"Boy" - U2

Remastered Album

Track Listing (Disc One):

Track Listing (Disc Two):

Background Information

On April 9, 2008, U2 announced that their first three albums would be reissued in newly remastered formats, complete with bonus content. This release took place on on July 21, 2008 throughout most of the world, with the North American release occurring the next day, on July 22. The albums were issued in four different formats, including a single CD, a 2CD version including a disc of rare tracks, an LP edition on 180g vinyl (main album only, no bonus tracks), and a digital release through outlets such as iTunes. In addition, the 2CD versions of each album were collected in a special box set that included a poster as well as room for the yet-to-be-released remastered CD/DVD edition of Under a Blood Red Sky. This box set was initially available exclusively through amazon.com in the USA, but was later made available through other outlets.

The cover image for the Boy reissue mirrored the original UK release, featuring a black-and-white photo of a young Peter Rowen. Also, the indexing of the remastered CD matched the original UK CD release with “An Cat Dubh” and “Into the Heart” divided into two separate tracks. Finally, the reissued Boy saw the return of a 12th track to the end of the album, a 35-second instrumental which had only appeared on early pressings of the original vinyl and had never been released on CD. Although not indicated as such on the reissue’s track listing, this instrumental is a snippet of the song “Saturday Night,” an early version of “Fire” from the October album.

The single-disc remaster was issued in a plastic jewel case, while the two-disc set was issued in hard cover book format with sleeves for each CD affixed to the inside front and back covers of the book (one of these sleeves is emblazoned with the “stretch” image of the band that was used as alternate cover art for the original Boy release in the USA). The back of the slipcase includes the full track list for both discs.

The liner notes included with all versions include an essay by Paul Morley, a music journalist, written in February of 2008. The single CD included a 24-page booklet with lyrics and photos in addition to the essay. The double CD expanded the page count to 42, adding liner notes by The Edge for many of the rare tracks included on Disc 2.

The bonus tracks on the second disc are largely taken from singles of that era. “11 O’Clock Tick Tock” was an early non-album single, and “Touch” was the b-side. “Things to Make and Do” was the featured b-side on the single release of “A Day Without Me.” “Out of Control” and “Boy-Girl” are both taken from U2’s first release, “Three.” Although “Stories for Boys” is also listed as being taken from the “Three” single, the version on the bonus disc is not the one found on “Three,” but rather an alternate take that had appeared on an early Dublin compilation from 1979 titled Just for Kicks. “Another Day” was U2’s second single, and was backed with “Twilight.” Both versions on the bonus disc are different than those that would eventually make their way onto Boy. Finally, “Boy-Girl (Live at The Marquee, London)” was used as the b-side when the album version of “I Will Follow” was released as a single.

Previously unreleased tracks on the bonus disc include an alternate mix of “I Will Follow” that features different instrumentation but the same vocal track as the album version. “Speed of Life” is released here for the first time ever, as is “Saturday Night.” Both tracks were taken from the Steve Lillywhite-produced sessions for Boy. “Saturday Night” would later be reworked into the song “Fire,” which was the first single released from U2’s follow-up album October. Two previously unreleased live tracks are added at the end of this compilation: another track recorded at The Marquee in London, “11 O’Clock Tick Tock,” and “Cartoon World” which was recorded in Dublin in early 1980. To date, this live performance of “Cartoon World” is the only version of this song ever released by U2.

In 2020, for the 40th anniversary of the album, a special pressing in white vinyl was done from the 2008 master, and sold for the Black Friday event for Record Store Day. 10,000 copies were pressed for the USA, with a larger total being made available worldwide.

Liner Notes

Original Credits:
Written by U2. Bono: Singer. The Edge: Guitar Player. Adam Clayton: Bass Player. Larry: Drummer.
Producer: Steve Lillywhite. Manager: Paul McGuinness. Engineer: Paul Thomas. Assistant: Kevin Moloney. Tour Manager: Tim Nicholson. Crew: John Kennedy, Pod, Amigo O’Herlihy.
Studio: Windmill Lane, Dublin. Mastered at the Sound Clinic by John Dent.
Agent Dublin: Dave Kavanagh, Road Runner. Agent London: Ian Wilson, Wasted Talent.

