astepcloser24
The Fly
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Why Achtung Baby? Why the Joshua Tree? etc. Just curious.
Why were the albums named the way they were?
- Thread starter astepcloser24
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bono_man2002
Blue Crack Addict
Why Not?
BVS
Blue Crack Supplier
It's what the band voted on? 
OrARoundabout
Rock n' Roll Doggie Band-aid
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Wikipedia my friend:
The album's title, "Achtung, Baby!" in German means "Attention, baby!" or "Watchout, baby!" was used by the band's sound engineer Joe O'Herlihy during the making of the album. He reportedly took the phrase from the Mel Brooks film The Producers. According to Bono, it was ideal title as it was "attention-grabbing", it referenced Germany, and it hinted at either romance or childbirth both of which were significant themes on the album. Alternative titles considered included Man (as opposed to the groups debut album Boy), and Adam, for which (Adam) Clayton was photographed naked.
As for JT:
Wasn't it named after something in the bible?
The album's title, "Achtung, Baby!" in German means "Attention, baby!" or "Watchout, baby!" was used by the band's sound engineer Joe O'Herlihy during the making of the album. He reportedly took the phrase from the Mel Brooks film The Producers. According to Bono, it was ideal title as it was "attention-grabbing", it referenced Germany, and it hinted at either romance or childbirth both of which were significant themes on the album. Alternative titles considered included Man (as opposed to the groups debut album Boy), and Adam, for which (Adam) Clayton was photographed naked.
As for JT:
Wasn't it named after something in the bible?
2861U2
Rock n' Roll Doggie Band-aid
I told them to.
SamuelSmeloc
War Child
Wasn't Joshua Tree supposed to be called The Desert Songs?
Or "The two Americas".
Gonna Run 2 U
New Yorker
I remember seeing some interview with Larry saying he hated the title "Achtung Baby" around the time of the release.
LemonMelon
More 5G Than Man
Wasn't Joshua Tree supposed to be called The Desert Songs?
Even Mercury Rev is tenuously stealing from U2
OrARoundabout
Rock n' Roll Doggie Band-aid
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Because the poor guy couldn't pronounce it...
Have to disagree with ur Lars, my fav album title.
kingofsorrow
Refugee
on if it was released after 2000 aka the decade of extremely long album title's.
phillyfan26
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The Joshua Tree's name came from the photo shoot they did with Anton Corbijn in the desert. They were just photographing stuff and happened upon that Joshua Tree. Then they took a picture. Then they named the album after it.
I'll give it a go:
Boy -- themes of innocence and youth on the album; also, they were boys.
October -- a rushed recording, so perhaps they hurriedly named it after a song. Also, 'October' accurately reflects the spiritual crisis (ie., adolescent angst) they were going through.
War -- theme of the album -- I think they also wanted to slap something super-serious on this album-title, as they were becoming disillusioned with the syth-pop scene at the time.
The Unforgettable Fire -- Name of artwork at the Chicago peace museum that inspired the song, and, presumably, some of the album and its themes.
Wide Awake in America -- a weird one. The "wide awake" is obviously from 'Bad', but the "in America" is a misnomer as neither of the (doctored) live songs were recorded in America (nor were the studio cuts). However, this record's purpose was to have some product out while they were doing large-scale tours of the US, so I guess that's all there is to it.
The Joshua Tree -- I suspect Bono's idea of the S-W desert metaphor preceded their discovery of the actual tree which subsequently became the name of the album...? If so, this was a happy accident; otherwise, as others said, it probably would have been named after the desert or something else American.
Rattle & Hum -- line from "Bullet The Blue Sky".
Achtung Baby -- In which Bono and Edge try as hard as they can to lay down an anti-U2 style title that will leave rock critics and fans scratching their heads. Using a German word also reflected the place of origin of most of the music. ("Achtung" also being kind of a warning to fans, ala -- "this is gonna be something different".)
Zooropa -- Pun on "Europa", and also implies Zoo-TV.
Pop -- Obviously ironic, but so ironic that no one could miss it... which was part of the problem with this album's over-the-top launch and approach (see also: the woeful K-Mart press conference).
All That You Can't Leave Behind -- key line from "Walk On", which Bono presumably felt summarized their approach to the album (i.e., the sound of the 4 guys again).
How To Dismantle an Atomic Bomb -- Didn't Bono say it was originally 'How to Build...', but he changed it later, realizing that the "Bomb" was his father? (Of course, that could be just Bono's traveling salesman approach to his lyrics.)
No Line On The Horizon -- inspired by B's staring at the ocean...sound positive, apparently.
