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)

[Brony]

I ####### love this openness and connection to this song, any song.  Thanks for sharing this piece of your life.

Your post is an illustration of what music does for me.

Thanks GB

 

[krista4]

I'll compile some of my bullet thoughts on the past 5 or so pages:

• 109  Origin of the Species:   Didn't pay too much attention when it was released, but appreciation has grown for this song (esp from the original 228 thread).    Glad to see that many others chime in about this song too.  (probably has the most discussion posts than most of the other songs so far).  It's 1 of the few songs listed so far that made my Top50 at #43.
  

Welcome back!  I'm sorry to hear of the issues you've been facing.  Happy for you that you made the Iceland trip, though!

Glad to see you're a fan of this one, too.  In addition to what you've pointed out, I've found it is also the song I've had stuck in my head the most often since it was posted.   

 

[simey]

I am still convinced it's C7 (or Thoracic Outlet Syndrome).   So I am heading to Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville in early July.  Not leaving there until they come up w a plan.

Good luck with this. I hope they can pinpoint what it is, and come up with a good plan to take care of it and get you some relief.

P.S. I agree about insurance companies.

 

[Nemesis]

Good luck with this. I hope they can pinpoint what it is, and come up w a good plan to take care of it & get you some relief.

P.S. I agree about insurance companies.

I had to call my insurance company & doctor dozens & dozens of time to back check them.
  
Insur Company to me:    "I've tried to call your doctor to have a Peer To Peer mtg w him several times w/o any luck."
Doctor to me:    "No record of this from them.   We've found this is what they do."
Me to Insurance:   "Oh....you need a copy of X Document?....   I have that document.  Let me email that to you right now while we're on the phone talking.
Insurance:     "No....we can't accept any documents from you, the patient"
Me:            "Really?      Ok, then....what's the fax # ?"    (writes down fax #)
Also me:    Immediately drives 30 minutes downtown to my doctor, storms (politely) into the lobby, & asks the PA:   I need you to fax THIS DOCUMENT to the INS Fax # here.   Come back w the Confirmation as I'm not leaving till you do."      Waits for them to return, gets confirm & drives 30 mins back home.

The above scenario literally happened several times over the course of wks/months. 

 

[Nemesis]

Ok....i went back thru my U2 Tidbit Notes & found something that I never posted:

• In 2010, Gibson ranked Edge the 23rd-best guitarist of all time, saying that he "created a sound that is distinctly his own – no small feat when you consider he's had to do it in the course of 3 decades while working shoulder-to-shoulder w one of the biggest personalities in rock, Bono". 
   
  
• In 2011, Rolling Stone placed the Edge at #38 on its list of "The 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time"; calling him an "innovative mind", a "scientist, & a poet by night", & said he is "dedicated to note-taking" to "document every detail of his sound". 
   
  
• In 2012, Spin ranked him #13th on their list, saying that he "masked & flaunted his willful ignorance of how guitars are meant to be played w forgiving delay pedals, forging a sonic trademark so distinctive that his band's name became an adjective".
  

 

[John Maddens Lunchbox]

Great to see you here @Nemesis, shame you havent had the best if it. Wish you all the best.

You are back just in time for the top 100 ish 

 

[John Maddens Lunchbox]

(99) - > #104 - Stories for Boys

Vulture.com ranking and comment -129/218 - One of the band’s earliest songs, it was plucked from the live show and chosen for U2 3, the band’s first release. But the version on Boy is almost unrecognizable from the original — the latter being almost pop-punk parody, while the album rendition is larger and more interesting. The rhythm section shines here: Adam’s bass runs are plump and melodic, and Larry offers large, booming flourishes that are the perfect adornment.

Comment - Great Riff to start with. Drifts aimlessly after that. To me these kind of tracks are frustrating as the vibe is right, but it just doesn’t put it altogether. They get the benefit of the doubt early on here though. 

Total Points - 214.20

Rankers - 10

Average Points per rank - 21.42 (Approximately a 57th rank). 

Ranks 104th on average points per ranker

Highest Rank - 18

Lowest Rank - 225

Previous Rank - 99 > 104

Special Version Requested - None

Ranking Comments - A high of 18, as well as 3 other top 50 rankings put it here. Only 2 other top 100 rankings while the rest drift away. Id say the people that really love the early stuff rank this much higher.

 

[John Maddens Lunchbox]

(82) - > #103 - No Line on the Horizon

Vulture.com ranking and comment - 61/218 - This record expanded the songwriting cadre to include Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois, and you can definitely feel their involvement stretching the edges of U2. The delicate impressionism of the title track is about dreams and escape, and you can hear it. There was an early alternate version of the track that came out on the B-side of “Get on Your Boots” that is vastly different, heavier, more rhythmic, and in many ways better. But it clearly didn’t fit the vibe the band was going for.

Comment - Not sure how i ended up as the highest rank here. I really like what the band is trying to do, but instead of peaking with a chorus it falls flat. Intro and verse are real good. I still feel like they are going to break into the Split Enz song My Mistake when Bono starts yodelling. 

Total Points - 214.25

Rankers - 10

Average Points per rank - 21.43 (Approximately a 57th rank). 

