Wikipedia

The Joshua Tree

For other uses, seeJoshua Tree (disambiguation).

The Joshua Treeis the fifth studio album by IrishrockbandU2.It was produced byDaniel LanoisandBrian Eno,and was released on 9 March 1987 byIsland Records.In contrast to theambientexperimentation of their 1984 release,The Unforgettable Fire,the band aimed for a harder-hitting sound within the limitation of conventional song structures onThe Joshua Tree.The album is influenced byAmericanandIrish roots music,and through sociopolitically conscious lyrics embellished with spiritual imagery, it contrasts the group's antipathy for the "real America" with their fascination with the "mythical America".

The Joshua Tree
A landscape monochrome photograph of U2 in the desert sits in the center of a black background. U2 are standing on the left half of the photograph, with a mountain range on the right half. Tiny gold text reading "THE JOSHUA TREE U2" is stretched across the top of the black background.
Studio albumby
U2
Released9 March 1987(1987-03-09)
RecordedJanuary 1986 – January 1987
Studio
GenreRock
Length50:11
LabelIsland
Producer
U2chronology
Wide Awake in America
(1985) 		The Joshua Tree
(1987) 		Rattle and Hum
(1988)
SinglesfromThe Joshua Tree
  1. "With or Without You"
    Released: 16 March 1987
  2. "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For"
    Released: 25 May 1987
  3. "Where the Streets Have No Name"
    Released: 31 August 1987
  4. "In God's Country"
    Released: 16 November 1987
    (North America only)
  5. "One Tree Hill"
    Released: 7 March 1988
    (Australia and New Zealand only)

Inspired by American experiences, literature, and politics, U2 chose America as a theme for the album. Recording began in January 1986 in Ireland, and to foster a relaxed, creative atmosphere, the group primarily recorded in two houses. Several events during the sessions helped shape the conscious tone of the album, including the band's participation in theConspiracy of Hopebenefit concerts forAmnesty International,the death ofroadieGreg Carroll, and lead vocalistBono's travels to Central America. Recording was completed in November 1986; additional production continued into January 1987. Throughout the sessions, U2 sought a "cinematic" quality for the record, one that would evoke a sense of location, in particular, the open spaces of the United States. They represented this in the sleeve photography depicting them in American desert landscapes.

The Joshua Treereceived critical acclaim, topped the charts in over 20 countries, and became the fastest-selling album in British history. According toRolling Stone,the album increased the band's stature "from heroes to superstars". It produced the hit singles "With or Without You","I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For",and"Where the Streets Have No Name",the first two of which became the group's only number-one singles in the US. The album wonGrammy AwardsforAlbum of the YearandBest Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocalat the1988 ceremony.The group supported the record withthe Joshua Tree Tourthroughout 1987, during which they began to perform in stadiums for the first time in their career.

Frequently listed among the greatest albums of all time,The Joshua Treeis one of theworld's best-selling albums,with over 25 million copies sold. U2 commemorated the record's 20th anniversary with aremasteredre-release, and its 30th anniversary withconcert toursand a reissue. In 2014,The Joshua Treewas inducted into theGrammy Hall of Fame,and was selected for preservation in the USNational Recording Registry,having been deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" by theLibrary of Congress.

Background

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Prior toThe Joshua Tree,U2 had released four studio albums and were an internationally successful band, particularly as a live act having toured every year in the 1980s.[1]The group's stature and the public's anticipation for a new album grew following their 1984 recordThe Unforgettable Fire,theirsubsequent tour,and their participation inLive Aidin 1985. U2 began writing new material in mid-1985 following the Unforgettable Fire Tour.[1][2]

U2'smanagerPaul McGuinnessrecounted thatThe Joshua Treeoriginated from the band's "great romance" with the United States, as the group had toured the country for up to five months per year in the first half of the 1980s.[1]Leading up to the album sessions, lead vocalistBonoread the works of American writers such asNorman Mailer,Flannery O'Connor,andRaymond Carverso as to understand, in the words ofHot PresseditorNiall Stokes,"those on the fringes of the promised land, cut off from the American dream".[3]Following a September–October 1985 humanitarian visit toEgyptandEthiopiawith his wifeAli,[4]Bono said: "Spending time in Africa and seeing people in the pits of poverty, I still saw a very strong spirit in the people, a richness of spirit I didn't see when I came home... I saw the spoiled child of the Western world. I started thinking, 'They may have a physical desert, but we've got other kinds of deserts.' And that's what attracted me to the desert as a symbol of some sort."[5]

After recording vocals forSteven Van Zandt's anti-apartheidprojectSun Cityin August 1985, Bono made an additional contribution to the album in October that was inspired by his burgeoning interest in roots music.[4]While in New York, he spent time with musiciansKeith RichardsandMick Jagger,who played himbluesandcountry music.Bono was embarrassed by his lack of familiarity with the genres, as most of U2's musical knowledge began withpunk rockin their youth in the mid-1970s. He realised that U2 "had no tradition" and felt as if they "were from outer space".[6]This inspired him to write the blues-influenced song "Silver and Gold", which he recorded with Richards andRonnie Woodand convinced Van Zandt to add toSun City.[4]Until that time, U2 had been apathetic towards roots music, but after spending time withthe Waterboysand fellow Irish bandHothouse Flowers,they felt a sense ofindigenous Irish musicblending withAmerican folk music.[2]Nascent friendships withBob Dylan,Van Morrison,and Richards encouraged Bono to look back to rock's roots and to focus on building his skills as a songwriter and lyricist.[7][8]He explained: "I used to think that writing words was old-fashioned, so I sketched. I wrote words on the microphone. ForThe Joshua Tree,I felt the time had come to write words that meant something, out of my experience. "[9]Dylan told Bono about his own debt to Irish music,[10]while Bono further demonstrated his interest in music traditions in his duet with IrishCelticand folk groupClannadon the track "In a Lifetime".[10]

"We had experimented a lot in the making of [The Unforgettable Fire]. We had done quite revolutionary things... So we felt, going intoThe Joshua Tree,that maybe options were not a good thing, that limitations might be positive. And so we decided to work within the limitations of the song as a starting point. We thought: let's actually write songs. We wanted the record to be less vague, open-ended, atmospheric and impressionistic. To make it more straightforward, focused and concise. "

—The Edge,on the band's approach toThe Joshua Tree[11]

U2 wanted to build on thetexturesofThe Unforgettable Fire,but in contrast to that record's often out-of-focus experimentation, they sought a harder-hitting sound within the limitations of conventional song structures.[12]The group referred to this approach as working within the "primary colours" of rock music—guitar, bass, and drums.[13]Guitaristthe Edgewas more interested in the European atmospherics ofThe Unforgettable Fireand was initially reluctant to follow Bono's lead to seek a more American sound.[14]The Edge was eventually convinced otherwise after discovering blues and country artists such asHowlin' Wolf,Robert Johnson,Hank Williams,andLefty Frizzellon Americanpublic radiostations during the Unforgettable Fire Tour.[2]Despite lacking a consensus on their musical direction, the group members agreed that they felt disconnected from the dominantsynthpopandnew wave musicof the time, and they wanted to continue making music that contrasted with these genres.[1]

In November 1985,[15]U2 moved into drummerLarry Mullen Jr.'s newly purchased home to work on material written during the Unforgettable Fire Tour. This includeddemosthat would evolve into "With or Without You","Red Hill Mining Town",and" Trip Through Your Wires ", as well as a song called" Womanfish ". The Edge recalled it as a difficult period with a sense of" going nowhere ", although Bono was set on America as a theme for the album. Supplementary recording sessions at STS Studios in Dublin with producer Paul Barrett saw the development of" With or Without You "and the genesis of"Bullet the Blue Sky".[2]

Recording and production

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Brian EnoandDaniel Lanoisproduced the album, their second time working with U2.

