Sweetest Thing

"Sweetest Thing"
"Sweetest Thing"
Song

"Sweetest Thing" is a song by Irish group U2. It was originally released in 1987 as a B-side on the "Where the Streets Have No Name" single. The song was later re-recorded and re-released, as a single in October 1998 for the U2 compilation album, The Best of 1980-1990.

Content

The song was reportedly written by Bono as an apology to his wife Ali Hewson^[1] for having to work in the studio on her birthday during The Joshua Tree sessions.^[2] At Alison's request, profits from the single went to her favoured charity, Chernobyl Children's Project International.^[2]

History

A version by New York gospel choir, The New Voices of Freedom, appears on the soundtrack to the 1988 Bill Murray film Scrooged. It was recorded following U2's performance of "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" with the choir at Madison Square Garden, which appears on the band's 1988 album Rattle and Hum.^[3]

To promote the release of the single in 1998, Island Records distributed "Sweetest Thing" chocolate bars, wrapped to look like the single, throughout Europe. They have become a very valuable collectors item among U2 fans during the 2000s.^[4] The song reached #1 in both Canada and Ireland, #3 in the UK,^[5] #6 in Australia, #63 on the Billboard Hot 100, #9 on the Modern Rock Tracks chart and #31 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart in the United States.

Live Performances

The song made its live debut on the opening night of the Elevation Tour, and was played occasionally over the first and second legs.^[6] It was then not played again until the Innocence + Experience Tour, where once again it only made occasional appearances over the course of the tour.

Performances on the Elevation Tour featured Bono playing the piano parts whilst The Edge played electric guitar. On the Innocence + Experience tour, it was played on the e-stage in a stripped down version, with The Edge playing acoustic guitar and Bono joining in on the piano about half way through the song.

Music video

File:Screenshot from Sweetest Thing Video.png

Ali Hewson makes an appearance at the beginning of the video.

The video, directed by Kevin Godley, features Bono taking his wife Ali Hewson on a carriage ride along Fitzwilliam Place, and on to Upper Fitzwilliam Street in Dublin,^[7] enlisting various performers along the way in an effort to apologize to her. The performers featured include Riverdance, Boyzone, Steve Collins, the Artane Boys Band, and the Chippendales. The Edge, Adam Clayton, Larry Mullen, Jr., Norman Hewson (Bono's brother), Dik Evans (The Edge's brother), and Ali herself appear in the video as well.^[8]

Track listings

Cassette release
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Sweetest Thing" (Single mix)	3:00
2.	"Twilight" (Live in Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, Colorado, 5 June 1983)	4:29

CD version 1
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Sweetest Thing" (Single mix)	3:00
2.	"Twilight" (Live in Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, Colorado, 5 June 1983)	4:29
3.	"An Cat Dubh/Into the Heart" (Live in Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, Colorado, 5 June 1983)	7:14

The back cover listed the third track simply as a live version of "An Cat Dubh".

CD version 2
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Sweetest Thing" (Single mix)	3:00
2.	"Stories for Boys" (Live in Boston, Massachusetts, 6 March 1981)	3:02
3.	"Out of Control" (Live in Boston, March 6, 1981)	4:25

Japan 3" CD
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Sweetest Thing" (Single mix)	3:00
2.	"With or Without You"	4:56

Personnel

Bono – lead vocals
The Edge – piano, guitar, backing vocals
Adam Clayton – bass guitar
Larry Mullen, Jr. – drums

Charts

Chart (1998)	Peak position
Australia (ARIA)^[9]	6
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)^[10]	7
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)^[11]	23
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)^[12]	33
Canada Top Singles (RPM)^[13]	1
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)^[14]	6
France (SNEP)^[15]	18
songid field is MANDATORY FOR GERMAN CHARTS	21
Ireland (IRMA)^[16]	1
Italy (FIMI)^[17]	2
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)^[18]	9
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)^[19]	3
Norway (VG-lista)^[20]	4
Spain (AFYVE)^[21]	2
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)^[22]	6
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)^[23]	28
UK Singles (The Official Charts Company)^[5]	3
U.S. Billboard Hot 100^[24]	63
U.S. Billboard Hot Modern Rock Tracks^[24]	9
U.S. Billboard Adult Top 40 Tracks^[24]	12

