Finally, a thing everybody can agree on!
November 1, 2022 10:07 AM Subscribe
If there's one thing everybody loves, it's U2! And if there's one thing nobody ever argues about, it's a list of things. So with that in mind, let's all talk about Vulture's ranking of All 234 U2 Songs, Ranked From Worst to Best!
Or screw it, talk about taxes, Negativeland, and whatever the hell turned Bono into Bono. Don't matter to me none.
Or screw it, talk about taxes, Negativeland, and whatever the hell turned Bono into Bono. Don't matter to me none.
I'm just here to post the Pet Shop Boys' genuinely remarkable cover of #1 hit Where the Streets Have No Name.
posted by eschatfische at 10:15 AM on November 1, 2022 [20 favorites]
posted by eschatfische at 10:15 AM on November 1, 2022 [20 favorites]
All I need to know is where on the list I can find “One Shot of Happy, Two Shots of Sad.”
posted by ColdChef at 10:15 AM on November 1, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by ColdChef at 10:15 AM on November 1, 2022 [3 favorites]
96. About halfway. That seems right.
posted by ColdChef at 10:16 AM on November 1, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by ColdChef at 10:16 AM on November 1, 2022 [2 favorites]
Upon a friend's insistence, I saw U2 in Seattle when they did their first American tour. My opinion of Bono is unchanged from that day. His ego couldn't fit into a blimp hangar then. Apparently it is even larger now. God, they were awful.
posted by y2karl at 10:17 AM on November 1, 2022 [7 favorites]
posted by y2karl at 10:17 AM on November 1, 2022 [7 favorites]
You're a uniter, bondcliff.
"Running to Stand Still" isn't a particular favorite of mine, but I was overwhelmed by Elbow's cover. Gorgeous, and lets the sadness take center stage.
Link function seems borked, so: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CROUAE9bhp8
posted by MonkeyToes at 10:22 AM on November 1, 2022 [1 favorite]
"Running to Stand Still" isn't a particular favorite of mine, but I was overwhelmed by Elbow's cover. Gorgeous, and lets the sadness take center stage.
Link function seems borked, so: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CROUAE9bhp8
posted by MonkeyToes at 10:22 AM on November 1, 2022 [1 favorite]
Several songs from The Unforgettable Fire are ranked waaaay too low. Pass.
posted by credulous at 10:25 AM on November 1, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by credulous at 10:25 AM on November 1, 2022 [3 favorites]
I love these Vulture 'All X Y's, Ranked' lists, even when I don't have a lot of strong feelings about the subject, because the people that write them are almost always really knowledgeable, and because the thought of writing one of these about one of my favorites seems almost overwhelming.
So, y'know, good for them for taking it on, and thanks for sharing the link.
posted by box at 10:28 AM on November 1, 2022 [6 favorites]
So, y'know, good for them for taking it on, and thanks for sharing the link.
posted by box at 10:28 AM on November 1, 2022 [6 favorites]
Glad to see "Hawkmoon 269" cracked the top twenty, I have always loved that song. A true epic stuck in the middle of Rattle and Hum with Bob Dylan (!) playing the Hammond organ.
posted by fortitude25 at 10:29 AM on November 1, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by fortitude25 at 10:29 AM on November 1, 2022 [2 favorites]
I love these Vulture 'All X Y's, Ranked' lists, even when I don't have a lot of strong feelings about the subject, because the people that write them are almost always really knowledgeable, and because the thought of writing one of these about one of my favorites seems almost overwhelming.
Yeah, I mean, sarcasm in my post aside, I was impressed that they managed to say something thoughtful about every single song. It's a good article and a good list.
I loved Rattle and Hum so much when it came out but I don't think I could watch it now. I'd rather watch It Might Get Loud.
posted by bondcliff at 10:31 AM on November 1, 2022 [1 favorite]
Yeah, I mean, sarcasm in my post aside, I was impressed that they managed to say something thoughtful about every single song. It's a good article and a good list.
I loved Rattle and Hum so much when it came out but I don't think I could watch it now. I'd rather watch It Might Get Loud.
posted by bondcliff at 10:31 AM on November 1, 2022 [1 favorite]
All 234 U2 Songs, Ranked From Worst to Best!
All 234 of U2's Worst Songs -- fixed that for you.
[just kidding -- I used to love U2. Then I got tired of Bono's voice in the late 80s, early 90s sometime ... but he just wouldn't stop]
posted by philip-random at 10:34 AM on November 1, 2022 [9 favorites]
All 234 of U2's Worst Songs -- fixed that for you.
[just kidding -- I used to love U2. Then I got tired of Bono's voice in the late 80s, early 90s sometime ... but he just wouldn't stop]
posted by philip-random at 10:34 AM on November 1, 2022 [9 favorites]
I remember the first time I heard the Joshua Tree album and being completely floored by it. I also remember that it was then that, in the very pre-internet era, that U2 took over the planet. It seemed they were inescapable. All over radio, MTV, magazine covers, news programs and seemingly everywhere else. Meanwhile, I kept hearing how seeing them live was like a religious experience. (Seriously, like 2 or 3 times at least, from different people). It got to where I wanted to flee the building every time their name came up. Then my brother got a bunch of tickets to see that tour in Vancouver BC and I begrudgingly accepted one, fully ready to find them fun, but sort of in my rearview mirror.
It was like a religious experience. I've lost track with most of their later stuff, but that show still sticks in my head as almost unbelievable thirty-something years later.
Also, The Unforgettable Fire (the song) should be way higher up that list in my opinion.
posted by BigHeartedGuy at 10:36 AM on November 1, 2022 [8 favorites]
It was like a religious experience. I've lost track with most of their later stuff, but that show still sticks in my head as almost unbelievable thirty-something years later.
Also, The Unforgettable Fire (the song) should be way higher up that list in my opinion.
posted by BigHeartedGuy at 10:36 AM on November 1, 2022 [8 favorites]
I really liked War when it came out, kinda lost interest after that.
posted by doctor_negative at 10:39 AM on November 1, 2022
posted by doctor_negative at 10:39 AM on November 1, 2022
Finally, a thing everybody can agree on!
You still haven't found what you're looking for
posted by Greg_Ace at 10:46 AM on November 1, 2022 [28 favorites]
You still haven't found what you're looking for
posted by Greg_Ace at 10:46 AM on November 1, 2022 [28 favorites]
I guess I'm a bit disappointed that the rules preclude "Night and Day" from being listed because they didn't write it. The article does list "Zoo Station" as "the sound of the Joshua Tree being cut down", or something similar, but "Night and Day" is where they started up the chainsaw. I had previously known them almost solely from The Joshua Tree (and various other stuff I'd hear on the radio), which I loved, and then that came out, was totally different from anything I'd heard previously by them, and I still loved it. In retrospect it's really kind of a neat trick where U2 is almost Brian Eno's backing band.
posted by LionIndex at 11:07 AM on November 1, 2022 [4 favorites]
posted by LionIndex at 11:07 AM on November 1, 2022 [4 favorites]
God, they were awful.
...
All 234 of U2's Worst Songs -- fixed that for you.
....Y'all could have just skipped this post, you know. You really, really could have just seen what it was about, thought "euuugh, not for me" and moved on to comment on something else, and left this post to people who actually don't hate them or think they're awful. Your worlds would have continued to turn, your sun continued to have risen and set, and your lives would have continued apace without your trying to prove that you didn't Fall For The Hype or whatever you think you did.
I promise.
....Oh, and yeah, the list was right about how the Rattle And Hum live performance of Sunday Bloody Sunday kicked absolute righteous ass. And "Stuck In A Moment" actually sounded more to me like "The U2 song most likely to get used in an episode of Ally McBeal".
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 11:26 AM on November 1, 2022 [19 favorites]
...
All 234 of U2's Worst Songs -- fixed that for you.
....Y'all could have just skipped this post, you know. You really, really could have just seen what it was about, thought "euuugh, not for me" and moved on to comment on something else, and left this post to people who actually don't hate them or think they're awful. Your worlds would have continued to turn, your sun continued to have risen and set, and your lives would have continued apace without your trying to prove that you didn't Fall For The Hype or whatever you think you did.
I promise.
....Oh, and yeah, the list was right about how the Rattle And Hum live performance of Sunday Bloody Sunday kicked absolute righteous ass. And "Stuck In A Moment" actually sounded more to me like "The U2 song most likely to get used in an episode of Ally McBeal".
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 11:26 AM on November 1, 2022 [19 favorites]
Bono may have the biggest ego imaginable, but...
I wish I had The Edge's gear...
posted by Windopaene at 11:28 AM on November 1, 2022 [3 favorites]
I wish I had The Edge's gear...
posted by Windopaene at 11:28 AM on November 1, 2022 [3 favorites]
"Bad" at #3 is fine, because obviously "Bad (Live)" off "Wide Awake in America" is at #0.
posted by chavenet at 11:31 AM on November 1, 2022 [11 favorites]
posted by chavenet at 11:31 AM on November 1, 2022 [11 favorites]
You really, really could have just seen what it was about, thought "euuugh, not for me" and moved on to comment on something else, and left this post to people who actually don't hate them or think they're awful.
Oh, as in Your favorite music never sucks?That's so the time tested MetaFilter way.
posted by y2karl at 11:35 AM on November 1, 2022
Oh, as in Your favorite music never sucks?That's so the time tested MetaFilter way.
posted by y2karl at 11:35 AM on November 1, 2022
All 234 of U2's Worst Songs -- fixed that for you.