Based on their success with producersBrian EnoandDaniel LanoisonThe Unforgettable Fire,U2 wanted the duo to produce their new album.[16]Mullen was excited about working with them again, as he felt the pair, Lanois in particular, were the band's first producers who "really [took] an interest in the rhythm section".[1]Mark "Flood" Elliswas selected to be the recordingengineerfor the sessions, marking the first time he worked with U2.[14]The band were impressed by his work withNick Cave,and Bono's friendGavin Fridayrecommended Flood based on their work experiences together when Friday was a member of theVirgin Prunes.[16]U2 asked Flood for a sound that was "very open... ambient... with a real sense of space of the environment you were in", which he thought was a very unusual request at that time.[1]

Intending to release an album in late 1986, U2 set up a studio in January of that year inDanesmoate House,aGeorgianhouse inRathfarnham,Ireland, in the foothills of theWicklow Mountains.[14][17]The Edge had viewed the residence months prior while househunting with his wife and convinced the owner to rent it to the band.[17]Their plan was to find inspiration from the converted recording space and use it to musically create atmosphere, much like they did withSlane CastleforThe Unforgettable Firesessions in 1984.[14]

A makeshift control room with tape machines, ami xing console,and otheroutboard equipmentwas set up in Danesmoate's dining room, with the adjacent drawing room used for recording and performing.[14]The large doors separating the rooms were replaced with a glass screen, and to maintain a relaxed "non-studio" atmosphere for the sessions, the control room was dubbed the "lyric room" and the recording space was called the "band room".[16]Lanois' strategy was to encourage the band members to have their parts worked out in advance and to capture as much of the essence of a live bandtakeas possible, without having the possibility of subsequentoverdubbingon which to fall back.[18][19]This was a change for U2, who previously recorded each instrument separately and then layered them into themix.[13]To support his approach of having all the band members recording in a room together, Lanois eschewed having them wear headphones in favour of usingmonitor speakersdue to their power; Mullen and bassistAdam Claytonused two each. To aid in sound isolation,goboswere built in the drawing room, although the production staff still faced issues withaudio spillfrom the monitor speakers. Lanois said that due to the setup, "you have to make a commitment to what you put down and either use it or throw it all away." This recording setup was duplicated at subsequent locations during the album sessions.[18]

U2's initial time at Danesmoate was spent recording and refining "extensive demos" that the Edge anticipated could turn into final backing tracks.[20]They began with their usual songwriting methods of sorting through tapes fromsoundcheckjams, working through Bono's lyric book, and recordingjam sessions.[16]The sessions saw the group's songwriting beginning to evolve; not all material was being worked out as a band, but rather Bono and the Edge often brought basic song ideas to Mullen and Clayton.[21]The group were first joined at Danesmoate by Eno, with Flood and fellow engineerDave Meeganrecording their jams. Meegan said of Eno's involvement: "Usually he was in first every morning and he'd start some dodgy sequence on hisDX-7[synthesiser]—it would be just like a cello line with no intentions of ever staying forever, just something to inspire people when they walked into the room. "[22]One of the first songs worked on was "Heartland", which originated duringThe Unforgettable Firesessions and was later released on the band's 1988 album,Rattle and Hum.[14]Thearrangementsfor "With or Without You" and "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For"were completed early in the Danesmoate sessions, giving the band the confidence to experiment.[16]Eno and Lanois intentionally worked with the band at alternate times—one producer for a week or two, followed by the other. The producers encouraged an interest in older songs, especially American roots music. More contemporary references included the textural guitar work ofthe SmithsandMy Bloody Valentine.The band's musical vocabulary had improved after their previous album, facilitating communication and collaboration with the production team.[16]

The band found Danesmoate to have a very creative atmosphere, but according to the Edge, they "just couldn't settle in". The large drawing room, with a tall ceiling and wooden floors, created an "ear-splitting" drum sound that caused issues for the group.[23]Lanois had a higher opinion of the house, saying: "It was loud, but it was really good loud, real dense, very musical. In my opinion it was the most rock and roll room of the lot." According to him, "the Danesmoate sessions were the backbone of the tonality of the record—we got a lot of the drums done in there." He thought that the house sounded better than Slane Castle, and he was particularly impressed with the drawing room's "low mid-range... where the music lives", a property that he believes was a major factor in the success ofThe Joshua Tree.[16]

StingandBonoperforming duringA Conspiracy of Hopein June 1986. U2's appearance on the tour helped them focus their new material being written forThe Joshua Tree.

Over the course of recordingThe Joshua Tree,the band twice paused to participate inbenefit concerts.On 17 May 1986, U2 performed atSelf Aidin Dublin.[24]Intended to help alleviate Ireland's unemployment crisis by raising funds and job pledges, the event was harshly criticised in the media for taking pressure off the Irish government to resistMargaret Thatcher's economic policies. The band in particular were labelled hypocrites for their participation.[25]Their appearance included a cover of Bob Dylan's "Maggie's Farm",reinterpreted as a criticism of Thatcher.[24]Hot Press'Niall Stokes called their performance "the blackest and most ferocious set of their entire career".[25]In June 1986, U2 embarked on the six-showConspiracy of Hopetour forAmnesty International,[24]halting the album's recording sessions for about two months.[26]Rather than distract the band, the tour invigourated their new music and provided extra focus on what they wanted to say.[27]For Clayton, the tour validated the "rawness of content" and their attempts to capture the "bleakness and greed of America underRonald Reagan".[27]The band used soundchecks on the tour to test out various guitar compositions they had.[28]Meegan believed that U2's time with the other artists on the tour affected their own sound: "Their musical heroes were bleeding into the music and they weren't embarrassed by it, which gave them a lot of space to work in."[25]

On 3 July, the band experienced a tragedy when Greg Carroll, theirroadieand Bono's personal assistant, was killed in a motorcycle accident in Dublin. The 26-year-old's death overwhelmed the U2 organisation, and the band travelled to his native New Zealand to attend his traditionalMāorifuneral; the experience inspired the lyrics to "One Tree Hill".[29]After the funeral,[30]Bono and his wife visitedNicaraguaandEl Salvador,where they saw firsthand the distress of peasants affected by political conflicts and US military intervention, experiences which formed the basis of the lyrics for "Bullet the Blue Sky" and "Mothers of the Disappeared".[31]

On 1 August 1986, U2 regrouped in Dublin to resume work on the album and begin the recording stage proper.[14][20]During this more intense phase of the sessions, the group began to work at the Edge's newly purchased house, Melbeach, in seasideMonkstown.[32]Lanois said of Melbeach, "That was less of a rock 'n' roll room but we made it work. I think there were a lot of headaches, isolating people and having to buildbafflesaround the place. "[16]The Edge called the house "more sombre" but said it had a "solid unpretentious quality that seemed to hold the energy in".[33]"Mothers of the Disappeared" and "Bullet the Blue Sky" were among the songs that evolved at Melbeach. Lanois said that most of the record was done there,[16]and that it was the preferred location for mi xing.[34]Writing and recording alternated between the two houses andWindmill Lane Studios.[14]In late August duringHurricane Charley,U2 were visited at Danesmoate byRobbie Robertson,the former guitarist ofthe Band.Robertson was in Ireland to complete hisself-titled debut solo albumthat he had begun with Lanois. Together, U2 and Robertson recorded the tracks "Sweet Fire of Love" and "Testimony", both of which appear on Robertson's album.[16][35][17]

