<Ul> <Li> file </Li> <Li> help </Li> </Ul> <P> "With or Without You" is a song by Irish rock band U2 . It is the third track on their fifth studio album, The Joshua Tree (1987), and was released as the album's lead single on 16 March 1987 . The song was the group's most successful single at the time, becoming their first number - one hit in both the United States and Canada by topping the Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks and the RPM national singles chart for one week, with a further three weeks at number two . </P> <P> "With or Without You" features sustained guitar parts played by guitarist the Edge with a prototype of the Infinite Guitar, along with vocals by lead singer Bono and a bassline by bassist Adam Clayton . The song originated from a demo recorded in late 1985 that the group continued to work on throughout The Joshua Tree sessions . Ostensibly a troubled love song, the track's lyrics were inspired by Bono's conflicting feelings about the lives he led as a musician and domestic man . </P> <P> Critics praised the song upon its release . It is frequently performed on the band's tours, and it has appeared on many of their compilation albums and concert films . "With or Without You" is U2's second most frequently covered song . In 2010, Rolling Stone magazine placed the song at number 132 on their list of "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time". </P>

Who sings the song with or without you