[just kidding -- I used to love U2. Then I got tired of Bono's voice in the late 80s, early 90s sometime ... but he just wouldn't stop]
I just noticed the post below - U2 has released 234 songs and Taylor Swift has released 229! U2 seems like they have a serious level of quality control, considering they have been around for 2X as long!
posted by The_Vegetables at 11:39 AM on November 1, 2022
if we are sharing great covers, this Montreal Jubilation Gospel Choir interpretation still puts the chills up my neck.. I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
some of us were born at a time that we could not help it, we heard The Joshua Tree as we were entering our teens and it was a hot shale beach in summer and someone was pumping money just to keep the d-cells in the ghetto blaster playing and that's all we had at the time
posted by elkevelvet at 11:44 AM on November 1, 2022 [9 favorites]
some of us were born at a time that we could not help it, we heard The Joshua Tree as we were entering our teens and it was a hot shale beach in summer and someone was pumping money just to keep the d-cells in the ghetto blaster playing and that's all we had at the time
posted by elkevelvet at 11:44 AM on November 1, 2022 [9 favorites]
I have so not listened to much U2 for a long time. Not sure I have ever even heard some of these songs. "Bad"? Doesn't ring a bell. Of course, had to click on the links to remember some of the songs from October and War.
But, I can't hear "Beautiful Day" without crying, because of that Super Bowl show, Beautiful Day into Streets, and the scroll of the 9/11 victims. Ugh. And Pride as well.
So thanks U2 for that. And The Edge's jangly, repeating, guitar noises.
posted by Windopaene at 11:44 AM on November 1, 2022 [3 favorites]
But, I can't hear "Beautiful Day" without crying, because of that Super Bowl show, Beautiful Day into Streets, and the scroll of the 9/11 victims. Ugh. And Pride as well.
So thanks U2 for that. And The Edge's jangly, repeating, guitar noises.
posted by Windopaene at 11:44 AM on November 1, 2022 [3 favorites]
Talk about Negativland? Who gives a shit!
My favorite U2 song is "Seconds" followed closely by "Lemon". I don't care if I never hear any other of their songs again, though I won't change the station if they come on the radio.
posted by not_on_display at 11:44 AM on November 1, 2022 [5 favorites]
My favorite U2 song is "Seconds" followed closely by "Lemon". I don't care if I never hear any other of their songs again, though I won't change the station if they come on the radio.
posted by not_on_display at 11:44 AM on November 1, 2022 [5 favorites]
Not sure I have ever even heard some of these songs. "Bad"? Doesn't ring a bell.
I'm standing with my jaw agape that someone could have heard of U2 but not the song that basically put them on the map.
My favorite U2 song is "Seconds"
Critically underrated songs and one of the best of the 1980s "we're all gonna die in a nuclear war" genre.
posted by bondcliff at 11:49 AM on November 1, 2022 [3 favorites]
I'm standing with my jaw agape that someone could have heard of U2 but not the song that basically put them on the map.
My favorite U2 song is "Seconds"
Critically underrated songs and one of the best of the 1980s "we're all gonna die in a nuclear war" genre.
posted by bondcliff at 11:49 AM on November 1, 2022 [3 favorites]
My top 3 would be Bad, Running to Stand Still, and All I Want Is You. On this list they are 3, 15, and 9. I'm going to call that mostly aligned, so in the great internet chasm that is "Your List Sucks," to this one I say: well done.
posted by mcstayinskool at 11:50 AM on November 1, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by mcstayinskool at 11:50 AM on November 1, 2022 [1 favorite]
I'm just impressed at how complete the list is. Many b-sides and bonus disk tracks and one-off songs they had on other projects. Lots of things I wasn't expecting to see on the list were there, and that pleased me.
With all the remixes and odd tracks I have, my iTunes library has nearly 1000 tracks filed under U2. But this is probably the best representation of stuff that is easy to find and could be expected to be familiar to even pretty hardcore fans.
Interesting list -- thanks for posting!
posted by hippybear at 11:56 AM on November 1, 2022 [3 favorites]
With all the remixes and odd tracks I have, my iTunes library has nearly 1000 tracks filed under U2. But this is probably the best representation of stuff that is easy to find and could be expected to be familiar to even pretty hardcore fans.
Interesting list -- thanks for posting!
posted by hippybear at 11:56 AM on November 1, 2022 [3 favorites]
Oh, as in Your favorite music never sucks?That's so the time tested MetaFilter way.
We could always strive to evolve and improve our selves and our community. Much like U2 strove to evolve and improve themselves after The Joshua Tree; and that's how we ended up with Achtung Baby. (I'm honestly surprised that "One" didn't top this list, this is the first time I've not seen it do so.)
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 12:03 PM on November 1, 2022 [4 favorites]
We could always strive to evolve and improve our selves and our community. Much like U2 strove to evolve and improve themselves after The Joshua Tree; and that's how we ended up with Achtung Baby. (I'm honestly surprised that "One" didn't top this list, this is the first time I've not seen it do so.)
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 12:03 PM on November 1, 2022 [4 favorites]
I'm standing with my jaw agape that someone could have heard of U2 but not the song that basically put them on the map.
I'd say "New Years Day", "With or Without You" or "Sunday Bloody Sunday" put them on the map. Or "One", their first number one hit. All these songs are still played today. I just listened to Bad and as a casual U2 fan who basically grew up with them, I've also never heard it before. It is one of their really slow songs, so if I did hear it, I probably changed the station.
posted by The_Vegetables at 12:03 PM on November 1, 2022 [3 favorites]
I'd say "New Years Day", "With or Without You" or "Sunday Bloody Sunday" put them on the map. Or "One", their first number one hit. All these songs are still played today. I just listened to Bad and as a casual U2 fan who basically grew up with them, I've also never heard it before. It is one of their really slow songs, so if I did hear it, I probably changed the station.
posted by The_Vegetables at 12:03 PM on November 1, 2022 [3 favorites]
The first U2 album I bought was Zooropa, followed by Achtung Baby, Joshua Tree, War, and I stopped buying their albums or paying attention to them after Pop. Based on this list? I'm pretty sure I did it right.
posted by Grimgrin at 12:04 PM on November 1, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by Grimgrin at 12:04 PM on November 1, 2022 [3 favorites]
I can't believe New Year's Day is #31? Lower than Desire? Come on! Other than that, I could agree with most of the top 20.
posted by The_Vegetables at 12:07 PM on November 1, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by The_Vegetables at 12:07 PM on November 1, 2022 [3 favorites]
I just listened to Bad and as a casual U2 fan who basically grew up with them, I've also never heard it before.
I was talking about this. A lot of people watching that day discovered U2 because of that moment. So, yeah, it's not one of their more popular songs, but it got a ton of rotation on MTV back then and was always a live favorite.
posted by bondcliff at 12:17 PM on November 1, 2022 [3 favorites]
I was talking about this. A lot of people watching that day discovered U2 because of that moment. So, yeah, it's not one of their more popular songs, but it got a ton of rotation on MTV back then and was always a live favorite.
posted by bondcliff at 12:17 PM on November 1, 2022 [3 favorites]
Actually if anyone has blimped out, it's me. I blame the pandemic. So via portion control and exercise, I am now borderline hangry 24/7 and on top of that sick to death of fighting autocorrect over every word I type. But as for U2, that concert put them on my shitlist -- the lead singer had so shamelessly manipulated the audience that it was beyond belief. But you know what? I know people who seriously hate the Beatles and have always seriously hated the Beatles. That is unfathomable to me. And we had a member here once who thought Bob Dylan wrote bad hippie poetry but that Arthur Lee of Love, on the other hand, was a songwriting genius. Everyone's mileage varies. I missed the window of opportunity in regards to liking Bono. But he's not dumb and I find his uxory not irredeemably unattractive. So, there is that, I guess.
posted by y2karl at 12:29 PM on November 1, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by y2karl at 12:29 PM on November 1, 2022 [3 favorites]
From the list
“We get to carry each other.” ... “‘Get to’ is the key,” Edge said, “‘Got to’ would be too obvious and platitudinous. ‘Get to’ suggests it is our privilege to carry one another.”posted by spamandkimchi at 12:32 PM on November 1, 2022 [3 favorites]
Also Larry Mullen Jr. has so many instantly recognizable drum intros. I think it was this episode of Rick Beato's What Makes This Song Great where they go through a few of them?
posted by spamandkimchi at 12:40 PM on November 1, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by spamandkimchi at 12:40 PM on November 1, 2022 [3 favorites]
Never very fond of U2 but for me the album All That You Can't Leave Behind was the right thing at the right time (2000) and, say what you will about Bono and his insufferable ego, I can’t think of another band that could have pulled off the 2002 superbowl halftime show.
posted by sjswitzer at 12:59 PM on November 1, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by sjswitzer at 12:59 PM on November 1, 2022 [1 favorite]
I do admire what U2 worked out for the Songs Of Innocence/Songs Of Experience tours. The problem of the arena tour has always been the band at one end of the arena with every seat extending away from that end having a progressively worse view of the band, or even just of their video screens if you're too far away.
For these tours, U2 put a stage at either end of the arena with a long catwalk between them, and then above that catwalk, running the length of the arena, was a double-sided screen that had catwalks inside it and could be raised and lowered.
In effect, they turned the entire stadium show sideways, and made all the center court seats the best seats to see the entire show, with each end of the arena being rewarded with their own up-close sets during the show.
They interacted with this video screen in so many interesting ways, and by the end of the Songs Of Experience tour it was nearly more of a musical stage presentation than a concert -- heavily choreographed and specifically sequenced, with a story being told and special effects and props coming into existence. Here's an image of a giant Bono (on the video screen) holding tiny Edge (inside the video screen in real life).
It was a really interesting couple of tours. They were so similar and yet very different, using the same song entirely differently across shows, etc.
They've also been using their tours to consistently reflect back on their previous projects, which can be quite interesting sometimes. Here's a shot from the tour where they were referencing their Elevation tour (which had a b/w camera on each band member for the entirety of the show), showing how the two stages are set up and how the screen hangs in the arena.
posted by hippybear at 1:02 PM on November 1, 2022 [11 favorites]
For these tours, U2 put a stage at either end of the arena with a long catwalk between them, and then above that catwalk, running the length of the arena, was a double-sided screen that had catwalks inside it and could be raised and lowered.
