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)

[The Dreaded Marco]

Pride is my least favorite of their consensus greatest songs. I have it at 29, and it probably should've been lower for me.

It's a fine song but it just doesn't resonate with me as much as many other of their best.

 

[krista4]

I'm surprised there were no live versions of Pride requested.

 

[Pip's Invitation]

Pride = 11

One of their most important and best songs, with an insistent melody, an essential message and some more great riffage from Edge. It mainly missed my top 10 because I don't have a personal connection with it in the same way I do with the songs in my top 10.

 

[Pip's Invitation]

The top 4 ranked 1, 2, 10 and 18 on my list.

 

[The Dreaded Marco]

The top 4 ranked 1, 2, 10 and 18 on my list.

1, 3, 9 and 18 on my list.

 

[The Dreaded Marco]

I also submitted a list for a friend of mine—-the top 4 remaining are his 1, 3, 10 and 18.

 

[John Maddens Lunchbox]

Only 1 ranker left has the same top 4 left. They actually had the top 5.
Not in the same order mind you.

 

[John Maddens Lunchbox]

Looking at the top 4 left. Here is some fun with numbers

Only 2 rankers have the top 4 left in their top 5
14 rankers have 3 of the top 4 in their top 5
Only 6 rankers have all the top 4 in their top 10
20 rankers have 3 of the top 4 in their top 10
7 rankers have 2 of the top 4 in their top 10
7 rankers have only 1 of the top 4 in their top 10

Next the weird rankers

 

[John Maddens Lunchbox]

1 ranker only had 1 of the top 4 in their top 10. Only 2 of the top 4 were in their top 20. The other 2 top 4 songs were not in their rankings at all.

1 ranker had 1 of the top 4 at #1. The only other one of the top 4 was at their #50. Sunday Bloody Sunday and One were not on their list.

 

[Grace Under Pressure]

(5) - 4 - Pride (In the Name of Love)

I'm at 2 on Pride (In the Name of Love). It's not my second favorite U2 song. In hindsight, my top 6 are basically the most famous U2 songs in my preferred order, and then my preferences really took over. Why? No idea. That's the way it worked out. I mean I guess I wasn't going to rank Pride below A Sort of Homecoming or Red Hill Mining Town. But I like Pride, a lot, it's a great song and a very famous song. Also, when he goes from "one man to overthrow" into "in the name of love" for the first time, it brings me back to thinking "wow". That's goose bump stuff, IMO. The Edge does great work, the beginning is instantly recognizable. I mean, it's Pride. I can't really articulate it, I guess it's somewhat like that famous saying about porn, "I know it when I see it". Pride is a great song that really solidified and helped define U2 for the couple of years leading up to The Joshua Tree. It does surprise me a little that no one ranked it number 1.

 

[Anarchy99]

Of the Top 5, I had them at 2, 3, 4, 5, and 15. (I had All I Want Is You at #1 and One at #15). I was one of the 2's on Pride. For songs that get regular radio play, it's my favorite. Nothing wrong with the U.S. and album version, but I like the mix in the UK single version a little better (more pronounced bass plus it's almost a minute longer). I love the drumming, the tone and sound Edge gets in his churning fret work, Edge's chord changes and progression during his runs, and the overall integration of the band. I just like how everything fits together. It also seems to be a more positive and celebratory vibe than some of the darker tones and subject matter on War (which is odd to say given that the song addresses the assassination of MLK).

 

[krista4]

Looking at the top 4 left. Here is some fun with numbers


14 rankers have 3 of the top 4 in their top 5

20 rankers have 3 of the top 4 in their top 10

I fall into these big, boring buckets. I have my 2, 4, 5, and 23 left. "One" is my #23, and I regret not having it quite a bit lower. Think I rated it more highly based on its overall #2 in the first round. It's my "Penny Lane" of U2, a song that's beloved by fans and I just don't get.

 

[Pip's Invitation]

(5) - 4 - Pride (In the Name of Love)

It does surprise me a little that no one ranked it number 1.

