Modern Rock Tracks No. 1s - U2 and "The Fly"
Watch out, baby! U2's "Achtung Baby" whips up some buzz with "The Fly," a track that takes all the best parts of multiple genres and spins it into a frenzied sonic stew
U2 - “The Fly”
Weeks atop the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart: 2 weeks (Nov. 9 and 16, 1991)
Previous Modern Rock #1 hit: Red Hot Chili Peppers - “Give It Away”
Next Modern Rock #1 hit: Nirvana - “Smells Like Teen Spirit”
Billboard Hot 100 chart toppers during this time:
Prince & The New Power Generation - “Cream”
I have a confession to make. I’ve never listened to “Achtung Baby” cover to cover. U2 is one of those bands where I enjoy a lot of their radio singles and generally won’t turn it off if it comes on the radio or in a steaming-service mix, but I’m not such a diehard that I need to tear into each album and listen from start to finish.
As such, this week I listened to “The Fly” for what I assume is the first time in the 33 years that the song existed in the musical ether. Am I terrible for not having invested the time in U2 tracks that never cracked the pop mainstream? Probably. I expect there’s going to be a handful of you who will argue that all the best tracks on “Achtung Baby” are the songs that never reached the heights of mainstream radio saturation, and I’m willing to consider that.
But let’s start with “The Fly,” the first single off U2’s juggernaut 1991 release.
I’m not kidding when I say I missed out on singles from U2 that didn’t crack into the mainstream consciousness of then-12-year-old Matt, and 12-year-old Matt hardly bothered to purchase albums to listen to them over and over again. I was still stuck in what I’d consider my “musical dark ages,” that period of time when my folks stopped listening to modern music but I hadn’t yet broken through the haze into my own self-awareness of the musical landscape before me. Outside of songs that were omnipresent at grade-school social events or maybe on commercial pop radio constantly, most tracks evaded my ears.
“The Fly” definitely fits this definition. Compared to other singles from this album, it was a commercial flop, peaking at #61 on the Hot 100 in 1991. This is pretty remarkable considering the album itself debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 album chart, which speaks more to the pull of U2’s overall sound and catalog than it does to the gravity of “The Fly” drawing people into purchasing the album.
The thing is, “The Fly” freaking rocks! I can see why the track was not a commercial success in the same way future Modern Rock Tracks chart-toppers from this album would become, as it sounds so frenzied and different from other U2 products that you’d be forgiven as a music fan for thinking, “What the hell are those guys doing?”
U2 did a lot of crazy things with this album, and “The Fly” really highlights the sonic shift from what the band accomplished in the 1980s. This isn’t anything like “Joshua Tree,” where the songs were contemplative and straightforward rock. This is U2 exploding into genres that allowed them to flex their musical muscle while still staying true to the rock-and-roll sound that brought them to prominence.
Everything begins and ends with the guitars in this song. The Edge brings out arguably the most impressive lead guitar work in U2’s storied career, keeping things moving with riffs punctuated with metallic wah-wah hums. Adam Clayton keeps things grounded with a bass line that slaps from start to finish, a haunting rhythm that takes the lead at just the right times, especially when Bono launches from a low-pitched vocal to an ear-splitting falsetto. There’s just so much going on audibly that you completely forget the pace set by Larry Mullen Jr. on the drums, with occasional electronic mixes that give the song a unique, almost hip-hop beat.
What may have kept this song from achieving pop success is its lyrical narrative. In “U2: At the End of the World,” a 1996 biography penned by Bill Flanagan, Bono describes “The Fly” as a song written from the perspective of a person in hell having a conversation with someone and describing all the things he’s learned about the human experience. Of course, that subject matter comes pretty close to what U2 talked about with their previous MRT #1, “Desire,” which seems to highlight the downside of humanity’s excesses. I noted in my review:
The “Desire” lyrics are open to interpretation, reflecting either the euphoric high of chasing one’s desires or burning out once you attain them. If you take the imagery at face value, Bono refers to “bright lights” and the “big city,” of “needles and spoons” in a more direct reference to drug use, and the love of “money, money, money, money, money.” Are these allusions to the band’s own overindulgences, or is it more of a commentary on America itself, chasing desires that leave you with nothing more than “a fever, getting higher”? It’s more of the latter, at least according to Bono, but regardless of the perspective, the subject matter fits with the sometimes frantic pace of the music.