Ranks 103rd on average points per ranker

Highest Rank - 10

Lowest Rank - 145

Previous Rank - 82 > 103

Special Version Requested - None

Ranking Comments - I am definitely not the highest ranker this time. A 10? Wow. Two others just inside the top 50. 4 other top 100s as well. The 10 shocks me and id love to hear about it. 

 

[Alex P Keaton]

(99) - > #104 - Stories for Boys

Vulture.com ranking and comment -129/218 - One of the band’s earliest songs, it was plucked from the live show and chosen for U2 3, the band’s first release. But the version on Boy is almost unrecognizable from the original — the latter being almost pop-punk parody, while the album rendition is larger and more interesting. The rhythm section shines here: Adam’s bass runs are plump and melodic, and Larry offers large, booming flourishes that are the perfect adornment.

Comment - Great Riff to start with. Drifts aimlessly after that. To me these kind of tracks are frustrating as the vibe is right, but it just doesn’t put it altogether. They get the benefit of the doubt early on here though. 

Total Points - 214.20

Rankers - 10

Average Points per rank - 21.42 (Approximately a 57th rank). 

Ranks 104th on average points per ranker

Highest Rank - 18

Lowest Rank - 225

Previous Rank - 99 > 104

Special Version Requested - None

Ranking Comments - A high of 18, as well as 3 other top 50 rankings put it here. Only 2 other top 100 rankings while the rest drift away. Id say the people that really love the early stuff rank this much higher.

I was at #18.  Unapologetically.  Huge fan.  Love the album, and this could be my favorite song from the album.

 

[John Maddens Lunchbox]

(80) - > #102 - Spanish Eyes

Vulture.com ranking and comment -26/218 - “Spanish Eyes” is primal, foolish, and eternal. There’s a whole second album of this type of aching echo that came out of The Joshua Tree sessions and ended up as B-sides, but the album would have felt a little more complete and well-rounded had one of them — preferably this one — made the cut. “Trip Through Your Wires” was meant to represent this particular element, but it doesn’t go as far as this one.

Comment - One of the more interesting b sides. Still its clear why it couldnt make an album. Enjoyable, but forgettable. I’m in the middle of the high and low here. Amazing that vulture absolutely loves it. It wouldn’t have worked well on Joshua Tree imho. We do have 2 top 50 rankings here though. 

Total Points - 214.85

Rankers - 10

Average Points per rank - 21.49 (Approximately a 57th rank). 

Ranks 102nd on average points per ranker

Highest Rank - 10

Lowest Rank - 198

Previous Rank - 80 > 102

Special Version Requested - None

Ranking Comments - Another 10 ranking. Wow. Vulture loves it too. Two other top 50 rankings. Only 3 other top 100 rankings. It will be common place very soon for every song to have a least one big boost in rankings. 

 

[John Maddens Lunchbox]

(53) - > #101 - Trash, Trampoline and the Party Girl

(53) - > #101 - Party Girl from Under a Blood Red Sky

Vulture.com ranking and comment - For a band that, at the time, disavowed any connection to blues and folk, this gorgeous mélange of both of those forms creates a fantastic, spontaneous fairy tale that could have come from a fairy circle or a campfire. There’re some electronic loops in the background that create an edgy, eclectic fog, anchored by Edge’s gentle but firm atonal acoustic chords. Showing up on the B-side of “A Celebration,” the easy rhythm was in stark contrast to the shouty sincerity on the A-side, and its inherent spontaneity (the band had 40 minutes to come up with something and this is what resulted) was a breath of fresh air to fans who loved the band, but also wanted some room to breathe and dance. It’s not surprising that it endured in the set list even as late as 2015.

Comment - Judging the original of this song on its own merits, its a b side and an average one at that. They do the best they can with it on Under a blood red sky, which lifts it considerably in my eyes. im sure its a crowd fave, but the song is not that good. Its probably the worst song on Under a Blood Red Sky. 

Total Points - 215.80

Rankers - 11

Average Points per rank - 19.62 (Approximately a 61st rank). 

Ranks 118th on average points per ranker

Highest Rank - 28

Lowest Rank - 182

Previous Rank - 53 > 101

Special Version Requested - (53) - > #101 - Party Girl from Under a Blood Red Sky

Ranking Comments - Only 3 top 50 rankings, but 5 others in the top 100. Its a massive drop from last time, but I think its better placed here than last time. Maybe some people have affection for it, but the song is dross lol. 

 

[John Maddens Lunchbox]

That leaves us with 100 to go. 

Ive got to update the OP and will have a wrap of highlights of the new songs before commencing the top 100.

The top 100 will kickoff with our first song with 12 rankers, followed shortly thereafter with our first 13 ranker song. @Anarchy99 may be surprised to see that every single track off Rattle and Hum makes the top 100. The bad news is that the first two we see are from it....IMHO the first 2 from it are unexpected. We also have an old live favorite and one of the Songs, songs making a rapid rise from last time. 

 

[Anarchy99]

That leaves us with 100 to go. 

Ive got to update the OP and will have a wrap of highlights of the new songs before commencing the top 100.