In the U2 song draft I did on another board, it went first overall. So there’s that?

 

[Pip's Invitation]

Looking at the top 4 left. Here is some fun with numbers


14 rankers have 3 of the top 4 in their top 5

20 rankers have 3 of the top 4 in their top 10

I fall into these big, boring buckets. I have my 2, 4, 5, and 23 left. "One" is my #23, and I regret not having it quite a bit lower. Think I rated it more highly based on its overall #2 in the first round. It's my "Penny Lane" of U2, a song that's beloved by fans and I just don't get.

It’s my 18. That’s three or four of us thread regulars who have it at 15 or lower. So there may be a bunch of #1s to offset that.

 

[John Maddens Lunchbox]

Looking at the top 4 left. Here is some fun with numbers


14 rankers have 3 of the top 4 in their top 5

20 rankers have 3 of the top 4 in their top 10

I fall into these big, boring buckets. I have my 2, 4, 5, and 23 left. "One" is my #23, and I regret not having it quite a bit lower. Think I rated it more highly based on its overall #2 in the first round. It's my "Penny Lane" of U2, a song that's beloved by fans and I just don't get.

It’s my 18. That’s three or four of us thread regulars who have it at 15 or lower. So there may be a bunch of #1s to offset that.

There’s a bit of bingo going on here. I have One at #21 this time around.

Rest assured though, there are plenty of high votes for it. Otherwise it wouldnt be this high.
The question is though, is it the #4, the number #3 or even in the top 2?

 

[The Dreaded Marco]

Looking at the top 4 left. Here is some fun with numbers


14 rankers have 3 of the top 4 in their top 5

20 rankers have 3 of the top 4 in their top 10

I fall into these big, boring buckets. I have my 2, 4, 5, and 23 left. "One" is my #23, and I regret not having it quite a bit lower. Think I rated it more highly based on its overall #2 in the first round. It's my "Penny Lane" of U2, a song that's beloved by fans and I just don't get.

It’s my 18. That’s three or four of us thread regulars who have it at 15 or lower. So there may be a bunch of #1s to offset that.

It's my 18 as well.

 

[Anarchy99]

I think the voting was rigged. We all went to bed and One was ranked in the late teens. Then we woke up in the morning and suddenly it was in the Top 5. Like magic. Ballots suddenly appeared overnight when no one was counting.

 

[Mr. Landry]

I had One at #36

 

[Anarchy99]

Where did the suitcase of One ballots magically appear from? How come there were no other songs listed on those ballots?!? Highly suspicious!!! I demand the rightful Top 5 be named, or at a minimum we redo the balloting! Make U2 Great Again!!!!!!!!

 

[The Dreaded Marco]

I'm pretty sure my friend that sent me his list for me to submit to the countdown had One ranked at #1.

 

[Alex P Keaton]

Just realized that Mrs APK and I have the exact same songs at 1, 2, 4 and 5. It’s possible we’ve been married too long.

 

[Anarchy99]

Just realized that Mrs APK and I have the exact same songs at 1, 2, 4 and 5. It’s possible we’ve been married too long.

In a similar vein about not fully realizing how alike you are to your spouse, my wife and I were together for 20 years and never once discussed or listened to Queen. When the Bohemian Rhapsody movie came out, neither one of us suggested going to it thinking the other was not a Queen fan. She finally reluctantly asked if I would go fully expecting me to say no. I said I really wanted to go and thought there was no way she would want to go. That ended up being our go to movie. We saw it in the theater like 15 times in 7 or 8 states during its run. We were both huge Queen fans and never knew. It turned into a date night movie, something to do on road trips and vacation, etc. At one showing, the entire theater was filled with idiots like us, and everyone stood and sang during the entire Live Aid set. She and I reconnected like when we first met. If someone told me 20 years ago that a movie would come out and put my wife in the mood every time it came on, I would have said you were cray-cray. No way, no how.

 

[John Maddens Lunchbox]

Just realized that Mrs APK and I have the exact same songs at 1, 2, 4 and 5. It’s possible we’ve been married too long.

