“Vertigo” was released as the lead single from U2’s album How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb.
The song came out in 2004 and introduced the album with a compact, forceful rock sound. Its famous opening count, delivered in Spanish, became one of the track’s most recognizable features. The song’s lyrics describe sensory overload and disorientation rather than a literal location.
“Vertigo” was written by U2 and produced by Steve Lillywhite, with additional production contributions from other collaborators. It became a major international hit and won several Grammy Awards.
How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb followed All That You Can’t Leave Behind and continued U2’s return to a more direct rock style. Other singles from the album included “Sometimes You Can’t Make It on Your Own” and “City of Blinding Lights.”