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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 (3 Viewers)

(152) - > #124 - Wild Honey

Vulture.com ranking and comment - 169/218 - This is a perfectly serviceable pop tune, but you kind of have to side with Larry Mullen, who said, “It’s a playful side to U2 you rarely get to see. But it wasn’t one of my favorites.”

Comment - Nice simple track. Harmless and better than a lot on this list. This brings up the point Anarchy has mentioned. Do you age with your audience or continue to refire the noise of youth? This song is more suited to their current age, but if people want them screaming “No More” what do they do? They can end up sounding ridiculous, and theres examples of that over the last three albums. 

Total Points - 144.4

Rankers - 11

Average Points per rank - 13.13 (Approximately a 77th rank). 

Ranks 160th on average points per ranker

Highest Rank - 22

Lowest Rank - 190

Previous Rank - 152 > 124

Special version requested - None

Ranking Comments - 2 top 50 rankings and 3 others in the top 100. 2 of them are right at 100. This is our first song with 11 rankings. We do not see a song with more until #100 when we crack 12 rankers. 

 
John Maddens Lunchbox said:
(Unranked > 204 Sweet Fire of Love Robbie Robertson with U2

Total Points - 32.75 - Rankers - 2 - Ave points per ranker 16.375

Highest - 56 - Lowest 88

Comment - Nice duet done during the early stages of Joshua Tree when Lanois was producing Robbie Robertson. Not sure why this track didnt attract more attention. It’s a cracker. Only me and the same ranker who ranked Springhill Mining Disaster rated it. Both of us highly

Anarchy99 Comment - Former lead guitarist for The Band, he collaborated with U2 on his self-entitled debut album in 1987. This one would definitely have made my main listing, as it sounds very like U2 just with 2 singers. They wrote and recorded 2 songs at the studio they were getting ready to start work on TJT. Officially released
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I didn't pay attention to the material on Anarchy's list. If I had known this was on it, I would have ranked it. Some of the dynamics deployed on TJT are also on this track. 

This track did get FM radio play when it came out, in Philly at least. 

 
John Maddens Lunchbox said:
Any thoughts on this one?
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That is a nice looking guitar Edge is playing. Bono has a shyness about him when talking about the song. He sings the song great, and is feeling the lyrics. Is it considered a little cymbal of some sort that Mullen hit at the very end? I like it whatever it is. The only thing missing from the song was a tin whistle. 

 
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John Maddens Lunchbox said:
(Unranked) >207 - Springhill Mining Disaster

Total Points - 32.2 - Rankers - 2 - Ave points per ranker 16.10

Highest - 65 - Lowest 73

Comment - This is a U2 cover that suits them perfectly. Earnest, in the correct vocal range and Bono sings the #### out of it. I like this one. Edges guitar is gorgeous. Both of us that ranked it, placed it highly

Anarchy99 comment - Powerful performance and cover of a Peggy Seeger song. This is the first time they played it, from The Late Late Show recorded in Dublin - 1987-03-16. The song was played a total of 16 times in 1987. Officially released on The Late Late Show Tribute to the Dubliners album that eventually was released in 2008.
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I was the other advocate for this one and Sweet Fire of Love. IMO, Springhill is one of the band's better covers. Not sure why they stopped playing it after the spring / summer of TJT tour. They played it at one of the shows I went to.

I always loved Sweet Fire. I really took to Robbie Robertson's first solo album when it came out in 1987. I played that CD to death. Can't put my finger on why. I never cared for The Band or any of his later solo work. It was just that one album.

 
John Maddens Lunchbox said:
(Unranked > 204 Sweet Fire of Love Robbie Robertson with U2

Total Points - 32.75 - Rankers - 2 - Ave points per ranker 16.375

Highest - 56 - Lowest 88

Comment - Nice duet done during the early stages of Joshua Tree when Lanois was producing Robbie Robertson. Not sure why this track didnt attract more attention. It’s a cracker. Only me and the same ranker who ranked Springhill Mining Disaster rated it. Both of us highly
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It attracted my attention in a negative way.  Found it too overwrought.

