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U2 - Community rankings - FIN - #4 Sunday Bloody Sunday, #3 - One, #2 - Bad, #1 - Where the Streets Have No Name -Spotify links, thanks to Krista4 (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter John Maddens Lunchbox
- Start date
Grace Under Pressure
Footballguy
I'm at 4 on One. A song that they admitted may have saved the band, or at least the Achtung Baby studio sessions.
I agree with simey's take, and in fact with the ranking as well.
To a casual listener, it may come across at first as a love song. Oh no.
"And I can't be holding on, to what you got, when all you got is hurt".
I think it also says it's ok to not always get along. That's a pretty big message when you have long relationships, particularly with a spouse or other family members.
John Maddens Lunchbox
Socialism for Dummies
First a look at the battle between the number 1 and 2 songs. With the first 10-12 lists in, Bad was a runaway leader. Running to Stand Still would have been top 5. Where the Streets Have No Name is in 4th. As the lists start coming in, Where the Streets starts edging out One to become a clear second to Bad. With 10 lists to go Bad looked a shoe in to win convincingly. 6 of the last 12 lists had Where the streets at number 1 and it took a small but big enough lead. Then the final list came in.
It had
1- I Will Follow
2- Bad
3- A Sort of Homecoming
Etc.
Well as long as Where the Streets is reasonably ranked it wont make a difference. The list keeps going...where is it? There is 63 songs on the list. Ah there it is at #41. The next lowest ranking was 23. There were only 2 rankings lower than 16. Pull out the abacus. Jeez that was close. Where the Streets wins by 0.5 points. Person who submitted the list will have no idea of the ramifications of their list. I’m not going to out them. They just made the final score more dramatic than a Soap,Opera.
It had
1- I Will Follow
2- Bad
3- A Sort of Homecoming
Etc.
Well as long as Where the Streets is reasonably ranked it wont make a difference. The list keeps going...where is it? There is 63 songs on the list. Ah there it is at #41. The next lowest ranking was 23. There were only 2 rankings lower than 16. Pull out the abacus. Jeez that was close. Where the Streets wins by 0.5 points. Person who submitted the list will have no idea of the ramifications of their list. I’m not going to out them. They just made the final score more dramatic than a Soap,Opera.
John Maddens Lunchbox
Socialism for Dummies
(1) - 2 - Bad
(1) - 2 - Bad Remastered 2009
(1) - 2 - Bad Live Wide Awake in America
(1) - 2 - Bad Live Wembley Live Aid
Vulture.com ranking and comment -3/218 - The opening notes of “Bad” are a clarion call: They invite the listener into the song and set a tone of warning and premonition for the scene that’s about to unfold. The minimalism of the instrumentation is remarkable in how it ebbs and flows to fit in the space around Bono’s vocals, and both those vocals and the melody pulsate with intensity. You can feel the desperation of the heroin addict, of the battle between the attraction and the hatred of the disease, of the anger and frustration of the people around them, watching them fall further into the “blue and black,” not being able to pull them out — and also the voice of someone who might find the qualities of the drug to be intriguing and dangerous. It’s all there. It’s breathtaking, how the song builds, the way Bono throttles his vocals, and how the Eno–Lanois team sonically construct the emotional dynamic.
Of course, you can’t talk about “Bad” without also talking about Live Aid, because that performance was, unintentionally, the turning point for U2. If you have never seen it, it is one of the wonders of that otherworldly day of music. Even for people who were already fans of the band, it was a remarkable moment. The song expands to fit the expanse of Wembley Stadium, and when Bono heads down into the crowd, anyone who had actually seen them thought, Oh, of course this is totally normal for Bono — while the rest of the band were furious they were left to vamp for ten minutes and had to cut “Pride” out of their set. Paul McGuinness gets the understatement of the day award for saying, “I think it is fair to say there was a bit of a row afterwards,” when describing his and the band’s reaction. It wasn’t until days later that U2 became aware of their impact, as all of their albums went back onto the charts. “Nothing was really quite the same again because now everyone knew who Bono was,” McGuinness said in 2006. There is some kind of perverse justice that “Bad” was that particular catalyst.
Original Comment - This song didnt come to life until played live. It’s astonishing that the band had little confidence in it until the audience made it pretty clear. It was the breakthru live aid performance outside Freddie and Queen. They weren’t short of material at that stage so it is remarkable that it made the limited set list and the extended version while Bono was crowd distracted works so well. If someone else ranked 308 songs and put this 1 spot ahead of the number 1, the positions are reversed. Even if they rank this at 307 and the other at 308
Total Points - 3345.50
Rankers - 39
Average Points per rank - 85.78 (Approximately a 4th rank).
