| "Running to Stand Still" | |
|---|---|
| Song by U2 | |
| from the album The Joshua Tree | |
| Released | 9 March 1987 |
| Recorded | 1986 |
| Genre | |
| Length | 4:18 |
| Label | Island |
| Composer(s) | U2 |
| Lyricist(s) | Bono |
| Producer(s) | |
"Running to Stand Still" is a song by rock band U2, and it is the fifth track from their 1987 album, The Joshua Tree. A slow ballad based on piano and guitar, it describes a heroin-addicted couple living in Dublin's Ballymun flats; the towers have since become associated with the song. Though a lot of time was dedicated to the lyrics, the music was improvised with co-producer Daniel Lanois during a recording session for the album.
The group explored American music for The Joshua Tree, and as such, "Running to Stand Still" demonstrates folk rock and acoustic blues influences. The song was praised by critics, many of them calling it one of the record's best tracks. It has since been included in the regular set lists of four U2 concert tours, in two different arrangements and with several possible thematic interpretations.