"One (Songs of Surrender)" - U2
Single
Track Listing:
- "One" (Songs of Surrender Version) - U2 (03:36)
- "With or Without You" (Songs of Surrender Version) - U2 (03:14)
- "Pride (In the Name of Love)" (Songs of Surrender Version) - U2 (03:57)
Background Information
The third single from U2’s Songs of Surrender album is a remade version of “One”. Like the two singles before it the song is recreated in an acoustic fashion. And like “Pride” and “With or Without You”, the first two songs released from the album, “One” is one of the band’s biggest songs and widely recognized by the general public.
The new version of “One” is produced and arranged by The Edge. Bob Ezrin is co-producer, and Duncan Stewart is listed as an additional producer, as well as mixing and engineering the song. Of note on this track, Larry Mullen is credited not only for drums, and percussion but also piano. The Edge is also credited on piano. Abe Laboriel Jr. is the background vocalist, joining Bono and The Edge at the end of the song, and is credited as vocal arranger on the song.
Unlike the first two songs that were delivered from the album, which debuted at midnight in each region as Friday began, “One” was held back to debut on the day of the Super Bowl, where U2 were announcing their upcoming U2:UV residency in Las Vegas. At 5pm Eastern, “One” was made available on streaming services and download sites as a standalone track. Like the previous singles, it was released with the album artwork. On Apple platforms a separate single was not issued and the song was made available as part of the deluxe album instead. A few online services did not add the track until the following day.
Shortly after appearing on streaming services, this new version of “One” was announced during the Super Bowl broadcast in a video introduction to the Walter Payton award. The song played over the video introducing the award, and a significant portion of the new single was played during the broadcast. At the end of the broadcast a 15-second ad for the Las Vegas residency aired.
The song is available in CD-quality and high resolution audio formats, as well as in a Dolby Atmos mix on services that support that multichannel format. In most stores the track is a single track, just “One” but on Spotify it appears the track has been bundled with the previously released “Pride (In the Name of Love)” and “With or Without You” as one single with three tracks, although the original singles remain on the service as well.
“One” was previously released as a single in February 1992, where it was the third song released from Achtung Baby. In 2006 the song was re-recorded with Mary J. Blige, and once again released as a single.
Liner Notes
Producer: Edge. Co-Producer: Bob Ezrin. Additional Producer, Mixer, Engineer: Duncan Stewart.
Vocals: Bono. Bass Guitar: Adam Clayton. Guitar, Keyboards, Piano, Vocals: The Edge. Drums, Percussion, Piano: Larry Mullen Jr.
Background Vocalist, Vocal Arranger: Abe Laboriel Jr.
Engineer: Alastair McMillan. Additional Engineer: Julian Shank. Mastering Engineer: Scott Sedillo.