"Numb" is a song by Irish rock band U2. It is the third track from their eight album, Zooropa (1993), and was released in June 1993 by Island Records and PolyGram as the album's first single. The song features a monotonous mantra of "don't" commands spoken by guitarist the Edge amidst a backdrop of various sound effects and samples. The noisy composition and lyrical concept for "Numb" were inspired by the theme of sensory overload, which had prominently been incorporated into the Zoo TV Tour. Lead singer Bono and drummer Larry Mullen Jr. provided backing vocals on the track.
VHS single cover
Promo CD version of "Numb"
Music video showing Adam Clayton tying down the Edge, whilst Mullen sings the line "I feel numb", followed by Bono singing "Too much it's not enough".
Zooropa is the eighth studio album by Irish rock band U2. Produced by Flood, Brian Eno, and the Edge, it was released on 5 July 1993 on Island Records. Inspired by the band's experiences on the Zoo TV Tour, Zooropa expanded on many of the tour's themes of technology and media oversaturation. The record was a continuation of the group's experimentation with alternative rock, electronic dance music, and electronic sound effects that began with their previous album, Achtung Baby, in 1991.
Zooropa
Zooropa was inspired by life on the multimedia-intensive Zoo TV Tour.
Zooropa was co-produced by Brian Eno (pictured in 2008), producer of 3 previous U2 albums.
Bono filming himself with a video camera during a Melbourne concert in November 1993. For Zooropa, his lyrics drew from the mass media and technology themes of the Zoo TV Tour.