As the sessions progressed, U2 attempted to record a suitable take of the song "Where the Streets Have No Name",which began as a demo that the Edge had composed by himself. However, the group struggled with the chord andtime signatureshifts,[32]forcing significant "screwdriver work" to fix a recorded version of the song.[1]Eno estimated approximately 40% of the time spent onThe Joshua Treewas dedicated to that song alone.[36]During takes, Lanois used a pointer and a chalkboard to help walk the band through the song's changes.[16]In an attempt to force the group to start anew, Eno intended to "stage an accident" whereby the song's tapes would be erased. According to Flood, engineerPat McCarthyhad to restrain Eno to prevent this from happening. Ultimately, the erasure never occurred.[1]Another aspect of the album that required re-work was Bono's lyrics. The vocalist had another set of lyrics for most of the record, but the other group members were dissatisfied with them, forcing rewrites.[37]Lanois said the production team extensively screened Bono's lyrics and offered suggestions, as many lines did not sound as good when sang against a backing track as they did when written down.[18]Bono's revised lyrics were described as "absolutely stunning" by Meegan, who believed that the insecurity the singer felt from having his work critiqued further motivated him.[37]

After a creative spurt in October resulted in new song ideas,[35]Bono proposed that the group release a double album.[38]The Edge said: "There would have been two records, depending on which songs we decided to finish. There was this one album, the 'blues' album that Bono was talking about, and another, much more 'European', which is kind of the way I was led."[26]Eno cautioned the group about pursuing the material, telling the Edge: "I know that any one of these new ideas is good enough to make the record, but we have to draw the line somewhere. If we even consider any of them we'll still be here in three months time."[33]U2 relented, shelving the new songs to avoid missing their deadline to complete the album.[35]Recording forThe Joshua Treewrapped up in November 1986. Rough mixes had been created throughout the sessions after each song was recorded to, in Lanois' words, take "snapshots along the way... because sometimes you go too far".[16]The Edge explained that the arrangement and production of each song was approached individually and that while there was a strong uniform direction, they were prepared to "sacrifice some continuity to get the rewards of following each song to a conclusion".[39]

Parts of the album were recorded and mixed atWindmill Lane Studios(pictured in 2008).

The final weeks were a frantic rush to finish, with the band and production crew all suffering from exhaustion. Eno and Flood had minimal involvement with the final mixes,[16]as they had other commitments. Facing understaffing,[18]in late December, U2 hiredSteve Lillywhite,producer of their first three albums, to remix the potential singles and make them more appealing to commercial radio.[32][40]His eleventh-hour presence and changes caused discontent among the production crew, including Eno and Lanois.[32]Of the approximately 30 songs that were created during the album's sessions, 11 were selected for the final track listing.[41]Lillywhite mixed four songs with engineer Mark Wallis on anSSLdesk at Windmill Lane Studios.[16][35][18]At the same time, Lanois, McCarthy, and Meegan mixed seven songs at Melbeach on a 24-track AMEK 2500 mi xing desk; all three were required to operate the console due to the lack ofmix automation.[16][18]

On the night before the 15 January 1987 deadline set by Island Records to complete the record, the band and the crew completed mi xing.[18][42]As they worked at Melbeach,[42]Lillywhite's wife, singerKirsty MacColl,volunteered to set the running order for the album. The band told her to put "Where the Streets Have No Name" first and "Mothers of the Disappeared" last, with the rest sequenced according to her preference.[32]Bono said of MacColl's contribution, "Your hope for your album is that it will always be greater than the sum of its parts. It wasn't happening forThe Joshua Treeand she came in and she organized it and it worked as an old-fashioned album: a beginning, middle and end. "[43]Around 2am, just seven hours before the album was due to Island formastering,the Edge tried to convince Lillywhite to allow him to add backing vocals to "Where the Streets Have No Name", but he was denied. In the morning, Meegan and Lillywhite flew with the album's tapes toIsland's officesinHammersmith,London.[42]

Following the completion of the album proper, U2 returned to the studio with Meegan and McCarthy to complete the new material they had shelved in October.[33][44]These tracks, which included "Walk to the Water", "Luminous Times (Hold on to Love)", and "Spanish Eyes", were completed as B-sides for the planned singles.[44]The Edge said that with no producers around and "without the sense of significance that imbued the album sessions", the group worked quickly and productively, preventing the songs from, in his opinion, sounding overworked.[33]The song "Sweetest Thing"was left off the album and released as a B-side, as the band felt it was incomplete and did not fit with the other songs.[45]They later expressed regret that it had not been completed forThe Joshua Tree.The track was re-recorded as a single for the group's 1998 compilationThe Best of 1980–1990.[46]U2 agreed that one track, "Birdland", was too strong for a B-side and they withheld it for a future album release.[44]In 2007, a re-recorded version of the song, retitled "Wave of Sorrow (Birdland)", was included with the 20th anniversary edition of the album.[47]

After completingThe Joshua Tree,Bono said that he was "as pleased with the record as I can ever be pleased with a record", callingThe Joshua Treetheir most complete album since their debut.[8]Clayton bought Danesmoate House in 1987 and made it his home.[48]

Composition

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Music

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"Where the Streets Have No Name"
Like much of the Edge's guitar playing on the album, the opening riff to "Where the Streets Have No Name",a repeating six-note arpeggio, is modulated with a delay effect.[49]
"I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For"
Gospel music influenced "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For".Bono's vocals are in a higher register, and he sings of spiritual doubt.[50]
"Running to Stand Still"
"Running to Stand Still"combines American folk influences with lyrics about a heroin-addicted Irish couple.[50]
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U2 is credited with composing all ofThe Joshua Tree's music.[51]The album's sound draws from American and Irish roots music more than the group's previous albums, following the counsel and influence of Bob Dylan, Van Morrison, and Keith Richards. "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For"has strong gospel influences, with Bono singing of spiritual doubt in an upperregisterand Eno, Lanois, and the Edge providing choir-like backing vocals.[50]The slow piano-based ballad "Running to Stand Still"exhibits traits of folk music andacoustic bluesin the track'sslideacoustic guitar and harmonica.[50]"Trip Through Your Wires", another song on which Bono plays harmonica, was described by Niall Stokes as a "bluesy romp".[52]Summarising the stylistic direction,Chicago Tribunejournalist Joshua Klein writes that the album "showed how U2's obsession with American roots flavored itsart-rock".[53]

The Edge's guitar playing onThe Joshua Treeis characteristic of what came to be his trademark sound. His minimalist style sharply contrasted with the emphasis placed on virtuosity and speed byheavy metalin the 1980s. The Edge views musical notes as "expensive", preferring to play as few of them as possible and to instead focus on simpler parts that serve the moods of the songs.[49]Much of this was achieved with adelay effect,contributing to a chiming, echo-laden sound.[54]For example, theriffin theintroductionof the opening track "Where the Streets Have No Name"is a repeated six-notearpeggio,with delay used to repeat notes.[49]The riffs to "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" and "With or Without You"also prominently use delay, with Bono likening the guitar hook from the former track to" chrome bells ".[50]

The Edge continued to employ the ambient techniques of guitar playing that he used onThe Unforgettable Fire;for "With or Without You", he used a prototype of theInfinite Guitarto add layers ofsustainednotes, an approach he first took on his 1986 solo album, theCaptivesoundtrack.[55]On other songs, his guitar playing is more aggressive; "Exit"was described by Colin Hogg as a" decidedly scary... guitar-driven barrage ",[56]whileAndrew Muellersaid the guitar sounds from "Bullet the Blue Sky"evoke images of fighter planes.[57]The Edge developed the harsh,feedback-charged guitar part for the latter song at Bono's instruction to "put El Salvador through anamplifier",after Bono returned angry from a visit to the war-torn country.[58]Bono also contributed to songwriting on guitar; theSpanish guitarmelody in "Mothers of the Disappeared"originated from a song that he wrote in Ethiopia to teach children about basic hygiene.[32]