The top 100 will kickoff with our first song with 12 rankers, followed shortly thereafter with our first 13 ranker song. @Anarchy99 may be surprised to see that every single track off Rattle and Hum makes the top 100. The bad news is that the first two we see are from it....IMHO the first 2 from it are unexpected. We also have an old live favorite and one of the Songs, songs making a rapid rise from last time. 

 

[krista4]

(82) - > #103 - No Line on the Horizon

This is the only one of the four that made my first cut, ultimately landing at #84 for me.  Could easily have been higher.  I love the urgency and propulsiveness (is that a word?) of the verses, and yeah I love the "whoa-oh-oh-oh" part a lot.  Very cool how it goes from the more frenetic verses into the soothing choruses, except each chorus gets a bit more aggressive, too.  The first chorus focuses on the soothing lead vocal but by the end it's a big gang vocal.  Love it.  The bridge is incredible to my ears as well - starting with no lyrics and just a lot of moans and yells going into that melodic resolution.  :chefskiss:

I get the criticism that this might not give the payoff one might be looking for, but everywhere it goes is fascinating to me.  Really should have had this another 20 spots or more higher.  Going through this exercise again right now has made me realize how many "mistakes" I made.   

 

[krista4]

(53) - > #101 - Trash, Trampoline and the Party Girl

(53) - > #101 - Party Girl from Under a Blood Red Sky

This is the anti-"No Line on the Horizon" for me.  While I wish I had put that one higher, I wish there were some way I could give this negative points.  There is something about this that I have always completely despised; in fact, I start to feel angry when it comes on.  I think it's that the song has a lot of good elements - musically I find it compelling - but something about the vocal delivery combined with the lyrics makes me :X  .  I actively hate this song and apologize for my vitriol to anyone who loves it.  

 

[krista4]

@John Maddens Lunchbox, the #101-200 Spotify list has been completed and can be linked in the first post:  Linky

Question for the masses:  Would you rather have a 1-100 playlist for the top selections, or separate 1-50 and 51-100?

 

[krista4]

I submitted 115 songs, and going into the top 100 I still have 78 of those left, including all of my #1-62.  I'm very pleased with that!     

 

[Pip's Invitation]

This is the only one of the four that made my first cut, ultimately landing at #84 for me.  Could easily have been higher.  I love the urgency and propulsiveness (is that a word?) of the verses, and yeah I love the "whoa-oh-oh-oh" part a lot.  Very cool how it goes from the more frenetic verses into the soothing choruses, except each chorus gets a bit more aggressive, too.  The first chorus focuses on the soothing lead vocal but by the end it's a big gang vocal.  Love it.  The bridge is incredible to my ears as well - starting with no lyrics and just a lot of moans and yells going into that melodic resolution.  :chefskiss:

I get the criticism that this might not give the payoff one might be looking for, but everywhere it goes is fascinating to me.  Really should have had this another 20 spots or more higher.  Going through this exercise again right now has made me realize how many "mistakes" I made.   

I use “propulsiveness” all the time!

 

[Pip's Invitation]

(99) - > #104 - Stories for Boys

Vulture.com ranking and comment -129/218 - One of the band’s earliest songs, it was plucked from the live show and chosen for U2 3, the band’s first release. But the version on Boy is almost unrecognizable from the original — the latter being almost pop-punk parody, while the album rendition is larger and more interesting. The rhythm section shines here: Adam’s bass runs are plump and melodic, and Larry offers large, booming flourishes that are the perfect adornment.

Comment - Great Riff to start with. Drifts aimlessly after that. To me these kind of tracks are frustrating as the vibe is right, but it just doesn’t put it altogether. They get the benefit of the doubt early on here though. 

Total Points - 214.20

Rankers - 10

Average Points per rank - 21.42 (Approximately a 57th rank). 

Ranks 104th on average points per ranker

Highest Rank - 18

Lowest Rank - 225

Previous Rank - 99 > 104

Special Version Requested - None

Ranking Comments - A high of 18, as well as 3 other top 50 rankings put it here. Only 2 other top 100 rankings while the rest drift away. Id say the people that really love the early stuff rank this much higher.

Another that would be in the 81-120 range for me. 

Didn’t consider any others from today. I am not repulsed by Party Girl like Krista is, but I’ve never understood its appeal.

 

[simey]

Question for the masses:  Would you rather have a 1-100 playlist for the top selections, or separate 1-50 and 51-100?

I can answer that question better after 100-51 is done, but I'm good with whatever is chosen.

 

[krista4]

Another that would be in the 81-120 range for me. 

Didn’t consider any others from today. I am not repulsed by Party Girl like Krista is, but I’ve never understood its appeal.

I can identify exactly where it loses me:  ""I know a boy, a boy called Trash...Trash Can."  I don't know why.  It's not specifically the lyrics, but somehow the way he delivers them.  It makes me want to vomit at that point.

I'm not sure why "Stories for Boys" didn't make my first cut.  Might have just been early in my listening and was being too selective.  Good song, albeit kind of a mess.

 

[Nemesis]

(82) - > #103 - No Line on the Horizon

The song's title was inspired by the view from Bono's study window on the Irish coast at a certain time of day, when the sea seems to melt into the sky.

The song started off as an improvised slow-paced ambient number before being reworked into a Punk-Rock tune.
Bono: NLOTH album is divided into 2 parts, "Dark" & "Daylight."  "In my head, it all happens over 24 hrs."