In effect, they turned the entire stadium show sideways, and made all the center court seats the best seats to see the entire show, with each end of the arena being rewarded with their own up-close sets during the show.
They interacted with this video screen in so many interesting ways, and by the end of the Songs Of Experience tour it was nearly more of a musical stage presentation than a concert -- heavily choreographed and specifically sequenced, with a story being told and special effects and props coming into existence. Here's an image of a giant Bono (on the video screen) holding tiny Edge (inside the video screen in real life).
It was a really interesting couple of tours. They were so similar and yet very different, using the same song entirely differently across shows, etc.
They've also been using their tours to consistently reflect back on their previous projects, which can be quite interesting sometimes. Here's a shot from the tour where they were referencing their Elevation tour (which had a b/w camera on each band member for the entirety of the show), showing how the two stages are set up and how the screen hangs in the arena.
posted by hippybear at 1:02 PM on November 1, 2022 [11 favorites]
"One", their first number one hit.
Wikipedia suggests it only went to number one in Ireland and Canada and they had previously had number ones in both territories.
posted by biffa at 1:23 PM on November 1, 2022
Wikipedia suggests it only went to number one in Ireland and Canada and they had previously had number ones in both territories.
posted by biffa at 1:23 PM on November 1, 2022
1 minute YouTube video of Bill Bailey doing a demonstration of a catastrophic technical failure at a U2 gig.
posted by TheophileEscargot at 1:24 PM on November 1, 2022 [5 favorites]
posted by TheophileEscargot at 1:24 PM on November 1, 2022 [5 favorites]
Zooropa is one of my all-time favorite albums (obviously). Fun fact: for years, I had a license plate that read ZROPA U2.
Often forgotten as a piece of artsy Euotrash (by fans, critics, and the band alike), I still find the music and themes as fresh and timeless as ever. This little slice of 1993 lifted me out of my suburban Chicago myopia and opened my eyes me to a larger, darker world full of cyberpunk, video overload, and digital intoxication.
For me, Zooropa was pre-millennium anxiety set to a dance beat. Nowadays, it feels like a sleepy-eyed walkthrough of this glittery techno Babel we've built for ourselves.
"Don't worry baby, it's gonna be alright.
Uncertainty can be a guiding light."
"Faraway, so close. Up with the static and the radio.
With satellite television, you can go anywhere
Miami, New Orleans, London, Belfast and Berlin" (and Vernon Hills, Illinois)
"Throw a rock in the air and you'll hit someone guilty."
_________________________________
Here's how the songs from Zooropa netted out on the Vulture list:
32. “Zooropa"
38. “Stay (Faraway, So Close)"
44. “The First Time"
49. “The Wanderer"
53. “Numb"
72. “Lemon"
74. “Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me"
83. “Dirty Day"
106. “Daddy’s Gonna Pay for Your Crashed Car"
126. “Some Days Are Better Than Others"
Honorable mentions:
142. “I’m Not Your Baby"
219. “Down All the Days”
posted by zooropa at 1:33 PM on November 1, 2022 [13 favorites]
Often forgotten as a piece of artsy Euotrash (by fans, critics, and the band alike), I still find the music and themes as fresh and timeless as ever. This little slice of 1993 lifted me out of my suburban Chicago myopia and opened my eyes me to a larger, darker world full of cyberpunk, video overload, and digital intoxication.
For me, Zooropa was pre-millennium anxiety set to a dance beat. Nowadays, it feels like a sleepy-eyed walkthrough of this glittery techno Babel we've built for ourselves.
"Don't worry baby, it's gonna be alright.
Uncertainty can be a guiding light."
"Faraway, so close. Up with the static and the radio.
With satellite television, you can go anywhere
Miami, New Orleans, London, Belfast and Berlin" (and Vernon Hills, Illinois)
"Throw a rock in the air and you'll hit someone guilty."
_________________________________
Here's how the songs from Zooropa netted out on the Vulture list:
32. “Zooropa"
38. “Stay (Faraway, So Close)"
44. “The First Time"
49. “The Wanderer"
53. “Numb"
72. “Lemon"
74. “Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me"
83. “Dirty Day"
106. “Daddy’s Gonna Pay for Your Crashed Car"
126. “Some Days Are Better Than Others"
Honorable mentions:
142. “I’m Not Your Baby"
219. “Down All the Days”
posted by zooropa at 1:33 PM on November 1, 2022 [13 favorites]
Zooropa is one of my all-time favorite albums (obviously).
The run of creativity and mold-breaking by the band that ran from Achtung Baby through Zooropa and into POP is one of the most amazing runs since the Beatles went Rubber Soul -> Revolver -> Sgt Peppers. Sadly, POP was largely rejected at the time (I think because people didn't really understand it). After POP fell over and died, U2 has never been that consistently adventurous again.
That's probably my favorite period of U2, really. I think POP is an utterly brilliant album, trying desperately to claw the energy of the Techno music that was emerging at the time with the function of a rock and roll band. Not an easy thing to do, but they accomplished it pretty well. Well enough that there are songs and albums and bands that are striving for the same thing, even decades later.
posted by hippybear at 1:42 PM on November 1, 2022 [10 favorites]
The run of creativity and mold-breaking by the band that ran from Achtung Baby through Zooropa and into POP is one of the most amazing runs since the Beatles went Rubber Soul -> Revolver -> Sgt Peppers. Sadly, POP was largely rejected at the time (I think because people didn't really understand it). After POP fell over and died, U2 has never been that consistently adventurous again.
That's probably my favorite period of U2, really. I think POP is an utterly brilliant album, trying desperately to claw the energy of the Techno music that was emerging at the time with the function of a rock and roll band. Not an easy thing to do, but they accomplished it pretty well. Well enough that there are songs and albums and bands that are striving for the same thing, even decades later.
posted by hippybear at 1:42 PM on November 1, 2022 [10 favorites]
Here's how the songs from Zooropa netted out on the Vulture list:
So, missing from your list is Babyface at 192, and b-side Holy Joe (51), as well as the expected remixes that are nowhere on this list. A favorite of mine is Numb (Gimme Some More Dignity Mix).
posted by hippybear at 1:51 PM on November 1, 2022 [1 favorite]
So, missing from your list is Babyface at 192, and b-side Holy Joe (51), as well as the expected remixes that are nowhere on this list. A favorite of mine is Numb (Gimme Some More Dignity Mix).
posted by hippybear at 1:51 PM on November 1, 2022 [1 favorite]
I was a kid in the 80s and had some family friends that were a bit older and really into U2. I got into the band through them. The first CD I ever bought was Rattle and Hum in 1990. The second may have been Achtung Baby which I bought the day it came out. The first concert I went to was at the CNE in Toronto on their Outside Broadcast tour. I and a couple of friends were obsessed with the band and bought up all of their older albums and EPs and even a couple of concert bootlegs. Like hippybear I followed them through Zooropa and POP and then lost interest with All That You Can't Leave Behind and their later output because it felt like they were playing within themselves instead of pushing themselves further.
They re-released the Joshua Tree a couple of years back and it is still a brilliant album. The first 5 songs are all classics even if I don't really care for I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For myself. If you could replace Red Hill Mining Town and Trip Through Your Wires with anything else they put out around the same time it would probably be a perfect album.
posted by any portmanteau in a storm at 1:51 PM on November 1, 2022 [5 favorites]
They re-released the Joshua Tree a couple of years back and it is still a brilliant album. The first 5 songs are all classics even if I don't really care for I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For myself. If you could replace Red Hill Mining Town and Trip Through Your Wires with anything else they put out around the same time it would probably be a perfect album.
posted by any portmanteau in a storm at 1:51 PM on November 1, 2022 [5 favorites]
I really want to weigh in on this in some productive way, but so many U2 albums have found me at just the right moment in my life that there's no way to do it. Corny, I guess, but a lot of this music is indelibly associated with some meaningful parts of my life that there's no way for me think about shuffling around what songs are better or worse without thinking about shuffling around what parts of my life have been more or less important.
Except that Hippybear is right and Pop is criminally underrated.
posted by mhoye at 1:56 PM on November 1, 2022 [7 favorites]
Except that Hippybear is right and Pop is criminally underrated.
posted by mhoye at 1:56 PM on November 1, 2022 [7 favorites]
I'm just here to post the Pet Shop Boys' genuinely remarkable cover of #1 hit Where the Streets Have No Name.
A fun footnote to that: Neil Tennant once said that after releasing their cover version, he got a call from U2, who left him a voicemail:
“What have we
What have we
What have we done to deserve this?”
posted by dnash at 2:00 PM on November 1, 2022 [11 favorites]
A fun footnote to that: Neil Tennant once said that after releasing their cover version, he got a call from U2, who left him a voicemail:
“What have we
What have we
What have we done to deserve this?”
posted by dnash at 2:00 PM on November 1, 2022 [11 favorites]
"Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me" is in the top third, so I'm happy.
posted by infinitewindow at 2:09 PM on November 1, 2022
posted by infinitewindow at 2:09 PM on November 1, 2022
"I Will Follow" is my #1 favorite U2 song
"Joshua Tree" is maybe the record I've spent the most time in my life failing to appreciate. I think that's the diplomatic way to put it.
When I worked in the record store, the first owner hilariously hated U2 so much that he refused to carry them . The second owner stocked them, to a point, and mostly just pointed customers to their section if any came in and asked if we had any Christian rock.
posted by thivaia at 2:11 PM on November 1, 2022 [3 favorites]
"Joshua Tree" is maybe the record I've spent the most time in my life failing to appreciate. I think that's the diplomatic way to put it.
When I worked in the record store, the first owner hilariously hated U2 so much that he refused to carry them . The second owner stocked them, to a point, and mostly just pointed customers to their section if any came in and asked if we had any Christian rock.
posted by thivaia at 2:11 PM on November 1, 2022 [3 favorites]
My peak experience of U2 lined up with Joshua Tree and Achtung Baby. I feel like I caught a good run - kinda like catching R.E.M. in the same years for Out Of Time and Automatic For The People.