Much like on past records, Bono exhibits an expressive, open-throated vocal delivery,[59]which many critics described as "passionate".[56][60][61]Spinfound that the group's exploration of roots music resulted in Bono's style expanding, saying that he "commands the full whisper-to-shout range of blues mannerisms".[62]Bono attributes this maturation to "loosening up", "discover[ing] other voices", and employing more restraint in his singing.[9]His vocals became, in the words of Thom Duffy, more "dynamic" than they had been on previous records.[63]On "Where the Streets Have No Name", his voice varies greatly in itstimbre(as writer Mark Butler describes, "he sighs; he moans; he grunts; he exhales audibly; he allows his voice to crack" ) and its timing by his usage ofrubatoto slightly offset the sung notes from the beat.[64]For author Susan Fast, "With or Without You" marks the first track on which he "extended his vocal range downward in an appreciable way".[65]

Lyrics

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The mental image of an American desert was inspirational to the group during the album's conception.

Bono is credited as the album's sole lyricist.[51]Thematically, the album juxtaposes antipathy towards the United States against the band's deep fascination with the country, its open spaces, freedoms, and ideals. Anger is directed particularly at the perceived greed of theRonald Reagan administrationandits foreign policy in Central America.[66]Bono said, "I started to see two Americas, the mythic America and the real America",[67]hence the album's working title,The Two Americas.[1]Having toured the US extensively in the past, the group were inspired by the country's geography. As such, the desert, rain, dust, and water appear as lyrical motifs throughout the record.[68][69]In many cases, the desert is used as a metaphor for "spiritual drought".[67]One track that chiefly represents these themes is "In God's Country",which critic Barbara Jaeger interpreted as addressing America's role as the" promised land ".[70]Clayton explained the impact of the desert imagery: "The desert was immensely inspirational to us as a mental image for this record. Most people would take the desert on face value and think it's some kind of barren place, which of course is true. But in the right frame of mind, it's also a very positive image, because you can actually do something with blank canvas, which is effectively what the desert is."[71]

"I love being there, I love America, I love the feeling of the wide open spaces, I love the deserts, I love the mountain ranges, I even love the cities. So having fallen in love with America over the years that we've been there on tour, I then had to 'deal with' America and the way it was affecting me, because America's having such an effect on the world at the moment. On this record I had to deal with it on a political level for the first time, if in a subtle way."

—Bono, on the album's thematic inspirations, in 1987[8]

Political and social concerns were the basis for several tracks. Bono wrote the lyrics for "Bullet the Blue Sky" after visiting El Salvador during theSalvadoran Civil Warand witnessing how the conflict between rebels and the US-backed government affected local civilians.[31]During the mid-song spoken passage, he talks of a man with a "face red like a rose on a thorn bush", a reference to Reagan.[72][73]Bono's trip also inspired "Mothers of the Disappeared", after he met members ofCOMADRES—the Mothers of the Disappeared—a group of women whose children were killed or "disappeared" during the civil war at the hands of the local government.[35]The1984 UK mining strikeinspired the lyrics for "Red Hill Mining Town",which Bono wrote from the perspective of a couple affected by the strike. The story of aheroin-addicted couple was the basis for "Running to Stand Still", which Bono set in theBallymun Flatsresidential towers in Dublin near which he was raised. The buildings are referenced in the lyric "I see seven towers / But I only see one way out".[5]For "Where the Streets Have No Name", he wrote the lyrics in response to the idea that, inBelfast,a person's religion and income can be deduced based on the street they live on.[8]"Exit" portrays the thoughts of a psychotic killer,[32]although Clayton suggested that the line "He saw the hands that build could also pull down" is also a jab at the US government's conflicting roles in international relations.[74]

Bono described 1986 as "an incredibly bad year" for him,[14]which was reflected in the lyrics. His marriage was under strain, in part due to the album's long gestation period, the band were criticised by the Irish media for their involvement in Self Aid, and his personal assistant Greg Carroll was killed in a motorcycle accident.[39]Bono said, "That's why the desert attracted me as an image. That year was really a desert for us."[31]"With or Without You" was written while he was struggling to reconcile his wanderlust as a musician with his domestic responsibilities.[55]"One Tree Hill",named after avolcanic peak in Carroll's native New Zealand,describes how Bono felt at Carroll's funeral.[67][30]The album is dedicated to his memory.[51]

The group's religious faith was a source of inspiration for many lyrics. On "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For", Bono affirms this faith but sings of spiritual doubt ( "I believe in Kingdom Come"... "But I still haven't found what I'm looking for" ).[51][75]Some critics surmised that the place Bono is referring to on "Where the Streets Have No Name" is Heaven.[76][77]These two songs were singled out by some critics as demonstrating that the band was on a "spiritual quest".[70][76]Hot PresseditorNiall Stokesand Richard Harrington ofThe Washington Postinterpreted "With or Without You" in both romantic and spiritual manners.[11][78]Biblical references are made on other songs like "Bullet the Blue Sky" ( "Jacob wrestled the angel",images offire and brimstone) and "In God's Country" ( "I stand with the sons ofCain").[51]Thom Duffy interpreted the album as an exploration of the "uncertainty and pain of a spiritual pilgrimage through a bleak and harsh world".[63]

Packaging and title

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The photograph on the album cover was shot atZabriskie Point.

Designed bySteve Averill,[51]the album sleeve was based on U2's request to depict the record's "imagery, and cinematic location" in the desert.[32]Since the album's provisional titles wereThe Desert Songs[79]andThe Two Americas,[1]the initial concept for the sleeve was to represent where the desert met civilisation.[1]The group decided early in the creative process to photograph in the US, contrasting with all of their previous albums, which had been shot in Ireland.[68]They asked their photographerAnton Corbijnto search for locations in the US that would capture their ideas.[32]A week prior to the photo shoot, he travelled to the US to compile a list of locations.[80]

Over several days in December 1986,[35][81]U2 travelled with Corbijn and Averill on a bus around theMojave Desertfor a photo shoot.[32]The group stayed in small hotels and shot in the desert landscape, beginning atReno, Nevada,before moving to locations inCaliforniasuch as theghost townofBodie,the Harmony Motel inTwentynine Palms,Zabriskie Point,Death Valley Junction,and other sites inDeath Valley.[80][81][82]Corbijn rented a panoramic camera to capture more of the desert landscapes, but having no prior experience with the camera, he was unfamiliar with how to focus it. This led to him focusing on the background and leaving the band slightly out of focus. Corbijn said, "Fortunately there was a lot of light."[31]Averill filmed portions of the trip with an8 mm filmcamera. The photo shoots took place in the mornings and evenings, with mid-days spent travelling and on preparation.[80]Corbijn later recounted that the main idea of the shoot was to juxtapose "man and environment, the Irish in America".[83]Averill said of their photographic approach, "What I was trying to do with the way we shot the pictures and framed the cover was to suggest the landscape vision and cinematic approach that was taken to the recording."[80]

TheJoshua tree (Yucca brevifolia)used throughout the album artwork was located in theMojave DesertnearDarwin, California.

