U2 - Community rankings - FIN - #4 Sunday Bloody Sunday, #3 - One, #2 - Bad, #1 - Where the Streets Have No Name -Spotify links, thanks to Krista4 (2 Viewers)

[John Maddens Lunchbox]

(Unranked) >231 - Desert of Our Love

Total Points - 16.45 - Rankers - 4 - Ave points per ranker 4.11

Highest - 100 - Lowest 220

Comment - Sounds very basic. Like an early 80s throwaway tune. Has some potential though, but not even close to sniffing the Joshua Tree

Anarchy99 comment - A bonus track added to the deluxe edition for the 20th anniversary of The Josha Tree. Sounds a bit unfinished or not fully developed, but they sound like they are having fun recording it. Officially released.

 

[John Maddens Lunchbox]

(160) > 230 - American Soul

Total Points - 17.85 - Rankers 4 - Ave points per ranker 4.46

Highest - 130 - Lowest 250

 

[John Maddens Lunchbox]

(184) > 229 - Tower of Song with Leonard Cohen

Total Points - 18.62 - Rankers 4 - Ave points per ranker 4.65

Highest - 106 - Lowest 224

 

[John Maddens Lunchbox]

(Unranked) >228 - Xanax and Wine

Total Points - 18.88 - Rankers - 3 - Ave points per ranker 6.29

Highest - 91 - Lowest 211

Comment - Fast Cars under a different name. Not really any different. Not sure why they bothered. Fast Cars isnt really an improvement on Xanax and Wine

Anarchy99 comment - Recorded during the HTDAAB sessions. It ended up officially released when the band put out multiple demos of songs in 2004. It's an early version of the song Fast Cars.

 

[John Maddens Lunchbox]

(Unranked) >227 - Instant Karma

Total Points - 20.29 - Rankers - 3 - Ave points per ranker 6.76

Highest - 71 - Lowest 213

Comment - In the mid range of U2 covers. Not bad,  but nothing special either. It doesn’t make me reach for the skip button, but karaoke like this is rather indulgent. The covers work better when there is a reason for them and the band put something into it

Anarchy99 comment - Bono channels John Lennon again on a full-fledged studio version of the classic Lennon track with a hint of reggae. Officially released on the compilation album Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign To Save Darfur from 2007.

 

[John Maddens Lunchbox]

(163) >226 - Are you gonna wait forever?

Total Points - 20.33 - Rankers - 5 - Ave points per ranker 4.66

Highest - 71 - Lowest 213

 

[Anarchy99]

(Unranked) >235 Take You Down

Total Points - 14.6 - Rankers - 2 - Ave points per ranker 7.30

Highest - 90 - Lowest 163

Comment - This is a frankenstein song. Recorded in the Achtung Baby era. I think i hear about 5 different U2 songs on this. It sounds like Lady with Spinning Head the most, but the u2 songs wesbite says Wake Up Dead Man which this sounds noth8ng like. I like what this is, but it frustrates me trying to figure out which bits they poached for other songs. I really like it though. 

Anarchy 99 comment - Also from the AB Working Tapes in 1990, this one is Lady With A Spinning Head but with different lyrics. AKA Wake Up or Wake Up and Take Me Down. Not officially released

There is either a different unreleased song called Wake Up Dead Man or a demo from the 80’s with the same name. That’s what they are referring to, not the finished song from Pop. 

 

[John Maddens Lunchbox]

(187) - > #130 - I’m Not Your Baby with Sinead O’Connor

Vulture.com ranking and comment - 142/218 - A surprisingly compelling duet between Sinead O’Connor and Bono, with lyrics by Mr. B and U2 as backing band, this track was another collaboration between U2 and director Wim Wenders. It walks a line between Zooropa and Pop, but is polished, sharp, and evocative.

Comment - Interesting but not effective. That irritating noise during the verse gets annoying real fast

Total Points - 120.60

Rankers - 6

Average Points per rank - 20.10 (Approximately a 60th rank). 

Ranks 115th on average points per ranker

Highest Rank - 39

Lowest Rank - 187

Previous Rank - 187 > 130

Special version requested - None

Ranking Comments - 2 of the rankings are top 40, which surprises me a lot. The rest are well over 100. There are interesting things happening on this song, but for me the negatives really detract from the positives. Always had a soft spot for Ms O’Connor despite her issues. 

 

[John Maddens Lunchbox]

(153) - > #129 - The Saints are Coming with Green Day

Comment - Teaming up with Green Day on a punk classic is well done and worth repeated listens. Well i thought so anyway, the top ranking is mine. With 2 of the rankings being in the low 200s, it’s clear that others have issues. Let’s hear why. I think both bands do this song justice and it has energy. 

Total Points - 121.73

Rankers - 6

Average Points per rank - 20.29 (Approximately a 60th rank). 

