| "Lemon" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single byU2 | ||||
| from the albumZooropa | ||||
| Released | 8 November 1993[1] | |||
| Recorded | March–May 1993 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length |
| |||
| Label | Island | |||
| Composer | U2 | |||
| Lyricist | Bono | |||
| Producers | ||||
| U2 singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Music video | ||||
| "Lemon" onYouTube | ||||
"Lemon" is a song by Irishrock bandU2. It is the fourth track on their eighth album,Zooropa (1993), and was released as its second single on 8 November 1993[1] byIsland Records. Inspired by old video footage of lead vocalistBono's late mother, the lyrics describe an attempt to preserve memory through film. More than any previous U2 song, "Lemon" showcases Bono'sfalsetto vocal range, aided by atmospheric backing vocals fromthe Edge andBrian Eno.Mark Neale directed the accompanying music video. At almost seven minutes, it is among the band's longest songs.
The single and promo releases were complete with differentdanceremixes, as well as a shortened edit of the title track. The "Perfecto Mix" byPaul Oakenfold andSteve Osborne was used on thePopMart Tour, being played as the band walked out of theirSpinal Tap-like rock prop, a 40-footmirrorball lemon, onto theB-stage for an encore, and was later reworked into "Skin on Skin" by Oakenfold's bandGrace.
"Lemon" was written late during theZooropa sessions between March–May 1993 during the band's break in theZoo TV Tour.[5] Guitaristthe Edge said the song originated from something he "worked up with a drum machine and bass, very rhythmic." He explained that he found it difficult to compose a guitar part to the song until he utilized an "unusualgated guitar effect which worked with the rhythm."[5]
Lead vocalistBono wrote the lyrics with his late mother in mind. He explains that it was a "strange experience to receive, in the post, from a very distant relative, earlySuper 8 footage of my mother, aged 24, younger than me, playing a game ofrounders in slow motion."[5] The footage showed Bono's mother at a wedding as the maid of honour, wearing a lemon-coloured dress.[5] The film footage inspired Bono to write lyrics about using film to recreate and preserve memory.
Stephen Thomas Erlewine fromAllMusic named the song a wonderful moment from the album, describing it as "space-age Germandisco".[6]Larry Flick fromBillboard magazine wrote, "Jittery, danceable moment from the yummyZooropa collection is yet another step away from standard U2 fare. This time, Bono dabbles in sunnypop/soul, wrapping a lusciousfalsetto around an infectioushook andfunk-fortified rhythm base. In its original form, track will be a joy fortop 40 programmers. Inspired remixes by Robbie Adams andDavid Morales will open doors atcrossover radio and in clubs."[4] Troy J. Augusto fromCash Box named "Lemon" Pick of the Week, stating that here, the band "continues to push the envelope, adding yet another style twist to its catalog." He added, "Bouncy and quite danceable cut, which follows the desensitizing 'Numb' single, starts with a funky groove and augments with powerful and fun vocals from Bono and one of the strongest hooks the band has unleashed in quite some time."[7]Peter Paphides fromMelody Maker wrote, "Similar in sentiment to 'Mysterious Ways', yet as otherwordly as U2 have ever dared to be, 'Lemon' sounds like it was recorded in a padded cell, saturating the senses like some abstract European road movie. When Bono sings, "Midnight is where the day begins", over a harsh electronic funk groove, you're struck by images of a semi-mythical Europe, of speeding past neon-lit landscapes on desertedAutobahns."[3]
Alan Jones fromMusic Week noted that it finds the singer "adopting aJagger-like falsetto over a bouncy but sparse track that could lend itself to a dance remix."[8] Stephen Dalton fromNME felt Bono's falsetto croon on the "sleek disco cruiser" slips "fromBowie parody into understatedNew Order melancholy."[2] Parry Gettelman fromOrlando Sentinel viewed it as a "fast number" and "strictly for the politeEurodisco crowd."[9]David Cavanagh fromSelect wrote, "No way is this U2. It could be theTom Tom Club, with 'Miss You'-era Mick Jagger slurping his way over the top. It could be a fab outtake fromTalking Heads' journey into AfricaRemain in Light. (Eno co-produced that as well, of course.) Either way, it's sinewy and vibrant and the groove is remarkable."[10] Max Bell ofVox described "Lemon" as "two songs rolled into one; adub and aLovers' Rock then a cool Eno-style reflection onNietzschean overachievement — where'a man melts the sand so he can see the world outside' recalling the producer's work with Talking Heads (circaFear of Music andRemain in Light)."[11]
The music video for "Lemon", directed by British documentarian and film directorMark Neale, was filmed in black and white with a grid-like background as a tribute toEadweard Muybridge.[12] Muybridge was a photographer who was the first person to successfully capture fast motion on film, using his device, coincidentally named theZoopraxiscope, a reference to the lyrics ("A man makes a picture – a moving picture/Through light projected he can see himself up close"). The video primarily features a sequence of clips of the band members playing their instruments and performing a series of distinct actions, with captions for each one (e.g. "man walking up incline", "man running", "man playing pool"). A series of color images appear behind the grid, such as a swinging pendulum, falling dollar bills, a ticking clock, satellite video imagery, and across. All of these symbols seem to be representing man's attempt to preserve time, via money ("He turns his money into light to look for her"), religion, or technology. At different times, Bono adopts the "Fly" and "MacPhisto" personas he used during theZoo TV Tour.
The song was played live at 10 differentZoo TV Tour shows inAustralia,New Zealand, andJapan, during the show's encore. During each performance, Bono would perform the song dressed as Zoo TV character "MacPhisto," a former cabaret performer with devilish horns. Each performance was immediately followed by the band's "With or Without You".[13] As with most ofZooropa’s material, "Lemon" has never been performed live by U2 since the close of the Zoo TV tour.[14]
David Morales mixes
| Paul Oakenfold &Steve Osborne mixes
Flood & Robbie Adams mixes
|
Note: The "Bad Yard Club Mix" has differing durations depending on the release. The original version is over 10 minutes long, and an edited version that fades out around the eight-minute mark exists on some releases. Additionally, the "Version Dub" remix is titled differently on certain releases, such as "BYC Version Dub" or "Morales BYC Version Dub", but these are all the same.
Weekly charts[edit]
| Year-end charts[edit]
|
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[34] | Gold | 35,000^ |
| New Zealand (RMNZ)[37] | Platinum | 10,000* |
* Sales figures based on certification alone. | ||
Footnotes
Bibliography
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