Partly inspired by Ellie's Michael Jackson list with the same theme, partly inspired by the U2 concert I saw two weeks ago, and partly because I feel like putting off the GREs and the LSATs, I give to you my Top 100 U2 song list.

Not sure if this is going to interest anyone, and my apologies in advance if this seems self-aggrandizing, or if I come across as an obsessive, super fan. The .org is a great place to discuss music, and I wanted to share my 100 favorite songs by my favorite band with the other music junkies here.

100. “40”: The last song on War, and one of the most common ways for U2 to end their shows, “40” is not so much a song as reprise of “Sunday Bloody Sunday”. Although I am fond of it, I wouldn’t consider it one of their best closing tracks, hence the ranking.
Best part : “I will sing, sing a new song”

99. Promenade: Just as “40” is more of a reprise than a song in itself, “Promenade” also seems like a snippet of a song. However, it works very well (along with “4th of July”) as the bridge between the title track and “Bad” on Unforgettable Fire. I love how Bono’s yearning vocal meshes with the dreamlike bank of guitars and synths in the song.
Best part: “And I like a firework explode/Roman Candle lightning lights up the sky”

98. With a Shout: It’s all about that drum pattern in the beginning. Taken from 1981’s October, the song’s lyrics are almost straight Biblical imagery. However, the song is less about the lyrics, and more about the sound. I love Mullen’s drums, I love that (brass? synth?) riff in the middle of the song, and I love the post-punk speed of the song.
Best part: The intro

97. A Celebration: One of the rarer songs in the U2 catalog, “A Celebration” was never released on a U2 album, and was actually never even released in America. After the October album, “A Celebration” was released as a stand-alone single in Europe. While the song would never become one of U2’s all-time classics, it is a pretty damn catchy New Wave song. Many fans speculated that they would resurrect the song to tie in to the “Atomic Bomb” concept of their new album/tour (“I believe in the third World War, I believe in the atomic bomb”), but alas, it was not to be.
Best part: The juxtaposition of the inane chorus (“Shake! Shake!”) with the heavier verses.

96. Salome: During the Achtung Baby sessions, studio engineers apparently stole a lot of the work in progress and bootlegged the material. This material gave a lot of insight into how U2 wrote songs; one of the most interesting discoveries is how often the riffs develop seemingly independent of the rest of the song. Salome was likely an early version of “Zoo Station”, although the only shared characteristic is the bass riff at the beginning of the song. Instead of the almost industrial screeching of “Zoo Station”, Salome is just a fun song perfect for dancing.
Best part: The Lovesexy-like synth riff that pops up in the middle of the song.

95. Wake Up Dead Man: Initially one of my least favorite U2 songs, Wake Up Dead Man finally began to grow on me late last year. I still think that some of the lyrics are clumsy (“Your father, he made the world in seven/ He’s in charge of heaven”), but I really dig the despair in the lyrics and the song’s really thick mix.
Best part: The Edge’s screaming guitar that ends the song.
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94. North and South of the River: The B-side to “Staring at the Sun”, “North and South of the River” floats by on a minimal synth riff. Similar to “One”, the song is a cry for unity between two dissimilar people. However, unlike “One”, the band had no part in the lyrics of this song.
Best part: “'Cause there's no feeling that's so alone/As when the one you’re hurting is your own”

93. Until the End of the World: Despite the U2-fan blasphemy of ranking this song so low in my Top 100, I will admit that “Until the End…” is a damn great little U2 song. Written from the viewpoint of Judas, “…End of the World” was one of U2’s most durable live songs, being played in every concert from 1991 to 2002. An initial favorite when I bought Achtung Baby, the song has suffered from overplay.
Best part: the last verse/climax of the song

92. Beautiful Day: During all the hype over U2’s big comeback in 2000, I was admittedly nonplussed by their lead single. The song just seemed like such a U2-by-the numbers track that I didn’t find it particularly moving. However, after seeing it live, and hearing the reaction of the crowd, the song rose in my estimation. Despite its obvious anthemic quality, the song still has hints of Pop’s electronic sheen, especially in the intro and outro.
Best part: “What you don’t have you don’t need it now/What you don’t know you can feel somehow”.