Ranks 114th on average points per ranker

Highest Rank - 37

Lowest Rank - 226

Previous Rank - 153 > 129

Special version requested - None

Ranking Comments - Has 3 top 50 rankings, including mine. Another in the top 100 and 2 others at the bottom of peoples rankings. Im still trying to figure why people dont like or rate this song. It does improve rankings wise, on last time, but not that much. I think ive advocated pretty clearly that a lot of U2 covers are awful or karaoke. To me this one is an improvement on an excellent original by the Skids. 

 

[John Maddens Lunchbox]

There is either a different unreleased song called Wake Up Dead Man or a demo from the 80’s with the same name. That’s what they are referring to, not the finished song from Pop. 

I did realise this, but id already done my write up and forgot to change it lol.

There are quite a few from the AB tapes with similar genes eg Lady With the Spinning Head, Wake Up Dead Man, Take You Down, Blow Your House Down and maybe a couple more. I almost merged Take You Down and Blow Your House Down, but kept them as separate entries.

 

[John Maddens Lunchbox]

(Unranked > 225 I Believe in Father Christmas

Total Points - 20.72 - Rankers - 3 - Ave points per ranker 6.91

Highest - 91 - Lowest 278

Comment - Bonos vocals do not suit this song at all. The rest of the band seem lost as well. Not sure how much time was put into this, but frankly its awful. It even has a music video. Still we have 2 who ranked it much higher. Maybe cause the original is a favorite?

Anarchy99 Comment - U2's cover of Greg Lake's I Believe In Father Christmas, which was officially released as a digital single to support the RED Launch in 2008. I'm surprised this one doesn't get more air play when compared to Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) . . . which seemingly gets overplayed each holiday season.

 

[krista4]

(Unranked) >237 The Ballad of Ronnie Drew

Total Points - 14.25 - Rankers 1

Only Rank - 73

Comment - This is as about as Irish as you can get. Tribute to the Dubliners lead single. Half of Ireland is on the performers list. Lovely tribute. All heart. All of U2 perform, although the song is not written by U2. I am the only one to rank this, which is a shame. Shane McGowans vocals are interesting. Bono does most of the verses, even Sinead O’Connor gets a few line. My highest solo ranking. Onky released in ireland where it went to Number 1. Please check it out

Anarchy99 comment - An Irish ditty officially released as a tribute single in 2008 as "U2, The Dubliners, Kíla, A Band of Bowsies - “The Ballad of Ronnie Drew.” Drew was a member of the Dubliners for 50+ years. Lots of Irish musicians also are involved.

OK, finally back from vacation and doing real catch-up.  I love this one.  Love love love.  I must have missed it on the list somehow, or possibly (though less likely) I hit it on a day I wasn't receptive to covers.  I would definitely put this on my list right now, probably in the 70ish range.   

 

[krista4]

(Unranked) >235 Take You Down

Total Points - 14.6 - Rankers - 2 - Ave points per ranker 7.30

Highest - 90 - Lowest 163

Comment - This is a frankenstein song. Recorded in the Achtung Baby era. I think i hear about 5 different U2 songs on this. It sounds like Lady with Spinning Head the most, but the u2 songs wesbite says Wake Up Dead Man which this sounds noth8ng like. I like what this is, but it frustrates me trying to figure out which bits they poached for other songs. I really like it though. 

Anarchy 99 comment - Also from the AB Working Tapes in 1990, this one is Lady With A Spinning Head but with different lyrics. AKA Wake Up or Wake Up and Take Me Down. Not officially released

Made my initial cut but not the final list because, according to my notes, "made into other songs later."  Why yes, yes it was.  That didn't stop me from including one or two other similarly situated songs, I think.

(Unranked) >234 Won’t Get Fooled Again

Total Points - 15 - Rankers - 1

Only Ranking - 70

Comment - I didn’t rank this

Anarchy99 Comment - Live cover of The Who's classic rock track from Who's Next in 1971. The band closed out their set in New York - 2000-12-05 with ta rocking performance, the only time they played this song. Not officially released.

I have a list of seven covers that, while they didn't make my list, I thought were pretty good and well above the usual U2 covers.  This was one of them.

 

[krista4]

(135) > 233 Alex Descends into Hell for a Bottle of Milk/Korova 1

Total Points - 15.31 - Rankers 4 - Ave points per ranker 3.83

Highest - 146 - Lowest 260

I really wanted to like this because of the title.  I didn't.

 

[krista4]

(Unranked) >231 - Desert of Our Love

Total Points - 16.45 - Rankers - 4 - Ave points per ranker 4.11

Highest - 100 - Lowest 220

Comment - Sounds very basic. Like an early 80s throwaway tune. Has some potential though, but not even close to sniffing the Joshua Tree

Anarchy99 comment - A bonus track added to the deluxe edition for the 20th anniversary of The Josha Tree. Sounds a bit unfinished or not fully developed, but they sound like they are having fun recording it. Officially released.