References

^ U2.com Backgrounder, "The Sweetest Thing" http://www.u2.com/discography/index/album/albumId/4051/tagName/singles
^ ^a ^b "Who's that woman at the beginning of the "Sweetest Thing" music video?". Videography FAQ. U2faqs.com. Retrieved 2007-03-23.
^ McGee, Matt (2008). U2:A Diary. Omnibus Press. p. 111. ISBN 978-1-84772-108-2. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
^ "Sweetest Thing Chocolate Bar". U2 Collectibles and Memorabilia - Silver & Gold. U2Wanderer.org. Retrieved 2007-03-23.
^ ^a ^b "EveryHit.com search results: U2". Everyhit.com. Retrieved 2009-11-22. Note: U2 must be searched manually.
^ "U2 Sweetest Thing - U2 on tour". U2gigs.com. Retrieved 2015-12-25.
^ Fitzwilliam Place http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=fitzwilliam+place,+dublin&sll=53.800651,-4.064941&sspn=18.808364,44.780273&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Fitzwilliam+Pl,+Dublin+2,+Ireland&t=h&z=16
^ "Who are all those extras in the "Sweetest Thing" music video?". Videography FAQ. U2faqs.com. Retrieved 2007-03-23.
^ "U2 – Sweetest Thing". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
^ "U2 – Sweetest Thing" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
^ "U2 – Sweetest Thing" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
^ "U2 – Sweetest Thing" (in French). Ultratop 50.
^ "Top Singles - Volume 68, No. 7, November 09 1998". RPM. Retrieved 2010-09-02. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
^ "U2: Sweetest Thing" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat.
^ "U2 – Sweetest Thing" (in French). Les classement single.
^ "Irish Singles Chart". The Irish Charts. Retrieved 2009-11-23. Note: U2 must be searched manually.
^ "Indice per Titolo: S" (in Italian). Hit Parade Italia. Retrieved 4 January 2013.
^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – U2" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
^ "U2 – Sweetest Thing". Top 40 Singles.
^ "U2 – Sweetest Thing". VG-lista.
^ Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2. {{cite book}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)
^ "U2 – Sweetest Thing". Singles Top 100.
^ "U2 – Sweetest Thing". Swiss Singles Chart.
^ ^a ^b ^c "Sweetest Thing - U2 - Billboard.com". Archived from the original on January 28, 2016. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)

External links

Template:MetroLyrics song

[1] U2.com Backgrounder, "The Sweetest Thing" http://www.u2.com/discography/index/album/albumId/4051/tagName/singles

[woman-2] "Who's that woman at the beginning of the "Sweetest Thing" music video?". Videography FAQ. U2faqs.com. Retrieved 2007-03-23.

[3] McGee, Matt (2008). U2:A Diary. Omnibus Press. p. 111. ISBN 978-1-84772-108-2. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)

[4] "Sweetest Thing Chocolate Bar". U2 Collectibles and Memorabilia - Silver & Gold. U2Wanderer.org. Retrieved 2007-03-23.

[Everyhit-5] "EveryHit.com search results: U2". Everyhit.com. Retrieved 2009-11-22. Note: U2 must be searched manually.

[6] "U2 Sweetest Thing - U2 on tour". U2gigs.com. Retrieved 2015-12-25.

[7] Fitzwilliam Place http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=fitzwilliam+place,+dublin&sll=53.800651,-4.064941&sspn=18.808364,44.780273&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Fitzwilliam+Pl,+Dublin+2,+Ireland&t=h&z=16

[8] "Who are all those extras in the "Sweetest Thing" music video?". Videography FAQ. U2faqs.com. Retrieved 2007-03-23.

[sc_Australia_U2-9] "U2 – Sweetest Thing". ARIA Top 50 Singles.

[sc_Austria_U2-10] "U2 – Sweetest Thing" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.

[sc_Flanders_U2-11] "U2 – Sweetest Thing" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.

[sc_Wallonia_U2-12] "U2 – Sweetest Thing" (in French). Ultratop 50.

[Canada-13] "Top Singles - Volume 68, No. 7, November 09 1998". RPM. Retrieved 2010-09-02. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)

[sc_Finland_U2-14] "U2: Sweetest Thing" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat.

[sc_France_U2-15] "U2 – Sweetest Thing" (in French). Les classement single.

[Irish_S-16] "Irish Singles Chart". The Irish Charts. Retrieved 2009-11-23. Note: U2 must be searched manually.

[Hit_Parade_Italia-17] "Indice per Titolo: S" (in Italian). Hit Parade Italia. Retrieved 4 January 2013.

[sc_Dutch40_U2-18] "Nederlandse Top 40 – U2" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.

[sc_New_Zealand_U2-19] "U2 – Sweetest Thing". Top 40 Singles.

[sc_Norway_U2-20] "U2 – Sweetest Thing". VG-lista.

[21] Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2. {{cite book}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)

[sc_Sweden_U2-22] "U2 – Sweetest Thing". Singles Top 100.

[sc_Swiss_U2-23] "U2 – Sweetest Thing". Swiss Singles Chart.

[bb1505483-24] "Sweetest Thing - U2 - Billboard.com". Archived from the original on January 28, 2016. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)

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