"Staring at the Sun" - U2

Promotional Release

Track Listing:

Background Information

“Staring at the Sun” was the second commercial single released to promote the album “Pop” and promotional releases began to appear at around the same time that the album itself was released. The commercial single would arrive a month later in April 1997. A 7-inch single was pressed for use in juke boxes, and this used the album version of “Staring at the Sun” and the b-side was “North and South of the River”. The 7-inch was in black vinyl with a silver injection molded label. It was released in a generic sleeve.

Two promotional 12-inch records were produced, one for the USA and one for the UK. Both contained the “Monster Truck Mix”, the “Sad Bastards Mix” and the “Lab Rat Mix”. Both were packaged in a full sleeve with front and back photos. The USA vinyl was made in the USA, however the sleeve was printed in Canada which has lead to some confusion that there was a Canadian promotional release. There was not.

A number of 5-inch CDs were used for promotion in various territories. In the UK a single track promo was issued on CD using the album version of the song. It was released in a unique silver cover, in a slimline jewel case. The USA promo would do the same, with just the album version of the song on a single track CD with the silver cover, however in the US the CD was released in a regular jewel case with front and back inserts. A very unique Mexican CD was used for promotion, which featured a unique cover not seen elsewhere, and graphics from the “Pop” release on the back. It was released in a card sleeve, and once again contained the album version of the song. A unique version was also pressed for Taiwan, the CD itself was the same as the UK release, as witnessed from the matrix number, however the face of the CD has a unique yellow picture, and the cover insert in the slimline jewel case is silver and green. In some regions such as Japan, there were promotional singles released, however the CD is identical to the commercial CD with the exception of some additional print, or stickers added to make it clear that it is not a commercial CD.

Liner Notes

Staring at the Sun (Album Version):
Music by U2. Lyrics by Bono & The Edge. Produced by Flood. Additional production by Steve Osborne. Recorded by Mark ‘Spike’ Stent and Howie B. Assisted by Rob Kirwan. Mixed by Mark ‘Spike’ Stent and Steve Osborne. Assisted by Conal Markey and Richard Rainey. Programming: Ben Hillier. Loops: Larry Mullen. Keyboards: Steve Osborne.

North and South of the River:
Music by U2. Lyrics by Christy Moore, Bono and the Edge. Produced by Flood. Recorded by Mark ‘Spike’ Stent and Rob Kirwan. Mixed by Rob Kirwan.

Staring at the Sun (Monster Truck Mix):
Music by U2. Lyrics by Bono & The Edge. Original recording produced by Flood. Additional production by Steve Osborne. Recorded by Mark ‘Spike’ Stent and Howie B. Assisted by Rob Kirwan. Mixed by Mark ‘Spike’ Stent and Steve Osborne. Assisted by Conal Markey and Richard Rainey. Programming: Ben Hillier. Loops: Larry Mullen. Keyboards: Steve Osborne. Remixed by the Sonic Morticians. Produced by Butch ‘The Embalmer’ Vig and Danny ‘Necrophiliac’ Saber. Engineered by John ‘Carcass Humper’ X. Second engineers: Wes ‘Grave Robber’ Johnson & Jonathan ‘Grave Digger’ Burtner. Remixed at Westlake Studios, Los Angeles.

Staring at the Sun (Sad Bastards Mix):
Music by U2. Lyrics by Bono & The Edge. Original recording produced by Flood. Additional production by Steve Osborne. Recorded by Mark ‘Spike’ Stent and Howie B. Assisted by Rob Kirwan. Mixed by Mark ‘Spike’ Stent and Steve Osborne. Assisted by Conal Markey and Richard Rainey. Programming: Ben Hillier. Loops: Larry Mullen. Keyboards: Steve Osborne. Remixed by the Sonic Morticians. Remixed by Flood and Rob Kirwan. Mixed by Rob Kirwan.

Staring at the Sun (Lab Rat Mix):
Music by U2. Lyrics by Bono & The Edge. Original recording produced by Flood. Additional production by Steve Osborne. Recorded by Mark ‘Spike’ Stent and Howie B. Assisted by Rob Kirwan. Mixed by Mark ‘Spike’ Stent and Steve Osborne. Assisted by Conal Markey and Richard Rainey. Programming: Ben Hillier. Loops: Larry Mullen. Keyboards: Steve Osborne. Remixed by the Sonic Morticians. Remixed by the Sonic Morticians. Produced by Butch ‘The Embalmer’ Vig and Danny ‘Necrophiliac’ Saber. Engineered by John ‘Carcass Humper’ X. Second engineers: Wes ‘Grave Robber’ Johnson & Jonathan ‘Grave Digger’ Burtner. Remixed at Westlake Studios, Los Angeles.

Artwork

Photography by Stephane Sednaoui. Design and computer treatments by ABA, Dublin.

Related Promotional Videos

Related News

Catalog of Releases