How a New Guitar and a Friend’s Belief Saved U2’s “With or Without You”

One of the most challenging aspects of creating a record is identifying potential hits. U2 nearly discarded what would become one of their signature songs, “With or Without You,” during the recording sessions for their 1987 album, The Joshua Tree.

Early Struggles and a Breakthrough Single

Prior to The Joshua Tree, U2 had released two albums but hadn’t yet achieved a major breakthrough in the United States. That changed with the release of “With or Without You” in early 1987, which became the band’s first No. 1 hit in both the U.S. And Canada. The song remains one of the most recognizable tracks in U2’s catalog.

A Song on the Brink of Deletion

Despite its eventual success, “With or Without You” almost didn’t make the cut. Guitarist The Edge described the recording process as fragmented, requiring piecing together glimpses of potential. “Each time we felt like we had run out of road, there would be a breakthrough. Some were total accidents,” he said, according to U2.com.

The “Infinite Guitar” and a New Sound

U2 bassist Adam Clayton characterized the initial form of “With or Without You” as “very traditional,” noting that the chords repeated endlessly. “It was hard to find a different take on it or a new way into it. It was just a promise of a song,” he explained in the band’s biography.

Around this time, The Edge began experimenting with a new piece of equipment – an “infinite guitar” that provided endless sustain. While the device was technically challenging to maintain (often resulting in electric shocks for the guitar technician), it proved crucial to the song’s development. When combined with Clayton’s bass and Larry Mullen Jr.’s drums, the infinite guitar gave “With or Without You” the sonic depth it lacked. “We were really at an impasse in search of the right arrangement,” Edge recalled. “When they heard the wall of sound that was accumulating in the playback, they said, ‘That’s it! But what the f*** is it?’”

A Friend’s Intervention

Bono’s friend and collaborator, Gavin Friday, provided the crucial insight. “He personally rescued ‘With Or Without You’,” Bono later said. “He pulled it out of the wastepaper bin, organized it, structured it, and was the one who believed it could be a big hit.”

Friday’s assessment proved correct, and U2 wisely heeded his advice. The Joshua Tree was released on March 9, 1987, and quickly became a commercial and critical success.