Edge:  The album title "is an image. It's like when you're moving forward, but you're not exactly sure what you're heading towards - that moment where the sea & the sky blend into 1. It's an image of infinity, I suppose - a kind of Zen image."

Music:   Edge said this song was inspired by an FX pedal recommended to him by Ben Curtis of Secret Machines. He explained: "It's this kind of 21st century distortion. Guitar is such a versatile instrument, anything that gives it a different personality."

Co-producer Daniel Lanois:  "Larry Mullen was - without anyone else playing - he was just trying out a few beats on the drums. And Brian Eno sampled him. Brian Eno's station was right next to Larry's - we have little stations in the studio - so at any point Brian could record what Larry was doing, & manipulate it & sample it & so on. He did that, & it started out as a little Bo Diddley sample beat. Kind of jazzy, but it had a vibe to it. As soon as Eno sampled that, we jumped right on top of it & started playing over it, including Larry. And we came up with what I think is space age rock & roll - space age rockabilly. Bono had this idea - where the sea meets the sky & you can't tell the diff betw the 2. And the vocal happened very early on, that whole - a-whoawhoawhoawhoa! - that little hook. The vocal delivery, the vibe was there right from day 1. I was very proud of Bono."

 

[Alex P Keaton]

(80) - > #102 - Spanish Eyes

Vulture.com ranking and comment -26/218 - “Spanish Eyes” is primal, foolish, and eternal. There’s a whole second album of this type of aching echo that came out of The Joshua Tree sessions and ended up as B-sides, but the album would have felt a little more complete and well-rounded had one of them — preferably this one — made the cut. “Trip Through Your Wires” was meant to represent this particular element, but it doesn’t go as far as this one.

Comment - One of the more interesting b sides. Still its clear why it couldnt make an album. Enjoyable, but forgettable. I’m in the middle of the high and low here. Amazing that vulture absolutely loves it. It wouldn’t have worked well on Joshua Tree imho. We do have 2 top 50 rankings here though. 

Total Points - 214.85

Rankers - 10

Average Points per rank - 21.49 (Approximately a 57th rank). 

Ranks 102nd on average points per ranker

Highest Rank - 10

Lowest Rank - 198

Previous Rank - 80 > 102

Special Version Requested - None

Ranking Comments - Another 10 ranking. Wow. Vulture loves it too. Two other top 50 rankings. Only 3 other top 100 rankings. It will be common place very soon for every song to have a least one big boost in rankings. 

I was at 41 on this.  It’s a really good song, but it doesn’t belong on TJT.   It absolutely should NOT have replaced Tripped Through Your Wires.  That’s just insane.

It really doesn’t fit on any album.  Maybe it could have been on Rattle & Hum.  But that’s really it.

IMO it was the best of the b-sides from that album that packaged together all the b-sides.  Either this one or Three Sunrises.

Mrs APK didn’t rank it, but hey, she stopped at 30.    She made a face when it was mentioned at said “it’s ok.”   again.

 

[Alex P Keaton]

This is the anti-"No Line on the Horizon" for me.  While I wish I had put that one higher, I wish there were some way I could give this negative points.  There is something about this that I have always completely despised; in fact, I start to feel angry when it comes on.  I think it's that the song has a lot of good elements - musically I find it compelling - but something about the vocal delivery combined with the lyrics makes me :X  .  I actively hate this song and apologize for my vitriol to anyone who loves it.  

This song - lyrically - hasn’t aged well

 

[Grace Under Pressure]

Just a quick catch-up with my takes on the recently revealed songs (and a couple from just before that):

• Invisible - 111
  
• Elvis Presley & America - 81
  
• Promenade - 80
  
• Breathe - 91
  
• Stories for Boys - 89
  
• No Line on the Horizon - 87
  
• Spanish Eyes - 115
  
• Party Girl - 53
  

Breathe was the song I was referring to when we were discussing Fez. I teased that a song "later in the album" that was ranked higher than Fez by the group was upcoming that was interesting to me. It was Breathe. After listening to them both again, I'd keep Fez ahead of Breathe, but the consensus ranking did make me think about it, which is cool.

EP&A and Promenade. Well, they're minor players on a major album, but essential players IMO.

Glad to see the appreciation for No Line on the Horizon. I'm a pretty big fan of the song, and the album.

Party Girl was big as a live tune in the band's early days. It definitely received a nostalgia bump from me because of that, in retrospect.

I'm not the high ranker on any of these.

 

[Anarchy99]

Count this one in the category of "Anarchy forgot to add this song to his big list of U2-related songs." I had my computer on shuffle play this morning and this one popped up. Hadn't heard it in 20 years (and TBH had forgotten all about it).

ELWOOD (FEATURING BONO) - Sundown, Music Video

This is a cover of the famous Gordon Lightfoot song that topped the Billboard singles chart in 1974. The Elwood version was quasi-popular for a couple of weeks in 2000 (at least where I lived) and hit #33 on the Modern Rock Tracks chart.