U2 treads the same ground in “The Fly,” taking a deeper look at humanity’s impulses:
It's no secret that a conscience can sometimes be a pest
It's no secret ambition bites the nails of success
Every artist is a cannibal, every poet is a thief
All kill their inspiration and sing about their grief
The song concludes with the idea that there’s a lot that can be done to change the human condition, but people with the knowledge lack the time and enthusiasm to fix it:
It's no secret that the stars are falling from the sky
The universe exploded 'cause of one man's lie
Look, I gotta go, yeah I'm running outta change
There's a lot of things, if I could I'd rearrange
And maybe it wasn’t the lyrics that prevented “The Fly” from achieving mainstream commercial success. Maybe America just wasn’t ready to be rocked at the level U2 brought to the table with this track. Because, again, this is a solid track through and through, and I’m ashamed at myself for not listening to it sooner. It really is The Edge at his … edgiest, and is arguably one of the better guitar performances I’ve ever heard. After a decade of commercial success, most bands either fizzle out or move in directions that take them away from the mainstream, but U2 found a way to stay relevant and fresh, and move forward with the trends that would eventually define both alternative music and pop music throughout the 1990s.
“The Fly” was a commercial success in just about every place except the U.S. In addition to its two weeks atop the MRT chart in America, it hit #1 in eight countries across the world, including the U.K. and their native Ireland. The track was in the top 5 in nine other countries as well. Of course, this was only the beginning of U2’s victory lap with “Achtung Baby.” We’ll be talking about a couple more tracks from this album very, very soon.
If I’ve learned anything from writing this Substack, I need to listen to more albums from cover to cover. The problem, of course, is there’s so many to go around and it’s tough to find the time to invest in such a grand endeavor, especially now that my commute is 90 percent shorter than it was just a year ago. That said, given how much “Achtung Baby” is lauded for its unique sound, and given how great the individual singles are, it might be worth my time to sit down with U2’s catalog and explore the deeper cuts, especially if they rock as hard as “The Fly.”
Rating: 9/10
Chart Check: A look at other notable MRT chart songs from this time period
This week’s Chart Check is fairly location heavy, featuring both Memphis and Texas. We also see the biggest hit from Dramarama, the last hit from the Psychedelic Furs, and the chart debut for a little-known act from Chicago called Smashing Pumpkins.
“Letters to Memphis” by The Pixies: A solid rock track from The Pixies. “Letters to Memphis” is an ambitious and frenzied 2.5 minutes, and is a solid example of alternative rock that presaged the ascendance of mid- and late-1990s alt/college rock. This track peaked at #6 behind U2.
“Haven’t Got A Clue” by Dramarama: Fun fact: Dramarama’s 1991 album “Vinyl,” which includes the single “Haven’t Got A Clue,” features former Rolling Stones guitarist Mick Taylor. Lead singer John Easdale really gives those maracas a workout in the music video for this song, which peaked at #6 behind “The Fly” and would be the chart highwater mark for this act.
“Don’t Be A Girl” by Psychedelic Furs: This would be the end of the first iteration of the Furs, as the band would go on extended hiatus following the release of this single. “Don’t Be A Girl” peaked at #13 on the MRT chart, and would be the last time the band would chart in the U.S. to date.
“In My Heart” by Texas: Sharleen Spiteri is the vocal power behind Texas, the alt-rock band who hit their peak on the MRT chart with 1991’s “In My Heart.” It’s not too bad, in the vein of bands like Wilson Phillips and maybe Roxette, if you strain your ear far enough. It peaked at #14 behind U2.
“Rhinocerous” by Smashing Pumpkins: You may have heard of this Chicago-based rock band, but in 1991, they were still fresh-faced youngsters polishing their iconic ‘90s alternative sound. Fronted by Billy Corgan (back when he had all the hair), this would be the band’s first commercial single to chart on the Modern Rock Tracks list, peaking at a less-than-stellar #27 behind U2. We’ll see them again at some point, I’m sure.
This song—and record— are one of those that both sound very much of their era, and still sound good. I would’ve thought “The Fly” would’ve been the biggest hit on the record. Shows you what I know, I guess. Lol.
‘Letter to Memphis’ is overshadowed by some of the Pixies’ other work, but is one of my faves off Trompe Le Monde.
This must have been the 4th single released from Achtung Baby which might explain why it wasn't one of their biggest hits. I remember One, Even Better Than the Real Thing, Mysterious Ways, and even album cut Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses receiving more airplay. The Fly was a pretty unusual track for U2!