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U2 & B.B. King - When Love Comes To Town

When Love Comes to Town is the 12th song on U2's 1988 album, Rattle and Hum, where it was recorded at the historic Sun Studio in Memphis TN as a duet between U2 and B.B. King.

It was released as the album's third single in 1989 and reached #6 in the UK singles chart, #10 on the Dutch Top 40 and #2 on the US Mainstream Rock Tracks chart.

Little Richard is featured preaching, rapping in funky rhyme style, and singing background vocals amid Maceo Parker's saxophone playing on the extended "Live from the Kingdom Mix." The single contained two different versions of the Patti Smith song "Dancing Barefoot". The 7" and cassette featured the long version, while the 12" and CD contained the short version.

While U2 has stopped playing it live since 1993, it features in B. B. King concerts. During the Lovetown Tour concerts, this song would be played, usually along with "Angel of Harlem" and "Love Rescue Me", in an encore featuring B. B. and his band.

The debut performance took place on 24 November 1987 during the concert's encore and BB King joined U2 to perform the song. On 1989's Lovetown Tour, the song again featured during the encore and was played with BB King.

It was played at 46 of the 47 shows; the only concert it missed was 18 December 1989 in Amsterdam, as the show concluded prematurely due to Bono suffering vocal problems.

On the next tour, 1992-93's Zoo TV Tour, "When Love Comes to Town" did not debut until the second-last concert of the first leg on 21 April 1992 in Tacoma.

It appeared only infrequently on the second leg, in Europe, but on the third leg, in North America, it was performed frequently and this was continued on the fourth leg return to Europe.

The Zoo TV Tour version of the song was stripped down in comparison to previous versions and was performed on a b-stage in the midst of the crowd.

U2 has not performed the song since the fourth leg's final show on 28 August 1993 in Dublin, although B.B. King has continued to play the song at his live shows.

On 26 October 2008, Bono and the Edge rejoined B.B. King to play the song for the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz Founders Award.

The lyrics:

I was a sailor, I was lost at sea

I was under the waves

Before love rescued me

I was a fighter, I could turn on a thread

Now I stand accused of the things I've said

Love comes to town I'm gonna jump that train

When love comes to town I'm gonna catch that flame

Maybe I was wrong to ever let you down

But I did what I did before love came to town

I used to make love under a red sunset

I was making promises I was soon to forget

She was pale as the lace of her wedding gown

But I left her standing before love came to town

I ran into a juke joint when I heard a guitar scream

The notes were turning blue, I was dazing in a dream

As the music played I saw my life turn around

That was the day before love came to town

When love comes to town I'm gonna jump that train

When love comes to town I'm gonna catch that flame

Maybe I was wrong to ever let you down

But I did what I did before love came to town

[Repeat Chorus]

I was there when they crucified my Lord

I held the scabbard when the soldier drew his sword

I threw the dice when they pierced his side

But I've seen love conquer the great divide

When love comes to town I'm gonna catch that train

When love comes to town I'm gonna catch that flame

Maybe I was wrong to ever let you down

But I did what I did before love came to town