A Little Rattle A Little Hum

Rattle and Hum (10 Oct, 1988)

Track List
  1. Helter Skelter Lyrics
  2. Van Diemen's Land Lyrics
  3. I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For Lyrics
  4. Pride (In The Name Of Love) Lyrics
  5. Desire Lyrics
  6. Hawkmoon 269 Lyrics
  7. Bullet The Blue Sky Lyrics
  8. All Along The Watchtower Lyrics
  9. Silver & Gold Lyrics
  10. Freedom For My People Lyrics
  11. Angel Of Harlem Lyrics
  12. Love Rescue Me Lyrics
  13. When Love Comes To Town Lyrics
  14. Heartland Lyrics
  15. God Part II Lyrics
  16. The Star Spangled Banner Lyrics
  17. All I Want Is You Lyrics

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Rattle and Hum is the sixth studio album by rock band U2 and its companion rockumentary directed by Phil Joanou, both released in 1988. The film and the album feature live recordings, covers, and new songs. To a greater extent than on their previous album, The Joshua Tree, the band explores American roots music and incorporates elements of blues rock, folk rock, and gospel music in their sound. The motion picture was filmed primarily in the United States in late 1987 during The Joshua Tree Tour and it features their experiences with American music. Although Rattle and Hum was intended to represent the band paying tribute to rock legends, some critics accused U2 of trying to place themselves amongst the ranks of these artists. While critical reception was mixed, the album was a commercial success, reaching the number one spot in several countries and selling 14 million copies. The album has also sold over one million copies in the US, and is certified quadruple platinum by the RIAA (each unit of Rattle and Hum is counted as two copies, because it is a double album).

“What other band in our position would learn the chords of ‘All Along The Watchtower’ five minutes before they went on-stage, play it live and record it ? No-one.’”
— Bono

Promotional  Release​

Rattle and Hum​ Flight Case Promo
Desire Promo Single
Angel of Harlem Promo Single
When Love Comes to Town Promo
All I Want is You Promo Single God Part II Promo Single
U2 2 Date Promo
3D Dance Mixes Promo
Excerpts from Rattle and Hum Promo​

​Liner Notes

All live recording by Remote Recording Services (The Black Truck) operated by David Hewitt with Phil Gitomer, Fritz Lang, J.B. Matteotti. Additional Engineers Don Smith, Rob Jacobs, Randy Staub, Bob Vogt and Marc De Sisto,assistant engineers Brian Scheuble, Ethan Johns. Additional overdubbing at Conway Recording with assistants Richard McKernan and GaryWagner. 

Mastered by Arnie Acosta, A&M Mastering Studios/LA. Studio Crew: Sam O'Sullivan, Cheryl Engels, Fraser McAlister, Des Broadbery. Music Production Co-Ordinator: Fregg McCarty. Product and Art Co-Ordinator: Anne-Louise Kelly. Principle Management : New York Director: Ellen Darst, Keryn Kapan, Sheila Roche, Debbie Bernadini. Dublin Director: Anne-Louise Kelly, Barbara Galavan, Suzanne Doyle, Jackie Bennett, Cecilia Coffey, Brigid Mooney, Cillian Guidear, Marc Coleman. Camp Commandant: John Clark Tour Manager: Dennis Sheehan. Assistant to Dennis Sheehan: Theresa Pesco.

Love Rescue Me

Eric Shivvers By:Eric Shivvers

As I open this venture with U2tourfans, I would like to thank Andres for reaching out and letting me become part of the family. I think that’s part of U2-fandom culture. A band and a bond bring us together. We are interesting. We are diverse. We have passion. We are U2 fans. 

I think we look at U2 as heroes. They make music and change the world. They are the bullhorn of our consciousness. But even our heroes need heroes and two nights ago, U2 paid tribute to one who is an American icon, Bob Dylan. Dylan’s an American treasure who is profound in his lyrical style.

What we hear in his song The Times They are A-Changin’ had direct influence on U2. Listen to Sunday Bloody Sunday, you will find the soul of the Irish battle cry’s not that far from the musical craftsman from Minneapolis. In fact, it is almost a response from across the pond.

Love Rescue Me, which U2 performed the other night in Salt Lake City in honor of Dylan’s 70th birthday, is that haunting song found on Rattle and Hum and co-written with Dylan.

It’s one of my favorites and quite possibly the simplest tune the band has ever written musically. The song barely has three chords, which makes the lyric take front and center stage. Much like Dylan’s songs, one can strip away Edge’s arpeggio style and you have a story. This one is Bono’s ode to his pious self. The love he seeks out in the song is religion as the wordsmith in the verse exposes Bono’s earthly self. 

U2 are fans of music and they expose us, the legion of followers, to those who influenced them. If one person read this and went to iTunes to listen to snippets of Dylan classics, then writing Love Rescue Me was the right thing to do, regardless of Rattle and Hum’s backlash in the press. In fact, I can be honest and say I drift away from U2, listening to bands they turned me onto.

Like older brothers, or sisters, who influenced their younger siblings with what they were listening to on their record player, U2 did that to me as I am an only child. I never had that sibling bond behind the bedroom door. I had friends who steered me one way or the other but it was U2 who sort of showed me the musical way and for that, I am eternally grateful.