This made my first cut based on the drums and piano parts and some of the vocals.  Couldn't quite hit my final list as there just wasn't enough there there.

(160) > 230 - American Soul

Total Points - 17.85 - Rankers 4 - Ave points per ranker 4.46

Highest - 130 - Lowest 250

Nope.

 

[krista4]

(184) > 229 - Tower of Song with Leonard Cohen

Total Points - 18.62 - Rankers 4 - Ave points per ranker 4.65

Highest - 106 - Lowest 224

I'm the high score here, perhaps unsurprisingly given how huge a Cohen fan I am.  This documentary is one of my favorite music docs, and I always thought this was one of the highlights.  Sure, it's mostly Cohen, but U2 does a more than credible job in a supporting role.

(Unranked) >228 - Xanax and Wine

Total Points - 18.88 - Rankers - 3 - Ave points per ranker 6.29

Highest - 91 - Lowest 211

Comment - Fast Cars under a different name. Not really any different. Not sure why they bothered. Fast Cars isnt really an improvement on Xanax and Wine

Anarchy99 comment - Recorded during the HTDAAB sessions. It ended up officially released when the band put out multiple demos of songs in 2004. It's an early version of the song Fast Cars.

This scraped onto my list at #113 of 115, after going off and on it several times.  Oddly enough, Fast Cars wasn't on my list.  I like the raw sound here.

 

[krista4]

(Unranked) >227 - Instant Kharma

Could we please correct to "Instant Karma"?  There are a few Beatles-related covers that I found pretty decent, but not this one.  The reggae feel is totally misplaced for the subject matter, and the cover loses the ferocity of Alan White's drums, which make the song for me.  Not digging Bono's vocal here either.

(187) - > #130 - I’m Not Your Baby with Sinead O’Connor

(153) - > #129 - The Saints are Coming with Green Day

Neither of these made my cut, and I just re-listened to make sure I still felt the same way.  I do.  The tinny vocal that starts "Saints" is an instant turn-off.

 

[krista4]

(163) >226 - Are you gonna wait forever?

Total Points - 20.33 - Rankers - 5 - Ave points per ranker 4.66

Highest - 71 - Lowest 213

(Unranked > 225 I Believe in Father Christmas

Total Points - 20.72 - Rankers - 3 - Ave points per ranker 6.91

Highest - 91 - Lowest 278

Comment - Bonos vocals do not suit this song at all. The rest of the band seem lost as well. Not sure how much time was put into this, but frankly its awful. It even has a music video. Still we have 2 who ranked it much higher. Maybe cause the original is a favorite?

Anarchy99 Comment - U2's cover of Greg Lake's I Believe In Father Christmas, which was officially released as a digital single to support the RED Launch in 2008. I'm surprised this one doesn't get more air play when compared to Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) . . . which seemingly gets overplayed each holiday season.

Continuing in the lower reaches of what made my list, "Forever" was my #104 and "Christmas" my #107.  I loved the fuzzy guitars of the former enough to overcome its overall meandering, and the latter...I don't know.  I can see the criticism of the vocal having just listened to it again - it's a bit nasally in the first two verses.  But I quite like the passion he brings in the latter verses.  I like the twinkly sound to the song, and it has a sweetness that appeals to me.  My ranking has nothing to do with the original, since I didn't know until this exercise that there was an original.  The "other" Christmas cover that is more famous did not make my list.

 

[simey]

OK, finally back from vacation and doing real catch-up.

How was the Big Island?

 

[krista4]

How was the Big Island?

It was amaze-balls!  We spent equal time on both sides and loved them both.  Given how challenging it can be to travel these days (esp internationally), we're already revising our 2023 vacation plans to go back there instead.   

 

[John Maddens Lunchbox]

OK, finally back from vacation and doing real catch-up.  I love this one.  Love love love.  I must have missed it on the list somehow, or possibly (though less likely) I hit it on a day I wasn't receptive to covers.  I would definitely put this on my list right now, probably in the 70ish range.   

Thats excellent. Love the line “If you’re not Irish, that isn’t your fault”

Although U2 didn’t write it, Bono is at front and centre of this and the band all play on it. Number one in Ireland, it wasn’t released anywhere else. 

Could we please correct to "Instant Karma"?  There are a few Beatles-related covers that I found pretty decent, but not this one.  The reggae feel is totally misplaced for the subject matter, and the cover loses the ferocity of Alan White's drums, which make the song for me.  Not digging Bono's vocal here either.

Will change the title. Ive noticed both spellings when scouring the internet for the U2 version. Copied what anarchy had. 

 

[John Maddens Lunchbox]

(Unranked) >224 - Falling at your Feet

Total Points - 21 - Rankers - 2 - Ave points per ranker 10.50

Highest - 65 - Lowest 180

Comment - I did not rank this as it is essentially Bono and Daniel Lanois for Million Dollar Hotel, although Larry Mullen plays percussion. 