"Ultra Violet (Light My Way)" in the top 20... yes.
So many of the comments in this thread are some version of "I don't much care for U2 in general but at [moment X] of my life they were perfect." I've been reading The Number Ones since it was here on the Blue in June, and it's so rare for a band to have this kind of staying power and impact.
Anyways, count me in for Team I Love Uncool Things Unironically.
posted by sockshaveholes at 2:21 PM on November 1, 2022 [3 favorites]
"Ultra Violet (Light My Way)" in the top 20... yes.
So many of the comments in this thread are some version of "I don't much care for U2 in general but at [moment X] of my life they were perfect." I've been reading The Number Ones since it was here on the Blue in June, and it's so rare for a band to have this kind of staying power and impact.
Anyways, count me in for Team I Love Uncool Things Unironically.
posted by sockshaveholes at 2:21 PM on November 1, 2022 [3 favorites]
“What have we
What have we
What have we done to deserve this?”
I like Trent Reznor's droney, shoegazey cover of Zoo Station quite a bit.
posted by mhoye at 2:31 PM on November 1, 2022 [1 favorite]
What have we
What have we done to deserve this?”
I like Trent Reznor's droney, shoegazey cover of Zoo Station quite a bit.
posted by mhoye at 2:31 PM on November 1, 2022 [1 favorite]
I liked the various singles that I heard on the radio and bought When Love Comes to Town, but was never a huge fan. However, the only album I have ever bought and just played and played on repeat for ages was Achtung Baby. I don't know what it was about that record but I just found it absorbing. I haven't heard it in many years but at the time I thought it was almost perfect.
posted by Martha My Dear Prudence at 2:41 PM on November 1, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by Martha My Dear Prudence at 2:41 PM on November 1, 2022 [1 favorite]
I disagree with a great many things on this list, but I'm going to pick on Please, which deserves to be way higher than #110 simply because the live version from Popmart where the ending becomes a stealth intro to Streets is one of the all time greatest moments in the history of live music, send tweet don't @ me.
posted by automatronic at 2:56 PM on November 1, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by automatronic at 2:56 PM on November 1, 2022 [2 favorites]
I love U2, I'm not ashamed of it, though many of my music snob community has tried to shame me for it. I'll have more to say when I've fully digested this list, but wanted to share this one anecdote because I find it hysterical:
My late mom was a Marxist, went to Catholic school her whole childhood, was raised in a Hindu family, thought it was all crap. Raised me completely without religion at all.
High school comes and All That You Can't Leave Behind drops and fucking UNITES us as a school. We all bought and loved that album. This prompts me to go through their back catalog and realize how many of their older songs I already knew without knowing, and discover others ("Bad" is my all-time favorite U2 song).
After college I lived with a roommate who also liked U2 but made an offhand comment one day about the copious religious imagery and references in their lyrics.
"Huh?" I said. "What do you mean?"
"Bono's songwriting is steeped in Biblical references. You didn't know that?"
"Biblical references?"
"Nayantara - in 'Beautiful Day' he literally sings 'after the flood all the colors come out.'"
"Yeah, I knew that. What does that have to do with the Bible?"
"The flood. THE flood. The FLOOD. THE FLOOD, Nayantara!"
"I don't understand..."
"THE FLOOD THAT HAPPENED AND THEN NOAH BUILT HIS ARK, THAT FLOOD!"
"Noah's Ark is a BIBLE STORY?!"
(Imagine my roommate beating his head against his desk at this point.)
And that's the story of how, after several years of being a U2 fan, I found out that they are kind of a stealth Christian rock band, and that Noah's Ark is not a children's story written by a whimsical author who loved animals but a fable from a religious text.
(My mother loved Bono, btw - anyone who tried to change the world was a good person in her eyes. She may not have known enough of U2's catalog to pick up on the Catholicism and object. Or she may not have cared - she loved Bono.)
posted by nayantara at 2:57 PM on November 1, 2022 [23 favorites]
My late mom was a Marxist, went to Catholic school her whole childhood, was raised in a Hindu family, thought it was all crap. Raised me completely without religion at all.
High school comes and All That You Can't Leave Behind drops and fucking UNITES us as a school. We all bought and loved that album. This prompts me to go through their back catalog and realize how many of their older songs I already knew without knowing, and discover others ("Bad" is my all-time favorite U2 song).
After college I lived with a roommate who also liked U2 but made an offhand comment one day about the copious religious imagery and references in their lyrics.
"Huh?" I said. "What do you mean?"
"Bono's songwriting is steeped in Biblical references. You didn't know that?"
"Biblical references?"
"Nayantara - in 'Beautiful Day' he literally sings 'after the flood all the colors come out.'"
"Yeah, I knew that. What does that have to do with the Bible?"
"The flood. THE flood. The FLOOD. THE FLOOD, Nayantara!"
"I don't understand..."
"THE FLOOD THAT HAPPENED AND THEN NOAH BUILT HIS ARK, THAT FLOOD!"
"Noah's Ark is a BIBLE STORY?!"
(Imagine my roommate beating his head against his desk at this point.)
And that's the story of how, after several years of being a U2 fan, I found out that they are kind of a stealth Christian rock band, and that Noah's Ark is not a children's story written by a whimsical author who loved animals but a fable from a religious text.
(My mother loved Bono, btw - anyone who tried to change the world was a good person in her eyes. She may not have known enough of U2's catalog to pick up on the Catholicism and object. Or she may not have cared - she loved Bono.)
posted by nayantara at 2:57 PM on November 1, 2022 [23 favorites]
Achtung Baby fans - the 33-1/3 book about it is a seriously fun read. The casual fans and not-that-into-U2'ers will think it's pretentious as hell, but the fans will have fun watching just how deep it goes into a rabbit hole of meaning, or will cheerfully follow along all "dang, this is like those 3 am conversations I had in college" or something.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 2:59 PM on November 1, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 2:59 PM on November 1, 2022 [2 favorites]
I never quite recovered from living in a college dorm the year "The Joshua Tree" came out, but I still occasionally listen to Boy, October, Achtung Baby, and Zooropa.
The latter is my favorite, and I gather I'm somewhat unusual in that, but I was going through a big Eno phase around the time it was released which is more than likely related in some way..
posted by Nerd of the North at 3:50 PM on November 1, 2022
The latter is my favorite, and I gather I'm somewhat unusual in that, but I was going through a big Eno phase around the time it was released which is more than likely related in some way..
posted by Nerd of the North at 3:50 PM on November 1, 2022
i ran into bono outside of a soccer game in seattle years and years ago - he ended up walking part of the way to the stadium with me and my family - and he was very kind and gracious to us and signed autographs for me and my little brother. he told me my name was “interesting” while he did so (it’s really not, it’s ubiquitous for my age group, it’s just spelled differently), and i just kinda looked at him and replied, “says bono” and he laughed and conceded the point.
posted by emmling at 3:59 PM on November 1, 2022 [10 favorites]
posted by emmling at 3:59 PM on November 1, 2022 [10 favorites]
I saw U2 on the tour for their second album in a pretty small place, and I thought it was a really good show. The Edge and his triplet echo trick gets wearisome after a point, but damn there’s a million worse bands.
I don’t have a favorite song in particular- I’m not #1 fanatic- but I have been heard to drive around in Mexico singing “Where the streets have no lanes.”
Also, Arthur Lee and Love were better than you might realize.
posted by Devils Rancher at 4:22 PM on November 1, 2022
I don’t have a favorite song in particular- I’m not #1 fanatic- but I have been heard to drive around in Mexico singing “Where the streets have no lanes.”
Also, Arthur Lee and Love were better than you might realize.
posted by Devils Rancher at 4:22 PM on November 1, 2022
Oh hell yeah, Zooropa. I always forget about Zooropa. What an amazing album that was kind of just an afterthought for them.
Also I once drove through Joshua Tree NP while listing to The Joshua Tree.
posted by bondcliff at 4:28 PM on November 1, 2022
Also I once drove through Joshua Tree NP while listing to The Joshua Tree.
posted by bondcliff at 4:28 PM on November 1, 2022
Pretty sure that Henry Rollins thinks it's a 234-way tie.
As for myself, U2 falls into a category that many other bands fall into for me, such as Aerosmith, Heart, Van Halen and Metallica. I can enjoy their catalog up to a certain point in time, and prefer to imagine that their airplane went down with all hands lost, so that all further music that they allegedly created is simply a matter of mass hallucinations. For U2, I'll see if I can dig up any records of plane crashes in 1984.
posted by delfin at 4:34 PM on November 1, 2022
As for myself, U2 falls into a category that many other bands fall into for me, such as Aerosmith, Heart, Van Halen and Metallica. I can enjoy their catalog up to a certain point in time, and prefer to imagine that their airplane went down with all hands lost, so that all further music that they allegedly created is simply a matter of mass hallucinations. For U2, I'll see if I can dig up any records of plane crashes in 1984.
posted by delfin at 4:34 PM on November 1, 2022
I appreciate this thread for drawing out all my fellow Gen Xers. Now that you're here, I have a question about hanging wallpaper...
I was as tired of Bono as anyone, but at some point I just forgave him. Achtung, Baby is still a perfect record.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 4:37 PM on November 1, 2022 [3 favorites]
I was as tired of Bono as anyone, but at some point I just forgave him. Achtung, Baby is still a perfect record.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 4:37 PM on November 1, 2022 [3 favorites]
I'm a gigantic U2 fan and I'm endlessly weary of Bono. I have no interest in his new book that came out. I don't know when the band somehow became all about him, but certainly Songs Of Innocence and Songs Of Experience are ALL about Bono, and HTDAAB is more than a bit about him, and it's all a bit wearying even if you don't mind his schtick.
