2 ' s ▁most ▁frequently ▁performed ▁songs ▁in ▁concert . ▁The ▁band ' s ▁ 1 2 - min ute ▁performance ▁of ▁the ▁song ▁at ▁the ▁Live ▁A id ▁char ity ▁concert ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 5 ▁was ▁a ▁break through ▁moment ▁for ▁them . ▁▁ ▁A ▁live ▁version ▁of ▁the ▁song ▁appears ▁on ▁U 2 ' s ▁ 1 9 8 5 ▁EP ▁W ide ▁Aw ake ▁in ▁America ; ▁this ▁rend ition ▁became ▁popular ▁on ▁album - orient ed ▁rock ▁radio ▁stations . ▁The ▁album ▁version ▁of ▁the ▁song ▁featured ▁on ▁the ▁tra iler ▁of ▁Brothers ▁and ▁in ▁the ▁opening ▁and ▁closing ▁sequences ▁of ▁T aking ▁L ives . ▁ ▁History ▁" Bad " ▁origin ated ▁from ▁a ▁guitar ▁r iff ▁that ▁the ▁Edge ▁impro vised ▁during ▁a ▁jam ▁session ▁at ▁Sl ane ▁Castle , ▁where ▁U 2 ▁were ▁recording ▁The ▁Un for get table ▁Fire . ▁The ▁basic ▁track ▁was ▁completed ▁in ▁three ▁takes . ▁Of ▁its ▁immediate ▁and ▁live ▁nature , ▁the ▁Edge ▁said , ▁" There ' s ▁one ▁moment ▁where ▁[ d rum mer ] ▁Larry ▁[ M ull en ▁Jr .] ▁puts ▁down ▁br ush es ▁and ▁takes ▁up ▁the ▁st icks ▁and ▁it ▁creates ▁this ▁pause ▁which ▁has ▁an ▁incred ibly ▁dram atic ▁effect ." ▁Produ cer ▁Brian ▁En o ▁added ▁the ▁sequ encer ▁ar p eg g ios ▁that ▁accomp any ▁the ▁song . ▁ ▁The ▁early ▁ 1 9 8 0 s ▁re cess ion ▁had ▁led ▁to ▁a ▁high ▁number ▁of