How U2 Refused to Trust Their Instincts to Deliver ‘Vertigo’

Bono said U2 was right to ignore their instincts over their 2004 hit single “Vertigo,” which originally lacked “unstable chemistry.”

The track became a defining moment in the band’s history, leading that year’s album How To Dismantle an Atomic Bomb and giving its name to their associated world tour. At one point U2 both opened and closed their sets with the song.

But in a recent interview with Record Collector, Bono revealed “Vertigo” started as a much less lively piece of work titled “Native Son” under the auspices of producer Chris Thomson.

READ MORE: How U2 Introduced Themselves With the Punky and Thoughtful ‘Boy’

“In that case, we were right not to trust our first instincts,” the singer said. “Chris is great with guitar sounds, as well as singers and bands. He got it as far as he could – but it wasn’t the combustible, unstable chemistry we needed for our show.”

The album’s lead producer, Steve Lillywhite, persuaded the band to approach the song differently. “Steve wanted us to play it live with no overdubs.

Bono Calls ‘Vertigo’ His Most Present-Tense Song

“The lyric is [about being] on a night out with the singer. It’s the most present-tense song I’ve written about the pure joy of just being out and about. … The losing and finding of yourself that can happen in a club.”

Lillywhite’s take was to behave like the listener was in the space with U2. “You start to sense the shape of the room,” Bono said. “The sense of place, the mood of the band is built into the recording.”

He added, “Steve Lillywhite deserves credit for forcing our hand on that one. If you’re in a corner, he’s usually the right man to call.”