It's interesting that only 4 albums are named after song-titles (October / Unforgettable... / Zooropa / No Line... ). You would logically assume that the song came first and the album-concept later, but I bet that's not the case with the last three of those four (and maybe not with "October" either).
Boy -- themes of innocence and youth on the album; also, they were boys.
October -- a rushed recording, so perhaps they hurriedly named it after a song. Also, 'October' accurately reflects the spiritual crisis (ie., adolescent angst) they were going through.
War -- theme of the album -- I think they also wanted to slap something super-serious on this album-title, as they were becoming disillusioned with the syth-pop scene at the time.
The Unforgettable Fire -- Name of artwork at the Chicago peace museum that inspired the song, and, presumably, some of the album and its themes.
Wide Awake in America -- a weird one. The "wide awake" is obviously from 'Bad', but the "in America" is a misnomer as neither of the (doctored) live songs were recorded in America (nor were the studio cuts). However, this record's purpose was to have some product out while they were doing large-scale tours of the US, so I guess that's all there is to it.
The Joshua Tree -- I suspect Bono's idea of the S-W desert metaphor preceded their discovery of the actual tree which subsequently became the name of the album...? If so, this was a happy accident; otherwise, as others said, it probably would have been named after the desert or something else American.
Rattle & Hum -- line from "Bullet The Blue Sky".
Achtung Baby -- In which Bono and Edge try as hard as they can to lay down an anti-U2 style title that will leave rock critics and fans scratching their heads. Using a German word also reflected the place of origin of most of the music. ("Achtung" also being kind of a warning to fans, ala -- "this is gonna be something different".)
Zooropa -- Pun on "Europa", and also implies Zoo-TV.
Pop -- Obviously ironic, but so ironic that no one could miss it... which was part of the problem with this album's over-the-top launch and approach (see also: the woeful K-Mart press conference).
All That You Can't Leave Behind -- key line from "Walk On", which Bono presumably felt summarized their approach to the album (i.e., the sound of the 4 guys again).
How To Dismantle an Atomic Bomb -- Didn't Bono say it was originally 'How to Build...', but he changed it later, realizing that the "Bomb" was his father? (Of course, that could be just Bono's traveling salesman approach to his lyrics.)
No Line On The Horizon -- inspired by B's staring at the ocean...sound positive, apparently.
It's interesting that only 4 albums are named after song-titles (October / Unforgettable... / Zooropa / No Line... ). You would logically assume that the song came first and the album-concept later, but I bet that's not the case with the last three of those four (and maybe not with "October" either).
BVS
Blue Crack Supplier
Well it's a lyric from the song Fast Cars, that unfortunately was only a bonus song...
One of U2's biggest mistakes.
Rob33
Rock n' Roll Doggie
The Joshua Tree was originally going to be called "The Enduring Chill," a line from One Tree Hill.
astepcloser24
The Fly
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Thanks everyone!
astepcloser24
The Fly
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Ohh... I think I slightly prefer the JT, but the 'Enduring Chill' would've been quite an album title.
zooropop40
Refugee
wasnt it also almost going to be called "songs of experience" ??
Rob33
Rock n' Roll Doggie
What?!?! Now THAT is ridiculous....you cannot be serious....
I don't know if you're making that up, but thank God they didn't name it that! That is horrendous...
Bono says (SOURCE) in U2byU2 that the album title came before the song.
bono_man2002
Blue Crack Addict
cobl04
45:33
As a title.. or the line itself? Because that's one of the best lines he's ever written.
intedomine
Rock n' Roll Doggie FOB
Yeah I think "October" was an "image", according to Bono, and Bono used that image as the basis to the lyric of the song. Nice idea.
Achtung Baby is a delightful album title. Smacks of attitude, and reflects where U2 were at, not just geographically but creatively.
"Pop Por Hommes" would have been better than "PoP" in my very honest opinion. PoP just seemed a bit lazy.
Achtung Baby is a delightful album title. Smacks of attitude, and reflects where U2 were at, not just geographically but creatively.
"Pop Por Hommes" would have been better than "PoP" in my very honest opinion. PoP just seemed a bit lazy.
intedomine
Rock n' Roll Doggie FOB
"the enduring chill", as it is vocalised by Bono, actually gives me a chill.....remarkable.
cobl04
45:33
How about "we turn away to face the cold enduring chill" as a line? Incredible. Euphemistic as well.
major_panic
Rock n' Roll Doggie ALL ACCESS
Well, I heard that NLOTH (the album) was gonna be named Sexy Boots originally, but Adam didn't like it, so it was changed to Stand Up Comedy. This worried Larry, so they called it NLOTH after deciding that SLOTH had some negative connotations.
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