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)

[Pip's Invitation]

(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. 

I was at 50. Would have been much higher if we were allowed to rank An Cat Dubh -> Into the Heart as one, which is how I've always considered them; the transition is one of the highlights. By itself, it's a great song but has no payoff at the end. The bass is great, as is the deployment of xylophone. I also love the atmospheric guitar meanderings from Edge as the transition is happening. 

 

[simey]

(86) - > #98 - An Cat Dubh

I ranked this song #39. I love the bassline, and the drums accompany it well. I also like the drums in the chorus, which is fun to sing along to.  Edge's riff and playing in general have that early U2 sound, and his playing helps set the mood of the song. The xylophone is a cool addition. I think the whole band makes the song good. I also think black cats are beautiful. 

woah-oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, ooooooh
woah-oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, ooooooh
yes, and I know the truth about you
she cat

 

[Brony]

(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. 

I had this at #52.  I'm a fan of this one and most of the tracks on Boy. 

Whereas Pop and Zooropa have some extreme highs and lows for me, Boy has the most consistent ratings from start to finish. 

 

[krista4]

(86) - > #98 - An Cat Dubh

#62 for me, could have been higher, and I'm a little mad that it fell even further this time.   the glockenspiel part.

 

[Grace Under Pressure]

I had this at #52.  I'm a fan of this one and most of the tracks on Boy. 

Whereas Pop and Zooropa have some extreme highs and lows for me, Boy has the most consistent ratings from start to finish. 

Agreed. Boy is a tremendous album, and although I'm only at 83 on An Cat Dubh I have solid rankings on every song on Boy. Pop and Zooropa are certainly more variable.

I don't have a ranking on All Along the Watchtower. While I'll never outright bash a U2 song, not ranking it says enough. 

 

[krista4]

The bass is great, as is the deployment of xylophone. 

The xylophone is a cool addition.

Now I'm questioning myself, but that sounds like a glockenspiel to me, not a xylophone.  Same sound as on "I Will Follow," too.  Could one of our experts confirm?

 

[krista4]

(196) - > #97 - The Troubles

Just re-listened to this since it didn't make my first cut but is loved by many.  Easy for me to remember why now, as I probably turned it off soon after the female voice began the song.  I have an inexplicable difficulty with a lot of female singing voices (it's not them, it's definitely me), and that is exactly the type of voice I hate most -  baby talk with no enunciation.  Listening all the way through, I can see why people had this ranked highly, though.  Gorgeous instrumentation, and if you're not bothered by that voice like I am, it would be a great song.

 

[Nemesis]

Now I'm questioning myself, but that sounds like a glockenspiel to me, not a xylophone.  Same sound as on "I Will Follow," too.  Could one of our experts confirm?

"Into the Heart" focuses on the theme of childhood and maturity and the loss of innocence.[3] The beginning of the song is instrumental until Bono starts to sing with the melody. It is always played after "An Cat Dubh".[3]

The songs are layered with several guitar parts and a glockenspiel. Additionally, there is a sustained sound heard during the two tracks that was achieved by guitarist the Edge playing his guitar tuner and producer Steve Lillywhite adding several effects. The group took this approach because they did not have a synthesiser at the recording studio.

 

[krista4]

"Into the Heart" focuses on the theme of childhood and maturity and the loss of innocence.[3] The beginning of the song is instrumental until Bono starts to sing with the melody. It is always played after "An Cat Dubh".[3]

The songs are layered with several guitar parts and a glockenspiel. Additionally, there is a sustained sound heard during the two tracks that was achieved by guitarist the Edge playing his guitar tuner and producer Steve Lillywhite adding several effects. The group took this approach because they did not have a synthesiser at the recording studio.

Thanks!  Yeah, I just listened again and felt pretty confident it was a glock.  It has the higher pitch and more metallic, chime-y sound.

 

[bigbottom]

(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. 

#49 for me, so I’m the high end of that main band. A layered arrangement without being overproduced. A somewhat menacing guitar/vocal on the verses that sweetens at the chorus. The outro guitar is also super cool. I like this tune a lot.

 

[John Maddens Lunchbox]

(79) - > #96 - I Fall Down

Vulture.com ranking and comment -102/218 - By the time the band needed to be working on the follow-up to their debut, three-fourths of them were deeply enmeshed in a Christian fellowship group called Shalom. They were attending regular meetings of the group while trying to put together the album, which was causing Bono, Edge, and Larry to question everything, including their membership in the band. The Edge actually quit U2 at that time, but didn’t tell anyone except Bono. Some of this, or all of this, is inside “I Fall Down,” which is accompanied by a surprisingly sophisticated arrangement around delicate piano work from the Edge, and a gorgeous vocal from Bono. The whole thing shimmers with gold.

Original Comment - Very good Album Track, but ranking better than i thought it would as it seems unfinished and unpolished, but thats Lillywhite for you. 

Total Points - 249.10

Rankers - 12

Average Points per rank - 20.76 (Approximately a 59th rank). 