Ranks - 2nd on average points per ranker
Highest Rank - 1
Lowest Rank - 50
Previous Rank - 1-2
Special Versions Requested -
(1) - 2 - Bad Remastered 2009
(1) - 2 - Bad Live Wide Awake in America
(1) - 2 - Bad Live Wembley Live Aid
Ranking Comments - 12 number 1 rankings, 5 number 2s, 4 number 3’s, 5 number 4’s and 2 number 5 rankings. Amazingly was not on one rankers list. It deserved to hold on to its number one ranking, but its competitor was just too strong. Good mix of versions here too. It is amazing to think that if the person that didnt rank it, put it last it is the number one. If the person that ranked it 50th, puts it 49th, it is the number one.
(1) - 2 - Bad Remastered 2009
(1) - 2 - Bad Live Wide Awake in America
(1) - 2 - Bad Live Wembley Live Aid
Vulture.com ranking and comment -3/218 - The opening notes of “Bad” are a clarion call: They invite the listener into the song and set a tone of warning and premonition for the scene that’s about to unfold. The minimalism of the instrumentation is remarkable in how it ebbs and flows to fit in the space around Bono’s vocals, and both those vocals and the melody pulsate with intensity. You can feel the desperation of the heroin addict, of the battle between the attraction and the hatred of the disease, of the anger and frustration of the people around them, watching them fall further into the “blue and black,” not being able to pull them out — and also the voice of someone who might find the qualities of the drug to be intriguing and dangerous. It’s all there. It’s breathtaking, how the song builds, the way Bono throttles his vocals, and how the Eno–Lanois team sonically construct the emotional dynamic.
Of course, you can’t talk about “Bad” without also talking about Live Aid, because that performance was, unintentionally, the turning point for U2. If you have never seen it, it is one of the wonders of that otherworldly day of music. Even for people who were already fans of the band, it was a remarkable moment. The song expands to fit the expanse of Wembley Stadium, and when Bono heads down into the crowd, anyone who had actually seen them thought, Oh, of course this is totally normal for Bono — while the rest of the band were furious they were left to vamp for ten minutes and had to cut “Pride” out of their set. Paul McGuinness gets the understatement of the day award for saying, “I think it is fair to say there was a bit of a row afterwards,” when describing his and the band’s reaction. It wasn’t until days later that U2 became aware of their impact, as all of their albums went back onto the charts. “Nothing was really quite the same again because now everyone knew who Bono was,” McGuinness said in 2006. There is some kind of perverse justice that “Bad” was that particular catalyst.
Original Comment - This song didnt come to life until played live. It’s astonishing that the band had little confidence in it until the audience made it pretty clear. It was the breakthru live aid performance outside Freddie and Queen. They weren’t short of material at that stage so it is remarkable that it made the limited set list and the extended version while Bono was crowd distracted works so well. If someone else ranked 308 songs and put this 1 spot ahead of the number 1, the positions are reversed. Even if they rank this at 307 and the other at 308
Total Points - 3345.50
Rankers - 39
Average Points per rank - 85.78 (Approximately a 4th rank).
Ranks - 2nd on average points per ranker
Highest Rank - 1
Lowest Rank - 50
Previous Rank - 1-2
Special Versions Requested -
(1) - 2 - Bad Remastered 2009
(1) - 2 - Bad Live Wide Awake in America
(1) - 2 - Bad Live Wembley Live Aid
Ranking Comments - 12 number 1 rankings, 5 number 2s, 4 number 3’s, 5 number 4’s and 2 number 5 rankings. Amazingly was not on one rankers list. It deserved to hold on to its number one ranking, but its competitor was just too strong. Good mix of versions here too. It is amazing to think that if the person that didnt rank it, put it last it is the number one. If the person that ranked it 50th, puts it 49th, it is the number one.
John Maddens Lunchbox
Socialism for Dummies
(5) - 1 - Where the Streets Have No Name
Vulture.com ranking and comment -1/218 - “It’s the point where craft ends and spirit begins,” Bono has said about “Streets,” and if you do not like Bono or U2, it’s the kind of thing that makes you hate them. But if that’s true, you have also never stood in the middle of an arena or a stadium or an open field surrounded by jumping people caught up in the sheer elation of this song. There is no way that U2 knew what this song was going to be when they wrote it, or even when they recorded it — the story about Brian Eno being so sick of the song he almost erased the tape so they’d get on with it, is definitely a point in that opinion’s favor — but, like all the best U2 songs, it is what “Streets” became once it was performed in front of an audience that was its transfiguration and its transmogrification.
“Streets” is you at your best, wearing church clothes and standing up straight. It is possibility, it is aspiration, it is joy incarnate. Its transformative nature can change the quality of the air and the energy around you at a level up there with “Amazing Grace,” “Fanfare for the Common Man,” and “Hound Dog.” It does not matter how many times you have seen it performed live, or when you saw it first; “Streets” can still catch you by surprise — like it did in 2017, when it careened off the stage and hit you straight in the heart.