 
John Maddens Lunchbox said:
(185) > 203 - One Step Closer

Total Points - 33.11 - Rankers 7 - Ave points per ranker 4.73

Highest - 100 - Lowest 244
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Made my initial cut but failed to get on the final list due to the boring chorus and meandering.  Nice enough, though.

John Maddens Lunchbox said:
(152) - > #124 - Wild Honey

Ranking Comments - 2 top 50 rankings and 3 others in the top 100. 2 of them are right at 100. This is our first song with 11 rankings. We do not see a song with more until #100 when we crack 12 rankers. 
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Glad to see this getting some love in the subsequent posts!  I was one of the two people ranking it right at #100.  Anyone want to fess up to being my ranking twin?  :)   It's just a lovely little feel-good ditty.

 
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krista4 said:
Made my initial cut but failed to get on the final list due to the boring chorus and meandering.  Nice enough, though.

Glad to see this getting some love in the subsequent posts!  I was one of the two people ranking it right at #100.  Anyone want to fess up to being my ranking twin?  :)   It's just a lovely little feel-good ditty.
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I'm sorry. Wild Honey violates the Geneva Convention on songs with Honey in the title. Please remove and re-rank your list accordingly.

 
krista4 said:
Made my initial cut but failed to get on the final list due to the boring chorus and meandering.  Nice enough, though.

Glad to see this getting some love in the subsequent posts!  I was one of the two people ranking it right at #100.  Anyone want to fess up to being my ranking twin?  :)   It's just a lovely little feel-good ditty.
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I'm at 100 on One Step Closer and 110 on Wild Honey. Close, but it wasn't me. 

Also I'm at 67 on 4th of July, which I believe puts me as the highest ranker on both One Step Closer and 4th of July. 

 
krista4 said:
Made my initial cut but failed to get on the final list due to the boring chorus and meandering.  Nice enough, though.

Glad to see this getting some love in the subsequent posts!  I was one of the two people ranking it right at #100.  Anyone want to fess up to being my ranking twin?  :)   It's just a lovely little feel-good ditty.
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Lol.  I ranked it 85.  (just behind Shadows and Tall Trees, just ahead of Is That All)
 

Then again, my lazy rankings ended at 87 (nice round number), so who knows where it really should have been on my list.

 
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In the next batch we have 3 we saw last time. Nothing special really. None of them made an album. All 3 appeared on singles in way or another. 

The 2 new ones, are pretty good actually. Both made my top 101. Not as highly ranked by me as others weve seen, but they are in the top 16 tracks from the anarchy list. I have 16 ranked at 101 or higher. Just loved hearing good stuff i hadnt heard before. 

The track we see higher up is a song that bores me to tears, but has popped up on numerous releases. 

 
John Maddens Lunchbox said:
The 2 new ones, are pretty good actually. Both made my top 101. Not as highly ranked by me as others weve seen, but they are in the top 16 tracks from the anarchy list. I have 16 ranked at 101 or higher. Just loved hearing good stuff i hadnt heard before. 
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Excited about this stuff.  I had more I hadn't heard before since I hadn't listened to U2 in many years, but in addition to the more recent releases I loved digging in and finding some gems in the Anarchy stuff.

 
(Unranked) > 197 - Levitate

Total Points - 35.15 - Rankers - 4 - Ave points per ranker 8.79

Highest - 67 - Lowest 172

Comment - This is actually a well constructed song. From the ATYCLB sessions. It is better than a few tracks there and while it is not amazing or a track you MUST listen to, it is better than a reasonable percentage of their catalog. 

Anarchy 99 Comment - Levitate was a song developed for 2000’s All That You Can’t Leave Behind and was considered for The Million Dollar Hotel soundtrack. It got officially released as part of the Complete U2 digital only release in 2004. It was also added to the 20th anniversary deluxe edition of ATYCLB. Larry gets some licks in drumming on this one.