Ranks  - 109th on average points per ranker

Highest Rank - 15

Lowest Rank - 174

Previous Rank - 79 > 96

Special Version Requested - None

Ranking Comments - The 15 ranking is very interesting. Another at 23. Two in the early 50s and 4 more on the way to 100. Will leave it to the high rankers to hopefully chip in further. 

 

[John Maddens Lunchbox]

(97) - > #95 - Electrical Storm

97-95 - Electrical Storm William Orbit Remix

Vulture.com ranking and comment -105/218 - This song came out of sessions earmarked to generate bonus content for the upcoming greatest-hits records. Larry Mullen called this track “an incomplete idea.” Unsurprisingly, Bono is more generous, calling it “a post-9/11 song, but it is not an overtly political song.” There’s a definite feeling of unease, conveyed through the tension in a relationship, and, if nothing else, it’s a lovely, atmospheric meandering that kind of grows on you. The video is fantastic.

Comment - This is one of their better 00 tracks and it was recorded especially for a greatest hits. This is the last track we see where three of us rank it in the 100s. I dragged it kicking and screaming into the top 100 with a 43 rank. Bono does great vocals here and I love the vibe the Edge brings to it. That said the other rankers and Vulture all have it in the, “I guess its alright” area of ranking

Total Points - 252.25

Rankers - 11

Average Points per rank - 22.93 (Approximately a 54th rank). 

Ranks  - 92nd on average points per ranker

Highest Rank - 25

Lowest Rank - 138

Previous Rank - 97 > 95

Special Version Requested - 97-95 - Electrical Storm William Orbit Remix

Ranking Comments - I do like this song, but the 4 top 50 rankings surprises me. 4 others inside the top 100 as well. We also have a nice remix by William Orbit requested. Ranks about the same spot as last time. 

 

[John Maddens Lunchbox]

(59) - > #94 - Dirty Day

59-94 Dirty Day Bitter Kiss Remix

Vulture.com ranking and comment -83/218 - “Dirty Day” is a mix of contrasts: the low-key intro; Bono’s voice unadorned and raw, even when the falsetto comes in; the teasing hint of guitar notes under the vocal, until the song opens up at the chorus. It’s another song about fathers and sons, but this time the father walks out and meets his son years later. The outro name-checks Charles Bukowski, who (of course) the band had come to know: “Hank says, the days run like horses over the hill” references the title of one of Bukowski’s books.

Comment - A nice album track, but little more. Has a nice grimy feel and its atmospheric. I am really surprised that it beats all the others from Zooropa bar one track. 

Total Points - 253.15

Rankers - 11

Average Points per rank - 23.01 (Approximately a 54th rank). 

Ranks  - 90th on average points per ranker

Highest Rank - 19

Lowest Rank - 164

Previous Rank - 59 > 94

Special Version Requested - 59-94 Dirty Day Bitter Kiss Remix

Ranking Comments - 2 rankings inside the top 25. This is a song I can see people being a big fan of. It has a specific feel. Another ranking well inside the top 50, before 2 just outside the top 50. 4 others in the top 100 as well. It does take a big drop from last time, but its ranking last time surprised me. The remix requested imho takes away what makes this song interesting.

 

[John Maddens Lunchbox]

Next up we see 2 old album tracks. Real old. Then a track we sort of have already seen in various forms, but this is the best version....except for the bits pinched for album songs. 

 

[bigbottom]

(59) - > #94 - Dirty Day

59-94 Dirty Day Bitter Kiss Remix

Vulture.com ranking and comment -83/218 - “Dirty Day” is a mix of contrasts: the low-key intro; Bono’s voice unadorned and raw, even when the falsetto comes in; the teasing hint of guitar notes under the vocal, until the song opens up at the chorus. It’s another song about fathers and sons, but this time the father walks out and meets his son years later. The outro name-checks Charles Bukowski, who (of course) the band had come to know: “Hank says, the days run like horses over the hill” references the title of one of Bukowski’s books.

Comment - A nice album track, but little more. Has a nice grimy feel and its atmospheric. I am really surprised that it beats all the others from Zooropa bar one track. 

Total Points - 253.15

Rankers - 11

Average Points per rank - 23.01 (Approximately a 54th rank). 

Ranks  - 90th on average points per ranker

Highest Rank - 19

Lowest Rank - 25

Previous Rank - 59 > 94

Special Version Requested - 59-94 Dirty Day Bitter Kiss Remix

Ranking Comments - 2 rankings inside the top 25. This is a song I can see people being a big fan of. It has a specific feel. Another ranking well inside the top 50, before 2 just outside the top 50. 4 others in the top 100 as well. It does take a big drop from last time, but its ranking last time surprised me. The remix requested imho takes away what makes this song interesting.

Yeah, I don’t get it. 

