" Race Against Time " was released on the 12 @-@ inch , cassette , and CD versions of the single . The song developed from the band 's interest in urban funk , and was described by The Edge as " a kind of Afro @-@ rhythmic piece " and " a study in rhythm . " The bass riff in the song , inspired by the bodhrán , was played by The Edge , but stemmed from some of Clayton 's unused bass parts . Mullen 's drum part was recorded in a single take . The song is primarily an instrumental piece but does contain some lyrics inspired by Bono 's trip to Ethiopia after Live Aid and his witnessing firsthand the famine in occurrence ; these lyrical references include Bono singing in an Ethiopian language and following it with the phrase " Race against time " . Bono said of the song , " It reminds me of the desert . The desert is so empty , but it aches with a strange kind of fullness . " John Hutchinson of Musician magazine described the song as having an " African flavour " and as being reminiscent of Peter Gabriel . The track was used in the Miami Vice episode " Child 's Play " , and is the only one of the single 's B @-@ sides that was never played live .