The song was born during the strained Berlin sessions for Achtung Baby. U2 had moved to Hansa Studios hoping to absorb the atmosphere of change and reinvention that followed German reunification. Instead, they found themselves fractured. Bono and The Edge were pushing toward electronic and dance textures, while Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen Jr. leaned toward their traditional rock sound. The band was close to collapse. Creativity had stalled.