<P> The movie is a rockumentary, which was initially financed by the band and intended to be screened in a small number of cinemas as an independent film . After going over budget, the film was bought by Paramount Pictures and released in theatres in 1988, before arriving on video in 1989 . It was produced by Michael Hamlyn and directed by Phil Joanou . Paul Wasserman served as the publicist . It incorporates live footage with studio outtakes and band interviews . The album is a mix of live material and new studio recordings that furthers the band's experimentation with American music styles and recognises many of their musical influences . It was produced by Jimmy Iovine and also released in 1988 . </P> <P> The title, Rattle and Hum, is taken from a lyric from "Bullet the Blue Sky", the fourth track on The Joshua Tree . The image used for the album cover and movie poster, depicting Bono shining a spotlight on Edge as he plays, was inspired by a scene in the live performance of "Bullet the Blue Sky" recorded in the film and album, but was recreated in a stills studio, and photographed by Anton Corbijn . Several vinyl copies have the message "We Love You A.L.K." etched into side one, a reference to the band's production manager Anne Louise Kelly, who would be the subject of another secret dedication message on several CD copies of the band's later album, Pop . </P> <P> The album opens with a live cover of The Beatles' "Helter Skelter". Its inclusion on the album was intended by the band to reflect the confusion of The Joshua Tree Tour and their new - found superstar status . Bono opens "Helter Skelter" with this statement: "this is a song Charles Manson stole from The Beatles...we're stealing it back". </P> <P> Bono said "Hawkmoon 269" was in part as a tribute to writer Sam Shepard, who had released a book entitled Hawk Moon . Bono also said that the band mixed the song 269 times . This was thought to be a joke for years until it was recently confirmed by The Edge in U2 by U2, who said that they spent three weeks mixing the song . He also contradicted Bono's assertion about Shepard, saying that Hawkmoon is a place in Rapid City, South Dakota, in the midwestern United States . </P>

What beatles song did u2 cover on rattle and hum