Anarchy99 comment - A moody offering from The Million Dollar Hotel Soundtrack back in 2000. U2 as a band or as individuals had a hand in performing 7 songs from the soundtrack. Officially released

 

[John Maddens Lunchbox]

(Unranked) >223 - Saturday Night

Total Points - 21.35 - Rankers - 4 - Ave points per ranker 5.34

Highest - 89 - Lowest 210

Comment - They turned this song into Fire using the exact same riff. Rest of the song is sort of aimless here. Taking the best bit out and putting it into Fire was a smart move.

Anarchy99 comment - A bonus track tacked on to the the Boy album that came out on the remastered 2008 re-release. Would later evolve into the song Fire on October. I like this version better. Officially released.

 

[John Maddens Lunchbox]

(Unranked) >222 - Beat on the Brat

Total Points - 21.50 - Rankers - 2 - Ave points per ranker 10.75

Highest - 79 - Lowest 97

Comment - At least this cover has some energy. A U2’d version of a Ramones song is still pretty good. After I remember You and tge Miracle of Joey Ramone this is clearly the best Ramones U2 song. Only 2 of us ranked it, but both had it in the top 100. 

Anarchy99 comment - Studio cover of The Ramones from the A Tribute To The Ramones: We're A Happy Family compilation from 2003. Decent version (but will never be confused with the original). Never performed live. Officially released.

 

[John Maddens Lunchbox]

(202) >221 - Endless Deep

Total Points - 21.81 - Rankers - 5 - Ave points per ranker 4.36

Highest - 78 - Lowest 267

 

[John Maddens Lunchbox]

(Unranked) >220 - Book of Your Heart

Total Points - 21.95 - Rankers - 2 - Ave points per ranker 10.975

Highest - 69 - Lowest 122

Comment - No idea why this wasnt in the original group. I knew this song. Id heard it. Not sure if my cd copy has it. Anyway, its not bad at all. Quite passable. Bono is in fine form. Im glade there was another ranker who liked it. Should have been more. 

Anarchy99 comment - A moody, sultry, more adult contemporary bonus track from Songs of Experience in 2017. Has a decent build up and crescendos into the traditional strong Edge finish. IMO, better than most of the regular album tracks. Officially released.

 

[John Maddens Lunchbox]

(133) - > #128 - Raised by Wolves

Vulture.com ranking and comment - 79/218 - A story of the Dublin and Monaghan car bombings in 1974, “Raised by Wolves” is a collection of sharp, cinematic scenes, every word carefully chosen, yet offering a wealth of astonishing, heartbreaking detail; the specificity brings you into the scene so that you’re looking at it from the same perspective as Bono. You won’t realize that, until the chorus arrives and you are there with him in his sorrow and rage: “Raised by wolves / Stronger than fear” is the anguished cry. It was a phenomenal piece of stagecraft on the Innocence and Experience tour, segueing in from “Sunday Bloody Sunday,” which wasn’t so much obvious as necessary.

Comment - This is another well produced and well thought out song. I rated it at 39. Way too high in hindsight. There was something i really liked, but upon relistening to the track over and over again I cannot hear it. On a good day now, I would barely have it inside my top 100

Total Points - 134.55

Rankers - 8

Average Points per rank - 16.82 (Approximately a 66th rank). 

Ranks 134th on average points per ranker

Highest Rank - 34

Lowest Rank - 148

Previous Rank - 133 > 128

Special version requested - None

Ranking Comments - 2 of the rankings are top 50, another 2 are top 100. The rest just over 100. From being the highest ranking by far, a mistake I admitted in hindsight, i am now one of the lowest. Because of support from others it holds its ranking, jumping 5 spots in fact

 

[John Maddens Lunchbox]

Next up we see 3 covers, only 1 of which we have seen before. Also 2 unreleased tracks, but not from the real early days or from the AB sessions.

In the middle we have a track from 2000

 

[Pip's Invitation]

(202) >221 - Endless Deep

Total Points - 21.81 - Rankers - 5 - Ave points per ranker 4.36

Highest - 78 - Lowest 267

I'm the 78. I think this was the only atmospheric B-side that I ranked, but I like several of them. This one stands out because it has a pretty memorable melody as far as these things go. 

I took this (along with its A-side, Two Hearts Beat as One) in the jukebox draft from a couple of years ago. 

 

[simey]

(133) - > #128 - Raised by Wolves

Comment - This is another well produced and well thought out song. I rated it at 39. Way too high in hindsight. There was something i really liked, but upon relistening to the track over and over again I cannot hear it. On a good day now, I would barely have it inside my top 100

Ranking Comments - 2 of the rankings are top 50, another 2 are top 100. The rest just over 100. From being the highest ranking by far, a mistake I admitted in hindsight, i am now one of the lowest. Because of support from others it holds its ranking, jumping 5 spots in fact

I don't think it's a bad song. What caught my interest was some of the wolves in the video were wearing tracking collars. I've spent the last 30 minutes reading about wolf tracking.    <-- That emoji just made me think of NC State, and a thread in the FFA some time ago where people played some werewolf game.  I don't know anything about the game, but the thread seemed active all the time.

