Even Better Than The Real Thing

This song began with the title "The Real Thing" during the Rattle And Hum sessions. It's a play on the Coca-Cola slogan "It's The Real Thing." The song was intended to make a statement about commercialism.

In the band's autobiography U2 by U2, Bono explains the song "is much more reflective of the times we were living in, when people were no longer looking for the truth, we are all looking for instant gratification. It's not substantial as a lyric but it suggests a certain sexual tension and desire to have some fun playing in the shallows. 'Sliding down the surface of things.' There is a moment when you want to read a magazine, not a novel. It was nice to take some of the more fun bits of rock 'n' roll. We really needed that playful thing to balance what was at the heart of the album and make the bitter pill a little sweeter to swallow."

The video was directed by Kevin Godley, who with his creative partner Lol Creme, had made a number of groundbreaking videos, including Herbie Hancock's "Rockit" and Frankie Goes To Hollywood's "Two Tribes." For "Even Better Than The Real Thing," Godley had camera rigs built that could revolve around each member of the band, creating a constant and unusual motion. They called it "the wheel thing." Godley also mixed in quick shots of advertising ephemera, including slogans and product shots, ending with a title card reading "WATCH MORE TV." By the end, the viewer has been assaulted with a barrage of constantly moving images, making the point that long exposure to overstimulated media and be harmful to your health. It tied in with the Zoo TV concept.