On the evening after the first day's shooting, Corbijn told the band aboutJoshua trees(Yucca brevifolia), hardy and twisted plants in the deserts of theAmerican Southwest,and he suggested their use on the sleeve.[1]Bono was pleased to discover the religious significance of the plant's etymology;[79]according toMormonlegend, early settlers named the plant after theOld TestamentprophetJoshua,as the tree's stretching branches reminded them of Joshua raising his hands in prayer.[84]The following day, Bono declared that the album should be titledThe Joshua Tree.[79]That morning,[80]while driving onRoute 190nearDarwin,they spotted a lone-standing tree in the desert.[17]Corbijn had been hoping to find a single tree, as he thought it would result in better photographs than if he shot the band amongst a group of trees.[79]They stopped the bus and photographed with the lone plant for about 20 minutes, something the Edge called "fairly spontaneous".[66]Despite shooting in the desert, the group dealt with cold weather during parts of the trip. Bono explained, "it was freezing and we had to take our coats off so it would at leastlooklike a desert. That's one of the reasons we look so grim. "[85]Regarding the serious tone of the images, Corbijn said, "I guess people felt they took themselves too seriously. It was definitely the most serious, I think, that you can photograph a band. You couldn't go any further down that line unless you start photographing graves."[31]

"The Joshua Treetakes its title from the tree that somehow survives in the desert, and much of its material suggests an attempt, within the aridity, to quench a profoundly spiritual thirst. "

—Don McLeese ofChicago Sun-Times,on the album title as a metaphor for the songs[86]

For thevinyl recordrelease, Corbijn originally wanted to have a shot of the Joshua tree on the front of the sleeve, with U2 in a continuation of the photograph on the back.[1]Averill tried out a concept with just the landscape on the front that he said resembled a "jazzECMrecord ".[80]Ultimately, separate photographs were used for each side of the sleeve; an image of the group at Zabriskie Point was placed on the front,[35]while an image of them with the tree appears on the back cover.[68]For the front cover, Averill said that theframingof the band in the left half of the photo was meant to evoke the cinematography of film directorsJohn FordandSergio Leone.The centregatefoldshowed an image of U2 with the Joshua tree in the middle; a mirror used by them to check their appearance was mistakenly left in frame. Since thecompact discwas a relatively new format at the time, the creative team decided to experiment with the album cover, selecting different cover images for each format on which the album was released; the original compact disc release used a blurry, distorted photo of the band, while thecassetteused a clear, but alternate photo. Later CD reissues used the LP photo.[87]Rolling Stonesaid that the album's title and the images of the tree befit a record concerned with "resilience in the face of utter social and political desolation, a record steeped in religious imagery".[88]In 1991, the magazine rankedThe Joshua Treeat number 97 on its list of the "100 Greatest Album Covers of All Time".[89]CartoonistBerkeley Breathedcreated aparodyof the album cover for the back of his bookBilly and the Boingers Bootleg,[90]released in August 1987.[91]

The tree photographed for the sleeve fell around 2000,[92]yet the site remains a popular tourist attraction for U2 fans.[17]One person inserted a plaque into the ground reading, "Have you found what you're looking for?", in reference to the album's track "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For".[93]It is a common misconception that the site is withinJoshua Tree National Park,when in fact it is over 200 miles (320 km) away from the park.[94]

Release

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Just prior to the release ofThe Joshua Tree,Bono was stricken with a sudden panic about the quality of the completed album. He said that he contemplated calling the production plants to order a halt of the record's pressing, but he ultimately held off.[95]Island Recordsspent over $100,000 on store displays advertising the album; president Lou Maglia called it "the most complete merchandising effort ever assembled".[96]The Joshua Treewas released on 9 March 1987,[96]with an initial shipment of 300,000 copies in the US.[97]It was the first new release to be made available on the compact disc, vinyl record, and cassette tape formats on the same date.[96]Record stores in Britain and Ireland opened at midnight to accommodate the large number of fans who had queued outside to buy the album.[31][98]

"With or Without You" was released as the lead single on 21 March 1987, with the B-sides "Luminous Times (Hold on to Love)" and "Walk to the Water".[99]The single quickly topped theBillboardHot 100,becoming the band's first number-one hit in America.[16]The song topped the singles chart in Canada,[100]while reaching number four in the UK[101]and number two in the Netherlands.[102]The group originally planned to use "Red Hill Mining Town" as the second single.[103]However, the group were unhappy with the music video filmed byNeil Jordan,[16][104]and Bono had difficulty singing the song.[105]Ultimately, the group canceled the single.[103][106]Instead, "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" was chosen as the second single, and it was released in May 1987 with the tracks "Spanish Eyes" and "Deep in the Heart" as B-sides.[107]Like its predecessor, it topped the Hot 100, giving U2 consecutive number-one singles in the US.[16]The single peaked at number six in the UK,[101]Canada,[100]and the Netherlands.[102]

"Where the Streets Have No Name" was released in August 1987 as the third single, with "Sweetest Thing", "Silver and Gold", and "Race Against Time" as B-sides.[108]The single reached number seven in the Netherlands,[102]number four on theUK Singles Chart,and number 13 in the US.[16]The album's first three singles all topped theIrish Singles Charts,[109]while charting within the top 20 of the singles charts in the UK,[101]the US,[110]Canada,[100]New Zealand,[111]and the Netherlands.[102]"In God's Country" was released as a fourth single exclusively in North America in November 1987,[112]peaking at number 44 on the Hot 100[110]and number 48 as an import single in the UK.[101]"One Tree Hill" was released as a fourth single in Australia and New Zealand in March 1988,[113][114]and having been written for the New Zealand-native Carroll, it reached number one in his home country.[111]

In 1996,Mobile Fidelity Sound Labremasteredthe album and released it as a special gold CD. This edition rectified the incorrect track splitting between "One Tree Hill" and "Exit" that affected some CD releases; the quietcodathat concludes "One Tree Hill" had previously been included in the same track as "Exit".[115][116]

Following its 30th anniversary reissue,The Joshua Treere-entered theBillboard200 chart the week of 8 June 2017, climbing to number 16—its highest position on the chart since 13 February 1988. That week, it shifted 27,000album-equivalent units,23,000 of which were sales, making it the album's highest-selling week in the US since 3 January 1993.[117]

Critical reception

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Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[118]
Chicago Sun-Times[119]
Entertainment WeeklyA[120]
Houston Chronicle[121]
Los Angeles Times[122]
The New Zealand Herald[56]
Orlando Sentinel[63]
Pittsburgh Post-GazetteA−[123]
Q[124]
The Village VoiceB[125]

The Joshua Treereceived critical acclaim, and the best reviews of U2's career to that point. Steve Pond ofRolling Stonewrote, "For a band that's always specialized in inspirational, larger-than-life gestures—a band utterly determined to be Important—The Joshua Treecould be the big one, and that's precisely what it sounds like. "[88]The review described the album's sound as "wed[ding] the diverse textures ofThe Unforgettable Fireto fully formed songs, many of them as aggressive as the hits onWar".[88]Steve Morse ofThe Boston Globeechoed these sentiments in his review, stating, "It's another spiritual progress report, enwrapped in music that strikes a healthy balance between the lushness of their last album, 1984'sThe Unforgettable Fire,and the more volcanic rock of their early years. "Morse called it" their most challenging work to date "and the" most rewarding rock record of the new year ".[76]John McCready ofNMEpraised the album as "a better and braver record than anything else that's likely to appear in 1987... It's the sound of people still trying, still looking..."[126]Thom Duffy of theOrlando Sentinelsaid the songs have "exultant power" that, "like the Joshua Tree's branches, stretch upward in stark contrast to their barren musical surroundings on rock radio". He praised the musicianship of the group members, calling Bono's vocals "wrenching", the rhythm section of Mullen and Clayton "razor-sharp", and the Edge's guitar playing "never... better".[63]Colin Hogg ofThe New Zealand HeraldcalledThe Joshua Tree"the most compelling collection of music yet from a band that has cut its career with passionate, exciting slashes". It judged that the record's "power lies in its restraint" and that there is an "urgency underlying virtually all of the 11 songs".[56]Robin Denselow ofThe Guardiancalled the album "epic", saying "what U2 have achieved is an exhilarating and varied blend of controlled power and subtelty". The review praised U2 for maturing and expanding their musical range, yet "retain[ing] their sense of power" and the "brave passion and emotion" of Bono's vocals.[127]