Here's the back story. Elwood was a duo with Prince Elwood Strickland III and Brian Bowland. They were sound engineers that had worked with Tricky, Mos Def, De La Soul, The The, and the Beastie Boys. Elwood got signed to Gobstopper, Steve Lillywhite's label, which was an offshoot of Island Records (U2's label). Lillywhite produced Elwood's first album, The Parlance Of Our Time. The band never got another album released on a major label. They released their only other album independently in 2005. (Lillywhite produced all or parts of 9 of U2's albums.)

Anyway, back when Sundown came out, the FM radio stations near me credited the song to Elwood and Bono. The problem is, Bono is not credited for appearing on the track. There's not much info on the band, the album, or the song out there all these years later. That's why I neglected to include it in my big list of U2-related tracks. Bono is clearly singing background vocals over the final two minutes on the song. I remember a DJ saying he also sang on the chorus, but that is harder to hear, if accurate.

Does anyone else remember this song (or have an opinion on it)?

 

[simey]

I can identify exactly where it loses me:  ""I know a boy, a boy called Trash...Trash Can." 

 

[simey]

Count this one in the category of "Anarchy forgot to add this song to his big list of U2-related songs." I had my computer on shuffle play this morning and this one popped up. Hadn't heard it in 20 years (and TBH had forgotten all about it).

ELWOOD (FEATURING BONO) - Sundown, Music Video

Does anyone else remember this song (or have an opinion on it)?

I'm a fan of Gordon Lightfoot's version.  This version is interesting. It's the first time I've heard it.

 

[Nemesis]

ELWOOD (FEATURING BONO) - Sundown, Music Video

This is a cover of the famous Gordon Lightfoot song that topped the Billboard singles chart in 1974. The Elwood version was quasi-popular for a couple of weeks in 2000 (at least where I lived) and hit #33 on the Modern Rock Tracks chart.

Here's the back story. Elwood was a duo with Prince Elwood Strickland III and Brian Bowland. They were sound engineers that had worked with Tricky, Mos Def, De La Soul, The The, and the Beastie Boys. Elwood got signed to Gobstopper, Steve Lillywhite's label, which was an offshoot of Island Records (U2's label). Lillywhite produced Elwood's first album, The Parlance Of Our Time. The band never got another album released on a major label. They released their only other album independently in 2005. (Lillywhite produced all or parts of 9 of U2's albums.)

Anyway, back when Sundown came out, the FM radio stations near me credited the song to Elwood and Bono. The problem is, Bono is not credited for appearing on the track. There's not much info on the band, the album, or the song out there all these years later. That's why I neglected to include it in my big list of U2-related tracks. Bono is clearly singing background vocals over the final two minutes on the song. I remember a DJ saying he also sang on the chorus, but that is harder to hear, if accurate.

Does anyone else remember this song (or have an opinion on it)?

I have it in my iTunes library & it comes up occasionally. Good song….as for Bono’s vocals, It’s very subtle but I can hear why someone would think he contributed to the last 2 minutes of the song. 

 

[John Maddens Lunchbox]

Before moving on to the top 100, here are my 11 most interesting “new” U2 songs to this countdown from @Anarchy99s list.

These arent the 11 i ranked highest. I had a list of 27 so editting down to 11 was hard.

#138 - Slug - PASSENGERS

#181 - This Is

#180 - Ahimsa - U2 & A.R. RAHMAN

#207 - Springhill Mining Disaster - U2

#237 - The Ballad Of Ronnie Drew - U2 & GUESTS

#204 - Sweet Fire Of Love - ROBBIE ROBERTSON & U2

#260 - My Hometown - U2

#241 - Yoshino Blossom - U2 instrumental 

with lyrics

#281 - The Dream Is Over - U2

#250 - """Things to Make and Do"" (instrumental)"

#163 - Womanfish - U2

 

[krista4]

#181 - This Is

#237 - The Ballad Of Ronnie Drew - U2 & GUESTS

#163 - Womanfish - U2

I particularly enjoy these three, though "This Is" is the only that made my list, and I should have had the other two on there.

My other recommendations, like yours not necessarily highest on my list, are:

#182 - Oh Berlin

#197 - Levitate

#215 - Boy Falls from the Sky

#270 - Jack in the Box

 

[krista4]

In looking through the list, I noticed you have Springhill Mining Disaster listed on the first page at both #204 and #207.  I didn't go back to see what the error is, as I figured you'd have it handy.

I also noticed that I had Luminous Times on my own rankings at both #82 and #101.    Sorry.

 

[zoonation]

I'm not as far along in my making my list as I wanted to be.  Got served with an application on the weekend returnable this week and will be spending most of my "free" time dealing with issues related to that.  I will get to it though for sure.

Some quick thoughts on today's songs:

NLOTH - Love this song.  Might be my favorite from the album, actually.  I agree with Krista's write up and especially the note about the bridge, which is fantastic and the propulsiveness of the song overall.  Easily in my top 100 and likely closer to 50 when I get done.

Party Girl - meh.

Stories for Boys - like this song and how earnest it is, like most of their early work.  Might crack my top 100 but not sure yet.

Slug - I love this song.  It is the second best song on Passengers behind Ms. Sarajevo and I still listen to it a fair bit.   It is the perfect song to illustrate my difficulty in doing rankings for this band.  It is impossible for me to separate the nostalgic and time-in-life specific reasons I love certain songs that may, objectively, not be as good as others.  

