The U2 song containing the lyric “One life, but we're not the same” is “One.” The song appears as the third track on the band's 1991 album Achtung Baby.
U2 developed “One” during tense recording sessions at Hansa Studios in Berlin and later in Dublin. The band members were struggling with the direction of their music, and disagreements were serious enough that a breakup seemed possible. A breakthrough came when The Edge played a chord progression that inspired the group to improvise the song.
The lyrics are often associated with fractured relationships and German reunification, though Bono has described several layers of meaning over the years. The central message is not simple harmony: the line about being one while not being the same acknowledges difference, conflict, and the need to coexist.
“ One” became one of U2's most acclaimed songs. It was released as a benefit single supporting AIDS research and has remained a staple of the band's live performances. It is sometimes mistaken for a song from The Joshua Tree, but it belongs to the later Achtung Baby era.