Next month, U2 are celebrating the 20th anniversary of their Grammy-winning album How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb with a reissue featuring multiple songs from the archives. In advance, they’ve unearthed the previously unreleased track “Happiness.” Stream it below.
The driving, energetic song is one of 10 tracks that will make up the “shadow album” accompanying the re-release, titled How to Re-Assemble an Atomic Bomb, featuring tunes that were pulled from the recording sessions around the 2004 LP. “Happiness is for those who don’t really need it,” Bono sings on the chorus.
“It was amazing to go back and hear some of these tracks that we played as a band; we’re fond of those tracks, they’re your friends,” Adam Clayton shared in an interview with Zane Lowe for Apple Music. “You feel that not much more needs to happen. It’s all there.”
The two albums will receive a dual digital release on November 22nd, with How to Re-Assemble receiving a standalone physical release on November 29th; pre-order the vinyl, cassette, and CD box here. Deluxe vinyl and CD collectors box sets are available here.
It’s been a big year for the band, who became the first act to hold a residency at Las Vegas’ billion-dollar venue, The Sphere. This was followed by a concert film commemorating their “U2:UV Achtung Baby” show.