BUT... Bono convinced GWB to fund PEPFAR which did more to hold Africa against the scourge of HIV/AIDS than any other program. I don't know how healthy that remains after TFG, but for that one act alone, I will forgive Bono any number of ego-related sins.
posted by hippybear at 4:48 PM on November 1, 2022 [5 favorites]
BUT... Bono convinced GWB to fund PEPFAR which did more to hold Africa against the scourge of HIV/AIDS than any other program. I don't know how healthy that remains after TFG, but for that one act alone, I will forgive Bono any number of ego-related sins.
posted by hippybear at 4:48 PM on November 1, 2022 [5 favorites]
Take out Even Better Than the Real Thing and I'll agree.
posted by any portmanteau in a storm at 4:48 PM on November 1, 2022
posted by any portmanteau in a storm at 4:48 PM on November 1, 2022
Also, Arthur Lee and Love were better than you might realize.
I will concede My Little Red Book has merit. As for Arthur Lee and Love Live in 1970 -- man, that hair takes me back. *shudders*
posted by y2karl at 4:52 PM on November 1, 2022
I will concede My Little Red Book has merit. As for Arthur Lee and Love Live in 1970 -- man, that hair takes me back. *shudders*
posted by y2karl at 4:52 PM on November 1, 2022
Bullet the Blue Sky at only 19 is enough to dismiss the entire article. Pfft! Pshaw! Thhbbbttt!
Not that this is contentious or got me mad. I never get mad.
posted by conorh at 4:53 PM on November 1, 2022 [2 favorites]
Not that this is contentious or got me mad. I never get mad.
posted by conorh at 4:53 PM on November 1, 2022 [2 favorites]
I'd say "New Years Day", "With or Without You" or "Sunday Bloody Sunday" put them on the map. Or "One", their first number one hit. All these songs are still played today. I just listened to Bad and as a casual U2 fan who basically grew up with them, I've also never heard it before. It is one of their really slow songs, so if I did hear it, I probably changed the station.
I would replace "With or Without You' with "I Will Follow," which was the first U2 song I heard and which I prefer greatly.
As for "Bad," I didn't recognize it by name, either. I punched it up on YouTube and was like, oh, that song. Of course I've heard it before; it was largely inescapable, but it never registered enough with me for me to remember its name.
C'est la vie.
posted by delfin at 4:54 PM on November 1, 2022
I would replace "With or Without You' with "I Will Follow," which was the first U2 song I heard and which I prefer greatly.
As for "Bad," I didn't recognize it by name, either. I punched it up on YouTube and was like, oh, that song. Of course I've heard it before; it was largely inescapable, but it never registered enough with me for me to remember its name.
C'est la vie.
posted by delfin at 4:54 PM on November 1, 2022
A friend catered the HTDAAB recording sessions and cherishes the memory of Brian Eno folding his hands and bowing gently to thank her for the sandwich. Which is charming.
But surely someone in the room should have known that Vertigo was Sonic Youth’s Dirty Boots?
posted by sjswitzer at 5:16 PM on November 1, 2022 [1 favorite]
But surely someone in the room should have known that Vertigo was Sonic Youth’s Dirty Boots?
posted by sjswitzer at 5:16 PM on November 1, 2022 [1 favorite]
Looking (just so far) at the bottom ~80 or so, there are a few excellent songs ("Rejoice" , "Is That All", "With a Shout", "4th of July", "God Pt. II", "Elvis Presley and America", "Yahweh") I'm quite surprised to see so low, but then what looks like nearly all of Songs of Innocence/Experience, so fair enough (says he stuck musically in 1993). But ... quite a ... nasty ... summation of many of these songs. I guess that's the price of Bono Bonoing for 40+ years.
What did happen to Bono? Just when it looked like he may have slipped the bonds of whatever traditional cliches he'd sought so hard to avoid, he instead seems to have doubled back and embraced them all completely.
posted by riverlife at 5:23 PM on November 1, 2022
What did happen to Bono? Just when it looked like he may have slipped the bonds of whatever traditional cliches he'd sought so hard to avoid, he instead seems to have doubled back and embraced them all completely.
posted by riverlife at 5:23 PM on November 1, 2022
And that's the story of how, after several years of being a U2 fan, I found out that they are kind of a stealth Christian rock band.....
Oh, yeah. I mean, "40" lifts most of its lyrics from the 40th Psalm, and the article mentions that time very very early in the band's history when they almost broke up because Bono, Edge, and Larry were all in this charismatic/evangelical Christian group and were starting to question whether rock music was something God-Fearing Christians should do.
But they snapped out of it and realized that "come on, music can help people find God as well." But even better, they had the amazing open-mindedness to realize that "and 'God' can be defined in a lot of different ways, too". They leave those little Christian references in because it's part of their own personal language, and if someone asks them about it they are open about stuff like "yeah, that number on the album cover for All That you Can't Leave Behind is one of our favorite verses from the book of Jeremiah". But for fans who don't get the Christian references and are just singing along because the songs are bangers, well, that's cool too. If listening to "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" sends you to your local mosque and makes you find Allah, that's just as awesome. ....A couple times I've seen clips of them doing "Beautiful Day" live, and as it's ending, Bono has sung the phrase "The goal is soul" a few times as a sort of chant - and "soul" can mean a lot of things.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 5:26 PM on November 1, 2022 [3 favorites]
Oh, yeah. I mean, "40" lifts most of its lyrics from the 40th Psalm, and the article mentions that time very very early in the band's history when they almost broke up because Bono, Edge, and Larry were all in this charismatic/evangelical Christian group and were starting to question whether rock music was something God-Fearing Christians should do.
But they snapped out of it and realized that "come on, music can help people find God as well." But even better, they had the amazing open-mindedness to realize that "and 'God' can be defined in a lot of different ways, too". They leave those little Christian references in because it's part of their own personal language, and if someone asks them about it they are open about stuff like "yeah, that number on the album cover for All That you Can't Leave Behind is one of our favorite verses from the book of Jeremiah". But for fans who don't get the Christian references and are just singing along because the songs are bangers, well, that's cool too. If listening to "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" sends you to your local mosque and makes you find Allah, that's just as awesome. ....A couple times I've seen clips of them doing "Beautiful Day" live, and as it's ending, Bono has sung the phrase "The goal is soul" a few times as a sort of chant - and "soul" can mean a lot of things.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 5:26 PM on November 1, 2022 [3 favorites]
Found it -
2001, live at Slane Castle, "Goal! Goal! The goal is soul! Soul!"
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 5:30 PM on November 1, 2022
2001, live at Slane Castle, "Goal! Goal! The goal is soul! Soul!"
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 5:30 PM on November 1, 2022
Oh wow, I've finally read the top 70 or so entries on the list and so much I don't agree with. But I'll probably put on Achtung Baby tomorrow when everyone is out of the house and play it really loud so that's one good thing that came out of the list. Really, the fly at 67?! Bullet the Blue Sky at 19? I didn't like the song when I was a kid and first heard it but now that song, especially the evolution of its live versions, is the distillation of U2 for me. When it plays on Joshua Tree after three great, pretty songs it's like a slap in the face and it probably isn't as "good" of a song as the two beside it but sometimes you need that slap you know? And live I don't think any other of their songs has as much energy. I was wondering if it still does seeing how it's been over 20 years since I heard a new version of them playing it live and they're a lot older now but seeing their 2017 performance on Fallon shows that they're still bringing it as best they can.
posted by any portmanteau in a storm at 5:31 PM on November 1, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by any portmanteau in a storm at 5:31 PM on November 1, 2022 [1 favorite]
So as far as U2 live goes... I've seen them on every tour since I first them them in 1987 (well, all their major tours anyway), and by far the most astounding show I've seen was in Phoenix in November 23, 2001. We're only 12 days after the Twin Towers, and we're only a couple of days after the Diamondbacks won the World Series, and the city is in a very strange state of mind.
This was the tour with the heart-shaped catwalk encompassing part of the audience. You may have seen the DVD filmed in Boston earlier that same year. That's a really amazing filming of one of U2's best presented shows -- it's a rock concert with a narrative, and it has a specific point it's trying to make, and it's so very very effective.
Well, after 9/11, the entirely revamped their show. They rewrote the narrative and reshaped the show from a critique of American culture to a healing worship service. It was one of the most intense experiences I've had at a rock show, this arena of people begging for healing and these four people on stage truly providing that.
Here's an audio recording of the show [1h51m] (not video, sorry), and here's a setlist and a review from the Arizona Republic of that show. Truly amazing. Listening to this show still gives me goosebumps.
I have a million U2 concert stories. Truly, U2 live is where it's at. I'm not sure they'll ever tour again, but they do it better than anyone else. And someone upthread mentioned how manipulative Bono was during the Live Aid show... well, honestly, every rock star is manipulative up on that stage, and Bono is a master of it, and usually leaves you feeling amazing at the end of it.
posted by hippybear at 5:42 PM on November 1, 2022 [6 favorites]
This was the tour with the heart-shaped catwalk encompassing part of the audience. You may have seen the DVD filmed in Boston earlier that same year. That's a really amazing filming of one of U2's best presented shows -- it's a rock concert with a narrative, and it has a specific point it's trying to make, and it's so very very effective.
Well, after 9/11, the entirely revamped their show. They rewrote the narrative and reshaped the show from a critique of American culture to a healing worship service. It was one of the most intense experiences I've had at a rock show, this arena of people begging for healing and these four people on stage truly providing that.
Here's an audio recording of the show [1h51m] (not video, sorry), and here's a setlist and a review from the Arizona Republic of that show. Truly amazing. Listening to this show still gives me goosebumps.
I have a million U2 concert stories. Truly, U2 live is where it's at. I'm not sure they'll ever tour again, but they do it better than anyone else. And someone upthread mentioned how manipulative Bono was during the Live Aid show... well, honestly, every rock star is manipulative up on that stage, and Bono is a master of it, and usually leaves you feeling amazing at the end of it.
posted by hippybear at 5:42 PM on November 1, 2022 [6 favorites]
well, honestly, every rock star is manipulative up on that stage, and Bono is a master of it, and usually leaves you feeling amazing at the end of it.