Original Comment - What can I say? This is how you craft a song. Hooks, excellent build up, soaring chorus, great musicality. The fact they had no idea of the power of the song amazes me. They opened the album with the song, they were expecting the album to do great things. Yet they consider Red Hill Mining Town among others ahead of it? I am glad that common sense prevailed and it became a single and one of their most famous tracks. Not only my number one, its vultures as well.
Total Points - 3346
Rankers - 39
Average Points per rank - 85.79 (Approximately a 4th rank).
Ranks - 1st on average points per ranker
Highest Rank - 1
Lowest Rank - 41
Previous Rank - 5-1
Special Versions Requested - None
Ranking Comments - 12 number 1 rankings, 5 number 2s, 5 number 3’s, 2 number 4’s and 4 number 5 rankings. Amazingly this was not on one rankers list. 30 of its rankings are in the top 8. I was surprised this one was at #5 overall last time with a couple of lower than expected rankings. With a bigger pool it was clearly in the top 2 U2 songs, but the final result means they both had a turn at number one. I didnt include the official video as they spend too much time on the drama surrounding the production and not a straight rendition of the song
Vulture.com ranking and comment -1/218 - “It’s the point where craft ends and spirit begins,” Bono has said about “Streets,” and if you do not like Bono or U2, it’s the kind of thing that makes you hate them. But if that’s true, you have also never stood in the middle of an arena or a stadium or an open field surrounded by jumping people caught up in the sheer elation of this song. There is no way that U2 knew what this song was going to be when they wrote it, or even when they recorded it — the story about Brian Eno being so sick of the song he almost erased the tape so they’d get on with it, is definitely a point in that opinion’s favor — but, like all the best U2 songs, it is what “Streets” became once it was performed in front of an audience that was its transfiguration and its transmogrification.
“Streets” is you at your best, wearing church clothes and standing up straight. It is possibility, it is aspiration, it is joy incarnate. Its transformative nature can change the quality of the air and the energy around you at a level up there with “Amazing Grace,” “Fanfare for the Common Man,” and “Hound Dog.” It does not matter how many times you have seen it performed live, or when you saw it first; “Streets” can still catch you by surprise — like it did in 2017, when it careened off the stage and hit you straight in the heart.
Original Comment - What can I say? This is how you craft a song. Hooks, excellent build up, soaring chorus, great musicality. The fact they had no idea of the power of the song amazes me. They opened the album with the song, they were expecting the album to do great things. Yet they consider Red Hill Mining Town among others ahead of it? I am glad that common sense prevailed and it became a single and one of their most famous tracks. Not only my number one, its vultures as well.
Total Points - 3346
Rankers - 39
Average Points per rank - 85.79 (Approximately a 4th rank).
Ranks - 1st on average points per ranker
Highest Rank - 1
Lowest Rank - 41
Previous Rank - 5-1
Special Versions Requested - None
Ranking Comments - 12 number 1 rankings, 5 number 2s, 5 number 3’s, 2 number 4’s and 4 number 5 rankings. Amazingly this was not on one rankers list. 30 of its rankings are in the top 8. I was surprised this one was at #5 overall last time with a couple of lower than expected rankings. With a bigger pool it was clearly in the top 2 U2 songs, but the final result means they both had a turn at number one. I didnt include the official video as they spend too much time on the drama surrounding the production and not a straight rendition of the song
simey
Footballguy
I ranked Bad #1. 
I ranked Where the Streets Have No Name #13. This song will always remind me of the halftime Super Bowl when U2 did this song, and all the names of the people who died on 9/11 were scrolling on the big screen on the stage while they performed it. At the end Bono opened up his jacket and there was the American flag on the inside. That performance gave me chills. Great song and great moment.
Thanks for doing this countdown, Johnny.
I ranked Where the Streets Have No Name #13. This song will always remind me of the halftime Super Bowl when U2 did this song, and all the names of the people who died on 9/11 were scrolling on the big screen on the stage while they performed it. At the end Bono opened up his jacket and there was the American flag on the inside. That performance gave me chills. Great song and great moment.
Thanks for doing this countdown, Johnny.
Pip's Invitation
Footballguy
Bad = 10
Streets = 1
Bad is one of those songs that is eons better live than on album. For all the reasons explained in the writeup. The vast difference is a big reason why I have it at the end of my top 10 instead of toward the beginning. Either way, it is a tremendously powerful song. It could have wallowed in melancholy given its subject matter, but instead it's an incredibly dynamic song.
There are several U2 songs from the '80s that were milestones for me, which I have alluded to in past posts.
Gloria -- "This is a cool sound. I should learn more about these guys."
New Year's Day -- "This song is awesome. I am now a fan."
Sunday Bloody Sunday (Red Rocks video) -- "This is an incredible anthem and this band is amazing live."
Bad (Live Aid and Wide Awake in America versions) -- "This is transcendent. These guys are going to be big stars."