91. Mothers of the Disappeared: A reaction to the many men executed under Pinochet, The Joshua Tree ends on a quiet note. Similar (but superior, IMO) to Sting’s Pinochet song of the same year, “Mothers…” focuses on the people left behind by the regime. I love the choir that ends the song, and the treated drum sound that permeates the entire song (it was later used by Depeche Mode on their Violator album). “Mothers…” was a show-stopper when U2 performed it in Chile during their Popmart tour in 1998.
Best part: Bono’s wordless vocalizations at the song’s end.

90. Sometimes You Can’t Make It On Your Own: Somewhat of a low ranking for what I thought would be one of my favorite U2 songs ever. Before I bought “…Dismantle…”, I had thought that “Sometimes…” would make it to the top of my favorite U2 songs ever. Strangely enough, the song never even became one of my favorites on the album. Irregardless, it is an excellent ballad, and quite the show stopper on their latest tour.
Best part: “can you hear me when I SIIIIING, you’re the reason that I sing”

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89. Hallelujah Here She Comes: The B-side to “Desire” in 1988, “Hallelujah Here She Comes” is a souvenir of U2’s infatuation with America during this period of their career. Little more than an organ, an acoustic guitar, and drum kit, the song is a great example of U2’s diversity.
Best part: Bono and Edge “high, high, high on love”

88. Tomorrow: Sounding more Celtic than U2 ever would again, the beginning of “Tomorrow” sounds like something you’d hear on a Pure Moods CD. Typical of October-era U2, Tomorrow deals directly with Christian-inspired themes. Also typical of October-era U2, I love the song more because of its music. What is that instrument playing in the first half of the song?
Best part: The climax of the song where the Celtic sound and the U2 sound are combined

87. Elevation: When people said that All That You Can’t Leave Behind was a return to 80’s U2, I often wonder if they bothered listening to “Elevation”. The song would fit just as comfortably on Pop. The low-ish ranking is due to the weak chorus (“a mole/digging in a hole”???) However, despite the crappy lyrics, this song is one hella fun live cut.
Best part: “Love lift me up out of these blues/won’t you tell me something true/ I believe in you”
Definitive version: “Elevation (Tomb Raider Mix)” for speeding up the tempo and beefing up the guitars.

86. All Because of You: Bono calls “All Because of You” a love song to the Who, and it’s not too difficult to figure out why. The song is a straight-ahead rocker unlike any other in U2’s catalog. It also continues the album’s theme of youth and innocence. I still don’t think it was the right choice for second single in the US, however. Also, points off for the weak chorus.
Best part: “I’m alive/I’m being born/I just arrived/I’m at the door of the place I started out from/and I want back inside”.

85. Trip Through Your Wires: “Angel, angel or devil?” This song is routinely considered one of the weakest U2 songs, and the weak link on the Joshua Tree. However, when initially getting into Joshua, this was the song that really broke the second half of the album for me. I love those Springsteen-ish yelps and that harmonica.
Best part: The harmonica intro

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84. Miss Sarajevo: Billed to Passengers featuring Luciano Pavarotti, “Miss Sarajevo” is a winning combination of a U2 ballad and an Italian opera. During the second leg of U2’s current tour, they cut “Running to Stand Still” and put “Miss Sarajevo” in it’s place. Initially I was pretty pissed, however, hearing the song in context of the concert, it definitely worked.
Best part: Edge’s hypnotically gorgeous guitar lines
Definitive version: Vertigo 2005. I never thought that Bono could pull off singing Pavarotti’s lines, but he proved himself more than capable.