 

[bigbottom]

(97) - > #95 - Electrical Storm

97-95 - Electrical Storm William Orbit Remix

Vulture.com ranking and comment -105/218 - This song came out of sessions earmarked to generate bonus content for the upcoming greatest-hits records. Larry Mullen called this track “an incomplete idea.” Unsurprisingly, Bono is more generous, calling it “a post-9/11 song, but it is not an overtly political song.” There’s a definite feeling of unease, conveyed through the tension in a relationship, and, if nothing else, it’s a lovely, atmospheric meandering that kind of grows on you. The video is fantastic.

Comment - This is one of their better 00 tracks and it was recorded especially for a greatest hits. This is the last track we see where three of us rank it in the 100s. I dragged it kicking and screaming into the top 100 with a 43 rank. Bono does great vocals here and I love the vibe the Edge brings to it. That said the other rankers and Vulture all have it in the, “I guess its alright” area of ranking

Total Points - 252.25

Rankers - 11

Average Points per rank - 22.93 (Approximately a 54th rank). 

Ranks  - 92nd on average points per ranker

Highest Rank - 25

Lowest Rank - 138

Previous Rank - 97 > 95

Special Version Requested - 97-95 - Electrical Storm William Orbit Remix

Ranking Comments - I do like this song, but the 4 top 50 rankings surprises me. 4 others inside the top 100 as well. We also have a nice remix by William Orbit requested. Ranks about the same spot as last time. 

This is a song that if I were to analyze it is technically a really good tune. All the elements are there.  And yet, it doesn’t grab me at all. 

 

[bigbottom]

(79) - > #96 - I Fall Down

Vulture.com ranking and comment -102/218 - By the time the band needed to be working on the follow-up to their debut, three-fourths of them were deeply enmeshed in a Christian fellowship group called Shalom. They were attending regular meetings of the group while trying to put together the album, which was causing Bono, Edge, and Larry to question everything, including their membership in the band. The Edge actually quit U2 at that time, but didn’t tell anyone except Bono. Some of this, or all of this, is inside “I Fall Down,” which is accompanied by a surprisingly sophisticated arrangement around delicate piano work from the Edge, and a gorgeous vocal from Bono. The whole thing shimmers with gold.

Original Comment - Very good Album Track, but ranking better than i thought it would as it seems unfinished and unpolished, but thats Lillywhite for you. 

Total Points - 249.10

Rankers - 12

Average Points per rank - 20.76 (Approximately a 59th rank). 

Ranks  - 109th on average points per ranker

Highest Rank - 15

Lowest Rank - 174

Previous Rank - 79 > 96

Special Version Requested - None

Ranking Comments - The 15 ranking is very interesting. Another at 23. Two in the early 50s and 4 more on the way to 100. Will leave it to the high rankers to hopefully chip in further. 

I only ranked 71 songs, and this one came in at No. 71. It could have easily missed the cut. I do the like the instrumental arrangement a lot, but Bono’s vocal melody knocks it down a bunch. 

 

[Pip's Invitation]

(79) - > #96 - I Fall Down

Vulture.com ranking and comment -102/218 - By the time the band needed to be working on the follow-up to their debut, three-fourths of them were deeply enmeshed in a Christian fellowship group called Shalom. They were attending regular meetings of the group while trying to put together the album, which was causing Bono, Edge, and Larry to question everything, including their membership in the band. The Edge actually quit U2 at that time, but didn’t tell anyone except Bono. Some of this, or all of this, is inside “I Fall Down,” which is accompanied by a surprisingly sophisticated arrangement around delicate piano work from the Edge, and a gorgeous vocal from Bono. The whole thing shimmers with gold.

Original Comment - Very good Album Track, but ranking better than i thought it would as it seems unfinished and unpolished, but thats Lillywhite for you. 

Total Points - 249.10

Rankers - 12

Average Points per rank - 20.76 (Approximately a 59th rank). 

Ranks  - 109th on average points per ranker

Highest Rank - 15

Lowest Rank - 174

Previous Rank - 79 > 96

Special Version Requested - None

Ranking Comments - The 15 ranking is very interesting. Another at 23. Two in the early 50s and 4 more on the way to 100. Will leave it to the high rankers to hopefully chip in further. 

I am at 51. The piano arrangement and the gliding rhythm around it make this one of the more unique tracks from their early years. I also find the vocals and lyrics compelling.

 

[Pip's Invitation]

(59) - > #94 - Dirty Day

59-94 Dirty Day Bitter Kiss Remix

Vulture.com ranking and comment -83/218 - “Dirty Day” is a mix of contrasts: the low-key intro; Bono’s voice unadorned and raw, even when the falsetto comes in; the teasing hint of guitar notes under the vocal, until the song opens up at the chorus. It’s another song about fathers and sons, but this time the father walks out and meets his son years later. The outro name-checks Charles Bukowski, who (of course) the band had come to know: “Hank says, the days run like horses over the hill” references the title of one of Bukowski’s books.