In a similar vein about not fully realizing how alike you are to your spouse, my wife and I were together for 20 years and never once discussed or listened to Queen. When the Bohemian Rhapsody movie came out, neither one of us suggested going to it thinking the other was not a Queen fan. She finally reluctantly asked if I would go fully expecting me to say no. I said I really wanted to go and thought there was no way she would want to go. That ended up being our go to movie. We saw it in the theater like 15 times in 7 or 8 states during its run. We were both huge Queen fans and never knew. It turned into a date night movie, something to do on road trips and vacation, etc. At one showing, the entire theater was filled with idiots like us, and everyone stood and sang during the entire Live Aid set. She and I reconnected like when we first met. If someone told me 20 years ago that a movie would come out and put my wife in the mood every time it came on, I would have said you were cray-cray. No way, no how.

Nice Story.
I was literally just listening to some music. The wife walks in and says “Turn that **** off”

 

[Anarchy99]

Just realized that Mrs APK and I have the exact same songs at 1, 2, 4 and 5. It’s possible we’ve been married too long.

In a similar vein about not fully realizing how alike you are to your spouse, my wife and I were together for 20 years and never once discussed or listened to Queen. When the Bohemian Rhapsody movie came out, neither one of us suggested going to it thinking the other was not a Queen fan. She finally reluctantly asked if I would go fully expecting me to say no. I said I really wanted to go and thought there was no way she would want to go. That ended up being our go to movie. We saw it in the theater like 15 times in 7 or 8 states during its run. We were both huge Queen fans and never knew. It turned into a date night movie, something to do on road trips and vacation, etc. At one showing, the entire theater was filled with idiots like us, and everyone stood and sang during the entire Live Aid set. She and I reconnected like when we first met. If someone told me 20 years ago that a movie would come out and put my wife in the mood every time it came on, I would have said you were cray-cray. No way, no how.

Nice Story.
I was literally just listening to some music. The wife walks in and says “Turn that **** off”

My wife does that repeatedly with U2, so not every band turns into a magical moment.

 

[simey]

(5) - 4 - Pride (In the Name of Love) I think it is (5) - 5

I ranked this song #9. It is another intro I like a lot. U2 had a lot of great intros. I dig those drums and guitar. I like the significance of it being about MLK. TUF came out when I was a freshman in college, and I remember this song blaring from people's dorm rooms, cars, and bars. It really captures 1984 and the era. It's a great song.

 

[John Maddens Lunchbox]

(8) - 4 - Sunday Bloody Sunday
(8) - 4 - Sunday Bloody Sunday Remastered 2008
(8) - 4 - Sunday Bloody Sunday Live Under a Blood Red Sky
(8) - 4 - Sunday Bloody Sunday Live Rattle and Hum

Vulture.com ranking and comment -5/218 - Folk song. Peace song. Protest song. The Edge started writing “Sunday Bloody Sunday” while Bono was off on his honeymoon, with lyrics that were much more direct (“It was a full-on anti-terrorism song,” Edge said in 2006) than the final result. It was the result of the news, of current events, of those trying to co-opt U2 into their movement — of being a visible symbol of “the Irish in America,” which Bono would reference onstage in 1987. That said, Bono would note, “It’s provocative but I don’t think we really pulled it off” from a lyrical perspective; the band hadn’t yet matured enough as lyricists to get that done. The song’s strength is anchored in Larry Mullen Jr.’s crisp, robust, martial drumbeats, and the counterpoint brought by the great Steve Wickham’s (The Waterboys, among others) violin underneath it all.

Live, of course, this song took on a life of its own throughout the years. On the War tour, it was prefaced with the now-legendary “This is not a rebel song” from the tour’s first date in Belfast, where Bono also told the audience that if they didn’t like the song, the band would never play it again. Later that year, the track was captured on video and later beamed to the masses when U2 released the live album and video Under a Blood Red Sky, and was on MTV roughly every 30 minutes back in the day.

