NME lauded the song as the opening track by saying the album " starts by spitting furiously " . The publication praised Bono 's impassioned singing and The Edge 's guitar playing , which transformed the instrument into " something more than an endlessly abused piece of wood " . The review commented that the " last ten seconds are breathtakingly beautiful " . The Rocket wrote that the song builds a " wall of sound " that Bono 's vocals cut through with a " wail of desperation , as the lyrics agonize the need for personal spirituality " . The reviewer compared the opening riff to Simple Minds ' " Ghostdancing " . Reviewing The Joshua Tree , Stephen Thomas Erlewine of Allmusic called the song an " epic opener " . The service 's Steve Huey , in a review of the song , praised its " insistent , propulsive rhythmic drive and anthemic chorus " , qualities he singled out for making it a fan favorite . He called the song the " perfect album @-@ opener " , crediting the " slow build of its arrangement toward a climactic peak " . Huey also called Bono 's delivery " passionate and grandiose " and " his commitment to the material unshakable " . He believed the combination of his vocals and the band 's " sonic power " is what gave U2 its " tremendous force " .