Where the Streets Have No Name -- "This is the best band in the world right now."
I got the cassette of TJT for my 16th birthday (which was shortly after the album was released) and was absolutely stunned when I put it on and was greeted with Streets. It had all of the elements that had made U2 great up until that point, and took them to a whole other level. In atmosphere, in build, in dynamics, in momentum, in power, it shaped their trademark sound in new and improved ways that I didn't think were even achievable. It remains one of my favorite songs by any artist to this day.
Thanks to JML for organizing this Herculean effort. It's been fun revisiting all these songs that I hadn't spent much time with in recent years.
Streets = 1
Bad is one of those songs that is eons better live than on album. For all the reasons explained in the writeup. The vast difference is a big reason why I have it at the end of my top 10 instead of toward the beginning. Either way, it is a tremendously powerful song. It could have wallowed in melancholy given its subject matter, but instead it's an incredibly dynamic song.
There are several U2 songs from the '80s that were milestones for me, which I have alluded to in past posts.
Gloria -- "This is a cool sound. I should learn more about these guys."
New Year's Day -- "This song is awesome. I am now a fan."
Sunday Bloody Sunday (Red Rocks video) -- "This is an incredible anthem and this band is amazing live."
Bad (Live Aid and Wide Awake in America versions) -- "This is transcendent. These guys are going to be big stars."
Where the Streets Have No Name -- "This is the best band in the world right now."
I got the cassette of TJT for my 16th birthday (which was shortly after the album was released) and was absolutely stunned when I put it on and was greeted with Streets. It had all of the elements that had made U2 great up until that point, and took them to a whole other level. In atmosphere, in build, in dynamics, in momentum, in power, it shaped their trademark sound in new and improved ways that I didn't think were even achievable. It remains one of my favorite songs by any artist to this day.
Thanks to JML for organizing this Herculean effort. It's been fun revisiting all these songs that I hadn't spent much time with in recent years.
Mr. Landry
Footballguy
Bad: 1
Streets: 2
So you're telling me if I had ranked Streets #3 Bad would be #1? My mistake.
I actually can't complain. Both are very worthy to be at the top of this magnificent list. Thanks JML for doing all of this. I can say, with confidence, this has been my favorite thread. I have really enjoyed it and I'm sorry it's "over".
Streets: 2
So you're telling me if I had ranked Streets #3 Bad would be #1? My mistake.
I actually can't complain. Both are very worthy to be at the top of this magnificent list. Thanks JML for doing all of this. I can say, with confidence, this has been my favorite thread. I have really enjoyed it and I'm sorry it's "over".
Grace Under Pressure
Footballguy
I am at 1 on Bad and 3 on Where the Streets Have No Name.
In retrospect, I'm with the rankers on this. Where the Streets Have No Name is probably the greatest U2 song.
Both of these songs benefit from being terrific when performed live.
I'll leave it at that. It's all I can do, so to speak.
I mostly wanted to thank JML and everyone who participated in this endeavor. This is a fantastic thread, which obviously took a lot of work from JML. I really enjoyed being able to share my tidbits along the way. U2 is a band I'm pretty passionate about, in some ways they are the soundtrack to my life. But also I really enjoyed the sense of community and getting to "know" the people in here a little more. That was a benefit I didn't realize would come out of this, and I'm really grateful for that.
scorchy
Footballguy
Bad was my #1 and always will be. I really like a lot of U2 songs, but it's the only one I feel in my soul. Hearing the Wide Awake... version still causes chills and seeing it live actually has been known to bring tears. Streets is great too, but will never reach that level for me.
Brony
Footballguy
I started a new job a few weeks ago and it's a lot more difficult to idle time away on FBG than it was before. Thanks so much for running this again JML! The second go round was much better with more diverse experiences and perspectives. Thanks to all contributors too - nice to have a meeting of shared U2 fans from all over. Even if we disagree on the rankings, there is a common thread on the connection that these songs have to our lives.
Of the final 3 I had
One - #1 . I don't like the song, but I thought it would be clever to have One at One.
Bad - #6
Where the Streets - #23
After 30+ years of listens with some songs coming in and out of favor depending on my mood, my age, etc., very few U2 songs lock in and are always good in my book. One is the epitome of this for me. It's never been "just OK", or "this song again". Every listen is just as good as the last and just as powerful. The write-up by Vulture does a better job than I ever will on what makes this song special. This wasn't my wedding song or breakup song or nothing like that. I find the lyrics just vague enough to resonate with tons of occasions in my life and it's very evergreen and my #1.
Bad - my #2 from UF (The Unforgettable Fire song at #5 on my list). Another phenomenal tune from this album. Always good.
Where the Streets - Objectively, I know this is a really good song. Subjectively, it doesn't do that much for me. That first 60 seconds is one of the best album openers I can think of. Repetition has hurt it a little bit for me. It doesn't have the same staying power, but I certainly respect this jam.
