Numb (U2 Song)
"Numb" is a song by rock band U2. It is the third track from their 1993 album Zooropa and was released in June 1993 as the album's first single. The song features a monotonous mantra of "don't" commands spoken by guitarist The Edge amidst a backdrop of various sound effects and samples. The noisy composition and lyrical concept for "Numb" were inspired by the theme of sensory overload, which had prominently been incorporated into the Zoo TV Tour. U2 lead vocalist Bono and drummer Larry Mullen, Jr. provided backing vocals on the track.
"Numb" originated as a discarded song from the Achtung Baby recording sessions called "Down All the Days." While recording Zooropa, the band transformed the song with mixing assistance from co-producer Flood, the addition of keyboards and samples by co-producer Brian Eno, and the addition of The Edge's monotone vocals. The song was released as a VHS single, featuring a music video directed by Kevin Godley, but it did not attain widespread commercial success. U2 added "Numb" to their live setlists after resuming their Zoo TV Tour in May 1993.
Read more about Numb (U2 Song): Recording and Production, Composition, Release, Alternative Versions, Track Listing, Music Video, Parodies, Chart Positions
Famous quotes containing the word numb:
“I ... toyed with the idea of going to find another war where I could at least feel alive. I was so numb that it took terror to make me feel anything.”
—Bess Jones, U.S. nurse. As quoted in the New York Times Magazine, p. 72 (November 7, 1993)