83. Party Girl (AKA Trash, Trampoline, and the Party Girl): The B-side to the “A Celebration” single, “Party Girl” has become much more revered than it’s A-side. A fun, singalong-ish song with bizarre lyrics (“I know a boy, a boy called trash can”), it’s nothing more than a great little post-punk track. When I saw U2 in October, they brought a fan onstage to play guitar along with the song. The crowd went wild.
Best part: Adam’s bouncy bass line.
Definitive version: the live version on Under a Blood Red Sky – especially the original vinyl pressing containing a snippet of “Send in the Clowns”.

82. Stories for Boys: One of the best song on U2’s debut album, “Stories for Boys” is shot full of energy and exuberance. Not too much to say about this gem, other than the great guitar riff. Also the first time we hear Bono sing “Hello, hello”.
Best part: Edge’s wordless vocalizations above the chorus.

81. Love Rescue Me: Written with Bob Dylan, “Love Rescue Me” was one of the new cuts on 1988’s Rattle and Hum. The song is sung in an affected Elvis-like voice, and the song sounds a little like a country song from the 1950’s. Symptomatic of the critically panned U2 of 1988, I can’t help but love the track.
Best part: Bono giving it his all during the song’s climax.

80. I’m Not Your Baby: Written by U2 and performed with Sinead O’Connor, “I’m Not Your Baby” was given to the soundtrack of a Wim Wenders film. After Sinead’s public denouncement of U2, and Bono in particular, I’m sure many were surprised to see the two performing together. Musically, the song is very obviously from the Pop-era; it contains many of 1997 U2’s tricks: buzzing bass, skittering tape loops, Bono’s gravelly growl. Sinead is definitely a great addition to the track, providing a great counterpoint to Bono’s vocal.
Best part: Bono and Sinead battling it out over Edge’s guitar bursts.

79. Staring at the Sun: The most classic-U2 sounding cut on Pop, “Staring at the Sun” is one of the most well regarded songs of the era. The last verse of the song is the strongest, comparing (US?) military presence to an overbearing parent.
Best part: “Intransigence is all around/military still in town/armour plated suits and ties/Daddy just won’t say goodbye”
Definitive version: The acoustic version on the Please EP or performed during the Elevation concert. The song really benefits the stripped down, echoing take.

78. Love Comes Tumbling: An out-take from the Unforgettable Fire album, “Love Comes Tumbling” appeared on 1985’s Wide Awake in America EP. Personally, I think the song could’ve only served to strengthen the Unforgettable Fire album. A pretty, midtempo cut, “Love Comes Tumbling” is symptomatic of many of 1984-era U2 songs in that it seems slightly unfinished.
Best part: “And still I say that all roads lead to where you are”

77. Original of the Species: This Beatles-esque song was initially one of my favorite songs on How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb, although repeated play caused it to slide down in ranking. The song is still a soaring track, highlighted by the incredible chorus and the Hey Jude-like chanting at the end of the song. Plus, who wouldn’t love to hear Bono sing a line like “some people got way too much confidence, baby”.
Best part: “Show your soul, you’ve been keeping your love under control”

76. Helter Skelter: “This is a song Charles Manson stole from the Beatles. Well, we’re stealing it back!”. With that outburst, U2 began it’s Rattle and Hum album. Despite the critical ire this song garnered in 1988, I must say that I am quite fond of it, almost as much as the original. Not too much to say about the song, but I do think that U2 pulls it off pretty well. Plus, it gave the anti-Bono brigade one hell of a soundbyte.
Best part: Edge’s answering “yeah” overtop of the chorus.

