All That You Can't Leave Behind is an album by rock band U2. Released in 2000 by Island Records in the United Kingdom and Interscope Records in the United States, it is the band's 10th studio album. Following the mixed reception to their 1997 album, "Pop", it represented a return to a more traditional sound for the band after the alternative rock and dance music that influenced their music in the 1990s. At the time of the album's release, U2 said on a number of occasions that they were "reapplying for the job ... [of] the best band in the world".[1] U2 brought back producers Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois who had produced a number of the band's previous albums.
All That You Can't Leave Behind has sold over 12 million copies, received wide critical acclaim, and won seven Grammy Awards. The songs "Beautiful Day", "Walk On", "Elevation", and "Stuck in a Moment You Can't Get Out Of" were all successful singles. In 2003, the album was ranked number 139 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.
Recording
The band were not pleased with the reception of the Pop album and PopMart Tour.[2] After the band's experimentation with alternative rock and electronic dance music on their previous three records, guitarist The Edge said the band had "taken the deconstruction of the rock 'n' roll band format to its absolute 'nth degree."[2] The band wished to return to song arrangements that consisted almost entirely of guitar, bass, and drums, and to regroup in the studio relatively quickly after the PopMart tour wrapped up.[2] They reunited with producers Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois, who also produced The Unforgettable Fire, The Joshua Tree and Achtung Baby albums.[2]
While the band wanted to develop material before recording, Eno convinced them to work on writing material quickly in the studio.[2] For three weeks in late 1998, U2, Eno, and Lanois recorded demos in Hanover Quay Studios.[2] One of the few quality ideas from these brief sessions, was the song "Kite".[2] Lead singer Bono's vocals inspired everyone in the studio and came following vocal problems he had been having for the last few years.[2] U2 believed they would have a new record completed in time for 1999.[2] After the band's brief demo sessions, The Edge worked alone on song ideas before the band reunited at Hanover Quays.[2] They recorded with the mentality of a "band in a room playing together", an approach that led to the album's more stripped-down sound.[2]
Bono's involvement in the Jubilee 2000 campaign prevented him from dedicating all of his time to the album's recording, something Eno thought was a distraction.[3] There was also a two-month break in the sessions when Bono worked with Lanois and Hal Wilner on the Million Dollar Hotel film soundtrack.[3] The band had thought they could complete the album for 1999, but the sessions ran long,[2] with band members' conflicting schedules playing a large part in the delay. U2 did not want to put a deadline on completing the album after their experience with their previous album which had to be rushed to completion before the pre-booked PopMart Tour.[2]
In the summer 1999, bassist Adam Clayton and drummer Larry Mullen, Jr. bought houses in the South of France, in order to be near Bono and Edge's homes so they could have a place to both "work and play".[3]
The band have said that All That You Can't Leave Behind was an album that acknowledged the band's past.[4] For example, there was a big debate amongst the band members during the writing and recording of "Beautiful Day"; The Edge was playing with a guitar tone that he hadn't used much since their 1983 album War and the band wanted something more forward-looking.[4] The Edge won out and the sound would make it into the final studio version for the song. Additionally, although the record was described as "a return to the traditional U2 sound", many songs were complex and retained elements of the band's 1990s experimenting;[4] "Beautiful Day" features an electronic drum beat, and the song's intro features an "electronification of the [chorus] chords with a beat box and a string part";[4] "New York" came together when the band members were away at a meeting and Lanois and Eno were playing around with a drum loop that drummer Larry Mullen, Jr. had recorded.[4] The album's recording wrapped up in 2000.
Composition
The album was seen as a return to the band's traditional sound after their more experimental records of the 1990s. In many ways, however, this is an oversimplification, as the album breaks new ground by retaining the sonic nuances of their 1990s work and reconciling it with the melodic, hook-filled rock of their 1980s work. The first song (and lead single), "Beautiful Day," for instance, is an optimistic anthem that opens with a drum machine and a rhythm sequencer. The album also includes "Stuck in a Moment You Can't Get Out Of," a song written by Bono for his friend, lead singer of INXS, Michael Hutchence, who committed suicide in 1997.
Release
Promotion
Following the comparatively poor reception of their previous album Pop, U2 declared on a number of occasions that they were "re-applying for the job ... of best band in the world."[1] Promotional activities for the album included a number of U2 firsts such as appearances on MTV's Total Request Live, USA Network's Farm Club, and Saturday Night Live. The band kicked off the release of the album by performing a short concert for about 600 people at the ManRay club in Paris, France, on October 19, 2000, as part of the promotion for the October 30th release of the album.[5]
Single releases
The album was preceded by the lead single "Beautiful Day", released on October 9, 2000. It was U2's fourth #1 single in the UK, their first #1 in the Netherlands, and was also #1 for a week in Australia. The song peaked at #21 in the US.