Comment - A nice album track, but little more. Has a nice grimy feel and its atmospheric. I am really surprised that it beats all the others from Zooropa bar one track. 

Total Points - 253.15

Rankers - 11

Average Points per rank - 23.01 (Approximately a 54th rank). 

Ranks  - 90th on average points per ranker

Highest Rank - 19

Lowest Rank - 25

Previous Rank - 59 > 94

Special Version Requested - 59-94 Dirty Day Bitter Kiss Remix

Ranking Comments - 2 rankings inside the top 25. This is a song I can see people being a big fan of. It has a specific feel. Another ranking well inside the top 50, before 2 just outside the top 50. 4 others in the top 100 as well. It does take a big drop from last time, but its ranking last time surprised me. The remix requested imho takes away what makes this song interesting.

I am the 25 (which the post says is the lowest ranking but that’s obviously wrong.) I am very much about this specific feel, which to me is close to that of Exit, another song I seem to be higher on than almost everyone here. There is great tension and foreboding here, and the song punches when it needs to.

 

[Pip's Invitation]

This is a song that if I were to analyze it is technically a really good tune. All the elements are there.  And yet, it doesn’t grab me at all. 

Me neither. Less than the sum of its parts.

 

[Alex P Keaton]

(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. 

Pretty sure I didn’t rank it.  It’s a song I enjoy, but just not in my wheelhouse.

 

[Alex P Keaton]

(79) - > #96 - I Fall Down

Vulture.com ranking and comment -102/218 - By the time the band needed to be working on the follow-up to their debut, three-fourths of them were deeply enmeshed in a Christian fellowship group called Shalom. They were attending regular meetings of the group while trying to put together the album, which was causing Bono, Edge, and Larry to question everything, including their membership in the band. The Edge actually quit U2 at that time, but didn’t tell anyone except Bono. Some of this, or all of this, is inside “I Fall Down,” which is accompanied by a surprisingly sophisticated arrangement around delicate piano work from the Edge, and a gorgeous vocal from Bono. The whole thing shimmers with gold.

Original Comment - Very good Album Track, but ranking better than i thought it would as it seems unfinished and unpolished, but thats Lillywhite for you. 

Total Points - 249.10

Rankers - 12

Average Points per rank - 20.76 (Approximately a 59th rank). 

Ranks  - 109th on average points per ranker

Highest Rank - 15

Lowest Rank - 174

Previous Rank - 79 > 96

Special Version Requested - None

Ranking Comments - The 15 ranking is very interesting. Another at 23. Two in the early 50s and 4 more on the way to 100. Will leave it to the high rankers to hopefully chip in further. 

Mrs APK was at 15.  Of course she refuses to offer any comments so who knows what her reasons are.

This song could have been 20-30 slots lower for her if not for me playing different versions of the song 2-3x per day for weeks.

I was at 23.  Love this song.  Love it.  Everything about it.  Unfinished and unpolished?  Absolutely.  The more so the better for early U2.  Messy?  Yep.  Some people thought Stories For Boys was a bit chaotic or messy.  That’s how angsty youth songs are supposed to be.

This song is full of faith.  Emotion.  Angst.  Heart.  I love the even rawer live version where Bono just makes up new lyrics out of the blue. (“Julie……Julie…..my heart is on my sleeve…..”)

The only thing annoying in the live version is the early emergence of “panting Bono” which might be my least favorite Bono trait.

Anyway, huge fan.  It brings me back to how it felt to be maybe 15 or 16 years old.  When you feel everything 100x more than is in line with reality.  One of the things that makes life easier is NOT feeling like that anymore.  But I also miss that level of intensity at times.

 

[Alex P Keaton]

#62 for me, could have been higher, and I'm a little mad that it fell even further this time.   the glockenspiel part.

The glockenspiel is awesome

 

[Grace Under Pressure]

(97) - > #95 - Electrical Storm

97-95 - Electrical Storm William Orbit Remix

That said the other rankers and Vulture all have it in the, “I guess its alright” area of ranking

I have it at 117, which to me is in the "it's pretty good" area of ranking, being that it received a ranking at all. I enjoy it well enough. 

 

[Grace Under Pressure]

(79) - > #96 - I Fall Down

Vulture.com ranking and comment -102/218 - By the time the band needed to be working on the follow-up to their debut, three-fourths of them were deeply enmeshed in a Christian fellowship group called Shalom. They were attending regular meetings of the group while trying to put together the album, which was causing Bono, Edge, and Larry to question everything, including their membership in the band. The Edge actually quit U2 at that time, but didn’t tell anyone except Bono. Some of this, or all of this, is inside “I Fall Down,” which is accompanied by a surprisingly sophisticated arrangement around delicate piano work from the Edge, and a gorgeous vocal from Bono. The whole thing shimmers with gold.

Original Comment - Very good Album Track, but ranking better than i thought it would as it seems unfinished and unpolished, but thats Lillywhite for you. 

Total Points - 249.10

Rankers - 12

Average Points per rank - 20.76 (Approximately a 59th rank). 