When U2 was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Bruce Springsteen delivered the introduction speech, and somewhere in there he describes Bono as having "one of the most endearingly naked messianic complexes in rock and roll history".
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 5:46 PM on November 1, 2022 [5 favorites]
When U2 was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Bruce Springsteen delivered the introduction speech, and somewhere in there he describes Bono as having "one of the most endearingly naked messianic complexes in rock and roll history".
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 5:46 PM on November 1, 2022 [5 favorites]
One of my all-time favorite concert experiences was seeing U2 at RFK Stadium on their Joshua Tree tour. My brother scored seats 15th row center on the floor so we had an excellent view. People up in the stadium seats lit up their cigarette lighters (an ancient concert-going custom) and they looked like stars.
My favorite version of "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" is the one from the Rattle and Hum movie they recorded live in a church in Harlem with The New Voices of Freedom gospel choir (music starts at about 0:38). (Story.)
I wore out a tape I made of all their B-sides up through Joshua Tree, so I have a special place in my heart for songs like Sweetest Thing, Spanish Eyes, and Silver and Gold.
Me too! I graduated high school in 1983, and I had a similar relationship with U2 and R.E.M., liking them from early on through most of the '80s. Then both bands seemed to change from following their own path to going into other genres and I lost interest.
My U2 playlist starts with most of Under a Blood Red Sky, then add picks through Rattle and Hum, then a couple of their '90s songs, then "Beautiful Day." I'll use this article and post to make some updates.
I'd say "New Years Day", "With or Without You" or "Sunday Bloody Sunday" put them on the map.
"New Years Day" was the first song of theirs I remember, and the live version of "Sunday Bloody Sunday" Under a Blood Red Sky came next as I recall. The VHS of that concert was pretty great.
I guess I'm a bit disappointed that the rules preclude "Night and Day" from being listed because they didn't write it.
The Cole Porter cover they did on the Red Hot + Blue benefit album? Bummer.
posted by kirkaracha at 5:46 PM on November 1, 2022 [1 favorite]
My favorite version of "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" is the one from the Rattle and Hum movie they recorded live in a church in Harlem with The New Voices of Freedom gospel choir (music starts at about 0:38). (Story.)
I wore out a tape I made of all their B-sides up through Joshua Tree, so I have a special place in my heart for songs like Sweetest Thing, Spanish Eyes, and Silver and Gold.
Me too! I graduated high school in 1983, and I had a similar relationship with U2 and R.E.M., liking them from early on through most of the '80s. Then both bands seemed to change from following their own path to going into other genres and I lost interest.
My U2 playlist starts with most of Under a Blood Red Sky, then add picks through Rattle and Hum, then a couple of their '90s songs, then "Beautiful Day." I'll use this article and post to make some updates.
I'd say "New Years Day", "With or Without You" or "Sunday Bloody Sunday" put them on the map.
"New Years Day" was the first song of theirs I remember, and the live version of "Sunday Bloody Sunday" Under a Blood Red Sky came next as I recall. The VHS of that concert was pretty great.
I guess I'm a bit disappointed that the rules preclude "Night and Day" from being listed because they didn't write it.
The Cole Porter cover they did on the Red Hot + Blue benefit album? Bummer.
posted by kirkaracha at 5:46 PM on November 1, 2022 [1 favorite]
I can just start digging up tracks I have in my library that aren't on this list at all and start posting them here. I guess their covers weren't allowed in the list, that's probably a whole 'nother post. I do admire their cover of M's Pop Music [8m50s] that they did for their POPMart tour. It really emphasizes how much they were working to get the techno music they were hearing coming up around them into a rock format, and at the end of it you can hear it begin to fade into the rift for MOFO, which is how they opened their shows -- this played as they marched out, and they opened with MOFO as their first song. Quite an opening song, if you ask me.
posted by hippybear at 5:59 PM on November 1, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by hippybear at 5:59 PM on November 1, 2022 [1 favorite]
They were my first concert at age 16. The Joshua Tree tour at the Worcester Centrum. They did a cover of Springhill Mining Disaster, and Bono explained who wrote it and what it was about and it was my first time experiencing a band I loved doing a cover song and introducing me to someone else's music. I didn't even know it was called a cover song back then. I just knew it was something special. To this day I love it when bands do covers. Do it exact or make it your own, whatever. Just show me the songs you love that aren't your own.
posted by bondcliff at 6:22 PM on November 1, 2022
posted by bondcliff at 6:22 PM on November 1, 2022
Bono was recently on Graham Norton's show (related to his memoir), and mentioned how he and Edge wrote "Two Shots Of Happy, One Shot Of Sad" for Frank Sinatra, who sadly passed before he could record it. ....but then he sings a verse from it, and....y'all, if you meet someone who has any doubts as to whether Bono "still has it" as a singer in his 60s, show them this.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 6:49 PM on November 1, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 6:49 PM on November 1, 2022 [2 favorites]
Fuck me quit it
posted by BlunderingArtist at 7:04 PM on November 1, 2022
posted by BlunderingArtist at 7:04 PM on November 1, 2022
Obligatory link to U Talkin' U2 2 Me (podcast), the exhaustive and comprehensive look at U2's discography, album by album. Hosted by dry-witted, absurdist actor Adam Scott (Party Down, Parks and Rec, Severance, etc.), and comedy podcasting maestro Scott Aukerman (Comedy Bang-Bang, Between Two Ferns, etc.). It's smart, it's dumb, it's arch and wry, but still earnest and funny. They are both longtime U2 fans, but are also very opinionated and un-shy about the stuff they don't like. They are also unafraid to go on long, ridiculous, non-even-barely-U2 related tangents to make a joke.
posted by Anoplura at 7:25 PM on November 1, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by Anoplura at 7:25 PM on November 1, 2022 [3 favorites]
It's smart, it's dumb, it's arch and wry, but still earnest and funny.
Thedge
Bonobos
Adam Clay2000lbs
Larry Mullen Senior's son
posted by bondcliff at 7:37 PM on November 1, 2022 [2 favorites]
Thedge
Bonobos
Adam Clay2000lbs
Larry Mullen Senior's son
posted by bondcliff at 7:37 PM on November 1, 2022 [2 favorites]
They opened their Joshua Tree set in Iowa City with Streets and absolutely blew the fucking roof off the place. 16000 people just completely losing their minds. It was so great.
posted by Caxton1476 at 8:23 PM on November 1, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by Caxton1476 at 8:23 PM on November 1, 2022 [1 favorite]
Can we get one of these for REM? Specifically from Bill Wyman? Because I want to watch the meltdowns.
posted by Caxton1476 at 8:39 PM on November 1, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by Caxton1476 at 8:39 PM on November 1, 2022 [1 favorite]
IMO. U2 has always been better live than recorded in the studio. I wore out my copy of Under a Blood Red Sky in High School.
I look back on the bands that have opened for them, in shows that I've gone to, and it makes me happy:
The Waterboys
Pretenders (with Johnny Marr) - oh, and The Dalton Brothers
Lenny Kravitz
BB King
Pixies
Damian Marley
Really bummed I missed the Us Festival...
posted by Chuffy at 8:42 PM on November 1, 2022
I look back on the bands that have opened for them, in shows that I've gone to, and it makes me happy:
The Waterboys
Pretenders (with Johnny Marr) - oh, and The Dalton Brothers
Lenny Kravitz
BB King
Pixies
Damian Marley
Really bummed I missed the Us Festival...
posted by Chuffy at 8:42 PM on November 1, 2022
Oh, cool we can all agree that U2 fucking sucks?
I'm so tired of romantic love.
posted by lkc at 8:54 PM on November 1, 2022
I'm so tired of romantic love.
posted by lkc at 8:54 PM on November 1, 2022
I will concede My Little Red Book has merit. As for Arthur Lee and Love Live in 1970 -- man, that hair takes me back. *shudders*
Intriguing until vocals, then yikes.
The band I’m in right now has been covering A House Is Not A Hotel lately, and it’s a ton of fun. The production on their records was terrible though.
posted by Devils Rancher at 9:10 PM on November 1, 2022
Intriguing until vocals, then yikes.
The band I’m in right now has been covering A House Is Not A Hotel lately, and it’s a ton of fun. The production on their records was terrible though.
posted by Devils Rancher at 9:10 PM on November 1, 2022
OK, sign me up for Team Uncool Things I Unironically Love also. I was a dramatic, emotional high schooler when Joshua Tree came out, I was living away from home for the first time in university residence when Achtung Baby came out. These songs are just inextricably meshed with such strong memories and emotions. When I listen to them, the nostalgia is visceral.
The most memorable U2 performance I’ve seen was their impromptu “I Will Follow” at the end of their November 20, 2004 Saturday Night Live show. I wish I could find that clip online but it seems to get aggressively removed every time someone posts it. Up to that point I hadn’t found Bono particularly attractive as a person, I still don’t, I cannot stress enough how much he is not my type, but god damn if he wasn’t terrifyingly sexually charismatic in that performance. I could not tear my eyes away from my tiny crappy TV screen. And then after that performance I went back to regarding U2 with mild affection and gentle nostalgia. But wow, that SNL performance! Whew. *fans self*
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 10:22 PM on November 1, 2022 [1 favorite]
The most memorable U2 performance I’ve seen was their impromptu “I Will Follow” at the end of their November 20, 2004 Saturday Night Live show. I wish I could find that clip online but it seems to get aggressively removed every time someone posts it. Up to that point I hadn’t found Bono particularly attractive as a person, I still don’t, I cannot stress enough how much he is not my type, but god damn if he wasn’t terrifyingly sexually charismatic in that performance. I could not tear my eyes away from my tiny crappy TV screen. And then after that performance I went back to regarding U2 with mild affection and gentle nostalgia. But wow, that SNL performance! Whew. *fans self*
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 10:22 PM on November 1, 2022 [1 favorite]
"I Will Follow" should be the start of any U2 playlist...