The album's second single, "Stuck in a Moment You Can't Get Out Of", was originally released January 29, 2001. It was also a success, reaching #2 on the UK Singles Chart.
A third single, "Elevation", was released June 12, 2001. The version of the song released as the single was the "Tomb Raider Mix", which appeared in television commercials for the Lara Croft: Tomb Raider movie. It featured a much more hard rock arrangement than the album version, and it is this arrangement that the band plays live.
The album's fourth and final single, "Walk On" was released on November 19, 2001. The song was originally written about and dedicated to Aung San Suu Kyi, a Burmese activist, but the song took on new meaning with listeners following the September 11 attacks.
Ban in Burma
The album is banned in Burma by SPDC because "Walk On" is a song dedicated to Burmese human rights activist Aung San Suu Kyi.[6]
Cover art
The photographs used for the album cover and interior art were taken by Anton Corbijn in the Roissy Hall 2F of the Charles de Gaulle International Airport in Paris, France. Portions of the music video for "Beautiful Day" were also filmed there.
The album cover contains a subtle religious message in the departure gate sign on the left edge of the photo. In early press ads for the album, the sign reads "F21-36". On the finished album artwork, however, it has been changed to "J33-3 →". Bono made the change at the last minute, stating that it refers to the Bible verse Jeremiah 33:3, "Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known." (ESV) In Bono's words, "It was done like a piece of graffiti. It's known as 'God's telephone number.'"[7] This religious reference is used in the lyrics of Unknown Caller, a song from their album No Line On The Horizon: "3:33 when the numbers fell off the clock face".
Reception
|
All That You Can't Leave Behind is easy to relate to, full of solid songs that appeal to a wide audience with its clear notions of family, friendship, love, death, and re-birth. ...the sounds on this album come from a band that has digested the music it started to consume while making Rattle and Hum. This time they are neither imitating or paying tribute. This time it's soul music, not music about soul.
—Caroline van Oosten de Boer [8] |
The album met wide acclaim from critics and the public, debuting at #1 in 28 countries (#3 in the United States). Many critics, such as Rolling Stone magazine, declared it as "U2's third masterpiece", alongside The Joshua Tree and Achtung Baby.[9] The first single released was "Beautiful Day", which reached #1 in the UK single charts (which tracks the popularity of individual songs) and in most European countries, Canada and Australia. All That You Can't Leave Behind became the fourth highest-selling U2 album, with total sales of over 12 million. The album holds an average critic score of 80% on Metacritic.
Awards and accolades
All That You Can't Leave Behind and its singles won seven Grammy Awards in two years. In 2001, "Beautiful Day" won "Song of the Year", "Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal", and "Record of the Year". In 2002, "Walk On" won "Record of the Year", "Elevation" won "Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal", and "Stuck in a Moment You Can't Get Out Of" won "Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal". The album also won "Best Rock Album" that year. All That You Can't Leave Behind is the only album ever to have two singles win "Record of the Year" in two consecutive years.
In 2003, All That You Can't Leave Behind was ranked number 139 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. In 2009 it was ranked by Rolling Stone as the 13th best album of the decade, while "Beautiful Day" was rated the 9th best song.[10][11]
Elevation Tour
Main article:
Elevation TourThe accompanying Elevation Tour officially began on March 24, 2001 with a two-night stay at the National Car Rental Center near Fort Lauderdale, Florida,[12] and ended back in Miami, Florida on December 2, 2001 at the American Airlines Arena.[13] The tour featured three legs and a total of 113 shows.[14] The Elevation Tour saw U2 return to playing indoor arenas after they spent the 1990s in outdoor stadiums. The stage design of the Elevation Tour was more stripped-down and intimate for the fans. The tour grossed approximately US$110 million, and in 2005 was listed as the third biggest tour of all time by Pollstar,[15] with many of the stops selling out immediately.[16] The band performed multiple shows in the same location including four consecutive shows in Chicago, Boston and London, respectively.
The song "Beautiful Day", which debuted on the tour, is one of only four U2 songs to have been played at every concert since their introduction (the other three being "One", "Vertigo", and "City of Blinding Lights").
Track listing
All music composed by U2.
In Japan, Australia, Ireland and the UK, "The Ground Beneath Her Feet" (3:44) is a bonus track at the end. The lyrics were written by Salman Rushdie, and he is featured in the video, shown writing the song. Rushdie also provides an account of his relationship with the band and how the song came to be written in his book of essays, Step Across This Line.
