged it through an industrial synthesizer factory.
This track is the missing link in U2's discography. It was the first time they truly experimented with heavy electronic beats and distorted vocal processing. Without their radical reinvention of "Night and Day," we likely would never have gotten "The Fly" or "Zoo Station."
The Homage: "Unchained Melody" & "Everlasting Love"
During the late 1980s Rattle and Hum era, U2 was obsessed with American roots, soul, and R&B. This culminated in the B-sides chosen for the "All I Want Is You" single in 1989. Bono’s take on "Unchained Melody" is legendary. He holds back the bombast, opting instead for a fragile, soaring falsetto that finds new heartbreak between every line. It’s not a novelty stunt; it’s an act of pure vocal homage. Paired with a driving, joyful cover of "Everlasting Love," these tracks don't just fill up the list of U2 B-sides—they rival the A-sides in pure emotional weight.
The Political Statement: "The Saints Are Coming"
Sometimes a cover is a weapon. In 2006, the United States government failed the citizens of New Orleans following the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. U2 teamed up with Green Day to cover The Skids' 1978 punk anthem, "The Saints Are Coming." Proceeds went to Music Rising to help rebuild the region's musical heritage, but the performance—combining U2's stadium gravity with Green Day's blistering punk energy—was a furious, highly politicized indictment of the delayed rescue efforts.
Modern Tributes & The Sphere (2020s)
In recent years, U2 has become highly selective about covering other artists, reserving the honor for significant tributes or political statements. In 2020, they teamed up with Elton John to record a blistering studio cover of T. Rex's "Bang A Gong (Get It On)" for the Marc Bolan tribute album AngelHeaded Hipster.
More recently, covers have served as powerful live centerpieces. During their monumental 2023-2024 U2:UV Achtung Baby Live at Sphere residency in Las Vegas, the band played a stripped-back, acoustic cover of Crowded House's "Don't Dream It's Over." Featuring a pre-recorded vocal from Neil Finn, the song took on profound global weight when Bono dedicated a February 2024 performance to Yulia Navalnaya following the death of her husband, Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny. Furthermore, the band's 2023 Las Vegas original anthem "Atomic City" heavily interpolated Blondie's "Call Me," officially crediting Debbie Harry and Giorgio Moroder and proving that U2's habit of pulling from their heroes is alive and well.
The Complete U2 Cover Database
Below is a curated list of U2's most notable studio covers. (Archivist Note: "Unchained Melody" is frequently misremembered as a "With or Without You" B-side. It was actually released on the "All I Want Is You" single in 1989!)
| Song Name | Release / Era | Original Artist / Writer |
|---|---|---|
| "Night and Day" | Red Hot + Blue | Cole Porter |
| "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" | A Very Special Christmas | Darlene Love (Spector/Greenwich) |
| "I Believe in Father Christmas" | (RED)Wire Volume 1 | Greg Lake |
| "Beat on the Brat" | We're a Happy Family | Ramones |
| "I Remember You" | "Elevation" single | Ramones |
| "Fortunate Son" | "Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses" single | Creedence Clearwater Revival |
| "Instant Karma!" | Make Some Noise (Amnesty Int.) | John Lennon |
| "Happiness Is a Warm Gun" | "Last Night on Earth" single | The Beatles |
| "Don't Take Your Guns to Town" | "Elevation" single | Johnny Cash |
| "Satellite of Love" | "One" single | Lou Reed |
| "Everlasting Love" | "All I Want Is You" single | Love Affair |
| "Paint It Black" | "Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses" single | The Rolling Stones |
| "Dancing Barefoot" | "When Love Comes to Town" single | Patti Smith |
| "Springhill Mining Disaster" | The Late Late Show Tribute | Peggy Seeger |
| "Neon Lights" | "Vertigo" single | Kraftwerk |
| "Pop Muzik" | "Last Night on Earth" single | M (Robin Scott) |
| "Jesus Christ" | Folkways: A Vision Shared | Woody Guthrie |
| "Unchained Melody" | "All I Want Is You" single | The Righteous Brothers |
| "The Saints Are Coming" | U218 Singles (with Green Day) | The Skids |
| "Bang a Gong (Get It On)" | AngelHeaded Hipster (Tribute Album) | Marc Bolan (T. Rex) |
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