But I am an old.
posted by Windopaene at 10:39 PM on November 1, 2022 [2 favorites]
But I am an old.
posted by Windopaene at 10:39 PM on November 1, 2022 [2 favorites]
I appreciate the list and its thoughtful descriptions, although I'm not familiar with most of the B sides and outtakes. Is there a collection of a bunch of them somewhere so I don't have to search for them one by one? That said, I disagree so hard with many of the rankings, but to limit myself to one, You're The Best Thing About Me near the bottom? Come on. That is one of their best new songs in years, one of their best rockers ever (critics liked it too). "You're the best thing about me / the best things are easy to destroy."
I did find it annoying how many times songs from POP are described as unfinished. I think that supposed unfinishedness may be part of what I like, and count me among those who consider the album a true masterpiece (except of course for Miami), one of their best. It's too bad they've been trying to make up for POP's perceived lack of polish by overproducing everything since then.
posted by blue shadows at 11:12 PM on November 1, 2022
I did find it annoying how many times songs from POP are described as unfinished. I think that supposed unfinishedness may be part of what I like, and count me among those who consider the album a true masterpiece (except of course for Miami), one of their best. It's too bad they've been trying to make up for POP's perceived lack of polish by overproducing everything since then.
posted by blue shadows at 11:12 PM on November 1, 2022
IMO. U2 has always been better live than recorded in the studio.
I've long thought that "tour albums" should be a thing - "here, songs in album order, are the best live recordings from the tour promoting the album". I've never seen it done officially though.
posted by mhoye at 5:44 AM on November 2, 2022 [1 favorite]
I've long thought that "tour albums" should be a thing - "here, songs in album order, are the best live recordings from the tour promoting the album". I've never seen it done officially though.
posted by mhoye at 5:44 AM on November 2, 2022 [1 favorite]
I'm not here to argue about the rankings. I'm just here to drop this amazing cover version of Red Hill Mining Town.
(Why this guy is playing pizza places instead of stadiums is a mystery to me.)
posted by Mr. Bad Example at 5:49 AM on November 2, 2022 [1 favorite]
(Why this guy is playing pizza places instead of stadiums is a mystery to me.)
posted by Mr. Bad Example at 5:49 AM on November 2, 2022 [1 favorite]
doctor_negative: "I really liked War when it came out, kinda lost interest after that."
I liked the 12-inch vinyl of their first EP "Three". Once they did the 7-inch release, they were like, too pop, you know?
posted by signal at 5:53 AM on November 2, 2022 [4 favorites]
I liked the 12-inch vinyl of their first EP "Three". Once they did the 7-inch release, they were like, too pop, you know?
posted by signal at 5:53 AM on November 2, 2022 [4 favorites]
The most memorable U2 performance I’ve seen was their impromptu “I Will Follow” at the end of their November 20, 2004 Saturday Night Live show. I wish I could find that clip online but it seems to get aggressively removed every time someone posts it.
That Saturday Night Live show is here. "I Will Follow" is just after 1:01:20
posted by chavenet at 5:56 AM on November 2, 2022 [3 favorites]
That Saturday Night Live show is here. "I Will Follow" is just after 1:01:20
posted by chavenet at 5:56 AM on November 2, 2022 [3 favorites]
they were my first concert in 1997 in chicago at soldier field. i had gotten into them a year or two before as a freshman in high school. having that band to be obsessed about and learn about and collect their albums and find the cds from propaganda in used cd stores..... that got me through some bad times. i haven't bought a new one of their albums, or even sought out the singles since atomic bomb. zooropa and pop and joshua tree are my faves.
posted by misanthropicsarah at 6:05 AM on November 2, 2022
posted by misanthropicsarah at 6:05 AM on November 2, 2022
Best part of the SNL clip is when Bono ends the song by giving Amy Poehler a huge hug as he sings; she's apparently a super-geeked-out U2 fan and you can see her starting to weep with joy.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 6:08 AM on November 2, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 6:08 AM on November 2, 2022 [3 favorites]
“Seconds (Rockpalast 1983)”
This video went around in the spring and I noted at the time that it's all too easy to scoff at U2 since they started believing their own press releases 20 years or so ago. The same thing happened to The Rolling Stones. Just like The Stones though, U2 was once the real deal.
Cf. “What Makes This Song Great? Ep.54 U2”—Rick Beato, 30 January 2019
posted by ob1quixote at 6:38 AM on November 2, 2022
This video went around in the spring and I noted at the time that it's all too easy to scoff at U2 since they started believing their own press releases 20 years or so ago. The same thing happened to The Rolling Stones. Just like The Stones though, U2 was once the real deal.
Cf. “What Makes This Song Great? Ep.54 U2”—Rick Beato, 30 January 2019
posted by ob1quixote at 6:38 AM on November 2, 2022
Bono was recently on Graham Norton's show (related to his memoir), and mentioned how he and Edge wrote "Two Shots Of Happy, One Shot Of Sad" for Frank Sinatra, who sadly passed before he could record it.
Matt Dusk sings Two Shots of Happy, One Shot of Sad
posted by chavenet at 6:47 AM on November 2, 2022
Matt Dusk sings Two Shots of Happy, One Shot of Sad
posted by chavenet at 6:47 AM on November 2, 2022
EmpressCallipygos > Best part of the SNL clip is when Bono ends the song by giving Amy Poehler a huge hug as he sings; she's apparently a super-geeked-out U2 fan and you can see her starting to weep with joy.
YES! I remember watching this performance, too! When I heard Edge playing those magic chords, I just lost it. I started dancing in my living room with tears and a dopey grin on my face. Miancée asked me why I was crying. I distinctly remember saying, "Pure joy."
Then I saw Amy Poehler wiping her eyes with that huge smile and saying, "I'm right there with you, Amy."
hurdy gurdy girl > Wait. Was that you in the front row at 1:04:33? ;)
ETA: I just watched this again after not having seen it in so many years. I got the goosebumps and all the joyful feels. Again.
posted by zooropa at 6:59 AM on November 2, 2022 [2 favorites]
YES! I remember watching this performance, too! When I heard Edge playing those magic chords, I just lost it. I started dancing in my living room with tears and a dopey grin on my face. Miancée asked me why I was crying. I distinctly remember saying, "Pure joy."
Then I saw Amy Poehler wiping her eyes with that huge smile and saying, "I'm right there with you, Amy."
hurdy gurdy girl > Wait. Was that you in the front row at 1:04:33? ;)
ETA: I just watched this again after not having seen it in so many years. I got the goosebumps and all the joyful feels. Again.
posted by zooropa at 6:59 AM on November 2, 2022 [2 favorites]
Oh wow, thanks for posting that SNL clip. I think that was the first time they ever did that, having the band play over the closing. I think maybe Springsteen or someone else has done it since but it's pretty rare. I love watching Amy practically in tears.
The Edge has about a million guitars, he switches up for almost every song, but there is nothing cooler than seeing him with his Explorer playing the intro to I Will Follow. Nothing.
I don't think anyone in the music industry works harder than Dallas Schoo, his guitar tech. Dude is BUSY.
posted by bondcliff at 7:52 AM on November 2, 2022 [2 favorites]
The Edge has about a million guitars, he switches up for almost every song, but there is nothing cooler than seeing him with his Explorer playing the intro to I Will Follow. Nothing.
I don't think anyone in the music industry works harder than Dallas Schoo, his guitar tech. Dude is BUSY.
posted by bondcliff at 7:52 AM on November 2, 2022 [2 favorites]
Metafilter: your favorite music never sucks.
posted by neuron at 9:15 AM on November 2, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by neuron at 9:15 AM on November 2, 2022 [2 favorites]
Oh, cool we can all agree that U2 fucking sucks?
I'm so tired of romantic love.
I'm so tired of romantic love.
What came first, the music or the misery? People worry about kids playing with guns, or watching violent videos, that some sort of culture of violence will take them over. Nobody worries about kids listening to thousands, literally thousands of songs about heartbreak, rejection, pain, misery and loss. Did I listen to pop music because I was miserable? Or was I miserable because I listened to pop music?posted by kirkaracha at 9:24 AM on November 2, 2022 [4 favorites]
chavenet, thank you for posting that link!!
zooropa: hurdy gurdy girl > Wait. Was that you in the front row at 1:04:33? ;)
Lol, no! I would have been mortified! Actually I think she looks a little mortified…I sure hope she was okay with that.
I still think it’s an amazing performance, but it’s interesting what time does, because 18 years later it’s the Edge who has me riveted.
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 9:44 AM on November 2, 2022 [3 favorites]
zooropa: hurdy gurdy girl > Wait. Was that you in the front row at 1:04:33? ;)
Lol, no! I would have been mortified! Actually I think she looks a little mortified…I sure hope she was okay with that.
I still think it’s an amazing performance, but it’s interesting what time does, because 18 years later it’s the Edge who has me riveted.
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 9:44 AM on November 2, 2022 [3 favorites]
One thing that's weird as you get older is finding out that something in music you thought was unprecedented has pretty clear influences.
The Edge will always be a terrific and very distinctive guitar player, but I'm older now and I don't need to think of him as a rocket-out-of-nowhere anymore. Because at this point, I have a broader frame of reference and I can hear PiL, Television, Comsat Angels, etc. in his sound.
Has anyone else here seen that doc that's just The Edge, Jimmy Page, and Jack White sitting around talking about playing guitar?
posted by DirtyOldTown at 12:06 PM on November 2, 2022 [3 favorites]
The Edge will always be a terrific and very distinctive guitar player, but I'm older now and I don't need to think of him as a rocket-out-of-nowhere anymore. Because at this point, I have a broader frame of reference and I can hear PiL, Television, Comsat Angels, etc. in his sound.
Has anyone else here seen that doc that's just The Edge, Jimmy Page, and Jack White sitting around talking about playing guitar?
posted by DirtyOldTown at 12:06 PM on November 2, 2022 [3 favorites]
DOT - that documentary is called It Might Get Loud, and yes it is awesome. (I love it where Jimmy Page is showing Edge and Jack White the riff to "Whole Lotta Love," and the second it starts up Jack and Edge break into fanboy grins.)