I remember when Passengers first dropped.  It was 1994-95 and right in the middle of U2's creative peak IMO.  They were just doing whatever they wanted in the 90's and this record comes out after what I can only assume was some peyote trip through the desert with Brian Eno, where they basically let him run amok.   Wish they would have done that on NLOTH actually, instead we get the Lillywhite 5-7 songs on that album which kind of ruined what could have been a real cohesive album.  But I digress.

I got my heart broken the year Passengers came out.  I must have listened to Slug a thousand times.  That song is literally part of me.

 

[John Maddens Lunchbox]

@John Maddens Lunchbox, the #101-200 Spotify list has been completed and can be linked in the first post:  Linky

Question for the masses:  Would you rather have a 1-100 playlist for the top selections, or separate 1-50 and 51-100?

Op updated with everything.

As for the request, what about 26-100? And then 1-25? Doesnt really bother me as I dont use spotify. Just throwing another possible option out there.

In looking through the list, I noticed you have Springhill Mining Disaster listed on the first page at both #204 and #207.  I didn't go back to see what the error is, as I figured you'd have it handy.

I also noticed that I had Luminous Times on my own rankings at both #82 and #101.    Sorry.

Thanks for noticing. I have corrected. 

as for Luminous Times, Ha you did too. Might have bumped it a spot or 2. No Harm. Its been and gone

The top 100 was a checked a bit more thoroughly, although who knows what we find in retrospect.

 

[John Maddens Lunchbox]

Slug - I love this song.  It is the second best song on Passengers behind Ms. Sarajevo and I still listen to it a fair bit.   It is the perfect song to illustrate my difficulty in doing rankings for this band.  It is impossible for me to separate the nostalgic and time-in-life specific reasons I love certain songs that may, objectively, not be as good as others.  

I remember when Passengers first dropped.  It was 1994-95 and right in the middle of U2's creative peak IMO.  They were just doing whatever they wanted in the 90's and this record comes out after what I can only assume was some peyote trip through the desert with Brian Eno, where they basically let him run amok.   Wish they would have done that on NLOTH actually, instead we get the Lillywhite 5-7 songs on that album which kind of ruined what could have been a real cohesive album.  But I digress.

I got my heart broken the year Passengers came out.  I must have listened to Slug a thousand times.  That song is literally part of me.

Thanks for your thoughts. When it came up, i knew you had briefly talked about it in anarchys thread. Even if you ranked it #1 overall it would only have moved up to 107. 

 

[John Maddens Lunchbox]

(115) - > #100 - Helter Skelter

Vulture.com ranking and comment - Not ranked

Original Comment - This is the halfway point. Enjoyable, but doesnt really offer anything apart from "stealing it back". I think we know who the highest ranker is. The next two rankings, including mine, are roughly where it lands and then we have the lowest 100 behind

Total Points - 218.60

Rankers - 12

Average Points per rank - 18.22 (Approximately a 64th rank). 

Ranks 128th on average points per ranker

Highest Rank - 18

Lowest Rank - 174

Previous Rank - 115 > 100

Special Version Requested - None

Ranking Comments - We begin the top 100 with the first song from Rattle and Hum. Apart from the 18 ranking there are only 2 other top 50 entries. The 6 between 50 and 100 give it a higher ranking than last time. 

 

[Pip's Invitation]

(115) - > #100 - Helter Skelter

Vulture.com ranking and comment - Not ranked

Original Comment - This is the halfway point. Enjoyable, but doesnt really offer anything apart from "stealing it back". I think we know who the highest ranker is. The next two rankings, including mine, are roughly where it lands and then we have the lowest 100 behind

Total Points - 218.60

Rankers - 12

Average Points per rank - 18.22 (Approximately a 64th rank). 

Ranks 128th on average points per ranker

Highest Rank - 18

Lowest Rank - 174

Previous Rank - 115 > 100

Special Version Requested - None

Ranking Comments - We begin the top 100 with the first song from Rattle and Hum. Apart from the 18 ranking there are only 2 other top 50 entries. The 6 between 50 and 100 give it a higher ranking than last time. 

This song doesn’t play to their strengths, especially vocally, and I don’t really understand why they decided to cover it. The “stealing it back” bit is just cringe, and gave more fuel to the “U2/Bono are full of themselves/himself” narrative.

 

[krista4]

This song doesn’t play to their strengths, especially vocally, and I don’t really understand why they decided to cover it. 

+1

 

[simey]

(115) - > #100 - Helter Skelter

I ranked this song #18 . I don't care about the "stealing it back" part before the song starts. I don't consider that part of the song. Anyway, one of my college roommates, Mark, bought Rattle and Hum the day it came out. He loved U2. I remember him putting it on for the first time, and he blasted Helter Skelter on the stereo speakers. It rocked! He played it over and over again, and he always played the air guitar to it. We both were Beatles fans, and we loved this version. He played that CD every day for weeks straight, and he always played Helter Skelter twice. I'm about to tell something gross, but it is part of the Helter Skelter memory. During Mark's Rattle and Hum marathon, we had a party. We got some magic mushrooms for the occasion. Mushrooms can sometimes make you feel nauseous not long after taking them. About 30 minutes after ingestion, another roommate felt sick, and she disappeared into the bathroom. Mark checked on her, and he came back out and announced in his loud voice that she threw up her mushrooms in the toilet, and then fished them out of the toilet, and ate them again. :X  He then yelled, "Gross" and put on Helter Skelter while playing air guitar.  She appeared from the bathroom, and told him that what made her sick was him playing Helter Skelter every damn day. Those two lovebirds were dating at the time, and married a few years later, and then divorced after he had an affair with a "friend" she worked with. When the divorce was final, she got the house and friends, and he got a bad reputation. 