Of the final 3 I had
One - #1 . I don't like the song, but I thought it would be clever to have One at One.
Bad - #6
Where the Streets - #23
After 30+ years of listens with some songs coming in and out of favor depending on my mood, my age, etc., very few U2 songs lock in and are always good in my book. One is the epitome of this for me. It's never been "just OK", or "this song again". Every listen is just as good as the last and just as powerful. The write-up by Vulture does a better job than I ever will on what makes this song special. This wasn't my wedding song or breakup song or nothing like that. I find the lyrics just vague enough to resonate with tons of occasions in my life and it's very evergreen and my #1.
Bad - my #2 from UF (The Unforgettable Fire song at #5 on my list). Another phenomenal tune from this album. Always good.
Where the Streets - Objectively, I know this is a really good song. Subjectively, it doesn't do that much for me. That first 60 seconds is one of the best album openers I can think of. Repetition has hurt it a little bit for me. It doesn't have the same staying power, but I certainly respect this jam.
Brony
Footballguy
I'm now bummed that I lost my spreadsheet with the rankings as I dorked out and calculated each albums average weighting. I don't remember all of the details, but it was a little surprising as I thought I enjoyed the post AB albums more, but when the dust settled they were at the bottom of my list. I think it went like this:
1. UF just slightly ahead of:
2. Joshua Tree
3. Boy
4. Achtung slightly ahead of:
5. All That You Can't
the rest I can't remember exactly but it was roughly
War, Zooropa, Pop, October, No Line Horizon, Songs of Innonence, Songs of Experience
Anyway, I've tried to be open minded on new stuff and while I unapologetically enjoy Kite and Playboy Mansion, I'm not carrying a torch for Songs of Innocence or anything like that.
1. UF just slightly ahead of:
2. Joshua Tree
3. Boy
4. Achtung slightly ahead of:
5. All That You Can't
the rest I can't remember exactly but it was roughly
War, Zooropa, Pop, October, No Line Horizon, Songs of Innonence, Songs of Experience
Anyway, I've tried to be open minded on new stuff and while I unapologetically enjoy Kite and Playboy Mansion, I'm not carrying a torch for Songs of Innocence or anything like that.
krista4
Footballguy
I had Bad at #4 and Streets at #5, but that was in error as I intended for them to be switched. I'm glad my mistake didn't cost Streets the title. Whew.
Huge thanks to JML and the rest of the people in the thread for such a fun time. Grace Under Pressure said it well; this is a great little community in this thread!
Huge thanks to JML and the rest of the people in the thread for such a fun time. Grace Under Pressure said it well; this is a great little community in this thread!
The Dreaded Marco
Footballguy
This sums up my feelings exactly.
I had Bad at 1 and Streets at 3.
Thanks to JML for this great thread. Wish I'd been following closely all along but the last 5-6 weeks have been great.
Thanks to Nemesis as well for all the extra info regarding each song.
Pip's Invitation
Footballguy
Today I had on the U2 channel on Sirius XM. On the way to my son’s guitar lesson, they played the Live Aid version of Bad…
…followed by Landlady.
…followed by Landlady.
simey
Footballguy
Damn, such a great post @scorchy. Thank you for that. Bad has always been very personal and special to me, in ways I don’t even feel comfortable talking about. No other song reaches me like this one, though it’s worth noting that “Running to Stand Still” is a clear 2nd.
I don’t have many regrets in my life, but one of them is not going to Live Aid in Wembley when I had an open invitation. U2’s performance of Bad not only stole the show, but it may have been one of the greatest moments in Rock history. Spine tingling to this day. Wtf was I thinking passing that up?
- YouTube
Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.
youtu.be
A couple of thoughts on that incredible performance… watch the crowd at the beginning, middle and end. Bono single-handedly willed that crowd into a frenzy. The great camera angle at 8:39. It was U2 at its prime, mullet and all. Adam Clayton rocking like a bad-***. Edge killing it like only he could. And Bono - just incredible. Going out there in the crowd like that. Kissing the girls and dancing with them. And it was authentic. If you read the biographies of U2 back then you know how sincere they were in their beliefs. This was a band that did Bible studies while they traveled.
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John Maddens Lunchbox
Socialism for Dummies
Thanks for doing this countdown, Johnny.
Thanks to everyone for your contributions. It has been fantastic to have a great group of people making this a fun experience. Special thanks to Krista and simey for making this run through fresher. Nemesis for adding extra insights and Anarchy for even making a special trip to Ireland for us. Pips, Brony, Grace and APK for being regular throughout. Marco, GM and BB for great contributions as well and There are plenty of others who deserve a mention, so sorry in advance.
Krista did I miss your last spotify link? I will add it to the OP....if I can. New software is great in lots of ways, but not this way.