The definitive performance remains the one in the Rattle and Hum movie, filmed in Denver the night of the Enniskillen bombings, when a visibly emotional band took to the stage and performed the song with a mix of fury and sadness felt in every single note played. Bono would later say he didn’t think the band should perform the song anymore after that night; they would give it a brief rest, before bringing it back where it would act as an anchor in an emotional arc around their more overtly political songs, where it would act as a prayer for peace, or sometimes, just there as one of the band’s best songs.

Original Comment - Flat on War, it comes to life on Under a blood red sky. At this stage I hadn’t been to a live gig, so hearing the difference between studio and live was massive for my musical learning. There are so many directions Bono can take this song live, but i guess its seen its day. Im curious if theres been any significant airings of this song matching with a major event. Paris after the shootings?

Total Points - 2700

Rankers - 37

Average Points per rank - 72.97 (Approximately a 10th rank).

Ranks - 4th on average points per ranker

Highest Rank - 2

Lowest Rank - 35

Previous Rank - 8-4

Special Versions Requested -
(8) - 4 - Sunday Bloody Sunday Remastered 2008
(8) - 4 - Sunday Bloody Sunday Live Under a Blood Red Sky
(8) - 4 - Sunday Bloody Sunday Live Rattle and Hum

Ranking Comments - The last song without a number one ranking. It has 14 top 5 rankings with the sweet spot being 4-5 with 10 in those 2 spots. Very few between 6-8 and then 17 rankings between 9 and 18. Not ranked by 3 people for some reason. I think it wins the most versions requested...maybe. Another ahead of it may have the same or possibly more. I didnt include the video clip of the reenactment of the incident this song title is based on with this song as the backing track. Its pretty brutal.

 

[John Maddens Lunchbox]

With that we have 3 left. The next song is pretty much in a tier of its own. It does have 4 entries at the highest position, Almost half the rankings though are between 11 and 35. Which is why its not threatening the top 2. There is somethimg very interesting about the top 2, how they place and the battle to usurp each other. Stay tuned.

 

[John Maddens Lunchbox]

Im surprised no one mentioned my error in listing Pride at #4. I had the previous entry and the current ranking the wrong way around. It is the #5 and the previous post has been edited.
It should have read (4) - 5 - Pride etc
Would have got away with it too if Simey didn’t quote it and subtlely lol

 

[rockaction]

I love both Sunday Bloody Sunday and New Year's Day. New Year's Day is as bleak as a New England new year, sparse yet thick with hibernating life. It's a brilliant song, IMO.

 

[Pip's Invitation]

SBS = 2, which makes me the highest ranker or tied for it.

I was first exposed to it via the Red Rocks video that was played all the time on MTV. It was absolutely gripping. The studio version, which I encountered a bit later, isn’t quite as good but is still pretty powerful. It’s one of the best anti-violence anthems ever written.

 

[Pip's Invitation]

With that we have 3 left. The next song is pretty much in a tier of its own. It does have 4 entries at the highest position, Almost half the rankings though are between 11 and 35. Which is why its not threatening the top 2. There is somethimg very interesting about the top 2, how they place and the battle to usurp each other. Stay tuned.

This has gotta be One, given how many of us have said we ranked it 15 or lower, wouldn’t you think?

 

[foxco]

Pride is one of the first songs where the lyrics made me actually try and do research to find out what it was about, they were just so powerful. While it's not my favorite U2 song, it's perhaps the best song that encapsulates everything this great band stands for. The passion, the endless fight for justice, the hope of making the world a better place. Well done boys.

 

[The Dreaded Marco]

(8) - 4 - Sunday Bloody Sunday

#9 for me.

When I was a junior in college I looked a bit like Bono did at that time--I even had the same hair cut . Three friends and I entered a lip sync contest and we reenacted the Red Rocks version of this song, all of us dressed exactly like the band in that video. I even planted that flag.

We actually won.

So the Red Rocks/UABRS live version has always been my favorite.