 

[krista4]

(Unranked) >224 - Falling at your Feet

Total Points - 21 - Rankers - 2 - Ave points per ranker 10.50

Highest - 65 - Lowest 180

Comment - I did not rank this as it is essentially Bono and Daniel Lanois for Million Dollar Hotel, although Larry Mullen plays percussion. 

Anarchy99 comment - A moody offering from The Million Dollar Hotel Soundtrack back in 2000. U2 as a band or as individuals had a hand in performing 7 songs from the soundtrack. Officially released

I didn't rank this, thinking it wasn't U2'y enough, but I very much like it.

(Unranked) >223 - Saturday Night

Total Points - 21.35 - Rankers - 4 - Ave points per ranker 5.34

Highest - 89 - Lowest 210

Comment - They turned this song into Fire using the exact same riff. Rest of the song is sort of aimless here. Taking the best bit out and putting it into Fire was a smart move.

Anarchy99 comment - A bonus track tacked on to the the Boy album that came out on the remastered 2008 re-release. Would later evolve into the song Fire on October. I like this version better. Officially released.

I was the #89 and am baffled as to why.    I kinda like the one above this that I didn't rank better than this.  I agree it's somewhat aimless.

(Unranked) >222 - Beat on the Brat

Total Points - 21.50 - Rankers - 2 - Ave points per ranker 10.75

Highest - 79 - Lowest 97

Comment - At least this cover has some energy. A U2’d version of a Ramones song is still pretty good. After I remember You and tge Miracle of Joey Ramone this is clearly the best Ramones U2 song. Only 2 of us ranked it, but both had it in the top 100. 

Anarchy99 comment - Studio cover of The Ramones from the A Tribute To The Ramones: We're A Happy Family compilation from 2003. Decent version (but will never be confused with the original). Never performed live. Officially released.

Big Ramones fan so wanted to like this, but didn't.  Just not a fan of note-for-note covers, and this one added an inexplicably breathy vocal to boot.

 

[krista4]

(202) >221 - Endless Deep

Total Points - 21.81 - Rankers - 5 - Ave points per ranker 4.36

Highest - 78 - Lowest 267

(Unranked) >220 - Book of Your Heart

Total Points - 21.95 - Rankers - 2 - Ave points per ranker 10.975

Highest - 69 - Lowest 122

Comment - No idea why this wasnt in the original group. I knew this song. Id heard it. Not sure if my cd copy has it. Anyway, its not bad at all. Quite passable. Bono is in fine form. Im glade there was another ranker who liked it. Should have been more. 

Anarchy99 comment - A moody, sultry, more adult contemporary bonus track from Songs of Experience in 2017. Has a decent build up and crescendos into the traditional strong Edge finish. IMO, better than most of the regular album tracks. Officially released.

Neither of these made my first cut.  Book of Your Heart isn't bad, as you say, but it's an example of where terrible lyrics just kill it for me.  I feel like they're excruciating, actually.

 

[krista4]

(133) - > #128 - Raised by Wolves

Vulture.com ranking and comment - 79/218 - A story of the Dublin and Monaghan car bombings in 1974, “Raised by Wolves” is a collection of sharp, cinematic scenes, every word carefully chosen, yet offering a wealth of astonishing, heartbreaking detail; the specificity brings you into the scene so that you’re looking at it from the same perspective as Bono. You won’t realize that, until the chorus arrives and you are there with him in his sorrow and rage: “Raised by wolves / Stronger than fear” is the anguished cry. It was a phenomenal piece of stagecraft on the Innocence and Experience tour, segueing in from “Sunday Bloody Sunday,” which wasn’t so much obvious as necessary.

Comment - This is another well produced and well thought out song. I rated it at 39. Way too high in hindsight. There was something i really liked, but upon relistening to the track over and over again I cannot hear it. On a good day now, I would barely have it inside my top 100

Total Points - 134.55

Rankers - 8

Average Points per rank - 16.82 (Approximately a 66th rank). 

Ranks 134th on average points per ranker

Highest Rank - 34

Lowest Rank - 148

Previous Rank - 133 > 128

Special version requested - None

Ranking Comments - 2 of the rankings are top 50, another 2 are top 100. The rest just over 100. From being the highest ranking by far, a mistake I admitted in hindsight, i am now one of the lowest. Because of support from others it holds its ranking, jumping 5 spots in fact

#110 for me, just barely making my list, but there's a lot here I like (hence it's on my damn list).  Not a huge fan of the chorus, but the menace and build of the verses draws me in.  The "breathing" sound (haha, hoohoo or whatever it is) is cool, and it's a particularly strong Bono vocal.  Definitely cinematic in scope, but without being cheesy IMO.