Q'sPaul Du Noyersaid that the source ofThe Joshua Tree's "potency lies in a kind of spiritual frustration – a sense of hunger and tension which roams its every track in search of some climactic moment of release, of fulfilment, that never arrives." He concluded his review by writing that the music "has the one thing vital to worthwhile rock, a thing so often absent: the urge to exist".[124]Spinhailed the record as U2's "first wholly successful album because it finally breaks free from the seductive but limiting chant-and-drone approach of earlier material". The review stated, "There isn't a bad song on the record" and that "every one has a hook". The magazine praised U2 for eschewing ambient experimentation in favour of uncomplicated but layered arrangements.[62]Robert Hilburnof theLos Angeles Timessaid the album "confirms on record what this band has been slowly asserting for three years now on stage: U2 is what the Rolling Stones ceased being years ago—the greatest rock and roll band in the world". Hilburn noted that the band showed "sometimes breathtaking signs of growth" and played more "tailored and assured" music.[60]Hot Presseditor and longtime U2 supporterBill Grahamsaid that "The Joshua Treerescues rock from its decay, bravely and unashamedly basing itself in the mainstream before very cleverly lifting off into several higher dimensions, "and that U2" must be taken very seriously indeed after this revaluation of rock ".[128]John RockwellofThe New York Timeswas complimentary of the band for expanding its musical range but said Bono's vocals were "marred throughout by sobbing affectation" and sounded too much like other singers, resulting in a "curious loss of individuality".[129]TheHouston Chronicle's Marty Racine felt it has "music that both soothes and inspires, music that is anthemic, music with style". Racine, however, believed the group took itself too seriously, resulting in a record that is "not a whole lot of fun, bordering on the pretentious", which caused him to lose interest by the second side.[121]Robert ChristgaufromThe Village Voicefound the lyrics tasteful and the music "mournful and passionate, stately and involved", but lamented what he felt was pompous singing by Bono, calling it "one of the worst cases of significance ever to afflict a deserving candidate for superstardom".[125]

In a retrospective review,Stephen Thomas ErlewineofAllMusicsaid "their focus has never been clearer, nor has their music been catchier". His review concluded, "Never before have U2's big messages sounded so direct and personal."[118]Entertainment Weekly's Bill Wyman wrote that the album combined "easy-to-grasp themes – alienation and an outsider’s ambivalent view of America – with an extremely focused musical attack".[120]A 2008 retrospective byQsaid "their reinvention of stadium rock sounds as impassioned as ever" and that the album strikes "a finely balanced mix of intimacy and power".[130]Anthony DeCurtisofRolling Stonecompared the album toBruce Springsteen'sBorn in the U.S.A.,stating that both records "lifted a populist artist to mega-stardom", and that the musicians' uplifting live shows and the "sheer aural pleasure" of the two records obscured their foreboding nature. DeCurtis summarizedThe Joshua Tree's examination of America both lyrically and musically as such:[5]

"The wild beauty, cultural richness, spiritual vacancy and ferocious violence of America are explored to compelling effect in virtually every aspect ofThe Joshua Tree—in the title and the cover art, the blues and country borrowings evident in the music... Indeed, Bono says that 'dismantling the mythology of America' is an important part ofThe Joshua Tree's artistic objective. "

Accolades

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In voting forRolling Stone's 1987 end-of-year readers' polls, U2 won in the categories "Best Album", "Artist of the Year", "Best Band", "Best Single (" With or Without You) ", and" Best Male Singer "(Bono).[131]The album placed fourth on the "Best Albums" list fromThe Village Voice's 1987Pazz & Jopcritics' poll,[132]and sixth onNME's list.[133]In1988,U2 received fourGrammy Awardnominations for the album and its songs, winning honours forAlbum of the Year(to beat artists such asMichael Jackson,Prince,andWhitney Houston) andBest Rock Performance By a Duo or Group With VocalforThe Joshua Tree.[134][135]"I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" was nominated forSong of the YearandRecord of the Year,but lost in both categories. U2 were the only act that year to be nominated in each of the "Big Three" categories (Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Album of the Year).[134]

Commercial performance

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The success ofThe Joshua Treebrought U2(pictured in 2017)a new level of stardom internationally.

The Joshua Treedebuted on theUK Albums Charton 21 March 1987 at number one with 235,000 copies sold in its opening week, making it the fastest-selling album in UK history to that point.[101][136]It received aplatinum certificationin the UK within 48 hours of being released.[137]The album spent two weeks atop the UK Albums Chart[138]and spent its first 28 weeks within the top ten.[139]In total, it charted in the UK for 201 weeks, ranking it amongthe longest-charting albums in the nation's history.[138]On the USBillboardTop Pop Albumschart, the album debuted on 4 April 1987 at number seven,[140]the highest debut for a studio album in the US in almost seven years.[141]Three weeks later, it reached number one,[137]becoming the group's first album to top the charts in the US.[142]It remained at that position for nine consecutive weeks,[143]the band's longest number-one reign on the chart[144]and the second-longest reign in the US that year.[134]The album spent a total of 120 weeks on theBillboardTop Pop Albums,[145]35 of them in the top ten.[141]On 13 May 1987, theRecording Industry Association of America(RIAA)certifiedthe album double-platinum.[146]All of the group's previous albums re-entered theBillboardTop Pop Albums chart in 1987.[147]

In Canada, the album debuted at number 51 on theRPMTop 100 Albumschart on 21 March 1987,[148]and climbed to number one just two weeks later.[149]Within 14 days of release, it sold 300,000 units in Canada and was certified triple-platinum.[150]The Joshua Treealso topped the charts in Austria, Switzerland, New Zealand, and Sweden.[102]In total, the album reached number one in over 20 countries.[17]

By May 1987, sales of the album surpassed 7 million copies worldwide.[151]Rolling Stonesaid that the album increased the band's stature "from heroes to superstars".[152]It was the first album by any artist to sell one million copies on CD in the US.[96]U2 were featured on the cover of the 27 April 1987 issue ofTime,which declared them "Rock's Hottest Ticket";[153]they were just the fourth rock band to appear on the magazine's cover, followingthe Beatles,the Band,andthe Who.[154]By the end of 1988,The Joshua Treehad sold more than 14 million copies worldwide.[155]It was the ninth-best-selling album in the UK during the 1980s.[156]

The Joshua Treeis the band's highest-selling album,[157]and with 25 million copies sold worldwide,[158]it is among thehighest-selling albums of all time.It ranks as one of thebest-selling albums in the US;in 1995, the RIAA certified it 10× platinum for shipping 10 million units.[146]Similarly, theCanadian Recording Industry Associationcertified the album diamond in Canada.[159]In the UK,The Joshua Treeranked among the 40highest-selling recordsas of October 2018, with 2.88 million copies sold,[160][161]and in 2023 it was certified 10× platinum by theBritish Phonographic Industry.[162]In the Pacific, it is certified 5× platinum and 14× platinum in Australia and New Zealand, respectively.[163][164]

The Joshua Tree Tour

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Main article:The Joshua Tree Tour

Following the album's release, U2 embarked on a worldwideconcert tour,the Joshua Tree Tour. Lasting from April to December 1987, it comprised 109 shows over three legs.[165]The first and third legs visited the US, while the second leg toured Europe.[31]The Joshua Treeelevated the group to a new level of popularity; the tour sold out arenas and stadiums around the world—the first time they consistently performed at venues of that size.[31]Songs from the album became staples of the tour'sset lists,as the group regularly performed eight of the record's eleven tracks, and the only song not to be played was "Red Hill Mining Town".[165]

Like their previous tours, the Joshua Tree Tour was a minimalistic, austere production,[166]and U2 used this outlet for addressing political and social concerns.[167]One such issue was Arizona GovernorEvan Mecham's canceling the state's observance ofMartin Luther King Jr. Day.[31]Throughout the tour, the group continued to explore American roots music: they collaborated with folk artistBob Dylan,blues musicianB. B. King,andHarlem's New Voices of Freedom gospel choir; U2 also visitedGracelandandSun Studioin Memphis, where they recorded new material.[31]These new songs and the band's experiences on tour were documented for the 1988Rattle and Humalbum andPhil Joanou-directed motion picture.

