U2 – Desire

When Desire was released in September 1988, U2 were riding the momentum of The Joshua Tree and moving into a new era where they mixed raw American rock influences with sharp social critique. Recorded at STS Studios in Dublin with producer Jimmy Iovine, the track was driven by the primal Bo Diddley beat and drew inspiration from the rhythm of The Stooges’ “1969.” The Edge later recalled that although they attempted a cleaner version in Los Angeles, the band chose the Dublin demo because it captured the right feel.

The result was Desire, a tight, urgent rock track that blended longing with commentary on obsession, materialism, and spectacle. Released on September 19, 1988, it became U2’s first UK #1, also topping charts in Australia, while climbing to #3 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and hitting #1 on both the Modern Rock and Mainstream Rock charts. The single brought U2 a Grammy Award for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal in 1989 and was named Best Single of 1988 by Rolling Stone readers.

The music video was filmed in Los Angeles with Australian director Richard Lowenstein, capturing the band in the city streets, on rooftops, and among flashing lights and sirens, using both black-and-white and color imagery. A separate “Hollywood Remix” version extended the footage to fit the remix release.

On stage, Desire has been a versatile song. It debuted on the Lovetown Tour in 1989 and became a centerpiece of the Zoo TV Tour, where Bono performed it in character as Mirror Ball Man and MacPhisto. In concerts, he sometimes twisted the lyrics, singing “And the feeling when I’m inside her” instead of “And the fever when I’m beside her.” Later tours often featured acoustic arrangements or stripped-back takes.

Beyond the stage, Desire also appeared in pop culture. The remix was used in a 1989 episode of Miami Vice (“Fruit of the Poison Tree”), one of the few shows at the time that secured rights to contemporary hits. The song later turned up in Top Gear (2013) and The Romanoffs (2018), further cementing its reach across media.

Quick Facts & Trivia

• Song: Desire
• Artist: U2
• Release: September 19, 1988
• Album: Rattle and Hum
• Writers: U2 (Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton, Larry Mullen Jr.)
• Producers: Jimmy Iovine
• Genre: Rock / Heartland rock / Blues rock
• Length: 2:59
• UK Singles Chart: #1
• Australia ARIA Chart: #1
• U.S. Billboard Hot 100: #3
• U.S. Modern Rock Tracks: #1
• U.S. Mainstream Rock Tracks: #1
• Sales / Certifications: Platinum in multiple markets
• First U2 single to reach #1 in the UK and Australia.
• Won a Grammy in 1989 for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal.
• Voted Best Single of 1988 by Rolling Stone readers.
• B-side: “Hallelujah (Here She Comes).”
• A “Hollywood Remix” was issued on 12″ and CD singles.
• Cover art featured drummer Larry Mullen Jr. in black-and-white.
• An alternate version appears in the Rattle and Hum film.
• Covered by And Why Not?, The Polecats, Savitri String Quartet, and orchestras.