"11 O'Clock Tick Tock" - U2

Single

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Background Information

“11 O’Clock Tick Tock” was the first single released by U2 outside Ireland, and was the first release under the band’s new contract with Island Records. CBS, who continued to hold U2’s contract in Ireland for the next few years released the single in Ireland on May 16, 1980. Island issued the single in the UK the following week, May 23, 1980. U2 would also tour on this single throughout the UK and Ireland, embarking on The 11 O’Clock Tick Tock Tour on the 22nd of May.

Initial pressings in both countries were in black vinyl and would feature the shortened version of “11 O’Clock Tick Tock”. Some later pressings on CBS used a different master than the initial, and included a longer version of “11 O’Clock Tick Tock” instead. In 1982-83, CBS re-released “11 O’Clock Tick Tock” as part of the “4 U2 Play“ set of 7-inch singles, not only on black vinyl but also on coloured vinyl. “11 O’Clock Tick Tock” was pressed on yellow vinyl, and some copies were yellow with white vinyl imperfections.

“11 O’Clock Tick Tock” first took shape as a song called “Silver Lining,” developed during live dates in 1979 and 1980. Upon signing their contract with Island Records, U2 entered the studio with a new producer, Martin Hannett, to record “11 O’Clock Tick Tock” as their next single. Hannett had become a hot producer at the time, having worked with OMD and Joy Division. (In fact, U2 was meeting with Hannett in studio on the same day Joy Division was recording their signature song, “Love Will Tear Us Apart” and witnessed those recording sessions.) “Touch,” the b-side to “11 O’Clock Tick Tock,” was recorded during the same session. It, too, was based on an earlier song, called “Trevor,” that later morphed into “Touch.” Both songs were recorded in early April, 1980 at Windmill Lane Studios in Dublin. Worried that Hannett would draw more attention than the band itself, U2 would choose to work with Steve Lillywhite as producer going forward. These two songs represent the band’s only work with Martin Hannett.

Neither song was re-recorded for Boy when that album was put together later in 1980, and in fact they have not appeared on any U2 studio album. The songs were not forgotten, though, as both formed a part of U2’s live set. “Touch” was played during many early shows and throughout The Boy Tour, but has not been performed since. “11 O’Clock Tick Tock” was played consistently not only at early shows, but through to the end of The Unforgettable Fire Tour—sometimes even being played twice in the same concert! Since that time, the song has made only infrequent appearances in the live set. It was occasionally performed as a rare treat during The Elevation Tour in 2001.

The shorter version of “11 O’Clock Tick Tock” appeared on CD, along with “Touch,” on the bonus disc accompanying the 2008 deluxe edition of Boy. The longer version of “11 O’Clock Tick Tock” appeared on the compilations And Here is the Young Man and Zero: A Martin Hannett Story, both tributes to Martin Hannett. Another tribute to Hannett, Martin includes the shorter version of the song. (An even longer mix of “11 O’Clock Tick Tock” running 04:13 appeared on the “Pride (In the Name of Love)“ single in 1984, and was collected on the deluxe version of The Unforgettable Fire in 2009.)

To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the song, U2 reissued a 40th anniversary pressing of the single in 2020 on transparent blue vinyl. The record was released for Record Store Day and featured the longer version of the song that had never appeared on the original single, as well as “Touch” and two live tracks, including “Touch”, live from September 22, 1980.

Live versions of “11 O’Clock Tick Tock” have been released a number of times during U2’s career. From the same concert as “Touch” above, September 22, 1980, a live version of “11 O’Clock Tick Tock” from London, England at the Marquee was released on the deluxe version of the Boy remaster. U2 would play the Marquee again the following week, and that performance of “11 O’Clock Tick Tock” from September 29, 1980 appears on the fan club album Another Time, Another Place. Two versions of “11 O’Clock Tick Tock” from March 6, 1981 in Boston, MA have been released. The main set version from that date was released on the “Fire“ single (and later the October deluxe edition and The Complete U2 iTunes set), while an encore version from the same concert appeared only on The Complete U2 iTunes release. A live version of “11 O’Clock Tick Tock”, recorded May 6, 1983 in Boston, MA, was released on the Under a Blood Red Sky album, and is the version with which most fans are familiar. Finally, a live version of “11 O’Clock Tick Tock” taken from the Dublin 1985 performance at Croke Park appears on the 25th anniversary edition of The Unforgettable Fire on the DVD included in the set.

“11 O’Clock Tick Tock” was re-recorded by U2 for the 2022 album, Songs of Surrender but is only available on the deluxe versions of the release.

Liner Notes

Bono: Vocals. The Edge: Guitar. Larry: Drums. Adam: Bass.
Production: Martin Hannett.
Recorded Windmill Lane Studio.

11 O’Clock Tick Tock: (Hewson/Evans/Clayton/Mullen) Produced by Martin Hannett. Recorded at Windmill Studios.
Touch: (Hewson/Evans/Clayton/Mullen) Produced by Martin Hannett. Recorded at Windmill Studios.

(Although not listed on this release, the remastered edition of “Boy” listed Paul Thomas & Martin Hannett on mixing duties, and they were assisted by Kevin Moloney on both tracks)

Artwork

Photography: Sheila Rock.
Design: Bruno-Christian Tilley

Recognition and Awards

  • #1 Best Single, 1980 Awards (Hot Press, January 1981)
  • #8 Favorite Songs, Worldwide Poll of U2 Fans (U2 Magazine, Issue 12, 1984)
  • #1 Top 50 Favorite Songs, Listeners Poll (RTE Radio 2, Christmas 1983)
  • #2 Best Single, 1980 Staff Picks (Record Mirror Magazine, December 27, 1980)

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