This is the first song on the first U2 album, Boy. It was released as a single at the same time as the album.

It took a few albums for the band to catch on outside their native Ireland, so "I Will Follow" didn't get much attention when it was first released.

The song was always a concert favorite, and many heard it for the first time on the 1983 live album Under A Blood Red Sky, which far outsold the Boy album.

This version, which was released as a single and charted in the US at #81, came from the band's appearance at the Rockpalast festival in Germany that year.

This song is an example of what would become The Edge's distinctive guitar style. He felt he could play only a few notes, but make it work by finding the right ones.

The spiritual themes in the lyrics are typical of early U2. Bono, The Edge, and Larry Mullen were members of a devout Christian group.

U2's first music video was for this song. Directed by Meiert Avis, is shows the band performing the song in front of a giant image of the album cover. It's one of those unfortunate early '80s videos that used green screen before it could produce a clean key, so there are some ugly edges on the band, who are superimposed in front of the image.

Bono's lyric was inspired by his mother, who died in 1974 when he was 14. Bono calls it "A song about unconditional love."

The love he refers to is between a mother and a child, how no matter what the child does, the mother will still love him.

There is a biblical component to the song as well, as it's an analog to the love of God as expressed in Romans 8:39: "In neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God."

Bono sings the lyrics from a mother's point of view. "I know that's mad but I have done it a few times," he says. "But if you step out of that for a second and think it's a song about my own mother, it becomes a suicide note - 'If you leave me, I'm coming after you.' This is mind-blowing to me looking back. What drugs were we on? None!"

"'I Will Follow' came out of a screaming argument in the rehearsal room," Bono recalls in the book U2 by U2. "I remember trying to make a sound I heard in my head, and taking Edge's guitar from him and hammering away. It was literally coming out of a kind of rage, the sound of a nail being hammered into your frontal lobe."

Comments:

Patrick Rabion

Saw them in a small club in Madison, WI. in 1981.  I knew they’d be big.  After the show, all the band members came out to sign autographs, I still have my ticket with all their signatures.  How cool was that?

Chicken Parma

This is basically what Joy Division would have sounded like if Ian Curtis wasn’t so depressed. 

Rhymes With Carbon

The older I get the more revolutionary I realize bands like U2 were - this stuff is FORTY YEARS OLD, but is as raw as it was day 1.

Majestic Twelve

I've just discovered this song and I can't stop listening to it. YouTube sometimes has really good recommendations

Wmtaylor

The Guitar tone that was heard around the world! Love the Edge's sound!

Abhishek Basnyat

These kids look like they have the potential to be one of the biggest bands in the world one day.

Dirk van der Merwe

This is one of their best tracks ever with an actual rock beat to it...

Nicolas Mendes

The best band in the universe.

Florine van Es

When you put on the leather pants, the pants tell you what to do

Han Solo

Fantastic. Curious if they will go in order from here on.

MsB inSYDNEY

6 months ago (edited)

This has been one of my most favourite songs (EVER) since I was a young girl in the 80’s. It has made my spirit soar when I’m already happy and lifted it during incredibly difficult times in my life. Never underestimate the power of music and it’s importance in our lives and the human psyche

Chris Roddick

I remember the day I first heard this on the radio it was like hearing Eruption for the first time. Not that U2 and VH are anything alike but the shock factor of hearing something new, unique and a$$ kicking.

2 tone

In my opinion the best time from U2. The pieces had incredible power and were absolutely unadulterated (fast, hard without compromise)

Anders Domstedt

First album is magic!

Tim Baker

The Edge gave them, well, the edge.

A- man

There is something so charming and raw about U2's earlier work. I was always really drawn to the first few albums, they are very exciting to listen to now as they are really fresh.

May Hangas

I grew up with U2 on the radio. Rediscovering them in 2020 has been amazing!! 

Dark Aneurysms

Oh, how I remember those days! It's been 40 years now,wow! Saw them in concert twice, the unforgettable fire tour and the joshua tree tour. Both concerts were great! I'm in my late 50's,many years has gone by but I still remember how much I enjoyed seeing them live! What memories!

Ralph Lazio

Who would’ve thought that this song would still be ELECTRIFYING 40+ years later

Adrager

Early 80's...what a great time to be a early teen.

Danny Loverboy

Bono can dance. I’d be a star too if I could dance when I sing. And sing while I dance. And write...

Brian McHugh

I remember the first time hearing this on the radio (WMMR) in Phila and I just stopped everything as soon as I heard Edge’s guitar. One of many, many U2 classics.

Randall Tyer

The one that started it all ! I grew up in the 80's. It's crazy, because every few years, I get this song stuck in my head. Its not like i hear it on the radio and i remember, but rather its like it was always there and i think about it. Then I dig out my old cassette copy of the album, run to Walmart and buy the remastered thing or Greatest Hits, or i just look it up here. Listen to it a hundred plus times like i did when i first heard it. Somehow, I get some balance in the force and put it down. Then well, 2 or 3 years later,,, Happens all over again. Lol! I do love this song though, when i first heard it, it truly did make that type of an impact on me.

nellig_anne

I think it’s one of my favourite U2 video! Thanks to my parents who made me discover and love this group. I listen to U2 since always... and I’m a 16 years old girl!

Karl lodge

Spine tingling the first time I heard it in '81...never before !Still sends shivers !

Wolfdragon92584

I can tell they were influenced by Public Image LTD at the time. I miss this era with the fractured riffs and heavy backbeat

Krikri Krikri

It's sounds so new wave!!! Just love it!

Katherine Corrigan

Such a tragic, beautiful song. I read somewhere that Bono wrote this song for his late mother. 

Jonny Birchyboy

Love early punk U2. The Edge’s playing reminds me of Keith Richards here.

H3AVYHAUL3R

you can hear the essence of 70s punk and 80s new wave....powerful song still today

Wendy Raymond

Bloody brilliant  absolutely incredible  love love  love it thanku  so much love and god  bless x