"Discothèque" is the lead single from Irish rock band U2's 1997 album, Pop.
The accompanying music video, which was directed by Frenchman Stéphane Sednaoui, the band performed in atmosphere approximating the inside of a mirrorball. They alluded to several elements of the disco era, including disco-style dancing and the film Saturday Night Fever. U2 further and directly alluded to the Village People, a popular disco era band, by similarly adopting the guises of various professions: a motorcycle police officer (Bono), a gay-fetish biker (The Edge), an American sailor (Adam Clayton), and a cowboy (Larry Mullen, Jr.).
History
Discotheque from Chicago on the Vertigo Tour; currently the last performance of the song.
A 30-second sample of "Discothèque" was leaked on the internet on October 26, 1996. By December 27, the entire track had been leaked, forcing U2 to move up the release date. "Discothèque" debuted at #3 on the US Modern Rock Tracks chart and was certified Gold by the RIAA on April 7, 1997. The song debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 at #10, but dropped off the charts after only four weeks in the Top 40. It was also the band's sixth (and last) Top 10 single in the US. It hit #1 on the UK singles chart and the Modern Rock Tracks chart.
The song was remixed for U2's The Best of 1990-2000 greatest hits album, released in 2002. The new version features a longer intro and subtle use of the techno-sounding drum beat that figured prominently in the opening of the original track. The 'new' "Discotheque" was similar in sound to how U2 performed the song during the PopMart Tour in 1997 and 1998.
A somewhat abbreviated form of "Discotheque" was played during the first two legs of U2's Elevation Tour in 2001. A more rock-sounding version of the song was played twice on the Vertigo Tour accompanied by an elaborate stage lightshow, but the band wasn't happy with the sound of the new arrangement.citation needed
Track listings
Version 1
- "Discothèque" (12" Version) (5:08)
- "Holy Joe" (Garage Mix) (4:21)
- "Holy Joe" (Guilty Mix) (5:08)
This version was released on CD in the UK. 7" and cassette versions were available in the U.S. and Australia, omitting "Holy Joe (Guilty Mix)".
Version 2
- "Discothèque" (DM Deep Club Mix) (7:00)
- "Discothèque" (Howie B Hairy B Mix) (7:39)
- "Discothèque" (Hexadecimal Mix) (7:21)
- "Discothèque" (DM TEC Radio Mix) (3:45)
This was the most common CD single, released in several countries.
Version 3
- "Discothèque" (DM Deep Extended Club Mix) (10:04)
- "Discothèque" (Hexadecimal Mix) (7:21)
- "Discothèque" (Album Version) (5:19)
- "Holy Joe" (Guilty Mix) (5:08)
- "Discothèque" (Howie B Hairy B Mix) (7:39)
This was the American CD single.
Version 4
- "Discothèque" (DM Deep Club Mix) (7:00)
- "Discothèque" (Hexadecimal Mix) (7:21)
- "Discothèque" (DM Deep Instrumental Mix) (6:58)
- "Discothèque" (Radio Edit) (4:34)
This was the US-only 12" single.
Version 5
- "Discothèque" (DM Deep Extended Club Mix) (10:04)
- "Discothèque" (DM Deep Beats Mix) (3:59)
- "Discothèque" (DM TEC Radio Mix) (3:45)
- "Discothèque" (DM Deep Instrumental Mix) (6:58)
- "Discothèque" (12" Version) (5:08)
- "Discothèque" (David Holmes Mix) (6:14)
- "Discothèque" (Howie B Hairy B Mix) (7:39)
- "Discothèque" (Hexadecimal Mix) (7:21)
This version, featuring virtually all available remixes, was released as a triple 12" only in the UK.
Charts
| Chart (1997) |
Peak
position |
| UK Singles Chart |
1 |
| Canadian Singles Chart |
1 |
| U.S. Billboard Modern Rock Tracks |
1 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play |
1 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales |
1 |
| Japan Tokio Hot 100 |
1 |
| Latvian Airplay Top |
1 |
| New Zealand Singles Chart |
1 |
| Australian ARIA Singles Chart |
3 |
| U.S. Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks |
6 |
| Eurochart Hot 100 Singles |
3 |
| German Singles Chart |
9 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 |
10 |
| U.S. Billboard Top 40 Mainstream |
40 |
External links
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