Bono Recorded a Song with Dr. Dre and Dave Stewart

Original story by Aaron J. Sams (2016-06-18)

Recently Dave Stewart, former member of the Eurythmics, and prolific musician and producer, has written a book titled Sweet Dreams Are Made of This A Life in Music: A Memoir. The book was released earlier this year, in February.

Stewart discusses the development and recording of “American Prayer” which he worked on with Bono, but also during that session, the two also worked on a second song, one which involved Dr. Dre.

That evening we went to visit Dr. Dre at his studio in the Valley and an amazing new song got started that at the time was called “Treason.” We ended up recording it with the Gateway Ambassador singers, a group of young musicians from Ghana. Those talented kids were all orphans and about to go on the road with Bono for the Heartland of America Tour, generating support in the fight against AIDS.

The next morning we were blasting out “American Prayer” and “Treason” at full volume in Bono’s suite on top of the Chateau Marmont, with Bobby Shriver and two activists from Bono’s ONE organization. We eventually got down to writing and practically finished the song then and there. We decided that Bono and I should fly that night to Miami and ask Bruce Springsteen to help work on our song and sing it.

It was November 23, 2002 when Bono and Dave Stewart joined The Boss and the E Street Band onstage in Miami to perform “Because the Night”. So the session with Dr. Dre would have happened the previous day on November 22, 2002.

“Treason” has never been released in any known form. “American Prayer“ was later recorded by Dave Stewart. It was also performed by Beyonce with Bono and the Edge and David Stewart at the 46664 concerts. It is not clear from the memoir which song they were asking Springsteen to sing, “Treason” or “American Prayer.”

The book also covers the work that Bono and Stewart did on other songs for the 46664 campaign such as the title song itself in Chapter 19 of the book.

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