 
(Unranked) > 196 - Wave of Sorrow (Birdland)

Total Points - 35.25 - Rankers - 5 - Ave points per ranker 7.05

Highest - 82 - Lowest 185

Comment - Compared to the rest of Joshua Tree, its pants. Still interesting. Would be better than some tracks on other albums but thats not a high bar. I know musically its not the same, but the storytelling reminds me of Bullet the Blue Sky. 

Anarchy99 Comment - This started out as an instrumental piece called Birdland in TJT era but was abandoned in 1987. For the Joshua Tree reissue in 2007, U2 recorded additional material for the song, including newly-written lyrics by Bono. Officially released.

 
(127) - > #123 - Ground Beneath Her Feet

Vulture.com ranking and comment - 171/218 - This is haunting and evocative, and the Edge’s solo will break your heart in two. Definitely one of their best songs of the last 20 years. Salman Rushdie gets a co-writing credit because Bono copped a line straight from Rushdie’s novel of the same name (he was very chuffed about it).

Comment - On my copy of ATYCLB,  but not on all versions. It sort of doesnt fit the album either. Perhaps the most interesting thing about this is that Salman Rushdie receives a co-writing credit. Still it must resonate with one of us to give it a 22. Vultures comment doesnt seem to make sense. How could one of their best songs of the last 20 years be ranked at 171?

Total Points - 145.44

Rankers - 8

Average Points per rank - 18.18 (Approximately a 64th rank). 

Ranks 129th on average points per ranker

Highest Rank - 22

Lowest Rank - 233

Previous Rank - 127 > 133

Special version requested - None

Ranking Comments - 2 top 30 rankings and 1 other in the top 100. The rest are much lower. Two people really like this and it stays pretty much where it was last time

 
The next 5 include 3 we have seen before. Nothing earth shattering. The 2 new ones are an Unforgettable Fire leftover and a song thats really a Bono number. It is the last remaining song with a solo ranking of 39. After that every song has at least 3 votes between 190-151.

In the middle we see a big jump in points...sort of like a new tier. We only have 2 songs left with 7 rankers, after they disappear soon, we will have 9 or more rankers.

 
John Maddens Lunchbox said:
(127) - > #123 - Ground Beneath Her Feet

Vulture.com ranking and comment - 171/218 - This is haunting and evocative, and the Edge’s solo will break your heart in two. Definitely one of their best songs of the last 20 years. Salman Rushdie gets a co-writing credit because Bono copped a line straight from Rushdie’s novel of the same name (he was very chuffed about it).

Comment - On my copy of ATYCLB,  but not on all versions. It sort of doesnt fit the album either. Perhaps the most interesting thing about this is that Salman Rushdie receives a co-writing credit. Still it must resonate with one of us to give it a 22. Vultures comment doesnt seem to make sense. How could one of their best songs of the last 20 years be ranked at 171?

Total Points - 145.44

Rankers - 8

Average Points per rank - 18.18 (Approximately a 64th rank). 

Ranks 129th on average points per ranker

Highest Rank - 22

Lowest Rank - 233

Previous Rank - 127 > 133

Special version requested - None

Ranking Comments - 2 top 30 rankings and 1 other in the top 100. The rest are much lower. Two people really like this and it stays pretty much where it was last time
Click to expand...
I think we established on the first go-round that Vulture’s rankings and comments often don’t really match.

 
John Maddens Lunchbox said:
(96) > 199 - Treasure (Whatever happened to Pete the Chop?)

