Why did U2 release With Or Without You AFTER they released The Joshua Tree?

[BreakingTheWave]

WOWY was released 2 weeks AFTER The Joshua Tree. As a result, by the time the single was released, the album had already spent 2 weeks at number 1 in the UK. What was the logic behind this? By doing this, they basically threw away a great chance of having their first (at the time) UK number one single. The single spent 4 weeks in the top 10, despite being released after the album, peaking at number 4, so it still did very well, which really only adds more fuel to the 'what if' fire.

Would be great to get some insight into what seems like a crazy decision. The next 5 albums after JT that U2 released a single first for (exclude Zooropa) the first single went to number one. So it seems reasonable to predict that WOWY would have too.

 

[Mac_Fly]

WOWY was released 2 weeks AFTER The Joshua Tree. As a result, by the time the single was released, the album had already spent 2 weeks at number 1 in the UK. What was the logic behind this? By doing this, they basically threw away a great chance of having their first (at the time) UK number one single. The single spent 4 weeks in the top 10, despite being released after the album, peaking at number 4, so it still did very well, which really only adds more fuel to the 'what if' fire.

Would be great to get some insight into what seems like a crazy decision. The next 5 albums after JT that U2 released a single first for (exclude Zooropa) the first single went to number one. So it seems reasonable to predict that WOWY would have too.

Because they move in mysterious ways.

I'm guessing it might have had something to do with the buildup and buzz around the JT album. They had not had a #1 single up to that point -- or a #1 album for that matter. Perhaps not wanting to take a chance on a single that would flop and then diffuse interest in the album was their main concern.

If you've ever seen the making of the JT album you might recall how Bono described WOWY as such an odd song. That's how they felt about it then. That's also perhaps why they might have been gun shy

 

[Catman]

Wasn't Red Hill meant to be the first single until they saw the video? If that's true, I wonder why they decided to scrap the idea of it being a single altogether

 

[Axver]

As I recall it, RHMT was considered to be the second single in place of ISHFWILF but scrapped because Bono couldn't sing it every night of tour.

I must admit I had it in my head all this time that the WOWY single had come out in January 1987. So maybe I'm misremembering on RHMT too!