Anarchy is a great resource people. I hope people take him up on his most generous offer. You wont regret it. Maybe one day you can repay the favor to him
That seems a perfect way to book end the thread lolToday I had on the U2 channel on Sirius XM. On the way to my son’s guitar lesson, they played the Live Aid version of Bad…
…followed by Landlady.
krista4
Footballguy
Now let’s do one for The Beach Boys.
Fire it up!
JML, I posted the last link somewhere around song #5. I’m on a boat with super-slow internet that’s giving me fits with Spotify, so maybe someone could find it a few pages back? I did manage to add the last songs in a spurt of decent connectivity.
Anarchy99
Footballguy
Got an email from Ticketmaster alerting me that Bono was coming to town and tickets are on sale NOW!!! Clicked on the link . . . and it's a Bono BOOK tour. Not only that, but I also can't seem to find any pricing information. Overseas dates are priced at around $70.00. Can't say that I would flock to this, especially since I don't even know much about what it is all about. This article describes the book in more detail.
krista4
Footballguy
Anarchy99
Footballguy
Thanks for doing this. I don't use Spotify, but I am sure it took time to put together (and other folks will play it).
Alex P Keaton
Footballguy
Look at me, I get to be on a boat!!!!Now let’s do one for The Beach Boys.
Fire it up!
JML, I posted the last link somewhere around song #5. I’m on a boat with super-slow internet that’s giving me fits with Spotify, so maybe someone could find it a few pages back? I did manage to add the last songs in a spurt of decent connectivity.
foxco
Footballguy
Bad is my favorite song by any band. It's a song you don't listen to as much as experience. To me it's never been about heroin; it's about the human struggle. It's about depression, addiction, poverty, love lost, dreams that slowly imploded over time. It transcends one specific topic to cover everything that makes this life difficult, and to tell you that you do not struggle alone. It's a triumph. I know that's not what it really means, but that's how I choose to perceive it.
JML thank you for this most excellent thread.
JML thank you for this most excellent thread.
Alex P Keaton
Footballguy
Wow, this is just so well stated. I’ve loved this song for a long time (#2 overall for both me and Mrs APK), way before I had any idea it was about heroin.
This part has always spoken to me for whatever reason:
If I could through myself
Set your spirit free
I'd lead your heart away
See you walk, walk away
Into the light
And through the day
Music is pretty much the only way that I can connect with anything spiritual in nature, and that’s what this song has always given me.
Alex P Keaton
Footballguy
Just to make you feel better…..my lovely spouse announced last night that “I wrote her list down wrong” (copied directly from an email) and Bad was supposed to be at #1, swapping places with Streets. So you canceled each other out.
Alex P Keaton
Footballguy
This has always been amongst my favorite U2 songs, but only during the past 1-2 years did it become a clear #1 for me. Along with Sunday Bloody Sunday, it’s the quintessential U2 song……at it’s most powerful in a live setting, political but still approachable, a full ensemble contribution. I didn’t know the history of the song’s meaning until reading it on FBGs…..but as mentioned previously, I LOVE overtly political U2. SBS is an amazing song — U2 making a grand statement and pointing a middle finger at both sides of The Troubles. But to me, Streets is even better because it’s a more subtle statement. Never knew that you could tell “everything” about someone from Belfast based on the street they grew up on……until reading it in here. So take that concept, flip it around and Bono turns it into a grander vision, a place Where the Streets Have No Name. It gives me goosebumps just to think about it. How did they come up with this and turn it into a great song?
Political, emotive, heart on the sleeve U2 will always be the thing for me.
Thanks JML for all you’ve done in this thread. It has been a welcome distraction from a lot of stuff going on in my life lately. You put a ton of time into this — cannot thank you enough. Ditto to all the others in this thread who I’m afraid to list for fear of leaving anyone out. Especially folks who got me listening to the newer albums….finding songs to connect with that I never expected. My daughter and I will always have a shared love of Crystal Ballroom now because of y’all.
Perfect word to describe it.
Anarchy99
Footballguy
It launched on 7/1/2020. Doesn’t seem temporary, but who knows?
krista4
Footballguy
Interesting. Looks like it was a temporary channel in 2018 on channel 30, and then there was a lot of clamoring for a permanent channel. This new one at channel 32 was launched in 2020 and looks to be permanent, I think. Was the channel discussed in the first 60-70 pages here that I skimmed? I somehow had never noticed it before, but I was listening to First Wave and they promo'd it as if it were new.
Alex P Keaton
Footballguy
I mean, clearly they launched it knowing that this topic would pop up in FBGs next, after the success of the Beatles threads….
Pip's Invitation
Footballguy
Yep. This was where they played Live Aid “Bad” followed by “Landlady.”
