When I think of U2, my favorite album by them is Rattle and Hum. I like that period of the band when they were mixing rock with blues and American roots music. But I also like some of their earlier work, including Sunday Bloody Sunday and this song, I Will Follow. Watching the video now, they look like kids! Of course, they were kids. U2 released this song in 1980 on their debut album, Boy. Bono was only 20, and the band was just getting started. They had no idea how big they would eventually become.
This song was written by Bono and The Edge, and it was released as a single in 1980. The song was inspired in part by Bono’s mother, Iris, who died when he was 14. He has described it as a song about unconditional love and the loss of his mother. You can hear the urgency in the music. The Edge’s guitar has that sharp, ringing echo sound that became one of U2’s trademarks. Larry Mullen Jr. and Adam Clayton are a good rhythm section. It’s raw and energetic, and it sounds like a young band that has something to prove.
What I like about this song is that it doesn’t sound like the enormous stadium band U2 would become later. It’s direct, loud, and full of energy. Bono is still developing the voice and stage presence that would make him famous, but you can hear the beginnings of it here. The band would change quite a bit over the years, and I still prefer the Rattle and Hum era, but songs like this remind me why they caught people’s attention in the first place. They were young, hungry, and already making a sound that belonged to them.
What made me listen to the song again was The Replacements cynical parody called Kids Don’t Follow.
The song charted at #20 on the Billboard Top Tracks, #34 in New Zealand and failed to chart in Canada, from the sources I found.
I Will Follow
I was on the outside
When you said, you said you needed me
And I was looking at myself
I was blind, I could not see
A boy tries hard to be a man
His mother takes him by his hand
If he stops to think, he starts to cry
Oh, why?
If you walk away, walk away
I walk away, walk away
I will follow
If you walk away, walk away
I walk away, walk away
I will follow
I will follow
I was on the inside
When they pulled the four walls down
I was looking through the window
I was lost, I am found
Walk away, walk away
I walk away, walk away
I will follow
If you walk away, walk away
I walk away, walk away
I will follow
I will follow
Your eyes make a circle
I see you when I go in there
Your eyes
Your, your, your eyes
Your eyes, just give me
Your, your, your eyes
Mmm, mmm, mmm, mmm
If you walk away, walk away
I walk away, walk away
I will follow
If you walk away, walk away
I walk away, walk away
I will follow
I will follow
I will follow
I will follow
I will follow
Follow
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I liked this era for them too. WAR was my favorite, but BOY and Rattle & Hum were very good too, as well as the Joshua Tree.
They did have a lot of great periods…Rattle and Hum made me a huge fan and then I found more of their earlier stuff.
U2 played a small club here in April, 1981. I wasn’t there, but heard about it later. The Replacements played the same club four times the next year.
I also missed their infamous street concert in San Francisco when I lived there six years later.
I saw them once…but not in that small club atmosphere…I traveled to Alabama and saw them at Legends field. It was a really good concert. Oh how I wished i could have seen the Replacements.
Wow never would’ve guessed this didn’t chart in Canada! It’s probably one of my favourite U2 songs. I need to check that Replacements parody!
That might not be right! But…from what I saw…nothing. If you ever find out something different…please tell me. It shocked me.
No absolutely you are not wrong it’s just that it’s a fairly well known song in their catalog so it’s surprising.
It hit the Billboard Top Tracks….not the top twenty…so that is why I could believe it didn’t chart in Canada….still surprises me!
I’m with you, my friend. To me, ‘The Joshua Tree’ and ‘Rattle and Hum,’ which is more of a collection than a “normal studio album” (even though it has few then-new original songs), represent U2’s artistic Mount Rushmore.
I totally agree with the Rushmore comment! I really love that album…it made me a fan
A great single and entry to the fray, so to speak and very good, exciting live like the Red Rocks video shows. You’re right, they were just kids really, just a couple of years removed from high school and playing in a shed behind Mullen ‘s house. They’re probably most surprised of all about how their career has gone.
They remind me of me when I was that age…around the same time period…it’s just so wild seeing them as kids. Dave…did it chart in Canada? I couldn’t find anywhere it charted.
Oddly it doesn’t appear to have despite the album hitting #12 and getting them their first gold record anywhere. The song got some radio play, but I guess didn’t sell much as a 7″. At the time the chart was only too 50, unlike US with Hot 100
That was like some of the songs that I thought were hits…Nashville played some like they were huge hits…like You Ain’t Worth The Salt In My Tears…I thought it was top 5 lol…by the way they played it.
Boy! what a good song that is. The whole U2 video live at Red Rocks is superb. My favourite album of theirs is ‘War’, and ‘New Years Day’ being my favourite single.
Mine would be Rattle and Hum….but I do like the energy of this earlier stuff. Sunday Bloody Sunday is probably my favorite early song by them…it’s off War right?
glyn I’m with you on the Red Rock show. They had something going on.
Yup I liked these guys right out of the gate. Energy. passion and infectious music. Great tune Max. I think they’ve kept the bar pretty high. I’m not up on the later output but what I’ve heard I liked.
I got to see them in the early 90s…they were truly great live. Their opening band was Big Audio Dynomite with Mick Jones…great concert. They have changed and survived…got to hand it to them.
Their motor is stilling reved. I like that. Good concert and good to hear a positive review.
CB, I like your trifecta of adjectives to describe them. The quality continues on the later albums also.
That’s good to hear Lisa. Like I said what Ive heard on their later work sounds pretty good to me. Over exposure and $$$ success can diminish creativity but some bands etc seem to be able to continue on at a high creative level.
First U2 album is one of their best IMO. Hadnt fully figured out their sound, so its interesting.
I do like this and I’m not in love with all of the beginning music…but I did notice them and I like quite a few.
was lucky enough to see them live early on….they were/are different/unique……Bad is my U2 tune….
I rememer that one!
‘One Tree Hill’ is one that resonated here big time.
Max, I had to go to the bookshelf and pull Bono’s book out. He devotes Chapter 7 to this song. Yes, it is about his mom. His mom only saw the band play once before she passed on. I think the band’s practice space at the time was a little shed by the cemetery.
THAT is so sad! I hate hearing of anyones mom or dad dying that young. I don’t know what I would have done without my mom. I’m glad she got to see them once anyway.
p.s. The Replacements created bad juju for themselves by parodying this song. You don’t do that to one dedicated to a person’s mother. Any other song!
I’m sure they didn’t know about that part at that time.