Ranks  - 109th on average points per ranker

Highest Rank - 15

Lowest Rank - 174

Previous Rank - 79 > 96

Special Version Requested - None

Ranking Comments - The 15 ranking is very interesting. Another at 23. Two in the early 50s and 4 more on the way to 100. Will leave it to the high rankers to hopefully chip in further. 

At 90 here. It's one of their early songs that stood out as different and intriguing. In retrospect I think it provides insight that this band wasn't going to be a one trick pony.

 

[krista4]

(79) - > #96 - I Fall Down

I am at 51. The piano arrangement and the gliding rhythm around it make this one of the more unique tracks from their early years. I also find the vocals and lyrics compelling.

My top 50 has been breached!    My top 50 has been breached!

I had this one right at #50 and, given the low ranking and commentary in the post, listened again to see if I'd regret my ranking.  Nope.  If anything might move it a little higher. 

Then I scrolled down and saw Pip's post which was nearly exactly what I was going to point out that I love about it (maybe no coincidence, then, that we ranked it only one spot differently).  The standout part to me is also, as he's said, the interplay of that beautiful, delicate piano arrangement versus a ton of interesting rhythm parts.  And I was surprised to see that bigbottom took it down several notches for the vocal, as I hear the vocal to be a highlight.  Finally, as Pip pointed out, the lyrics are compelling - I find the storytelling mysterious and intriguing.  I don't find this song incomplete, and in fact think the layering of it is pretty sophisticated for an early track.  Gorgeous to my ears.

ETA:  Just scrolled further and see that I'm in good company with the APKs, too, in terms of loving this one.   

 

[Pip's Invitation]

October seems like it’s going to be a great album when you hear the first three tracks. And then…

 

[krista4]

(97) - > #95 - Electrical Storm

97-95 - Electrical Storm William Orbit Remix

Glockenspiel!  I had this as high as #58 at one time, though I'm not sure why.  Ended up at #85 for me, and I feel similarly to Grace Under Pressure in that I "enjoy it well enough."  The coolest part about it for me is that I feel like it puts me in a specific place, starting off breezy and then with the urgency of an impending storm, and finally a build into a stormy frenzy.  

Enjoyed hearing the other mix of this, too.

 

[krista4]

(59) - > #94 - Dirty Day

59-94 Dirty Day Bitter Kiss Remix

I can see why this could generate love/hate reactions.  In fact, I think I've felt both of those emotions about the song myself!  It started off not even on my list, then climbed as high as #61, then finally landed in the "like it a lot but just shy of love" category as my #73.  It took my a while to appreciate its atmosphere, but when I got it, I got it.  Love the feel, and Pip's reference to its "tension and foreboding" sums it up perfectly.  I agree that it loses a lot of what's good in that remix, though as a stand-alone song the remix isn't bad.

 

[Brony]

(79) - > #96 - I Fall Down

Vulture.com ranking and comment -102/218 - By the time the band needed to be working on the follow-up to their debut, three-fourths of them were deeply enmeshed in a Christian fellowship group called Shalom. They were attending regular meetings of the group while trying to put together the album, which was causing Bono, Edge, and Larry to question everything, including their membership in the band. The Edge actually quit U2 at that time, but didn’t tell anyone except Bono. Some of this, or all of this, is inside “I Fall Down,” which is accompanied by a surprisingly sophisticated arrangement around delicate piano work from the Edge, and a gorgeous vocal from Bono. The whole thing shimmers with gold.

Original Comment - Very good Album Track, but ranking better than i thought it would as it seems unfinished and unpolished, but thats Lillywhite for you. 

Total Points - 249.10

Rankers - 12

Average Points per rank - 20.76 (Approximately a 59th rank). 

Ranks  - 109th on average points per ranker

Highest Rank - 15

Lowest Rank - 174

Previous Rank - 79 > 96

Special Version Requested - None

Ranking Comments - The 15 ranking is very interesting. Another at 23. Two in the early 50s and 4 more on the way to 100. Will leave it to the high rankers to hopefully chip in further. 

I had this at #65 and my 3rd best track on October.  Yeah, there's a lot to like here for a song that doesn't even have glockenspiel.  Love the intro with the piano and percussion interplay - wish they did more of that.   I'm a big fan of The National that uses that frequently.  

 

[Brony]

(59) - > #94 - Dirty Day

59-94 Dirty Day Bitter Kiss Remix

Vulture.com ranking and comment -83/218 - “Dirty Day” is a mix of contrasts: the low-key intro; Bono’s voice unadorned and raw, even when the falsetto comes in; the teasing hint of guitar notes under the vocal, until the song opens up at the chorus. It’s another song about fathers and sons, but this time the father walks out and meets his son years later. The outro name-checks Charles Bukowski, who (of course) the band had come to know: “Hank says, the days run like horses over the hill” references the title of one of Bukowski’s books.