 

[simey]

This song doesn’t play to their strengths, especially vocally, and I don’t really understand why they decided to cover it. The “stealing it back” bit is just cringe, and gave more fuel to the “U2/Bono are full of themselves/himself” narrative.

I assume they decided to do the cover, cause they love the song. I dig the version, but I know what sounds good to me doesn't mean it sounds good to others. Bono is a huge Beatles fan. He wrote a fan letter on U2s website to The Beatles a couple years ago.   He wrote a letter to his friend Julian too.

 

[krista4]

Of course they're Beatles fans, but loving a song doesn't mean it's a good choice for you to cover it, if it doesn't fit your style or abilities.  But, given that many people here seem to like this one, obviously they were right to do so and I am wrong. 

I did find in Anarchy's list several Beatles-related covers that I thought they did well on.

Dear Prudence - I like how they've adapted it here

My Sweet Lord - I think there might have been discussion of this one earlier and that others didn't like it, but I think they did a great job.  Really fits his voice.

Norwegian Wood - really enjoyed this and wish they'd done the whole song

Sgt. Pepper’s - I guess this isn't really a cover since Paul is leading, but I like this one a whole lot

Happy Xmas (The War Is Over) - my favorite of all of these, with an amazing performance!  I didn't include this one on my list just because it was a TV performance, but I should have.

 

[krista4]

Since we're done with the ones on Anarchy's list, I wanted to mention this one that didn't get ranked, and that's probably the correct outcome, but I love the pure joy of it.  This is a Simey SpecialTM.

Edge and Davy Jones - Daydream Believer

Edge doing it on his own

 

[Grace Under Pressure]

(115) - > #100 - Helter Skelter

Vulture.com ranking and comment - Not ranked

Original Comment - This is the halfway point. Enjoyable, but doesnt really offer anything apart from "stealing it back". I think we know who the highest ranker is. The next two rankings, including mine, are roughly where it lands and then we have the lowest 100 behind

Total Points - 218.60

Rankers - 12

Average Points per rank - 18.22 (Approximately a 64th rank). 

Ranks 128th on average points per ranker

Highest Rank - 18

Lowest Rank - 174

Previous Rank - 115 > 100

Special Version Requested - None

Ranking Comments - We begin the top 100 with the first song from Rattle and Hum. Apart from the 18 ranking there are only 2 other top 50 entries. The 6 between 50 and 100 give it a higher ranking than last time. 

I'm at 108 on Helter Skelter. All based on the significance to R&H overall. And while it's pretty much a trope, I am glad they took it back. 

 

[Anarchy99]

The topic of U2 and covers have come up multiple times in this thread. Like many other band's that didn't have much of their own material yet, they started off in the 70's playing a bunch of covers in their shows. However, they didn't record or release any covers. Yet 4-5 albums in, THEN they went cover crazy. In the five-ish year span from TJT sessions to the AB tour, the band recorded and officially released:

Help! (Live)
I Shall Be Released (Live)
C'mon Everybody (Live)
Stand By Me (Live)
Maggie's Farm (Live)
Helter Skelter (Live)
All Along The Watchtower (Live)
Paint It Black (Studio)
Everlasting Love (Studio)
Fortunate Son (Studio)
Can't Help Falling In Love (Bono Solo and Live with U2)
Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) (Studio)
Jesus Christ (Studio)
Dancing Barefoot (Studio)
Everybody Loves A Winner (Studio)
Night And Day (Studio)
Satellite Of Love (Studio)
Unchained Melody (Studio)
Exodus (Live)
Springhill Mining Disaster (Live)
The Times They Are A-Changin' (Live)
Mission Impossible Theme (Studio - Adam & Larry)

They also performed (but did not release):
People Get Ready (Live)
Knockin' On Heaven's Door (Live)
Dancing Queen (Live)
Southern Man (Live)
Redemption Song (Live)
Whiskey In The Jar (Live)
Lost Highway (Live)
Dirty Old Town (Live)
Suspicious Minds (Live)
Dear Prudence (Live)
Happy Xmas (War Is Over) (Live)
I Walk The Line (Live)
Tequila Sunrise (Live)
White Christmas (Live)
The Wild Rover (Live)

Between those two lists, that's 35+ songs. Also of note is that this is also what would be considered U2's peak and prime writing years (between TJT and AB). Why on earth would they devote so much time and energy to so many songs from so many other artists? That explosion came after almost 10 years of not playing songs from anyone else. There is no other way to describe it other than . . . ODD.

 

[simey]

Since we're done with the ones on Anarchy's list, I wanted to mention this one that didn't get ranked, and that's probably the correct outcome, but I love the pure joy of it.  This is a Simey SpecialTM.