 

[Alex P Keaton]

Im surprised no one mentioned my error in listing Pride at #4. I had the previous entry and the current ranking the wrong way around. It is the #5 and the previous post has been edited.
It should have read (4) - 5 - Pride etc
Would have got away with it too if Simey didn’t quote it and subtlely lol

I noticed it while giving Mrs APK a ranking update, but figured "JML deserves some slack, it's a miracle to avoid making any mistakes in a thread this long."

 

[Alex P Keaton]

(8) - 4 - Sunday Bloody Sunday
(8) - 4 - Sunday Bloody Sunday Remastered 2008
(8) - 4 - Sunday Bloody Sunday Live Under a Blood Red Sky
(8) - 4 - Sunday Bloody Sunday Live Rattle and Hum

Vulture.com ranking and comment -5/218 - Folk song. Peace song. Protest song. The Edge started writing “Sunday Bloody Sunday” while Bono was off on his honeymoon, with lyrics that were much more direct (“It was a full-on anti-terrorism song,” Edge said in 2006) than the final result. It was the result of the news, of current events, of those trying to co-opt U2 into their movement — of being a visible symbol of “the Irish in America,” which Bono would reference onstage in 1987. That said, Bono would note, “It’s provocative but I don’t think we really pulled it off” from a lyrical perspective; the band hadn’t yet matured enough as lyricists to get that done. The song’s strength is anchored in Larry Mullen Jr.’s crisp, robust, martial drumbeats, and the counterpoint brought by the great Steve Wickham’s (The Waterboys, among others) violin underneath it all.

Live, of course, this song took on a life of its own throughout the years. On the War tour, it was prefaced with the now-legendary “This is not a rebel song” from the tour’s first date in Belfast, where Bono also told the audience that if they didn’t like the song, the band would never play it again. Later that year, the track was captured on video and later beamed to the masses when U2 released the live album and video Under a Blood Red Sky, and was on MTV roughly every 30 minutes back in the day.

The definitive performance remains the one in the Rattle and Hum movie, filmed in Denver the night of the Enniskillen bombings, when a visibly emotional band took to the stage and performed the song with a mix of fury and sadness felt in every single note played. Bono would later say he didn’t think the band should perform the song anymore after that night; they would give it a brief rest, before bringing it back where it would act as an anchor in an emotional arc around their more overtly political songs, where it would act as a prayer for peace, or sometimes, just there as one of the band’s best songs.

Original Comment - Flat on War, it comes to life on Under a blood red sky. At this stage I hadn’t been to a live gig, so hearing the difference between studio and live was massive for my musical learning. There are so many directions Bono can take this song live, but i guess its seen its day. Im curious if theres been any significant airings of this song matching with a major event. Paris after the shootings?

Total Points - 2700

Rankers - 37

Average Points per rank - 72.97 (Approximately a 10th rank).

Ranks - 4th on average points per ranker

Highest Rank - 2

Lowest Rank - 35

Previous Rank - 8-4

Special Versions Requested -
(8) - 4 - Sunday Bloody Sunday Remastered 2008
(8) - 4 - Sunday Bloody Sunday Live Under a Blood Red Sky
(8) - 4 - Sunday Bloody Sunday Live Rattle and Hum

Ranking Comments - The last song without a number one ranking. It has 14 top 5 rankings with the sweet spot being 4-5 with 10 in those 2 spots. Very few between 6-8 and then 17 rankings between 9 and 18. Not ranked by 3 people for some reason. I think it wins the most versions requested...maybe. Another ahead of it may have the same or possibly more. I didnt include the video clip of the reenactment of the incident this song title is based on with this song as the backing track. Its pretty brutal.

Great song. Mrs APK and I both had it at 5. I love that it's a rebel song, a protest song, a statement song. "How long must we sing this song?" The R&H version referenced above is indeed the best. Bono has always been at his most powerful when accessing and channeling his emotions.

 

[Grace Under Pressure]

(8) - 4 - Sunday Bloody Sunday

I’m at 15 on Sunday Bloody Sunday. It’s a great song, instantly recognizable. I enjoy the studio and live versions. Just love it.