Total Points - 34.57 - Rankers 5 - Ave points per ranker 5.76

Highest - 81 - Lowest 214
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John Maddens Lunchbox said:
(116) > 198 - Another Day

Total Points - 35.13 - Rankers 7 - Ave points per ranker 5.02

Highest - 91 - Lowest 206
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Hmmm, I seem to be the highest ranker on both of these, which is surprising.  What can I say; apparently I like the early raw stuff better than most do.  The only thing I don't love about Treasure is the title.  Looking back, I probably should have dropped Another Day a smidge, though, as it sounds a bit too unfinished.

 
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John Maddens Lunchbox said:
(Unranked) > 197 - Levitate

Total Points - 35.15 - Rankers - 4 - Ave points per ranker 8.79

Highest - 67 - Lowest 172
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Eek, guess I'm the high ranker on this one, too.  Relistening, I had it about 20 pips higher than I should have, but I still think it's well worth a listen.  Feels like a train, chugging along beautifully, going somewhere interesting.  I love the vocals except for Bono losing it a bit in the first bridge.  5+ minutes but doesn't seem too long at all; every note seems necessary to get where it wants to go.

John Maddens Lunchbox said:
(Unranked) > 196 - Wave of Sorrow (Birdland)

Total Points - 35.25 - Rankers - 5 - Ave points per ranker 7.05

Highest - 82 - Lowest 185
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Slipped into the last spot on my list, at #115.  Beautiful IMO.

 
krista4 said:
Hmmm, I seem to be the highest ranker on both of these, which is surprising.  What can I say; apparently I like the early raw stuff better than most do.  The only thing I don't love about Treasure is the title.  Looking back, I probably should have dropped Another Day a smidge, though, as it sounds a bit too unfinished.
Click to expand...
If I had kept going after 80, both of these likely would have shown up relatively soon.

 
Pip's Invitation said:
krista4 said:
Hmmm, I seem to be the highest ranker on both of these, which is surprising.  What can I say; apparently I like the early raw stuff better than most do.  The only thing I don't love about Treasure is the title.  Looking back, I probably should have dropped Another Day a smidge, though, as it sounds a bit too unfinished.
Click to expand...
If I had kept going after 80, both of these likely would have shown up relatively soon.
Click to expand...


:hifive:  

 
(Unranked) > 194 - Disappearing Act

Total Points - 35.72 - Rankers - 3 - Ave points per ranker 11.91

Highest - 44 - Lowest 209

Comment - Nice enough. Its not really flesh out or formed. Would have made an ok b side. There is a one off high ranking of 44, which I’d love to hear from. The other 2 rankings are around the 200 mark.

Anarchy99 Comment - The song originally was developed, recorded, but unfinished during The Unforgettable Fire sessions circa 1984. It sat untouched for almost 25 years. Many years later, the band added some additional instrumentation, keyboards, and vocals and released it on the remastered Unforgettable Fire album as a bonus track in 2009. The drumming and guitar parts fit the timeframe. Officially released

 
(108) - > #122 - Indian Summer Sky

Vulture.com ranking and comment - You can hear the rumblings of The Joshua Tree in the urgency and vibrancy of this track; Bono states that it’s about New York City, and far be it for me to tell him otherwise, but this song sounds like the elements invoked: light, wind, earth, air. It’s a good transition after “Bad,” but otherwise sounds more like a demo than a finished track.

Comment - Nice album track. Chugs along nicely, no vocal histrionics. Suits the mood of the album and the fact its lowest ranking is 144 means its not hated. Also not loved.

Total Points - 151.30

Rankers - 9

Average Points per rank - 16.81 (Approximately a 66th rank). 

Ranks 135th on average points per ranker

Highest Rank - 40

Lowest Rank - 152

Previous Rank - 108 > 122

Special version requested - None

Ranking Comments - We have 4 rankings between 40 and 51, then the rest between 110 and 152. Pretty much holds its spot from last time and is a nice lead in to the top 100. 21 more lead in to go.

 
The next 5 are all songs we have seen before. The 3 album tracks are in similar areas to last time, within 30 anyway. The 2 covers we see, plummet thanks to their most influential backer pulling support. Both fall well over 100 spots.