ETA:  Not sure how I forgot to mention the piano part and the stark ending.   

 

[krista4]

JML, I'm curious, but if it gives away too much please feel free not to answer:  where does the highest (Binky!  lowest!) song not on the original list land?

 

[Alex P Keaton]

(133) - > #128 - Raised by Wolves

Vulture.com ranking and comment - 79/218 - A story of the Dublin and Monaghan car bombings in 1974, “Raised by Wolves” is a collection of sharp, cinematic scenes, every word carefully chosen, yet offering a wealth of astonishing, heartbreaking detail; the specificity brings you into the scene so that you’re looking at it from the same perspective as Bono. You won’t realize that, until the chorus arrives and you are there with him in his sorrow and rage: “Raised by wolves / Stronger than fear” is the anguished cry. It was a phenomenal piece of stagecraft on the Innocence and Experience tour, segueing in from “Sunday Bloody Sunday,” which wasn’t so much obvious as necessary.

Comment - This is another well produced and well thought out song. I rated it at 39. Way too high in hindsight. There was something i really liked, but upon relistening to the track over and over again I cannot hear it. On a good day now, I would barely have it inside my top 100

Total Points - 134.55

Rankers - 8

Average Points per rank - 16.82 (Approximately a 66th rank). 

Ranks 134th on average points per ranker

Highest Rank - 34

Lowest Rank - 148

Previous Rank - 133 > 128

Special version requested - None

Ranking Comments - 2 of the rankings are top 50, another 2 are top 100. The rest just over 100. From being the highest ranking by far, a mistake I admitted in hindsight, i am now one of the lowest. Because of support from others it holds its ranking, jumping 5 spots in fact

Not a fan at all.   

 

[simey]

#110 for me, just barely making my list, but there's a lot here I like (hence it's on my damn list).  Not a huge fan of the chorus, but the menace and build of the verses draws me in.  The "breathing" sound (haha, hoohoo or whatever it is) is cool, and it's a particularly strong Bono vocal.  Definitely cinematic in scope, but without being cheesy IMO.

ETA:  Not sure how I forgot to mention the piano part and the stark ending.   

I definitely like the verses over the chorus, and I like the piano part too. 

 

[John Maddens Lunchbox]

JML, I'm curious, but if it gives away too much please feel free not to answer:  where does the highest (Binky!  lowest!) song not on the original list land?

No, its fine. We’ve already seen it.

Slug from the Passengers landed at 138. It only had 4 votes, but they were high votes

Next highest is 160, so we havent seen it or 163 or 177 or 180, 181, 182 etc. There are quite a few between 183 and 219. 

 

[krista4]

No, its fine. We’ve already seen it.

Slug from the Passengers landed at 138. It only had 4 votes, but they were high votes

Next highest is 160, so we havent seen it or 163 or 177 or 180, 181, 182 etc. There are quite a few between 183 and 219. 

Ahhhh, I forgot that you mentioned that already.

I still have several "new" entrants and was hoping for the best for them. 

 

[Mr. Landry]

(133) - > #128 - Raised by Wolves

Highest Rank - 34

Lowest Rank - 148

Not sure what happened here for me.  Saw the 148 and thought, "Man, that's pretty low!  I wonder where I had it?"

Was embarrassed to see I had it at 148.

It's much better  than that.  I must have overlooked it or been having a bad day.

 

[simey]

Not sure what happened here for me.  Saw the 148 and thought, "Man, that's pretty low!  I wonder where I had it?"

Was embarrassed to see I had it at 148.

  I only ranked 50 songs, and I would shuffle around a few of them if I were to rerank today.  I don't know any of these songs so far, except the original songs of some of the covers. 

 

[John Maddens Lunchbox]

Not sure what happened here for me.  Saw the 148 and thought, "Man, that's pretty low!  I wonder where I had it?"

Was embarrassed to see I had it at 148.

It's much better  than that.  I must have overlooked it or been having a bad day.

Its all good, im close to you. I dropped it from 39 first time round to 144 here. I still dont know what attracted me to it originally.

Its ok, so its in my top half lol.

 

[John Maddens Lunchbox]

(Unranked) >219 - C’Mon Everybody

Total Points - 22.00 - Rankers - 2 - Ave points per ranker 11

Highest - 77 - Lowest 96

Comment - Not sure why this cover never made a B Side. Its a fun song and suits U2 well.both rankings, including mine, have it in the too 100

Anarchy99 Comment - Live cover of an Eddie Cochran song from Self Aid in Dublin - 1986-05-17. This was the first time the band performed it. They played it 19 times between 1986 and 1987. The version from East Rutherford - 1987-05-15 was officially released, as the entire concert was released at one point.

