Staring at the Sun (U2 song)

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"Staring at the Sun"
Single by U2
from the album Pop
B-side
Released14 April 1997 (1997-04-14)
GenreAlternative rock
Length4:37
LabelIsland
Composer(s)U2
Lyricist(s)Bono and The Edge
Producer(s)Flood, with additional production by Steve Osborne
U2 singles chronology
"Discothèque"
(1997) 		"Staring at the Sun"
(1997) 		"Last Night on Earth"
(1997)
Music videos

"Staring at the Sun" is a song by Irish rock band U2. It is the fifth track on their 1997 album, Pop, and was released by Island Records as the album's second single on 14 April 1997. The song peaked at number three on the UK Singles Chart, number one in Canada and Iceland and number 26 on the US Billboard Hot 100. In the US, it topped the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks and Adult Alternative Songs charts. It also reached the top 10 in Finland, Ireland, Italy, New Zealand and Norway.

Background[edit]

The song was written with the line "Stuck together with God's glue," which was taken directly from the title of the album by the Irish band Something Happens, who are good friends with U2.[1] The band felt the song was a potential "anthem to rival 'One'."[2][3] A new mix of "Staring at the Sun" was released for the compilation, The Best of 1990-2000.[2] During the mid-2002 recording sessions in which "Electrical Storm" and "The Hands That Built America" were recorded, parts for four U2 songs were re-recorded, including "Staring at the Sun." The song has been compared to the work of Oasis.[4][5]

A kaleidoscope bearing the single's logo in gold was distributed to promote the single.[6]

Critical reception[edit]

Kevin Courtney from Irish Times commented, "Could this be U2's riposte to "Champagne Supernova", an overt attempt to steal some thunder back from Oasis and regain their rightful place as anthem makers supreme? "Staring at the Sun" has shades of psychedelia, lazy sunny afternoons watching a Waterloo sunset, and it's as big, bold and Beatlesque as anything Noel Gallagher has ever knocked out. The Edge picks out pictures of matchstick men on his guitar, while Bono sings of "Summer stretching on the grass ... Summer dresses pass . .." A front runner for U2's big Summer 97 hit."[7] British magazine Music Week gave it top score with five out of five and named it Single of the Week, writing, "Possibly the most obvious single on Pop, this track is awash with a melancholy that's amplified by The Edge's plangent, keening guitar signature. Big."[8] David Sinclair from The Times said, "God is good, but will He listen? Bono asks in this solid return to traditional U2 territory. Does He have a choice?"[9]

Live performances[edit]

"Staring at the Sun" was played at most of the PopMart Tour shows. However, during the first concert at Las Vegas, U2 failed to time the song correctly and had to start over. Bono singing at the wrong tempo was to blame for the mistake. The song was performed acoustically for most of the rest of that tour.[2] It had several appearances on the Elevation Tour, being the only Pop song to be performed on all three legs of the Elevation Tour. Sometimes it also appeared as a snippet in "Discothèque". It was performed as a live staple of the North American leg of the 2018 Experience + Innocence Tour."[10][11]

It appeared in the live videos/recordings Please: PopHeart Live EP, "Please" single, PopMart: Live from Mexico City, Hasta la Vista Baby! and U2 Go Home: Live from Slane Castle, Ireland.

Formats and track listings[edit]

7-inch and cassette release
No.TitleLength
1."Staring at the Sun"4:37
2."North and South of the River"4:38
CD release 1
No.TitleLength
1."Staring at the Sun"4:37
2."North and South of the River"4:38
3."Your Blue Room"5:28
CD release 2
No.TitleLength
1."Staring at the Sun" (Monster Truck mix)5:06
2."Staring at the Sun" (Sad Bastards mix)6:19
3."North and South of the River"4:38
4."Staring at the Sun" (Lab Rat mix)5:05

Charts[edit]

Release history[edit]

Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
United States 11 March 1997 Contemporary hit radio Island [47]
United Kingdom 14 April 1997
  • CD
  • cassette
 [48]
Canada 15 April 1997 CD [49]
United States
  • 7-inch vinyl
  • CD
  • cassette
Japan 25 April 1997 CD [50]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "U2: U2faqs.com - Songs / Lyrics FAQ". 24 July 2009. Archived from the original on 24 July 2009. Retrieved 4 November 2021.
  2. ^ a b c Greene, Andy (14 March 2017). "U2's 'Pop': A Reimagining of the Album 20 Years Later". Rolling Stone. Wenner Media LLC. Retrieved 2 November 2018.
  3. ^ Power, Ed (30 October 2018). "PopMart: Were U2 Making a Joke or was the Joke on Them?". The Irish Times. Retrieved 2 November 2018.
  4. ^ "Stylus Magazine".
  5. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Pop Review". AllMusic. Retrieved 29 September 2009.
  6. ^ "..:: U2 Collectibles and Memorabilia - Silver & Gold". U2wanderer.org. Retrieved 4 November 2021.
  7. ^ Courtney, Kevin (21 February 1997). "U2 Goes Pop". Irish Times.
  8. ^ "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 5 April 1997. p. 28. Retrieved 16 May 2022.
  9. ^ Sinclair, David (19 April 1997). "The week's top pop releases; Records". The Times.
  10. ^ Greene, Andy (3 May 2018). "U2 Dig Deep at Transcendent 'Experience' Tour Opener in Tulsa". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 5 May 2018.
  11. ^ Olivier, Bobby (26 June 2018). "Hits be damned, U2 doubles down on spectacle for tech-heavy new tour: review". NJ.com. Retrieved 30 August 2018.
  12. ^ "U2 – Staring at the Sun". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 23 January 2019.
  13. ^ "U2 – Staring at the Sun" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 23 January 2019.
  14. ^ "U2 – Staring at the Sun" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 23 January 2019.
  15. ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 3203." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 23 January 2019.
  16. ^ "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 3211." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 27 May 2020.
  17. ^ "Top RPM Rock/Alternative Tracks: Issue 3195." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 23 January 2019.
  18. ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 14, no. 18. 3 May 1997. p. 20. Retrieved 25 January 2020.
  19. ^ "U2: Staring at the Sun" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat. Retrieved 23 January 2019.
  20. ^ "U2 – Staring at the Sun" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 23 January 2019.
  21. ^ "U2 – Staring at the Sun" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts.
  22. ^ "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (NR. 213 Vikuna 20.3. '97 – 26.3. '97)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 21 March 1997. p. 16. Retrieved 11 July 2018.
  23. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Staring at the Sun". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 23 January 2019.
  24. ^ "Top National Sellers" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 14, no. 21. 24 May 1997. p. 14. Retrieved 27 November 2019.
  25. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 19, 1997" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 23 January 2019.
  26. ^ "U2 – Staring at the Sun" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 23 January 2019.
  27. ^ "U2 – Staring at the Sun". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 23 January 2019.
  28. ^ "U2 – Staring at the Sun". VG-lista. Retrieved 23 January 2019.
  29. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 23 January 2019.
  30. ^ "U2 – Staring at the Sun". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 23 January 2019.
  31. ^ "U2 – Staring at the Sun". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 23 January 2019.
  32. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 23 January 2019.
  33. ^ "U2 Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 2 October 2019.
  34. ^ "U2 Chart History (Adult Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 2 October 2019.
  35. ^ "U2 Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 2 October 2019.
  36. ^ "U2 Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved 2 October 2019.
  37. ^ "U2 Chart History (Dance Singles Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
  38. ^ "U2 Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved 2 October 2019.
  39. ^ "U2 Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 2 October 2019.
  40. ^ "RPM '97 Year End Top 100 Hit Tracks". RPM. 15 December 1997. Retrieved 23 January 2019 – via Library and Archives Canada.
  41. ^ "RPM '97 Year End Top 50 Alternative Tracks". RPM. 15 December 1997. Retrieved 23 January 2019 – via Library and Archives Canada.
  42. ^ "Árslistinn 1997 – Íslenski Listinn – 100 Vinsælustu Lögin". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 2 January 1998. p. 25. Retrieved 15 February 2020.
  43. ^ "Najlepsze single na UK Top 40–1997" (in Polish). Archived from the original on 4 June 2015. Retrieved 2 July 2019.
  44. ^ a b "The Year in Music 1997". Billboard. Vol. 109, no. 52. 27 December 1997. p. YE-73.
  45. ^ "Best of '97: Top 40/Mainstream Singles". Airplay Monitor. Vol. 5, no. 52. 26 December 1997. p. 38.
  46. ^ "Best of '97: Triple A Tracks". Airplay Monitor. Vol. 5, no. 52. 26 December 1997. p. 28.
  47. ^ "New Releases". Radio & Records. No. 1187. 7 March 1997. p. 90.
  48. ^ "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 12 April 1997. p. 41. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
  49. ^ "'Staring at the Sun' – U2". u2songs.com. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
  50. ^ "ステアリング・アット・ザ・サン | U2" [Staring at the Sun | U2] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
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