 

[Anarchy99]

For me, the version of SBS from RAH trumps all others. They were flat out angry over a bombing in Ireland that day. They absolutely tear it up. LINK

 

[krista4]

SBS = 2, which makes me the highest ranker or tied for it.

I was first exposed to it via the Red Rocks video that was played all the time on MTV. It was absolutely gripping. The studio version, which I encountered a bit later, isn’t quite as good but is still pretty powerful. It’s one of the best anti-violence anthems ever written.

You were tied; I also had it at #2. simey has talked about the beginnings to songs, and I'd say this is the most immediately gripping beginning of all. Such power throughout. I'm heading out for a week but will try to check in here later with a little better commentary.

 

[scorchy]

I have one very vivid memory of hearing Pride in an unexpected context and reading the thread yesterday led me down a rabbit hole trying to validate it. Maybe one of the U2 nerds here can help.

Sometime in 1987 or 1988, I was manually flipping channels on the ancient family room TV and stopped on a scene of a teen girl dancing on her bed while Pride blasted from her stereo. A cranky old man (her grandfather) came upstairs and yelled at her for goofing around and not doing her chores and subsequently grounded her from going to see U2 in concert.

At least half the time I've heard Pride on the radio since then, this scene comes to mind, but I never bothered to look it up. I always thought it was from Life Goes On (the show with Corky) but (a) I learned yesterday it didn't start airing till 1989 and (b) I always thought angry grandpa was Wilford Brimley and I also learned yesterday that he wasn't on Life Goes On. Old Wilford, however, did play the grandpa on a short-lived show called Our House in the late 80s. It also starred Shannen Doherty, who I totally do not remember as being the dancing girl on the bed. Shockingly. some oddball uploaded full eps he/she had recorded on a VCR to youtube and thus I spent hours combing through them all to no avail. If I was slightly obsessed before, now I'm full on Quint.

Anyone else remember this? Am I on an island here?

Oh, and I had Pride at #6.

 

[Pip's Invitation]

Sorry dude, I didn’t watch much TV other than sports in the late 80s.

 

[Nemesis]

7 I Will Follow (was my #9)

• Written about the love between a son & his mother where the mother is pointing out to her son the path he should probably follow, rather than the one he might have appeared to be on.
  
  
• Bono: said it came out of a screaming argument in the rehearsal room. "I remember trying to make a sound I heard in my head, & taking Edge's guitar from him & playing the 2-stringed chord … to show the others the aggression I wanted.. It was literally coming out of a kind of rage, the sound of a nail being hammered into your frontal lobe."
  
  
• Producer Steve Lillywhite added sound effects, such as bottles being thrown on the floor & a judicious glockenspiel....“The percussion in the drop was a bicycle spinning, wheels upside down & played like a harp w a kitchen fork.”
  
  
• All in all........the song has been released a total of 5 times.

6 New Yr's Day (was my #7.......and is my iphone alarm tone)

• The single was U2’s 1st to chart on the Billboard Hot 100, where it reached #53. It received significant airplay on MTV & around the world & charted in many regions. In the UK, it was their first Top 10 hit, reaching #10. In Ireland, it was kept out of the #1 position by the song “Down Under” by Men at Work & peaked at #2 at home.
  
  
• For the UABRS album, the AUDIO for the song was actually recorded at a festival U2 played in Germany that August.
  
  
• The video depicts the band performing on a snowy landscape, interspersed w clips of 4 riders on horseback in the same setting. Although dressed w their faces covered to appear as if they are the members of U2, these “horsemen” are actually 4 teenage girls. The band was still frozen as a result of shooting the performance clips in the snow the day before, & weren't experienced riders, so they enlisted the 4 teens to stand in for them on the horses.
  