 

[John Maddens Lunchbox]

(Unranked) - > (218) - Rockin in the Free World with Pearl Jam

Total Points - 23.00 - Rankers - 1

Only Ranking 54

Comment - I didn’t rank it. This is the second highest solo ranking. The highest is about 20 away and its one of those Bono, not really U2 things

Anarchy99 Comment - If you ever wondered what would happen if you threw U2, Pearl Jam, and Neil Young into a blender, then this is for you. Recorded live as part of the Make Poverty History Concert, in Melbourne - 2006-11-17. Good stuff. Eddie Vedder and Mike McCready returned the favor a few weeks later in Honolulu - 2006-12-09 to close out the Vertigo tour. Neither version officially released (although the first one might be available through the Pearl Jam web site)

.

 

[John Maddens Lunchbox]

(167) >217 - Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)

Total Points - 23.82 - Rankers - 4 - Ave points per ranker 5.96

Highest - 78 - Lowest 255

 

[John Maddens Lunchbox]

(Unranked) >216 - Boy Falls from the Sky Live from Coimbra

(Unranked) >216 - Boy Falls from the Sky Studio

Total Points - 24.45 - Rankers - 3 - Ave points per ranker 8.15

Highest - 88 - Lowest 153

Comment - Starts off with a real “Hold Me Kiss Me Kill Me” vibe, but peters out quickly. Just sounds unfinished and unproduced. Reading about the spiderman musical was fascinating. Not sure how many on the soundtrack would be U2 songs. This one is fairly unimpressive though. 

Anarchy99 comment - A song Bono and Edge wrote (but did not record) for Spider-Man Turn Off The Dark. At one point, the band had considered recording all the Spider Man songs with the full band, but that never materialized (or it did and they never released the tracks). However, the band performed this song one time at Coimbra - 2010-10-03. It's recorded from an inner ear monitor of Bono while he's performing, which is why you can hear someone else counting during the performance. Not officially released.

 

[John Maddens Lunchbox]

(Unranked) >215 - Lucifers Hands

Total Points - 26.40 - Rankers - 2 - Ave points per ranker 13.20

Highest - 60 - Lowest 122

Comment - For some reason I missed this one. I should have included it. It’s not my style of U2 track, but its a finished and recorded U2 song. The 2 people that did rank it, enjoyed it. 

Anarchy99 Comment - This song started out in 1984 and became The Return Of The Stingray Guitar (will get to that one later), which they played live in 2010. The song got reworked and retooled and ended up called Lucifer's Hands, which was officially released as a bonus track on Songs Of Innocence in 2014 . . . 30 years after they first created it.

 

[John Maddens Lunchbox]

(100) - > #127 - New York

Vulture.com ranking and comment -113/218 - New Yorkers can’t be unbiased about songs about New York, especially ones written by people who have gigantic crushes on the city. “I just got a place in New York” sounds like every college grad arriving here from Ohio with a gleam in their eye, and that loud, dirty guitar on the chorus sounds like gridlock on a holiday weekend. It’s also an alternate reality: what Bono could have ended up like, had his life gone another way.

Comment - With a bit more thought this could have been a classic. Has a great vibe and anthemic in nature. Just a shame it comes up a little short

Total Points - 141.45

Rankers - 9

Average Points per rank - 15.72 (Approximately a 69th rank). 

Ranks 140th on average points per ranker

Highest Rank - 36

Lowest Rank - 170

Previous Rank - 100 > 127

Special version requested - None

Ranking Comments - 2 of the rankings are top 50, another 4 are top 100, top 75 in fact. The rest just over 100. This drops from last time, but is still ranking well. We are very close to seeing our first song with 10 votes. 

 

[John Maddens Lunchbox]