The Joshua Tree Tour was the highest-grossing North American tour of 1987, grossing $35.1 million from 2.04 million tickets sold to 79 shows.[168][169]Overall, the tour grossed $40 million[155]and drew 3 million attendees,[31]but despite its commercial success and positive reviews, U2 were dissatisfied creatively, and Bono believed they were musically unprepared for their success.[170][171]Mullen said, "We were the biggest, but we weren't the best",[170]and for Bono the tour was "one of the worst times of [their] musical life".[31]On the road, the group dealt with death threats, along with injuries that Bono sustained from performing. The band hinted that the stresses of touring led them to enjoy the "rock and roll lifestyle" they previously avoided.[31]

Legacy

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"During the two decades that have elapsed since then, every move the band has made has been, in some way, a reaction to the legacy ofThe Joshua Tree.Rattle and Humwas an extension of the album, further exploring American music forms such as blues, gospel, and soul. Then, inevitably, U2 got tired of living in their own shadow, and bothAchtung BabyandZooropachipped away at expectations of the band. When they finally realized there was no escaping their iconic status sealed byThe Joshua Tree,U2 mocked it onPop.By then, though, fans had grown weary of the band's experimentation, and U2 have spent their last two albums trying to recapture the radio-friendly sound of their 1987 opus. "

—PopMatters,in 2007[172]

The Joshua Treehas been acclaimed by writers and music critics as one of the greatest albums of all time. In 1997,The Guardiancollated worldwide data from a range of renowned critics, artists, and radioDJs,who placed the record at number 57 on the list of the "100 Best Albums Ever".[173]It was ranked 25th inColin Larkin's 2000 bookAll Time Top 1000 Albums.[174]In a poll ofVH1viewers the following year,The Joshua Treewas voted the greatest pop album of all time, based on responses from over 250,000 people.[175]Rolling Stoneranked the album at number 26 on their 2003 list of "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time".[176]Subsequent updates to the list re-ranked the album; the 2012 version ranked it 27th, writing that the album "turn[ed] spiritual quests and political struggles into uplifting stadium singalongs",[177]and the 2020 version of the list ranked it 135th.[178]In 2006,TimenamedThe Joshua Treeone of the magazine's 100 best albums,[179]whileHot Pressranked it 11th on a similar list.[180]Qnamed it the best record of the 1980s,[181]whileEntertainment Weeklyincluded the album on its list of the 100 best records released between 1983 and 2008.[182]

In 2010, the album appeared at number 62 onSpin's list of the 125 most influential albums in the 25 years since the magazine launched. The publication said, "The band's fifth album spit out hits like crazy, and they were unusually searching hits, each with a pointed political edge."[183]The same year,Consequence of SoundrankedThe Joshua Tree34th on its list of "The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time", calling it "Arguably the biggest album of the 1980s" and "proof that lightning can be captured in a bottle".[184]In 2012,Slant Magazineranked it 24th on its list of the "Best Albums of the 1980s", saying thatThe Joshua Tree's opening trio of songs helped "the band became lords and emperors of anthemic '80s rock" and that "U2 no longer belonged to Dublin, but the world."[185]In 2018,Pitchforkranked the record 47th on its list of "The 200 Best Albums of the 1980s", writing that the album's "brilliant tension" and continued resonance was the result of Eno and Lanois "steer[ing] U2 toward a moody impressionism where slide guitars and three chord progressions sound cavernous, even ominous".[186]In 2024,Apple MusicrankedThe Joshua Tree49th on its100 Best Albums list.[187]The Buffalo Newssaid the record "made [U2] the first mainstream band sincethe Beatlesto capture the spirit of the age in a manner that was both populist and artistically, politically and socially incisive ",[188]while humanities scholar Henry Vyverberg considered it among the minority of attempts at "serious art" during a decade in which the rock genre largely "remained musical junk-food".[189]FromJosh Tyrangiel's perspective,The Joshua Treebegan a "towering period" of U2's history lasting through 1993'sZooropawhen they "made stadium-size art rock with huge melodies that allowed Bono to throw his arms around the world while bending its ear about social justice".[190]WYMSjournalist Mitchell Kreitzman credited it with exposing "alternative music to the masses",[191]andKevin J. H. Dettmarcited it as the most commercially and critically successful album "yet to emerge from alternative or college rock".[192]In 2014,The Joshua Treewas inducted into theGrammy Hall of Famefor becoming "part of our musical, social, and cultural history".[193]That same year, the album was selected for preservation in theNational Recording Registryby the USLibrary of Congressfor being deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".[194]It is the only Irish work to be so honoured.[195]

The band's penchant for addressing political and social issues, as well as their staid depiction in Corbijn's black-and-white sleeve photographs, contributed to the group's earnest and serious image as "stone-faced pilgrim[s]". This image became a target for derision after the band's critically malignedRattle and Humproject in 1988.[31]Various critics called them "po-faced",[196]"pompous bores",[57]and "humourless".[197]The group's continued exploration of American music for the project was labelled "pretentious"[198]and "misguided and bombastic".[199]After Bono told fans on the 1989Lovetown Tourthat U2 would "dream it all up again", the band reinvented themselves in the 1990s. They incorporatedalternative rock,electronic dance music,andindustrial musicinto their sound, and adopted a more ironic, flippant image by which they embraced the "rock star" identity they struggled with in the 1980s.[200]Bono referred to their 1991 albumAchtung Babyas "the sound of four men chopping down the Joshua Tree".[57]AuthorBill Flanagansummarised the impact ofThe Joshua Treeon the group's career in his liner notes for the album's 20th anniversary release: "The Joshua Treemade U2 into international rock stars and established both a standard they would always have to live up to and an image they would forever try to live down. "[201]

20th anniversary remastered edition

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On 20 November 2007, a 20th anniversary edition ofThe Joshua Treewas released.[202]The album wasremasteredfrom the originalanalogue recordingsunder the direction of the Edge,[203][204]with the original vinyl album artwork restored.[172]The release was made available in four formats: a single CD; a two-disc deluxe edition with a bonus audio CD of B-sides, rarities, and demos; a three-disc box set with the bonus audio CD and DVD, photograph prints, and hardcover book; and a double vinyl edition. All editions includedliner notesby author Bill Flanagan and previously unseen photographs by Anton Corbijn.[203]Manager Paul McGuinness explained, "There has been continuous demand from U2 fans to haveThe Joshua Treeproperly re-mastered. As always, the band had to make sure it was right, and now it is. "[203]Some formats include expanded liner notes from the band members, the production team, and Anton Corbijn.[205]In an otherwise favourable review of the remastered album, Andrew Mueller ofUncutsaid that "any casual listener who can perceive a meaningful difference between this and the original has i) ears like a bat and/or ii) needs to get out more".[57]

