"The Fly" was the first single released from U2's 1991 Achtung Baby album. Its sound was described by the band as "four men chopping down the Joshua Tree," due to its shocking difference to the former "classic" U2 sound. "The Fly" served as an introduction to the sonic and electronic experimentation that would dominate U2's 90s work.
| "The Fly" | |
|---|---|
| Song |
| Achtung Baby Album Listing | ||
|---|---|---|
| "So Cruel" (Track 6) |
"The Fly" (Track 7) |
"Mysterious Ways" (Track 8) |
| The Best of 1990-2000 Album Listing | ||
| "The First Time" (Track 16) |
"The Fly" (UK and Japan-only (Track 17) |
(end of album) |
Described as a "whooshing, industrial, beat-driven" piece[1], the song showcases a heavier, more abrasive side of U2. The band first experimented with such a sound on their cover of Cole Porter's "Night and Day". Underlined by this new direction, "The Fly" became extremely successful among alternative rock audiences, though it struggled to find airtime on pop radio. The song became U2's second No. 1 single in the UK, following "Desire", but it quickly slid down the chart. In the U.S., it only managed #61 on the Hot 100, a position surpassed by all the other, later Achtung Baby singles. Nevertheless, the song was very successful on modern rock radio, reaching the top of the Modern Rock Tracks chart and #2 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. An even more aggressive version of the song than that featured on the record and other tours is recorded on the Elevation Tour's Live from Boston DVD.
The song was also a showcase for Bono's "The Fly" persona on the Zoo TV Tour, a leather-clad rock star known for wearing large wrap-around sunglasses and strutting around the stage.
Track listing
Version 1
- "The Fly" (4:29)
- "Alex Descends into Hell for a Bottle of Milk / Korova 1" (3:37)
- "The Lounge Fly Mix" (6:28)
This was the regular CD and 12" release. The 7" and some of the cassette versions omitted "The Lounge Fly Mix".
Chart positions
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | "The Fly" | UK Singles Chart | #1 |
| 1991 | "The Fly" | US Billboard Hot 100 | #61 |
| 1991 | "The Fly" | US Modern Rock Tracks | #1 |
| 1991 | "The Fly" | US Mainstream Rock Tracks | #2 |
| 1991 | "The Fly" | US Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales | #44 |