Heres where we are to date

Rank Song

(Unranked) - > 308 Bang a Gong

(Unranked) - > 307 False Prophet

(Unranked) - > 306 New Gold Dream

(Unranked) - > 305 EverybodyLoves a Winner

(Unranked) - > 304 Trevor

(Unranked) - > 303 Life on a Distant Planet

(Unranked) - > 302 Alone in the Light

(Unranked) - > 301 Glastonbury

(Unranked) - > 300 Morning Child

(Unranked) - > 299 Nothing Feels Like This

(Unranked) - > 298 Jitterbug Baby

(Unranked) - > 297 Because the Night

(Unranked) - > 296 A Different Kind of Blue

(Unranked) - > 295 Moving Out

(213) - > 294 Ave Maria

(228) - > 293 Happiness is a Warm Gun

(Unranked) - > 292 Lost on a Silent Planet

(221) - > 291 Pop Muzik

(Unranked) - > 290 Put em Under Pressure

(Unranked) - > 289 United Colours

(Unranked) - > 288 Cartoon World

(Unranked) - > 287 American Prayer

(Unranked) - > 286 Down All the Days

(Unranked) - > 285 One Minute Warning

(Unranked) - > 284 Doctor Doctor

(193) - > 283 I Remember You

(218) - > 282 North Star

(Unranked) - > 281 The Dream is Over

(Unranked) - > 280 I Feel Free

(158) - > 279 Jesus Christ

(178) - > 278 Boomerang II

(141) - > 277 Paint it Black

(Unranked) - > 276 Corpse

(Unranked) - > 275 Elvis Ate America

(224) - > 274 I’ve Got You Under My Skin

(Unranked) - > 273 Heaven and Hell

(Unranked) - > 272 We Are the People

(Unranked) - > 271 Speed of Life

(Unranked) - > 270 Jack in the Box

(Unranked) - > 269 Be There

(Unranked) - > 268 Dancin’ Shoes

(155) - > 267 Don’t Take Your Guns to Town

(Unranked) - > 266 Your Song Saved My Life

(Unranked) - > 265 The Fool

(Unranked) - > 264 Wild Irish Rose

(Unranked) - > 263 Beach Sequence

(222) - > 262 J Swallo

(223) - > 261 Neon Lights

(Unranked) - > 260 My Hometown

(Unranked) - > 259 Soon

(220) - > 258 Boomerang I

(Unranked) - > 257 Near the Island

(227) - > 256 Landlady

(Unranked) - > 255 The Model

(149) - > 254 No Line on the Horizon 2

(Unranked) - > 253 Always Forever Now

(226) - > 252 Sixty Seconds in Kingdom Come

(Unranked) - > 251 Angels Too Tied to the Ground

(169) - > 250 Things to Make and Do

(188) - > 249 Fortunate Son

(205) - > 248 Bass Trap

(Unranked) - > 247 Beautiful Ghost

(211) - > 246 Race Against Time

(Unranked) - > 245 Drunk Chicken/Chicken

(Unranked) >244 Street Mission

(172) >243 Unchained Melody

(Unranked) >242 Native Son

(Unranked) >241 Yoshino Blossom

(214) >240 Big Girls Are Best

(Unranked) >239 Rise Up

(199) >238 Deep in the Heart

(Unranked) >237 The Ballad of Ronnie Drew

(197) >236 - Winter

(Unranked) >235 Take You Down

(Unranked) >234 Won’t Get Fooled Again

(135) > 233 Alex Descends into Hell for a Bottle of Milk/Korova 1

232 - Light Speed - Ineligible - Fake U2 song

(Unranked) >231 - Desert of Our Love

(160) > 230 - American Soul

(184) > 229 - Tower of Song with Leonard Cohen

(Unranked) >228 - Xanax and Wine

(Unranked) >227 - Instant Karma

(163) >226 - Are you gonna wait forever?

(Unranked > 225 I Believe in Father Christmas

(Unranked) >224 - Falling at your Feet

(Unranked) >223 - Saturday Night

(Unranked) >222 - Beat on the Brat

(202) >221 - Endless Deep

(Unranked) >220 - Book of Your Heart

(Unranked) >219 - C’Mon Everybody

(Unranked) - > (218) - Rockin in the Free World with Pearl Jam

(167) >217 - Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)

(Unranked) >216 - Boy Falls from the Sky

(Unranked) >215 - Lucifers Hands

........

(177) - > 150 Daddy is Gonna Pay for Your Crashed Car

(215) - > 149 North and South of the River

(110) - > 148 Miracle of Joey Ramone

(189) - > 147 Refugee

(159) - > 146 Lights of Home

(95) - > 145 California (There is no End to Love)

(163) - > 144 Volcano

(102) - > 143 Unknown Caller

(150) - > 142 Cedarwood Road

(111) - > 141 If You Wear That Velvet Dress

(139) - > 140 A Man and a Woman

(146) - > 139 This is Where You Can Reach Me Now

(Unranked) - > 138 Slug

(195) - > 137 Hallelujah Here She Comes

(179) - > 136 Night and Day

(174) - > 135 Luminous Times

(118) - > 134 Your Blue Room

(209) - > 133 Cedars of Lebanon

(207) - > #132 - The Blackout

(128) - > #131 - Ordinary Love

(187) - > #130 - I’m Not Your Baby with Sinead O’Connor

(153) - > #129 - The Saints are Coming with Green Day

(133) - > #128 - Raised by Wolves

(100) - > #127 - New York

 

[John Maddens Lunchbox]

From the original 228 we have seen 53 already appear, but only the #95 and the #100 from last time.

We have seen 65 songs that missed out last time.

That leaves us with 190 to go. 64 from the bottom end and 126 from the middle and top. Of those 190, 15 are ones we have not seen before. 

 

[John Maddens Lunchbox]

In the next batch of 5 from the bottom,  there are 3 we have not seen before. All are from around the same era.The 2 that we did see before have fans.

In the middle, we return to the 90s