Alex P Keaton
Footballguy
So bummed to miss this
Alex P Keaton
Footballguy
I miss this thread already
Anarchy99
Footballguy
For example, With Or Without You.
zoonation
Footballguy
teared up watching that. each chapter of the audiobook starts with a snippet of a song that has been reworked, and they are so beautifully stripped down. 11 o'clock tick tock is the chapter i just listened to and it is so emotional. the lyrics just hit different. there were rumours circulating that one of the next things they will release is an album of these reworked, stripped down songs and, based on what I've heard in the book, I really hope it is true.
Anarchy99
Footballguy
Bono came to town over the weekend on his book tour. By the time I figured out he was performing and not just talking, tickets were gone, and aftermarket prices were through the roof. Here's what he played. I haven't seen a review, don't know anyone that went, and so far haven't heard it mentioned on the radio. If anyone ends up going to one of his book tour gigs, please check in and let us know how the show was.
The Big Donkey
Footballguy
Agree with the #1, such a great album this was on. was in my walkman every time i mowed the lawn. have to go back and see where it may be ranked but red hill mining town always struck me in a good way.
Nemesis
Footballguy
Sources with knowledge of U2’s series at MSG Sphere report the band will open Sept. 29-30. That timeline indicates the venue itself opens on that weekend, with no activity planned prior. U2 is reportedly setting up 12 shows, all Fridays and Saturdays, over non-consecutive weekends.
www.reviewjournal.com
Sources: U2 sets MSG Sphere opening date; Garth Brooks tickets on sale Monday
Bono says of U2’s next production, “It won’t be like anything you’ve ever seen in Las Vegas or anywhere, ever.”
www.reviewjournal.com
Anarchy99
Footballguy
I forgot to mention that a few weeks ago Bono mentioned they recorded 20 songs for a new album called Songs of Ascent . . . but he claims they aren't releasing it. He said they are going to record "a noisy, uncompromising, unreasonable guitar album" first. Maybe this came up earlier in this thread and I missed it.
He played two songs for the reporter, one of which was Smile, which was recorded for How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb in 2004 and appeared on the U218 Singles release in 2006 (unless they have a new song with the same name).
LINK
He played two songs for the reporter, one of which was Smile, which was recorded for How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb in 2004 and appeared on the U218 Singles release in 2006 (unless they have a new song with the same name).
LINK
Mr. Landry
Footballguy
Recent rumors don't sound good. In an interview with the Washington Post, Larry supposedly insinuated that things with the band may be on shaky ground. He said "the dynamics in the band are not the same as they were decades ago. As the ’80s wore on and U2’s stature grew, band decisions would be made by what they called the ‘Politburo,’ named after the policymaking committees in most communist systems. In Mullen’s view, the system that served the band well for so long has now become more of a benevolent dictatorship.” And I think we all know to whom he was referring.
He also said that he needs surgery and if the band played live it would most likely be without him. Which isn't good news as they are scheduled to open the MSG Sphere in Vegas next summer.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/arts-entertainment/2022/11/28/u2-kennedy-center-honors/
He also said that he needs surgery and if the band played live it would most likely be without him. Which isn't good news as they are scheduled to open the MSG Sphere in Vegas next summer.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/arts-entertainment/2022/11/28/u2-kennedy-center-honors/
Nemesis
Footballguy
I taped it & watched it the other day. If I’m being honest….Mixed reviews for me.
Some parts were very good
But the Borat comedy piece had absolutely no business being part of this tribute to U2. So out of place & I wanted it to end quickly.
Btw: I miss this thread & hope everyone is doing well
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Nemesis
Footballguy
Songfact:
“New Year’s Day” was U2’s breakthrough, complete w a video where they ride horses through the snow. (The Edge later admitted it was actually 4 women w scarves over their faces riding those horses.) “NYD” was a salute to Polish union leader Lech Walesa, jailed in Dec 1981, when the government outlawed his Solidarity movement. After this was recorded, Poland announced they would abolish martial law,.......coincidentally on New Year's Day, 1983. In 1990, Walesa became Poland’s 1st democratically elected president.
Released in January, 1983, NYD was U2’s 1st single from the War album, which would hit shops the following month. On most versions of the single, the sleeve featured a photo of Peter Rowan (the same boy pictured on the Boy & War sleeves). While the full image depicts Rowan holding a flag, on most versions of the sleeve the flag is cropped out.
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.
Edge played piano on this as well as guitar. In concert, he’d have to play sustained 12th- & 7th-fret harmonics through delay, then switch deftly back & forth between the piano & guitar within a single beat of a bar, while seated. It’s a tricky switch of mindset to segue from plangent piano melody to playing the song’s searing guitar solo, beginning on the 19th fret of the high E string, & while it may be an ergonomic challenge of his own making, it’s still an impressive stunt to pull off.
NYD almost didn't make the album because Bono was having fits writing the lyrics.
For U2's Under a Blood Red Sky album, the audio for "NYD" & 4 other songs were recorded at a festival U2 played in Germany that August.
