Mysterious Ways not a Hit back in the days?

[Tyagu_Anaykus]

So I was reading the little book that comes with de U22 and noticed that Adam said he doesn't remember Mysterious Ways being a hit. Oddly enough he mentions The Fly being a hit...

Is this true?

 

[LemonMelon]

As far as the numbers go, The Fly (#1) was a much bigger hit in the UK than Mysterious Ways (#13), and The Fly did well elsewhere too. Basically everywhere but the US, where Mysterious Ways was more successful.

I can see why he would say that, though that's obviously not the case anymore.

 

[gvox]

No

 

[The Panther]

I was at high school in western Canada at the time, and I remember hearing "Mysterious Ways" on the radio a lot. By contrast, I can't remember ever hearing "The Fly" or "One" on the radio...

"Mysterious Ways" was probably just about 'rock' enough for conservative radio station programmers in North America to play. But "The Fly" was too challenging.

 

[LadySpinHead]

In my neck of the US woods, Mysterious Ways and Wild Horses both seemed overplayed. One and EBTTRT had a comfortable radio cycle. I never heard the Fly on the radio, ever. I'd say the same went for MTV at the time. It wasn't until a few years later that I even realized the Fly had been a single.

To this day, One and MW are the songs I hear on the radio the most.

 

[The Panther]

I'd say the same went for MTV at the time. It wasn't until a few years later that I even realized the Fly had been a single.

That's interesting -- the Canadian equivalent of MTV, MuchMusic, certainly showed "The Fly" on the day it was released. I know, because my best friend and I were waiting to see it. After it was over, we were both like, "What the hell was that...?" Completely unrecognizable as U2.

 

[An Cat Gav]

When it came out The Fly was played A LOT in the UK, everywhere seemed to be playing it all the time, which is pretty stunning as it doesn't seem that radio friendly.
Since then I never hear it anywhere which is of course a tragedy.
Although it didn't chart that well, Mysterious Ways was still very well known and of course now it's seen as one of their biggest hits.

 

[Tyagu_Anaykus]

So I'm wondering why Adam has that notion

 

[elevated_u2_fan]

He was on drugs at the time.

 

[Axver]

Does Adam even remember anything from the nineties?

 

[elevated_u2_fan]

I would think Naomi Campbell would be pretty hard to forget.

 

[U2DMfan]

Mysterious Ways was a big hit - even in middle America. The Fly didn't make a huge dent, even on rock radio here. Point is - if a U2 song was a hit in middle America (back then) then it is definitely a certifiable 'hit'. Or at least 'big' hit.

In fact - I'd say that MW and One were the ONLY big hits from Achtung Baby as far as that measure goes. One more reason to not give a fuck about 'hits'.

The problem here is that the band likes to revise its own history so much that they forget what actually happened. Or Adam has been hanging around Bono for too long.

 

[Galeongirl]

Does Adam even remember anything from the nineties?

I would think Naomi Campbell would be pretty hard to forget.

oh SNAP!

 

[Axver]

Seems he tried pretty hard to forget her though, based on that Sydney show he missed!

 

[OpenG180]

It's not like Adam was Keef or Moon...

 

[Von Schloopen]

Meh. It was 20 years ago. Not surprised he doesn't remember whether a song was a big hit in middle America. 20 years ago.

 

[brooklynmike]

Mysterious Ways and One were big on the radio in NYC. I never heard the Fly on the radio until I got XM Satellite.

Every time a new tour swung into town, you'd hear Mysterious Ways and Pride or With or Without You.

Later to be replaced with Beautiful Day.