  
• NYD - Dortmond 1984 check out this concert video.......notice how Edge sits at the piano and plays both guitar & piano in concert

 

[Nemesis]

5 Pride ....(my #2, and also my phone's ring tone when someone calls me)

• Bono described the lyrics as just a “simple sketch.” But it took flight in 1 of the band’s 1st recordings w Brian Eno & Daniel Lanois. This began as a song about US president Ronald Reagan & Bono had lyrics written condemning Reagan for an arrogant pride that led to nuclear escalation, but it just wasn't working. "I remembered a wise old man who said to me, don't try & fight darkness w light, just make the light shine brighter". "I was giving Reagan too much importance, then I thought MLK, there's a man. We build the positive rather than fighting w the finger."
  
  
• U2 sound engineer Joe O’Herlihy recorded an Edge chord progression during a soundcheck in Hawaii on the War tour & the idea eventually became the seed for Pride. Edge had recently upgraded his equipment to 2 Korg SDD-3000 rackmounted digital delays, & on this, their triplet repeats enable Edge’s deceptively simple parts to either chime out across the mix or provide a storm of percussive propulsion. The guitarist has said it’s 1 of his favorite guitar parts.
  
  
• was their 1st Top 40 hit in the US (#33)

4 SBS

• While not a 'rebel song' it is a call for a rejection of violence. This song became very popular & helped draw attention to the issues. As the band's popularity grew, they used it to campaign against the Irish Republican Army's (IRA) efforts to raise money to fuel continued armed conflict. This lead to the IRA sending a threat to U2 that if they continued their campaign, they would be kidnapped. U2 continued anyway and continued to bring attention to the Troubles.
  
  
• the band were particularly nervous about playing the song in Belfast, Northern Ireland. (NOTE: U2 played SBS in Belfast in 1983 during the War tour, but elected to leave it out of their TUF setlist when they returned to Belfast. In 1987, the song returned to TJT tour setlist.........but it wasn't performed in N. Ireland again until the 2015 I+E Tour.)
  
  
• grew from a guitar riff & lyric written by the Edge in 1982 following an argument w his girlfriend

 

[simey]

I ranked Sunday Bloody Sunday #11. It's a great song for many of the reasons already stated.

 

[John Maddens Lunchbox]

(2) - 3 - One

Vulture.com ranking and comment - 6/218 - “One” is an enormous emotional chameleon of a song. It changes colors from red to blue to purple depending on the lens of betrayal, dishonesty, disappointment, or despair you view the song through. “One” contains bone-deep sadness, dark melancholy, and immense regret. “We’re one, but we’re not the same,” Bono sings, a deep truth, before moving on to, “We get to carry each other.” Both Bono and Edge point at the latter lyric being essential to the song in disparate ways: “It’s a reminder that we have no choice,” Bono said. “‘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.”

While it’s a stellar, close-to-perfect musical performance for the entire band, the MVP is Bono, who turns in an emotional tour de force from start to finish. His voice is full of deep heartache, and fairly reverberates with pain and regret. Taking all of the above into account, it is astonishing that people think this is a good song to play at their weddings.

Original Comment - Takes up where All I want is you left off from Rattle and Hum. Musically not lyrically. I think this was mentioned earlier, but it joins a long list of songs that have been misunderstood lyrically. Imagine getting married to this and then understanding the lyrics

Total Points - 2831.50

Rankers - 38

Average Points per rank - 74.51 (Approximately a 9th rank).

Ranks - 3rd on average points per ranker

Highest Rank - 1

Lowest Rank - 36

Previous Rank - 2-3

Special Versions Requested - None

Ranking Comments - Has four number one rankings and 17 overall top 5 rankings. With almost half the rankings at 11 or lower, it doesnt touch the top 2 for ranking points. It is still significantly higher than the batch of 5 songs below it.

 

[John Maddens Lunchbox]

Right we know the top 2 songs and if we are paying attention we know the order.
Here are some interesting tidbits in advance:
Both songs are over 500 ranking points ahead of One.
Both have 12 #1 ranks each
Both have 5 #2 ranks each
The difference in ranking points between these 2 songs is literally 0.5 ranking points. If ANY one of the 40 rankers had moved the #2 ranked song one spot higher or the #1 ranked song one spot lower, the order changes.