The bonus audio CD contains 14 additional tracks,[206]including the B-sides "Luminous Times (Hold on to Love)", "Walk to the Water", "Spanish Eyes", "Deep in the Heart", "Silver and Gold", "Sweetest Thing", and "Race Against Time".[203]Two versions of "Silver and Gold" are included—U2's version, and the original recording from theSun Cityalbum by Bono, Keith Richards, and others.[207]The edited single version of "Where the Streets Have No Name" appears on the bonus CD. "Beautiful Ghost/Introduction to Songs of Experience" contains lyrics fromthe introductiontoWilliam Blake'sSongs of Experience,[57]while "Drunk Chicken/America" contains an excerpt ofAllen Ginsberg's recitation of his poem, "America".[208]"Wave of Sorrow (Birdland)", "Desert of Our Love", "Rise Up", and "Drunk Chicken/America" are all previously unreleased recordings fromThe Joshua Treesessions.[209]

The bonus DVD includes live concert footage, a documentary, and two music videos. The disc includesLive from Paris,an 85-minute concert from 4 July 1987 that was originally broadcast on British television in celebration of the 25th anniversary of Island Records.[205][210]The documentary, titledOutside It's America,was a 1987MTVproduction about The Joshua Tree Tour. The two music videos are an alternate version "With or Without You" and the previously unreleased video for "Red Hill Mining Town". Footage of U2'salter egocountry band, the Dalton Brothers, is included on the disc as anEaster egg.[205]

30th anniversary tour and reissue

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Main article:The Joshua Tree Tours 2017 and 2019
U2 performing in Rome in July 2017, during a concert tour commemorating the 30th anniversary ofThe Joshua Tree

For the 30th anniversary ofThe Joshua Tree,U2 staged a 2017 concert tour in North America, Europe, and Latin America, on which they played the album in its entirety at each show.[211][212]It was the first time the group toured in promotion of an album from their back catalogue, rather than a new release.[213]As part of the tour, U2 headlined theBonnaroo Music FestivalinManchester, Tennessee,in June.[214]In rationalising the tour, the Edge cited the2016 US presidential electionand other world events for what he judged to be renewed resonance ofThe Joshua Tree's subject matter:[215]"That record was written in the mid-Eighties, during theReagan–Thatcherera of British and U.S. politics. It was a period when there was a lot of unrest. Thatcher was in the throes of trying to put downthe miners' strike;there was all kinds of shenanigans going on in Central America. It feels like we're right back there in a way... It just felt like, 'Wow, these songs have a new meaning and a new resonance today that they didn't have three years ago, four years ago.'"[215]The 2017 tour grossed more than $316 million from over 2.7 million tickets sold,[216]making it the highest-grossing tour of the year.[217]Additional tour dates were added for Oceania and Asia in 2019, which included the band's first ever performances in South Korea, Singapore, India, and the Philippines.[218]The 2019 shows grossed $73.8 million and sold 567,000 tickets, bringing the cumulative totals for the group'sJoshua Treeanniversary tours to $390.8 million grossed and 3.3 million tickets sold.[219]

On 2 June 2017, the album wasreissuedin several formats in commemoration of its 30th anniversary.[220]Standard editions of the album were released on CD, vinyl record, and via digital download.[221]Deluxe editions, available on CD and digitally, include a concert recording of a 1987 show atMadison Square Gardenfrom the Joshua Tree Tour.[222]In addition to the concert, the super deluxe editions, available on CD, vinyl record, and digitally, include: B-sides and rarities; and remixes of the album's songs made in 2017 by Daniel Lanois, St Francis Hotel,Jacknife Lee,Steve Lillywhite, and Flood.[220][221][223]The physical copies of the super deluxe edition include eightfolioprints and an 84-page book of photography shot by the Edge during the album cover's 1986 photoshoot in the Mojave Desert.[222]The 2017 remix of "Red Hill Mining Town" was released as a single on vinylpicture discforRecord Store Dayin April 2017.[224]

Track listing

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All lyrics are written byBono;all music is composed by U2

Side one
No.TitleLength
1."Where the Streets Have No Name"5:38
2."I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For"4:38
3."With or Without You"4:56
4."Bullet the Blue Sky"4:32
5."Running to Stand Still"4:18
Side two
No.TitleLength
1."Red Hill Mining Town"4:52
2."In God's Country"2:57
3."Trip Through Your Wires"3:33
4."One Tree Hill"5:23
5."Exit"4:13
6."Mothers of the Disappeared"5:12
Total length:50:11

Personnel

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U2[51][nb 2]

Additional performers[51]

  • Brian Eno– keyboards,DX7programming,backing vocals
  • Daniel Lanois– tambourine,Omnichord,additional rhythm guitar( "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For", "Running to Stand Still" ),backing vocals
  • The Armin Family – strings( "One Tree Hill" )
  • The Arklow Silver Band –brass( "Red Hill Mining Town" )
  • Paul Barrett – brass arrangement andconducting

Technical[51]

  • Daniel Lanois –production
  • Brian Eno – production
  • Flood–recording
  • Dave Meegan– additionalengineering
  • Pat McCarthy– additional engineering
  • Steve Lillywhite–mi xing( "Where the Streets Have No Name", "With or Without You", "Bullet the Blue Sky", "Red Hill Mining Town" )
  • Mark Wallis – mix engineering
  • Mary Kettle – assistant mix engineering
  • Bob Doidge – string recording
  • Joe O'Herlihy – studio crew
  • Des Broadberry – studio crew
  • Tom Mullally – studio crew
  • Tim Buckley – studio crew
  • Marc Coleman – studio crew
  • Mary Gough – studio crew
  • Marion Smyth – studio crew
  • Kirsty MacColl– album track sequencing

Charts

edit

Certifications and sales

edit
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Argentina (CAPIF)[261] Platinum 60,000^
Australia (ARIA)[262] 5× Platinum 350,000^
Austria (IFPIAustria)[263] 3× Gold 75,000*
Brazil — 180,000[264]
Canada (Music Canada)[159] Diamond 1,000,000^
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[265] Platinum 80,000^
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[266]
Digital 		3× Platinum 60,000‡
Finland (Musiikkituottajat)[267] Gold 27,965[267]
France (SNEP)[268] 2× Platinum 600,000*
Germany (BVMI)[269] 2× Platinum 1,000,000^
Hong Kong (IFPIHong Kong)[270] Platinum 20,000*
Italy
1987 sales 		— 300,000[271]
Italy (FIMI)[272]
sales since 2009 		Platinum 50,000‡
Mexico (AMPROFON)[273] Gold 100,000^
Netherlands (NVPI)[274] Platinum 100,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[164] 14× Platinum 210,000^
Norway (IFPINorway)[265] Gold 25,000*
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[275] 3× Platinum 300,000^
Sweden (GLF)[265] Platinum 100,000^
Switzerland (IFPISwitzerland)[276] Platinum 50,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[162] 10× Platinum 3,000,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[277]
Deluxe Edition 		Gold 100,000*
United States (RIAA)[146] Diamond 10,000,000^

*Sales figures based on certification alone.
^Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

See also

edit

References

edit

Notes

  1. ^STS Studios, Danesmoate House, and Melbeach are uncredited in the album's liner notes as recording locations. They are listed based on the band members' and producers' accounts of the sessions.
  2. ^The band members' instruments are not credited on the album's liner notes, aside from the Edge's backing vocals and Bono's harmonica. Their primary instruments are listed based on their accounts of the album's recording and theirde factoprimary roles in the group.

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Bibliography

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