Various limited edition copies included a bonus disc with either "Always," "Summer Rain," or "Big Girls are Best". The 7 (EP) was subsequently released in the U.S., collecting these B-sides previously unavailable in that region.
Charts
| Country |
Peak position |
Certification |
Sales |
| Australia |
1[17] |
4× Platinum[18] |
280,000+ |
| Austria |
1[17] |
Platinum[19] |
30,000+ |
| Canada |
1[20] |
5× Platinum[21] |
500,000+[21] |
| Denmark |
2[17] |
2× Platinum[22] |
60,000+ |
| Finland |
1[17] |
Gold[23] |
27,000+[23] |
| Ireland |
1[24] |
Multi Platinum[19] |
10,000+ |
| Netherlands |
1[17] |
2× Platinum[25] |
160,000+ |
| Switzerland |
2[17] |
2× Platinum[26] |
80,000+ |
| United Kingdom |
1[27] |
2× Platinum[28] |
600,000+ |
| United States |
3[20] |
4× Platinum[29] |
4,000,000+ |
Personnel
See also
Notes
- ^ a b Tyrangiel, Josh (2002-02-23). "Bono's Mission". Time. http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,212605,00.html. Retrieved 2007-03-10.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m McCormick (2006), p. 289.
- ^ a b c McCormick (2006), pp. 289-90, 293-4.
- ^ a b c d e McCormick (2006), pg. 296, 299-300.
- ^ U2 All That You Can't Leave Behind Promo Tour - setlist from Oct. 19, 2000
- ^ U2's criminal record NME.com
- ^ Chris Heath, "U2: Band of the Year," Rolling Stone, 18 January 2001
- ^ Graham (2004), page 21
- ^ "U2 - All That You Can't Leave Behind". Rolling Stone. 2000-10-26. http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/u2/albums/album/232369/review/6068360/all_that_you_cant_leave_behind. Retrieved 2007-07-11.
- ^ "100 Best Albums of the Decade". Rolling Stone. 2009-12-09. http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/31248017/100_best_albums_of_the_decade/31. Retrieved 2009-12-10.
- ^ "100 Best Songs of the Decade". Rolling Stone. 2009-12-09. http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/31248926/100_best_songs_of_the_decade/23. Retrieved 2009-12-10.
- ^ U2Tours.com - Elevation Tour, 1st leg
- ^ U2Tours.com - Elevation Tour, 3rd leg
- ^ U2 Vertigo Tour.com - Elevation Tour statistics
- ^ U2 tour has the concert business getting dizzy - USA Today, January 23, 2005
- ^ More U2 For The U.S. - Pollstar, November 8, 2001
- ^ a b c d e f "U2 - All That You Can't Leave Behind". Hung Median. http://www.ultratop.be/en/showitem.asp?interpret=U2&titel=All+That+You+Can%27t+Leave+Behind&cat=a. Retrieved 2009-11-26.
- ^ "ARIA Charts - Accreditations - 2001 Albums". Australian Recording Industry Association. http://www.aria.com.au/pages/aria-charts-accreditations-albums-2001.htm. Retrieved 2009-11-26.
- ^ a b IFPI Austria
- ^ a b "All That You Can't Leave Behind - U2". Billboard. http://www.billboard.com/#/album/u2/all-that-you-can-t-leave-behind/449144. Retrieved 2009-11-26.
- ^ a b "CRIA Certification Results: U2". Canadian Recording Industry Association. 2002-01-17. http://www.cria.ca/cert_db_search.php?page=4&wclause=WHERE+artist_name+like+%27%25U2%25%27+ORDER+BY+cert_date%2C+cert_award+&rcnt=81&csearch=80&nextprev=1. Retrieved 2009-11-17.
- ^ IFPI Denmark
- ^ a b "Kulta - ja platinalevyt" (in Finnish). IFPI Finland. http://www.ifpi.fi/tilastot/kultalevyt/haku/?q=U2&national=0&type=album. Retrieved 2009-11-26.
- ^ "Top 75 Artist Album, Week Ending 2 November 2000". GFK Chart Track. http://www.chart-track.co.uk/index.jsp?c=p%2Fmusicvideo%2Fmusic%2Farchive%2Findex_test.jsp&ct=240002&arch=t&lyr=2000&year=2000&week=44. Retrieved 2009-11-26.
- ^ NVPI
- ^ AMPROFON
- ^ "Album Chart History". The Official UK Charts Company. http://www.theofficialcharts.com/album_chart_history.php. Retrieved 2009-11-26.
- ^ BPI
- ^ "RIAA - Gold & Platinum Searchable Database". Recording Industry Association of America. http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?table=SEARCH. Retrieved 2009-11-27. Note: U2 must be searched manually.
References