In the middle we see a truly atrocious song (imho), that has 2 votes in the top 50, including a top 20 ranking. 3 others make the top 100. Mine is way down in my bottom 12. Ive tried ringo, ive tried real hard to like this song. I just cannot. 

 
John Maddens Lunchbox said:
(108) - > #122 - Indian Summer Sky

Vulture.com ranking and comment - You can hear the rumblings of The Joshua Tree in the urgency and vibrancy of this track; Bono states that it’s about New York City, and far be it for me to tell him otherwise, but this song sounds like the elements invoked: light, wind, earth, air. It’s a good transition after “Bad,” but otherwise sounds more like a demo than a finished track.

Comment - Nice album track. Chugs along nicely, no vocal histrionics. Suits the mood of the album and the fact its lowest ranking is 144 means its not hated. Also not loved.

Total Points - 151.30

Rankers - 9

Average Points per rank - 16.81 (Approximately a 66th rank). 

Ranks 135th on average points per ranker

Highest Rank - 40

Lowest Rank - 152

Previous Rank - 108 > 122

Special version requested - None

Ranking Comments - We have 4 rankings between 40 and 51, then the rest between 110 and 152. Pretty much holds its spot from last time and is a nice lead in to the top 100. 21 more lead in to go.
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I like this, good song, don't think I had it at 40 but not too much lower. Had no idea it was about NYC and that seems crazy to me, think your description feels much more accurate. 

In general, I have to say I favor the raw energy of Unforgettable Fire over the more polished, refined Joshua Tree, though I consider them both masterpieces. 

 
John Maddens Lunchbox said:
(183) > 190 - Walk to the Water

Total Points - 39.06 - Rankers 6 - Ave points per ranker 6.51

Highest - 78 - Lowest 199
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Wow, after having four "hits" yesterday, today this is the only one that even made my first cut, landing at #109 on my list.  I KNOW THE SPOKEN WORD PART WOULD BE A DRAG FOR SOME*, but I dig the whole song.

Now I have only five of my bottom 16 left, three of which I expect to see soon.

*See my "large capital letters"?

 
John Maddens Lunchbox said:
(108) - > #122 - Indian Summer Sky

Vulture.com ranking and comment - You can hear the rumblings of The Joshua Tree in the urgency and vibrancy of this track; Bono states that it’s about New York City, and far be it for me to tell him otherwise, but this song sounds like the elements invoked: light, wind, earth, air. It’s a good transition after “Bad,” but otherwise sounds more like a demo than a finished track.

Comment - Nice album track. Chugs along nicely, no vocal histrionics. Suits the mood of the album and the fact its lowest ranking is 144 means its not hated. Also not loved.

Total Points - 151.30

Rankers - 9

Average Points per rank - 16.81 (Approximately a 66th rank). 

Ranks 135th on average points per ranker

Highest Rank - 40

Lowest Rank - 152

Previous Rank - 108 > 122

Special version requested - None

Ranking Comments - We have 4 rankings between 40 and 51, then the rest between 110 and 152. Pretty much holds its spot from last time and is a nice lead in to the top 100. 21 more lead in to go.
Click to expand...
I’m at 41 on Indian Summer Sky. Pretty sure I subconsciously gave it a boost for the album it’s on, as a big fan of The Unforgettable Fire. I did not know the song had roots in NYC. As an Irish kid who grew up in the city, that’s pretty cool.

 
krista4 said:
Wow, after having four "hits" yesterday, today this is the only one that even made my first cut, landing at #109 on my list.  I KNOW THE SPOKEN WORD PART WOULD BE A DRAG FOR SOME*, but I dig the whole song.

Now I have only five of my bottom 16 left, three of which I expect to see soon.

*See my "large capital letters"?
Click to expand...
As with all the TJT B-sides, I like it well enough and it would have been fine as a filler track on a lesser album. 

 
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