Even Better Than the Real Thing

"Even Better Than The Real Thing"
Single by U2 from the album Achtung Baby
Released	June 7, 1992
Format	CD, cassette, 7", 12"
Genre	Rock, dance, remixes
Length	3:41
Label	Island
Producer	Steve Lillywhite with Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois
U2 singles chronology
"One" (1992) "Even Better Than the Real Thing" (1992) "Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses" (1992)
Achtung Baby track listing
"Zoo Station" (1) "Even Better Than the Real Thing" (2) "One" (3)
The Best of 1990-2000 track listing
N/A "Even Better Than the Real Thing" (1) "Mysterious Ways" (2)
Alternate cover
Remixes single

"Even Better Than the Real Thing" is the second song from U2's 1991 album, Achtung Baby and was released in 1992 as the fourth single from the album.

History

The single was moderately commercial successful, although in peaking at No. 12 it became the one of the few U2 singles that failed to reach the top 10 in the UK Singles Chart. A few months after its initial release DJ Paul Oakenfold remixed it as a dance record known as the "Perfecto Mix," which charted better than the original, reaching No. 8. It is one of the few instances of a remixed rock single doing better chart business than the original. The "Perfecto Mix" of the song got a separate release from the studio version. In the United States, the single was a hit on rock radio. It reached #32 on the Billboard Hot 100, #1 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, and #5 on the Modern Rock Tracks chart. It also reached #27 on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart and #35 on the Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales chart. The song's music video won an MTV Video Music Award in 1992 for Best Special Effects for its unique 360-degree camera rollover rig, designed and built by Simon Tayler of Artem in London specially for the video. The band also performed the song on that same awards show via satellite while on their Zoo TV Tour. Dana Carvey, in the character of Garth from Wayne's World, provided the song's drum track back at the VMA's. When the CD single cases of "Even Better Than the Real Thing", "The Fly," "Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses," and "Mysterious Ways" are arranged, a picture of the band members driving a Trabant is formed.

Track listings

7": Island / IS525 (UK)

1. "Even Better Than the Real Thing" (Single Version) – 3:41
2. "Salomé" – 4:32

• also released on cassette: Island CIS515

CD: Island / CID525 (UK)

1. "Even Better Than the Real Thing" (Single Version) – 3:41
2. "Salomé" – 4:32
3. "Where Did It All Go Wrong?" – 3:57
4. "Lady With the Spinning Head" (Extended Dance Remix) – 6:08

• also released on 12": Island 12IS515

CD: Island / C REAL 2 (UK)

1. "Even Better Than the Real Thing" (The Perfecto Mix) – 6:37
2. "Even Better Than the Real Thing" (Sexy Dub Mix) – 7:14
3. "Even Better Than the Real Thing" (Apollo 440 Stealth Sonic Remix) – 6:41
4. "Even Better Than the Real Thing" (V16 Exit Wound Remix) – 3:19
5. "Even Better Than the Real Thing" (Apollo 440 vs U2 Instrumental) – 6:27

• also released on cassette in the US: Island 422-862 281-4
• tracks 1 and 2 remixed by Planet Perfecto
• tracks 3-5 remixed by Apollo 440

12": Island / REAL U2 (UK)

1. "Even Better Than the Real Thing" (The Perfecto Mix) – 6:37
2. "Even Better Than the Real Thing" (Trance Mix) – 6:47
3. "Even Better Than the Real Thing" (Sexy Dub Mix) – 7:14

• collected the three mixes by Planet Perfecto

Chart positions

Covers

• An orchestral version of Even Better Than the Real Thing was covered by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra on their 1999 album Pride: The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Plays U2.
• Dead or Alive covered the song on We Will Follow: Tribute to U2.

External links

• Amazing Camera Rig Effect by ARTEM