Bono wrote NYD shortly after he married his childhood sweetheart, Ali.
Recording: This song was recorded at Windmill Lane Studios in Dublin, which is where U2 recorded their 1st 3 albums. The studio had a stone stairway where Larry Mullen played his drums for this track.
Producer Steve Lillywhite remembers mixing this song in 10 minutes while Bono cranked out "40" at the last minute while another band was waiting outside of the studio for their turn.
Charts-peaked at: UK # 10 US: #53 Canada: #41
Video: It was directed by Meiert Avis, who worked on U2's previous videos, including "Gloria" & "I Will Follow." They planned to shoot the video in Stockholm, but had to re-locate to the town of Sälen to get the mountains & snow they hoped for. 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. The clip also incorporates archival footage of Soviet troops in winter. 2 versions of the video were produced. The longer clip includes extra footage of the band performing around a camp fire at night. The shorter version cuts from the guitar solo directly to the fade-out w the riders on horses, eliminating the footage of U2 playing at night. The video was one of U2’s earliest to get extensive play on US & Canadian television. The shorter clip is the version w which most viewers are familiar, as it was frequently played on MTV.
NYD - promo video in the studio I’ve never seen this 1 but notice the bleach blonde Bono…..& Adam smoking a cigarette
Live Versions / Remixes:
NYD - Dortmond 1984 powerful vocals from Bono on this live version. ….at the height of his vocal prowess
NYD - Sydney 1993
NYD - live from the 2017 JT Anniv Tour
When Rolling Stone ranked their Top50 U2 songs: 11
Been played live 805 times….....every tour since release (however, was missing from 1/2 of the sets during the 360 tour)
The song is the 3rd most played song of U2's live performing career.
“New Year’s Day” was U2’s breakthrough, complete w a video where they ride horses through the snow. (The Edge later admitted it was actually 4 women w scarves over their faces riding those horses.) “NYD” was a salute to Polish union leader Lech Walesa, jailed in Dec 1981, when the government outlawed his Solidarity movement. After this was recorded, Poland announced they would abolish martial law,.......coincidentally on New Year's Day, 1983. In 1990, Walesa became Poland’s 1st democratically elected president.
Released in January, 1983, NYD was U2’s 1st single from the War album, which would hit shops the following month. On most versions of the single, the sleeve featured a photo of Peter Rowan (the same boy pictured on the Boy & War sleeves). While the full image depicts Rowan holding a flag, on most versions of the sleeve the flag is cropped out.
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.
Edge played piano on this as well as guitar. In concert, he’d have to play sustained 12th- & 7th-fret harmonics through delay, then switch deftly back & forth between the piano & guitar within a single beat of a bar, while seated. It’s a tricky switch of mindset to segue from plangent piano melody to playing the song’s searing guitar solo, beginning on the 19th fret of the high E string, & while it may be an ergonomic challenge of his own making, it’s still an impressive stunt to pull off.
NYD almost didn't make the album because Bono was having fits writing the lyrics.
For U2's Under a Blood Red Sky album, the audio for "NYD" & 4 other songs were recorded at a festival U2 played in Germany that August.
Bono wrote NYD shortly after he married his childhood sweetheart, Ali.
Recording: This song was recorded at Windmill Lane Studios in Dublin, which is where U2 recorded their 1st 3 albums. The studio had a stone stairway where Larry Mullen played his drums for this track.
Producer Steve Lillywhite remembers mixing this song in 10 minutes while Bono cranked out "40" at the last minute while another band was waiting outside of the studio for their turn.
Charts-peaked at: UK # 10 US: #53 Canada: #41
Video: It was directed by Meiert Avis, who worked on U2's previous videos, including "Gloria" & "I Will Follow." They planned to shoot the video in Stockholm, but had to re-locate to the town of Sälen to get the mountains & snow they hoped for. 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. The clip also incorporates archival footage of Soviet troops in winter. 2 versions of the video were produced. The longer clip includes extra footage of the band performing around a camp fire at night. The shorter version cuts from the guitar solo directly to the fade-out w the riders on horses, eliminating the footage of U2 playing at night. The video was one of U2’s earliest to get extensive play on US & Canadian television. The shorter clip is the version w which most viewers are familiar, as it was frequently played on MTV.
NYD - promo video in the studio I’ve never seen this 1 but notice the bleach blonde Bono…..& Adam smoking a cigarette
Live Versions / Remixes:
NYD - Dortmond 1984 powerful vocals from Bono on this live version. ….at the height of his vocal prowess
NYD - Sydney 1993
NYD - live from the 2017 JT Anniv Tour
When Rolling Stone ranked their Top50 U2 songs: 11
Been played live 805 times….....every tour since release (however, was missing from 1/2 of the sets during the 360 tour)
The song is the 3rd most played song of U2's live performing career.
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