Comment - A nice album track, but little more. Has a nice grimy feel and its atmospheric. I am really surprised that it beats all the others from Zooropa bar one track. 

Total Points - 253.15

Rankers - 11

Average Points per rank - 23.01 (Approximately a 54th rank). 

Ranks  - 90th on average points per ranker

Highest Rank - 19

Lowest Rank - 25

Previous Rank - 59 > 94

Special Version Requested - 59-94 Dirty Day Bitter Kiss Remix

Ranking Comments - 2 rankings inside the top 25. This is a song I can see people being a big fan of. It has a specific feel. Another ranking well inside the top 50, before 2 just outside the top 50. 4 others in the top 100 as well. It does take a big drop from last time, but its ranking last time surprised me. The remix requested imho takes away what makes this song interesting.

Lots of experimentation on Zooropa leading to hits and misses.  I had this at 47 - my #4 song on Zooropa and firmly on the good side of my Zooropa ledger. Maybe a little higher than it should be since it rose above the other Zooropa tracks.  I really love the guitars and groove leading up to the chorus. 

 

[Brony]

This is a song that if I were to analyze it is technically a really good tune. All the elements are there.  And yet, it doesn’t grab me at all. 

Good description!  I dragged this one down as I had it 142.  There was a lot of homework to get through in rating these B-sides and I don't know if I gave this one it's proper vetting.   It's fine, but I'm not gonna lie that the basic chorus punctuated with repeats of "Electrical Storm" reminds me of a bad car commercial or intro music for an American Gladiator. 

 

[krista4]

Next up we see 2 old album tracks. Real old. Then a track we sort of have already seen in various forms, but this is the best version....except for the bits pinched for album songs. 

Wonder if "Another Time, Another Place" will show up.  Its fans must be delighted already that it's moved so much higher this time.

 

[Grace Under Pressure]

Wonder if "Another Time, Another Place" will show up.  Its fans must be delighted already that it's moved so much higher this time.

I have a higher ranking on “Another Time, Another Place” then where we are in the countdown now. Not by much though. 

 

[krista4]

I have a higher ranking on “Another Time, Another Place” then where we are in the countdown now. Not by much though. 

I do, too.   

 

[Pip's Invitation]

We have a while to go before we get to where I put ATAP, but not as far as to get to where I put Dirty Day. 

 

[Alex P Keaton]

We have a while to go before we get to where I put ATAP, but not as far as to get to where I put Dirty Day. 

Wonder if "Another Time, Another Place" will show up.  Its fans must be delighted already that it's moved so much higher this time.

Well, based on where Mrs APK and I put this one, it could be awhile yet…….

 

[John Maddens Lunchbox]

Well, based on where Mrs APK and I put this one, it could be awhile yet…….

We have a while to go before we get to where I put ATAP, but not as far as to get to where I put Dirty Day. 

I do, too.   

I have a higher ranking on “Another Time, Another Place” then where we are in the countdown now. Not by much though. 

Wonder if "Another Time, Another Place" will show up.  Its fans must be delighted already that it's moved so much higher this time.

We won’t see it today, but I wouldn’t be putting your feet up, relaxing and thinking it’s awhile away.

 

[John Maddens Lunchbox]

(143) - > #93 - Drowning Man

Vulture.com ranking and comment - 70/218 - It’s not the best song on the record — to be fair, there is a fair amount of competition — but it is both ambitious and fully realized. Every single member of the band turns in a stunning performance, the instrumentation providing both delicate shade and solid counterpoint, the vocals raw and impassioned, and the lyrics grounded in adoration of both spiritual and physical. Extra credit to Steve Wickham’s violin and Edge’s almost Spanish-guitar flourishes toward the end of the song. Ethereal.

Comment - Vocals, music and production arent talking to each other here

Total Points - 254.33

Rankers - 12

Average Points per rank - 21.19 (Approximately a 58th rank). 

Ranks  - 107th on average points per ranker

Highest Rank - 16

Lowest Rank - 201

Previous Rank - 143 > 93

Special Version Requested - None

Ranking Comments - The 16 is a way outlier here, but there are 3 others in the top 50. 5 between 50 and 100. No idea why it jumped 50 spots. Must be the old school War fans.

 

[John Maddens Lunchbox]

I am the 25 (which the post says is the lowest ranking but that’s obviously wrong.) I am very much about this specific feel, which to me is close to that of Exit, another song I seem to be higher on than almost everyone here. There is great tension and foreboding here, and the song punches when it needs to.

Corrected

 

[John Maddens Lunchbox]

(113) - > #92 - Twilight

(113) - > #92 - Twilight Remastered 2008

Vulture.com ranking and comment - 97/218 - The road from the B-side of “Another Day,” the first U2 single, to track two on Boy, is astonishing. The single had that kernel of something else that the band themselves probably weren’t aware of, but they were able to hone and polish it from breathless clamor into this tale of darkness and light and the shadows in between. It’s a respite from “I Will Follow,” but not by much, as the last chorus winds up dramatic tension vocally from Bono before he passes it over to Edge for a taut, compact refrain.

