Stay (Faraway, So Close!) - Writing and Inspiration

Writing and Inspiration

The earliest incarnation of "Stay (Faraway, So Close!)" was developed during the recording sessions for Achtung Baby. While working in Hansa Ton Studios in Berlin, guitarist The Edge and lead singer Bono created the verse. The track was given the working title "Sinatra" in reference to the artist whose music inspired it. The group reworked it in preparation of Zooropa. The Edge noted "it came to us in installments". Bassist Adam Clayton said "it was hard to figure out how we would do it. I mean, no one is going to mistake us for Frank Sinatra's backing band. A very humble little combo sound is what we ended up with and that really worked." The Edge added "I was playing around on piano with some old-school chord progressions trying to summon up the spirit of Frank Sinatra. It's definitely not from a rock and roll tradition." He worked out a chord progression based on old Tin Pan Alley songs. In spite of these declarations, the song's chord strucure also bears a marked similarity to the refrain of the Lou Reed song "Satellite of Love", which was performed by the band on tour during the period.

"Bono used to say it was for Frank Sinatra but we needed songs for Zooropa so we thought we would have a go."

As the recording sessions progressed, Wim Wenders approached the band and asked them for a song for his next film, Faraway, So Close!. The Edge said "we heard Wim Wenders was looking for a song... so I had a go at finishing it". U2 watched the film, Faraway, So Close!, for inspiration on how to craft the song. Bono said "the film was about angels who want to be human and who want to be on Earth. But to do so they have to become mortal. That was a great image to play with - the impossibility of wanting something like this, and then the cost of having it." Two versions of the song were crafted; the first was released on Zooropa, and the second, almost two minutes longer and featuring "an edgier guitar and drum performance", was included on the Faraway, So Close! soundtrack. Close to the completion of the recording, Bono changed the song's title to "Stay". Wanting to further reference the Wenders film he then changed it once more, to "Stay (Faraway, So Close!)".