| "Until the End of the World" | |
|---|---|
| Promotional single by U2 | |
| from the album Achtung Baby | |
| Released | 18 November 1991 |
| Recorded | October 1990 – September 1991 |
| Studio |
|
| Genre | Alternative rock |
| Length | 4:39 |
| Label | Island |
| Composer(s) | U2 |
| Lyricist(s) | Bono |
| Producer(s) | Daniel Lanois with Brian Eno |
"Until the End of the World" is a song by rock band U2 and the fourth track from their 1991 album Achtung Baby. The song began as a guitar riff composed by lead vocalist Bono from a demo, which the band revisited with success after talking with German filmmaker Wim Wenders about providing music for his film Until the End of the World. The song's lyrics describe a fictional conversation between Jesus Christ and Judas Iscariot. The first verse discusses the Last Supper; the second is about Judas identifying Jesus with a kiss on the cheek in the Garden of Gethsemane; and the final is about Judas' suicide after being overwhelmed with guilt and sadness.
"Until the End of the World" enjoyed airplay on alternative and rock radio in the United States, where it was released as a promotional single; it peaked within the top 5 of Billboard's Modern Rock Tracks and Album Rock Tracks charts. It also peaked at number 69 on the Canadian RPM Top 100 singles chart.