When Love Comes to Town

"When Love Comes to Town"
Song

"When Love Comes to Town" is the 12th song on U2's 1988 album, Rattle and Hum. It was released as the album's third single in 1989. It was recorded as a duet between U2 and B. B. King. It reached #6 in the UK singles chart and #2 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. Little Richard is featured preaching on the extended "Live from the Kingdom Mix."

History

The single contained two different versions of the Patti Smith song "Dancing Barefoot". The 7" and cassette featured the long version, while the 12" and CD contained the short version. While U2 has stopped playing it live since 1993, it features in B. B. King concerts. During the Lovetown Tour concerts, this song would be played, usually along with "Angel of Harlem" and "Love Rescue Me", in an encore featuring B. B. and his band.

Like the song Van Diemen's Land, this song originally featured an extra verse:

When I woke up I was sleeping on the street
I felt the world was dancing, and I was dirt beneath their feet
When I woke up I saw the Devil looking down
But my Lord He played guitar the day love came to town

This verse was sung during the song's premiere in Fort Worth, Texas on U2's Joshua Tree Tour and does not appear in the studio version or subsequent live performances. This debut appearance took place on 24 November 1987 during the concert's encore and BB King joined U2 to perform the song.

On 1989's Lovetown Tour, the song again featured during the encore and was played with BB King. It was played at 46 of the 47 shows; the only concert it missed was 18 December 1989 in Amsterdam, as the show concluded prematurely due to Bono suffering vocal problems.

On the next tour, 1992-93's Zoo TV Tour, "When Love Comes to Town" did not debut until the second-last concert of the first leg on 21 April 1992 in Tacoma. It appeared only infrequently on the second leg, in Europe, but on the third leg in North America, it was performed frequently and this was continued on the fourth leg return to Europe. The Zoo TV Tour version of the song was stripped down in comparison to previous versions and was performed on a b-stage in the midst of the crowd. U2 has not performed the song since the fourth leg's final show on 28 August 1993 in Dublin, although B.B. King has continued to play the song at his live shows.

Track listings

7": Island / IS 411 (UK)

1. "When Love Comes to Town" (Album Version) – 4:15
2. "Dancing Barefoot" (Long Version) – 4:47

12": Island / 12IS 411 (UK)

1. "When Love Comes to Town" (Single Version) – 3:34
2. "Dancing Barefoot" (Short Version) – 4:13
3. "When Love Comes to Town" (Live from the Kingdom Mix) – 7:28
4. "God Part II" (Hard Metal Dance Mix) – 4:46

CD: Island / CIDP 411 (UK)

1. "When Love Comes to Town" (Single Version) – 3:34
2. "Dancing Barefoot" (Short Version) – 4:13
3. "When Love Comes to Town" (Live from the Kingdom Mix) – 7:28
4. "God Part II" (Hard Metal Dance Mix) – 4:46

Chart positions

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1989	"When Love Comes to Town"	Australian Singles Chart	#23
1989	"When Love Comes to Town"	UK Singles Chart	#6
1989	"When Love Comes to Town"	US Billboard Hot 100	#68
1988	"When Love Comes to Town"	US Modern Rock Tracks	#10
1988	"When Love Comes to Town"	US Mainstream Rock Tracks	#2

Covers

• An orchestral version of When Love Comes to Town was covered by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra on their 1999 album Pride: The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Plays U2.
• Todd Agnew covered the song in 2004
• Herbie Hancock performs a cover of the song on his 2005 album, Possibilities, with vocalists Jonny Lang and Joss Stone.

External links

• Live performance history of "When Love Comes to Town".