How this happened will astound you lol

More when we list them both.

 

[John Maddens Lunchbox]

Here is the list of songs with a #1 ranking
12 - Our #1 Song
12 - Our #2 Song
4 - One (3)
4 - All I Want is You (8)
3 - I Will Follow (7)
2 - New Years Day (6)
1 - I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For (11)
1 - Even Better Than the Real Thing (15)
1 - Until the End of the World (17)

 

[Anarchy99]

Before we wrap up (and while I remember), I will send people a live collection of U2 songs if anyone wants it. This would be different than what I sent out before. So a memorable live version of each of their songs. Message me if you are interested.

 

[Pip's Invitation]

One = 18

My first reaction to this was, after the two songs before it sounded so radically different from what they’d done before, “oh, there’s the U2 I know.” I agree with the idea that it picks up where All I Want Is You left off. My favorite part is the soaring of Bono’s vocals and Edge’s guitar at the end. Made sense as the finale at my 1996 show.

I like it very much but I happen to like 17 of their songs better. This is why I was surprised when it was the top-ranked U2 song on last year’s “Rolling Stone Garbage List,” as Krista referred to it. I figured that honor would have gone to SBS, Pride, Bad or one of the big three from TJT.

 

[krista4]

My brother would be very happy with our #1. For reasons even he doesn't understand, he associates it both with his son and our dad (RIP).

 

[Alex P Keaton]

(2) - 3 - One

Vulture.com ranking and comment - 6/218 - “One” is an enormous emotional chameleon of a song. It changes colors from red to blue to purple depending on the lens of betrayal, dishonesty, disappointment, or despair you view the song through. “One” contains bone-deep sadness, dark melancholy, and immense regret. “We’re one, but we’re not the same,” Bono sings, a deep truth, before moving on to, “We get to carry each other.” Both Bono and Edge point at the latter lyric being essential to the song in disparate ways: “It’s a reminder that we have no choice,” Bono said. “‘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.”

While it’s a stellar, close-to-perfect musical performance for the entire band, the MVP is Bono, who turns in an emotional tour de force from start to finish. His voice is full of deep heartache, and fairly reverberates with pain and regret. Taking all of the above into account, it is astonishing that people think this is a good song to play at their weddings.

Original Comment - Takes up where All I want is you left off from Rattle and Hum. Musically not lyrically. I think this was mentioned earlier, but it joins a long list of songs that have been misunderstood lyrically. Imagine getting married to this and then understanding the lyrics

Total Points - 2831.50

Rankers - 38

Average Points per rank - 74.51 (Approximately a 9th rank).

Ranks - 3rd on average points per ranker

Highest Rank - 1

Lowest Rank - 36

Previous Rank - 2-3

Special Versions Requested - None

Ranking Comments - Has four number one rankings and 17 overall top 5 rankings. With almost half the rankings at 11 or lower, it doesnt touch the top 2 for ranking points. It is still significantly higher than the batch of 5 songs below it.

I was at 6, Mrs APK was at 11. This song came out almost exactly at the moment I had a really awful high school breakup, so of course it resonated with my adolescent angst. As I’ve aged (rapidly) it hits me in deeper ways.

Never really thought about the line “we get to carry each other” until the U2 rankings started up on FBGs. It’s really an amazing concept — I’m of the mind that words matter…..so the idea that they deliberately chose this phrase…..”get to” not “have to”…..it’s a subtlety that isn’t lost on me.

There was a 5-minute moment where my wife (who loves U2 so so much, and loves this song) actually considered it as a wedding song. Hahahaha. I told her to listen to the lyrics, imagine the faces of the guests as the lyrics were played, and then to let me know if she was still up for it. Oh, and then I suggested Every Breath You Take as a “love song” alternative. Haha. My daughter’s comment when she heard this “Jesus mom, one is about divorce and the other is a stalker song.” This kid is just amazing at times.