Comment - Bonos occasional out of control vocals thankfully would get stomped on by Eno and Lanois, but early on not so much. I think ive said that before.

Total Points - 255.34

Rankers - 12

Average Points per rank - 21.27 (Approximately a 57th rank). 

Ranks  - 105th on average points per ranker

Highest Rank - 19

Lowest Rank - 231

Previous Rank - 113 > 92

Special Version Requested - (113) - > #92 - Twilight Remastered 2008

Ranking Comments - 3 rankings inside the top 25. No others in the top 50, so 3 people love it. 7 other rankings in the top 100 and me at the rear at 231..i generally like polish on a song. Not this wailing. 

 

[John Maddens Lunchbox]

(75) - > #91 - Lady with the Spinning Head

(75) - > #91 - Lady with the Spinning Head Extended Dance Mix

Vulture.com ranking and comment -76/218 - This early track was another useful exercise in the process toward Achtung Baby, but ended up being a parts car, with different elements stolen to be part of “The Fly,” “Ultraviolet,” and “Zoo Station.” The art of the B-side is lost in the days of streaming, but in this context, a B-side was a perfect place for this particular track, as it gave the fans a piece of the puzzle to figure out for themselves.

Comment - Interesting. Almost madchester in vibe. This experimentation works well. This was left off Achtung Baby and is better than most of their other 90s stuff? U2 at their creative peak when B Sides like Salome and this one cannot make an album, you are in a good place. I think this would have actually fit well on Achtung Baby with a bit more work and on Zooropa it would have pushed for the better half. We only have three more B Sides left. The top two ranked B Sides I had mistakenly attributed elsewhere, but they are officially B Sides

Total Points - 260.35

Rankers - 10

Average Points per rank - 26.04 (Approximately a 49th rank). 

Ranks  - 79th on average points per ranker

Highest Rank - 9

Lowest Rank - 143

Previous Rank - 75 > 90

Special Version Requested - (75) - > #91 - Lady with the Spinning Head Extended Dance Mix

Ranking Comments - A 9 for this really surprises me. I do really like this, but 9? There are 3 other top 50 rankings though, and 5 of the other 6 are in the top 100. 

 

[John Maddens Lunchbox]

A weird day coming up with our next 3. All 3 are moving over 50 from last time. 2 jump over 50 and one that drops from the top 30 last time. If it wasnt for a couple of late higher entries, this one would have fallen out of the top 100. 

One is old, one is new and one is in between. Will one be Another Time Another Place? 

 

[Pip's Invitation]

Lady with the Spinning Head - 71. One of their best B-sides. I hear the Ultraviolet in it more than the other stuff, but I’m sure it’s all there. 

Twilight - Oh fudge, I forgot to rank this. Consider it 81. Bono is a little unhinged but otherwise it’s a good early album track. 

Drowning Man - One of their worst early album tracks. I explained why when it came up in the previous countdown.

 

[Alex P Keaton]

(143) - > #93 - Drowning Man

Vulture.com ranking and comment - 70/218 - It’s not the best song on the record — to be fair, there is a fair amount of competition — but it is both ambitious and fully realized. Every single member of the band turns in a stunning performance, the instrumentation providing both delicate shade and solid counterpoint, the vocals raw and impassioned, and the lyrics grounded in adoration of both spiritual and physical. Extra credit to Steve Wickham’s violin and Edge’s almost Spanish-guitar flourishes toward the end of the song. Ethereal.

Comment - Vocals, music and production arent talking to each other here

Total Points - 254.33

Rankers - 12

Average Points per rank - 21.19 (Approximately a 58th rank). 

Ranks  - 107th on average points per ranker

Highest Rank - 16

Lowest Rank - 201

Previous Rank - 143 > 93

Special Version Requested - None

Ranking Comments - The 16 is a way outlier here, but there are 3 others in the top 50. 5 between 50 and 100. No idea why it jumped 50 spots. Must be the old school War fans.

Interesting.  I ranked it 83, but if I had spent more time digging into newer songs this could have been closer to 95-105 for me.   Always really liked Drowning Man.  It’s a unique sound for U2.   The violin does add something.

Would love to hear from 16 on this too!!

 

[Alex P Keaton]

(113) - > #92 - Twilight

(113) - > #92 - Twilight Remastered 2008

Vulture.com ranking and comment - 97/218 - The road from the B-side of “Another Day,” the first U2 single, to track two on Boy, is astonishing. The single had that kernel of something else that the band themselves probably weren’t aware of, but they were able to hone and polish it from breathless clamor into this tale of darkness and light and the shadows in between. It’s a respite from “I Will Follow,” but not by much, as the last chorus winds up dramatic tension vocally from Bono before he passes it over to Edge for a taut, compact refrain.

Comment - Bonos occasional out of control vocals thankfully would get stomped on by Eno and Lanois, but early on not so much. I think ive said that before.