2008 Edition:
Re-mastering directed by The Edge.
Album Production managers: Steve Matthews, Sally-Anne McKeown and Candida Bottaci. Research and archive analysis: Cheryl Engels, Partial Productions. Re-Mastering produced by Cheryl Engels, Partial Productions. Re-mastering engineering by Arnie Acosta at Bernie Grundman Mastering. Mastering Assistance by Scott Sedillo. Technical Support by Thomas “Beno” May. U2 Catalog re-release co-ordinator: Nick Stewart & Associates.
A special thanks to Peter Rowan.

Individual Tracks:
I Will Follow (Previously Unreleased Mix): From the ‘Boy’ sessions. Produced by Steve Lillywhite. Engineered by Paul Thomas. Assisted by Kevin Moloney.

11 O’Clock Tick Tock (Single Version): 1st Island Records single (Released on CBS Records in Ireland). Release Date – May 1980. Produced by Martin Hannett. Mixed by Paul Thomas & Martin Hannett. Assisted by Kevin Moloney. Recorded & Mixed at Windmill Lane Studios, Dublin.

Touch (Single Version): B-Side to “11 O’Clock Tick Tock”. Release Date – May 1980. Produced by Martin Hannett. Mixed by Paul Thomas & Martin Hannett. Assisted by Kevin Moloney. Recorded & Mixed at Windmill Lane Studios, Dublin.

Speed of Light: Previously unreleased track. From the ‘Boy’ Sessions. Produced by Steve Lillywhite. Engineered by Paul Thomas. Assisted by Kevin Moloney.

Saturday Night: Previously unreleased track. From the ‘Boy’ Sessions. Produced by Steve Lillywhite. Engineered by Paul Thomas. Assisted by Kevin Moloney.

Things to Make and Do: B-Side to “A Day Without Me”. Release date – July 1980. Produced by Steve Lillywhite. Mixed by Paul Thomas.

Out of Control (Single Version): Featured on ‘U2 3’. Release date: August 1979. Produced by U2 and Chas de Whalley. Remixed by Robbie McGrath. Recorded at Windmill Lane Studios, Dublin.

Boy-Girl (Single Version): Featured on ‘U2 3’. Release date: August 1979. Produced by U2 and Chas de Whalley. Remixed by Robbie McGrath. Recorded at Windmill Lane Studios, Dublin.

Stories for Boys (Single Version): Featured on ‘U2 3’. Release date: August 1979. Produced by U2 and Chas de Whalley. Remixed by Robbie McGrath. Recorded at Windmill Lane Studios, Dublin.

Another Day (Single Version): Release Date – January 1980. Produced by U2 and Chas de Whalley at CBS, London. Engineered by Walter Samuel. Mixed at CBS Studios, London.

Twilight (Single Version): B-Side to “Another Day” single. Release Date – January 1980.

Boy-Girl (Live at the Marquee, London): Recorded live at The Marquee, London, September 22, 1980. Recorded by Tim Painter.

11 O’Clock Tick Tock (Live at the Marquee, London): Previously unreleased version. Recorded live at The Marquee, London, September 22, 1980. Recorded by Tim Painter.

Cartoon World (Live at the National Stadium, Dublin): Previously Unreleased track. Recorded live at The National Stadium, Dublin, February 26, 1980. Recorded by Gerry Fitzgerald. Produced for RTE 2FM by Ian Wilson. Original sound recording RTE 1980.

Artwork

Original Credits:
Sleeve Design / Layout: Bono, Rapid Exteriors. “Boy” Photographs: Hugo McGuinness. U2 Photographs: Phil Sheehy.

2008 Edition:
Cover design and art direction by Steve Averill. Packaging design by Shaughn McGrath at Four5One Creative.
Additional photography 2008 Edition: Hugo McGuinness, Phil Sheehy, Paul Slattery, Colm Henry and Unknown. “A Day Without Me” Cover Photography by Susan Byrne.

Recognition and Awards

  • #417, Top 500 Albums (Rolling Stone Magazine, December 2003)
  • #417, Top 500 Albums (Rolling Stone Magazine, April 2012)
  • Best Irish Album, Readers Poll (Hot Press Magazine, 1981)
  • Best Debut Album, Readers Poll (Hot Press Magazine, 1981)
  • Best Album Sleeve, Readers Poll (Hot Press Magazine, 1981)
  • #22, 100 Greatest Irish Albums of All Time, Public Poll (Hot Press Magazine, February 24, 2005)

Related Promotional Videos

Related News

Catalog of Releases