Edge and Davy Jones - Daydream Believer

Edge doing it on his own

One of my "boost" songs. It usually boost my spirits when I hear it.

 

[John Maddens Lunchbox]

(126) - > #99 - All Along the Watchtower

Vulture.com ranking and comment - Not Listed.

Original Comment - U2 does some interesting covers, but messy ones as well. This doesnt offer anything apart from an ego trip. I am not the lowest ranker lol. Nor the highest, of which there are 2. 

Total Points - 220.65

Rankers - 10

Average Points per rank - 22.06 (Approximately a 56th rank). 

Ranks  - 99th on average points per ranker

Highest Rank - 8

Lowest Rank - 163

Previous Rank - 126 > 99

Special Version Requested - None

Ranking Comments - The 8th ranking is astounding. There is only one other top 50 ranking, a 48. 7 rankings between 51 and 100. Maybe my original comment was a but harsh. Must have been in a bad mood or one too many covers i didnt like.

 

[John Maddens Lunchbox]

(86) - > #98 - An Cat Dubh

Vulture.com ranking and comment - Think about the 1-2-3 opening of Boy and the widely varying ranges of emotional tone from “I Will Follow,” “Twilight,” and now, “An Cat Dubh,” the black cat. We’re around the corner from the scene in “Twilight,” but we’ve now focused dead in on the tension of the scene, manifested by the sonics of Edge’s drone, the slight dread in Bono’s voice, and the story of a cat killing a bird and then sleeping next to it, waking up and playing with it again. There’s a riff at 2:44 from the Edge that is exactly that feeling, discordant and evil, shadowed by Bono’s howls. The xylophone that rings in the background adds both tension and fragility. This is how U2 were going to write about sex.

Comment - The 200 ranking, if it were eg 70, would have vaulted this song to #40. Then again if my aunt had balls she would be my uncle. I think this song perfectly encapsulates what U2 wanted to be. Loud, ambitious and with an ear for a good melody. Sure its not perfect, but its fun and was a setlist feature for years. They still drag it out occasionally now. The 200 ranking boggles my mind, but i have learnt that people often hear things different. Maybe this song reminds them of their favourite black cat who met an unfortunate end. 

Total Points - 228.20

Rankers - 13

Average Points per rank - 17.55(Approximately a 65th rank). 

Ranks  - 131st on average points per ranker

Highest Rank - 39

Lowest Rank - 114

Previous Rank - 86 > 98

Special Version Requested - None

Ranking Comments - I doubt we see a song in the top 100 with a lower high ranking than #39. This is the first song with 13 rankings. 11 are top 100. The sweet spot is 49-66 where there are 6 rankings. I was astounded when this ranked low last time. It drops even further with more rankers. One big booster and it jumps significantly. 

 

[John Maddens Lunchbox]

(196) - > #97 - The Troubles

Vulture.com ranking and comment - It would be a reasonable assumption to think that a song called “The Troubles” on a U2 record would be about the conflict in Northern Ireland during the late 20th century, except that it is not. It’s an interesting sonic experiment with Lykke Li on guest vocals, but oddly dispassionate.

Originak Comment - There is remarkable consistency in the rankings for this one. All of us, including Vulture.com don’t hate it, but we all think it’s fairly mediocre. A reasonable album closer, but a bit all over the place. It’s surprising that we haven’t seen anything from Songs of Innocence yet, but they will be more frequent very soon. 

Total Points - 236.95

Rankers - 9

Average Points per rank - 26.32(Approximately a 49th rank). 

Ranks  - 77th on average points per ranker

Highest Rank - 19

Lowest Rank - 170

Previous Rank - 196 > 97

Special Version Requested - None

Ranking Comments - This track saw no love last time. A lot has changed since then. This is one of the tracks that grew significantly in my estimation. I am not the only one. We have rankings of 19, 23, 26 and 44. 3 other top 100 rankings as well. The lyrics and Lykke Lis voice are magnificent together. I cant remember who said they liked this last time, but i did re-evaluate and happy to be proven wrong on my initial ranking.

 

[John Maddens Lunchbox]

For the next 3 we see one from the 80s, one from the 90s and one from the 00s. The 80s and 90s take a bit of a tumble from last time

 

[Pip's Invitation]

(126) - > #99 - All Along the Watchtower

Vulture.com ranking and comment - Not Listed.

Original Comment - U2 does some interesting covers, but messy ones as well. This doesnt offer anything apart from an ego trip. I am not the lowest ranker lol. Nor the highest, of which there are 2. 

Total Points - 220.65

Rankers - 10

Average Points per rank - 22.06 (Approximately a 56th rank). 

Ranks  - 99th on average points per ranker

Highest Rank - 8

Lowest Rank - 163

Previous Rank - 126 > 99

Special Version Requested - None

Ranking Comments - The 8th ranking is astounding. There is only one other top 50 ranking, a 48. 7 rankings between 51 and 100. Maybe my original comment was a but harsh. Must have been in a bad mood or one too many covers i didnt like.

This is OK. Was it necessary? No. But it's got some nice energy to it and was distinctly different from the three versions that I knew at the time -- Bob Dylan's, Jimi Hendrix' and Dave Mason's.