Total Points - 255.34

Rankers - 12

Average Points per rank - 21.27 (Approximately a 57th rank). 

Ranks  - 105th on average points per ranker

Highest Rank - 19

Lowest Rank - 231

Previous Rank - 113 > 92

Special Version Requested - (113) - > #92 - Twilight Remastered 2008

Ranking Comments - 3 rankings inside the top 25. No others in the top 50, so 3 people love it. 7 other rankings in the top 100 and me at the rear at 231..i generally like polish on a song. Not this wailing. 

Would love to hear from 19 on this.  I was at 77, could easily have been 15 slots lower or 20-30 slots higher depending on the day.  It’s a really good song, but bluntly, I’ve always hated the line “in the shadows, boy meets man.”

 

[bigbottom]

Would love to hear from 19 on this.  I was at 77, could easily have been 15 slots lower or 20-30 slots higher depending on the day.  It’s a really good song, but bluntly, I’ve always hated the line “in the shadows, boy meets man.”

Absolutely LOVE Twilight. I had it at 25. The Edge’s guitar arrangement on this is phenomenal and like many U2 songs, Adam’s bass line assumes almost a lead part. Bono’s vocal melody conveys a sense of urgency and passion that fits the song’s slow build to its crescendo at the simple yet amazing guitar solo. And the vocal harmony at the end of the “boy meets man” segment is *chef’s kiss* good.

 

[bigbottom]

(143) - > #93 - Drowning Man

Vulture.com ranking and comment - 70/218 - It’s not the best song on the record — to be fair, there is a fair amount of competition — but it is both ambitious and fully realized. Every single member of the band turns in a stunning performance, the instrumentation providing both delicate shade and solid counterpoint, the vocals raw and impassioned, and the lyrics grounded in adoration of both spiritual and physical. Extra credit to Steve Wickham’s violin and Edge’s almost Spanish-guitar flourishes toward the end of the song. Ethereal.

Comment - Vocals, music and production arent talking to each other here

Total Points - 254.33

Rankers - 12

Average Points per rank - 21.19 (Approximately a 58th rank). 

Ranks  - 107th on average points per ranker

Highest Rank - 16

Lowest Rank - 201

Previous Rank - 143 > 93

Special Version Requested - None

Ranking Comments - The 16 is a way outlier here, but there are 3 others in the top 50. 5 between 50 and 100. No idea why it jumped 50 spots. Must be the old school War fans.

I love WAR but this tune never did anything for me.  It sort of meanders without ever going anywhere.  The vocal melody doesn’t grab me and the octave jump in the second verse doesn’t help (nor do the angelic backing vox).  But more than anything, The Edge’s use of strummed harmonics in standard tuning makes me roll my eyes - that’s something that little kids who are just learning to play guitar do to sound cool (me included).

 

[bigbottom]

(75) - > #91 - Lady with the Spinning Head

(75) - > #91 - Lady with the Spinning Head Extended Dance Mix

Vulture.com ranking and comment -76/218 - This early track was another useful exercise in the process toward Achtung Baby, but ended up being a parts car, with different elements stolen to be part of “The Fly,” “Ultraviolet,” and “Zoo Station.” The art of the B-side is lost in the days of streaming, but in this context, a B-side was a perfect place for this particular track, as it gave the fans a piece of the puzzle to figure out for themselves.

Comment - Interesting. Almost madchester in vibe. This experimentation works well. This was left off Achtung Baby and is better than most of their other 90s stuff? U2 at their creative peak when B Sides like Salome and this one cannot make an album, you are in a good place. I think this would have actually fit well on Achtung Baby with a bit more work and on Zooropa it would have pushed for the better half. We only have three more B Sides left. The top two ranked B Sides I had mistakenly attributed elsewhere, but they are officially B Sides

Total Points - 260.35

Rankers - 10

Average Points per rank - 26.04 (Approximately a 49th rank). 

Ranks  - 79th on average points per ranker

Highest Rank - 9

Lowest Rank - 143

Previous Rank - 75 > 90

Special Version Requested - (75) - > #91 - Lady with the Spinning Head Extended Dance Mix

Ranking Comments - A 9 for this really surprises me. I do really like this, but 9? There are 3 other top 50 rankings though, and 5 of the other 6 are in the top 100. 

Didn’t make my list, but it would have if I’d ranked 100 tunes rather than 71. Definitely some cool aspects to this song.

 

[krista4]

A weird day coming up with our next 3. All 3 are moving over 50 from last time. 2 jump over 50 and one that drops from the top 30 last time. If it wasnt for a couple of late higher entries, this one would have fallen out of the top 100. 

One is old, one is new and one is in between. Will one be Another Time Another Place? 

I think the big fall is one of Gone, A Celebration, or Walk On.  You teased this a while ago - "One track that was top 30 last time may struggle to make the top 100 this time" - and after we made some guesses you narrowed it to those three.