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 12:48 PM on November 2, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 12:48 PM on November 2, 2022 [3 favorites]
Hey, so dropping back in to note that "Forever Changes" is a great fucking record. Arthur Lee is certainly a complicated character and sure, lyrically speaking, "Alone Again Or" (for example) isn't exactly full of nuance, but it's an absolutely legendary dazzle of a song.
Also, "Achtung Baby" is a much better record than I give it credit for, though being in prep school during the "Achtung Baby" era basically ruined "One" for me between senior quotes, horrifying slow dances, and seventeen year old, self-important would-be Bonos (SOMETIMES WITH FAKE IRISH ACCENTS) with half the talent and quadruple the likelihood of trying to feel you up after following up their terrible cover of "One" with an even more unforgivable"No Woman No Cry."
posted by thivaia at 1:27 PM on November 2, 2022
Also, "Achtung Baby" is a much better record than I give it credit for, though being in prep school during the "Achtung Baby" era basically ruined "One" for me between senior quotes, horrifying slow dances, and seventeen year old, self-important would-be Bonos (SOMETIMES WITH FAKE IRISH ACCENTS) with half the talent and quadruple the likelihood of trying to feel you up after following up their terrible cover of "One" with an even more unforgivable"No Woman No Cry."
posted by thivaia at 1:27 PM on November 2, 2022
Okay, so there are a lot of U2 studio cover recordings, and I'm know this is not going to be close to exhaustive, just the ones I have in my brain and found.
Everlasting Love
Unchained Melody
Happiness Is A Warm Gun [The Gun Mix]
Happiness Is A Warm Gun [The Danny Saber Mix]
Satellite Of Love
Night And Day (Steel String Mix)
Can't Help Falling In Love [Triple Peaks Remix]
Dancing Barefoot
Paint It Black
Fortunate Son
Tower Of Song [feat. Leonard Cohen]
posted by hippybear at 6:33 PM on November 2, 2022 [1 favorite]
Everlasting Love
Unchained Melody
Happiness Is A Warm Gun [The Gun Mix]
Happiness Is A Warm Gun [The Danny Saber Mix]
Satellite Of Love
Night And Day (Steel String Mix)
Can't Help Falling In Love [Triple Peaks Remix]
Dancing Barefoot
Paint It Black
Fortunate Son
Tower Of Song [feat. Leonard Cohen]
posted by hippybear at 6:33 PM on November 2, 2022 [1 favorite]
I guess I can put this here. U2 - The Joshua Tree Tour 2017, Live from Amsterdam [2h16m]. Pretty good fan-shot edited multi-cam. It was a good tour!
posted by hippybear at 11:34 AM on November 3, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by hippybear at 11:34 AM on November 3, 2022 [2 favorites]
U2 - The Joshua Tree Tour 2017, Live from Amsterdam
That Solidarity flag really gives it a period feel!
posted by rhizome at 11:40 AM on November 3, 2022 [1 favorite]
That Solidarity flag really gives it a period feel!
posted by rhizome at 11:40 AM on November 3, 2022 [1 favorite]
They do the whole album in order after their opening set, and Corbin's videos he made for that segment of the show are as breathtaking as you'd want them to be.
posted by hippybear at 11:41 AM on November 3, 2022
posted by hippybear at 11:41 AM on November 3, 2022
They do the whole album in order after their opening set, and Corbin's videos he made for that segment of the show are as breathtaking as you'd want them to be.
What's interesting is during the intro to Streets you can hear someone counting in the 6/8 time and then again when it switches to 4/4. I don't know if this is just someone filming who is a musician or some other source. Knowing what I know about them and their difficulty with the time switch on this song, it sounds like it might be someone behind the scenes counting off for them.
Edit to add: Looks like it's something in the audio mix. I'm hearing the counting before Still Haven't Found as well.
posted by bondcliff at 1:04 PM on November 3, 2022
What's interesting is during the intro to Streets you can hear someone counting in the 6/8 time and then again when it switches to 4/4. I don't know if this is just someone filming who is a musician or some other source. Knowing what I know about them and their difficulty with the time switch on this song, it sounds like it might be someone behind the scenes counting off for them.
Edit to add: Looks like it's something in the audio mix. I'm hearing the counting before Still Haven't Found as well.
posted by bondcliff at 1:04 PM on November 3, 2022
I think it's a soundboard mix, which means we're hearing what they're hearing through their earpieces or something similar. That's why we hear some click tracks and some countings during the show. Certainly isn't a part of the official audio mix of the show.
posted by hippybear at 1:54 PM on November 3, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by hippybear at 1:54 PM on November 3, 2022 [2 favorites]
Oh yeah, I didn't think it was official audio. I actually really like that sort of behind the scenes production stuff. I know they've long since worked with click tracks and sequencers so it's kind of cool seeing/hearing some of that.
posted by bondcliff at 2:04 PM on November 3, 2022
posted by bondcliff at 2:04 PM on November 3, 2022
During the 360° tour, they had secret musicians under the stage providing support (mostly keyboards). Between that all all Edge's mystery gear, they do real audio wizardry when they play live.
posted by hippybear at 2:38 PM on November 3, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by hippybear at 2:38 PM on November 3, 2022 [2 favorites]
I'm standing with my jaw agape that someone could have heard of U2 but not the song that basically put them on the map.I feel like this is going to be one of the hardest things to convey to my son how much availability shaped things like this in the pre-internet era, especially before you were old enough to have enough income to buy your own copies. When I was a teenager we moved to a smaller city with limited commercial radio coverage but two different college stations, which left me with a skewed view of just how popular certain bands like Primus actually were.
Bringing this vaguely back on topic, for me U2 started with Joshua Tree. One of my teachers allowed music during study sessions from a limited set of CDs, and then my dad bought a copy for the car. For whatever reason, none of their earlier stuff had broken out in our corner of California.
posted by adamsc at 5:18 AM on November 4, 2022 [1 favorite]
Probably should've done this five days ago, but here's a YouTube playlist of all the song videos linked in the Vulture article. Besides the 234 officially listed songs, there are three more, two from the commentary text: "Xanax and Wine" from the HTDAAB sessions (under "Fast Cars"), and a live cover of "Springhill Mining Disaster" (under "Red Hill Mining Town"). Also, I added a link to the entirety of the song "Walk to the Water" (the link provided was inexplicably just to one of Bono's lyrical overlays during a live performance of "All I Want Is You"), and replaced the article's link for "Raised By Wolves" to one that works in the United States.
If you want to cut to the chase, here's chavenet's link to the Top 50 on the list.
posted by skoosh at 3:20 AM on November 6, 2022
If you want to cut to the chase, here's chavenet's link to the Top 50 on the list.
posted by skoosh at 3:20 AM on November 6, 2022
> I'm standing with my jaw agape that someone could have heard of U2 but not the song that basically put them on the map.
I feel like this is going to be one of the hardest things to convey to my son how much availability shaped things like this in the pre-internet era, especially before you were old enough to have enough income to buy your own copies. When I was a teenager we moved to a smaller city with limited commercial radio coverage but two different college stations, which left me with a skewed view of just how popular certain bands like Primus actually were.
I grew up in a similarly-small town with similarly-sparse radio access. However, even there we had MTV - and MTV showed Live Aid. And Live Aid is where the big thing went down where Bono jumped off stage during "Bad" and slow-danced with someone in the audience, leaving the rest of the band to just keep playing to vamp for him. That's a pretty big Gen-X touchstone, and I think that's why there's so much surprise no one has heard "Bad".
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 6:09 AM on November 6, 2022
I feel like this is going to be one of the hardest things to convey to my son how much availability shaped things like this in the pre-internet era, especially before you were old enough to have enough income to buy your own copies. When I was a teenager we moved to a smaller city with limited commercial radio coverage but two different college stations, which left me with a skewed view of just how popular certain bands like Primus actually were.
I grew up in a similarly-small town with similarly-sparse radio access. However, even there we had MTV - and MTV showed Live Aid. And Live Aid is where the big thing went down where Bono jumped off stage during "Bad" and slow-danced with someone in the audience, leaving the rest of the band to just keep playing to vamp for him. That's a pretty big Gen-X touchstone, and I think that's why there's so much surprise no one has heard "Bad".
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 6:09 AM on November 6, 2022
I've been thinking a lot about Prince's burn after U2 beat him for a Grammy: "I can write 'The Cross' but U2 could never write 'Housequake.'"
And he was right! "The Cross" sounds every bit like U2 of the era. And the U2 of the time could never have been silly and danceable.
But by the time Achtung, Baby and Zooropa came around, they had bridged that gap.
You could replace "Housequake" on Sign O' the Times with a Prince cover of "Some Days Are Better Than Others" and it would still work.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 10:30 AM on November 13, 2022
And he was right! "The Cross" sounds every bit like U2 of the era. And the U2 of the time could never have been silly and danceable.
But by the time Achtung, Baby and Zooropa came around, they had bridged that gap.
You could replace "Housequake" on Sign O' the Times with a Prince cover of "Some Days Are Better Than Others" and it would still work.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 10:30 AM on November 13, 2022
This is not to say that U2 approached the breadth of Prince's songwriting. His complete list of equals is: [null]. But the idea that U2 occupied a particular box and did not seem able to escape it obviously fell by the wayside.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 10:41 AM on November 13, 2022
posted by DirtyOldTown at 10:41 AM on November 13, 2022
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I wore out a tape I made of all their B-sides up through Joshua Tree, so I have a special place in my heart for songs like Sweetest Thing, Spanish Eyes, and Silver and Gold. Also, A Celebration is an absolute banger.
And yeah, I know what he (tried to?) did to Malibu but The Edge will still be one of my all time favorite guitarists.
Problematic as they seem to have become, I will always have a soft spot for the first band I ever became obsessed with.
posted by bondcliff at 10:11 AM on November 1, 2022 [12 favorites]