75. Wild Honey: A song that I initially dismissed on All That You Can’t Leave Behind, Wild Honey is one of the best pure-pop songs ever written by U2. The song has an unassuming charm, gliding along on Edge’s acoustic guitar refrain. I really dig the predestination of lovers hinted at in the lyrics (“did I know you, did I know you even then/before the clocks kept time/before the world was made”).
Best part: Bono’s gravelly bit in the end of the song (sounds to me like “Love me, give me soul”)

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74. Pop Muzik: Another cover, another opener of sorts. “Pop Muzik” was used as the introduction to the Popmart tour in 1997/1998. A techno-disco update of the New Wave classic, I love Bono’s low voice during the verses and the cut-up music being played at the same time. Despite being little more than the lead in to Mofo, the song holds up better than expected on its own.
Best part: “living in a disco/forget about the rat race”

73. MLK: The closing track on Unforgettable Fire, “MLK” is the album’s second tribute to Martin Luther King Jr. Much like “40” was less of a song than a closing mood piece, “MLK” plays the same role on Unforgettable. The song inhabits much of the same space as the organ intro to “Where the Streets Have No Name”, and indeed, works very well when played as a lead-into “…Streets”.
Best part: “Sleep, sleep tonight/and may your dreams be realized”

72. In God’s Country: The fourth single from The Joshua Tree to be released in the US, “In God’s Country” paints a despairing picture of the Arizona desert. I love how Edge’s guitar in the beginning mimics the burning desert sun, and I also love Bono’s distraught but hopeful lyrics. Criminally left off “The Best of 1980-1990”, “In God’s Country” is one of the more forgotten singles of U2’s career.
Best part: During the middle of the song, everything drops out except Adam’s bassline, only to be brought back by a great guitar solo courtesy of Edge.

71. Can’t Help Falling In Love: Yet another cover. “Can’t Help Falling in Love” was recorded by Bono for the Honeymoon in Vegas soundtrack, and also functioned as the b-side of the “Who’s Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses” single, and the closer of the Zoo TV tour. Not too much to discuss about the song itself, but I absolutely love Bono’s vocals on this cut. The man’s falsetto is seriously underrated, and when combined with his lower register (as in this song), his true power as a singer is showcased.
Best part: Bono transitioning from his lower register to his middle register, finally to a falsetto during the first verse into the chorus.

70. Native Son: Released in the Complete U2 I-Tunes Box Set, “Native Son” is the song that finally became “Vertigo”. If you’re annoyed by the gimmicky Spanish shouting, and nonsensical lyrics, then “Native Son” is something worth checking out. Written about a Native American falsely accused of a crime, the band dialed down the politics, and brought up the novelty factor to create one of their biggest hits in years.
Best part: “It’s so hard for a native son to be FREEEEE” as in “you give me something I can FEEEEEL”

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69. A Man and a Woman: The should’ve-been-a-second-single from U2’s latest album, “A Man and a Woman” is one of the biggest missed opportunities from a U2 album. While not one of my top 5 songs on the album, I feel that this single could’ve easily landed U2 a huge adult contemporary hit in the USA, and also lodged itself on the pop charts as well. The song is driven by a great Edge guitar riff and a lovely background vocal, as well as one of the most romantic lyrics of Bono’s career.
Best part: That chiming guitar part!

68. Slow Dancing: Written with Willie Nelson in mind, U2 added this acoustic ballad to the B-side of the American “Stay (Faraway, So Close)” single. Eventually, Willie had his own crack at the song, but Bono’s vocal will always be the definitive version. The lyrics are top-notch throughout (“I don't know why a man/Sees the truth but needs the lies” ) Little more than Bono and Edge singing overtop an acoustic guitar, it’s all about Bono’s vocal melody for me.
Best part: “She left with my conscience, I don't want it back/ It just gets in the way”

67. The Last Night on Earth: One of Pop’s rockier moments, “The Last Night on Earth” is also home to one of its more pervasive themes: the plight of the soul in this materialistic world. Despite the irony of multi-millionaire Bono singing “You gotta give it away”, I still think that the song’s message comes across loud and clear. I also really dig the newly hoarse Bono really struggling to hit those notes in the chorus. Edge’s falsetto scat singing in the middle 8 is also really cool.
Best part: “You gotta give it awayyyyy”

66. Like a Song: Ahh, righteous anger and indignation. Bono sounds absolutely pissed off in this song, and although it’s obviously about the Irish divide, the song’s meaning also applies to the United States circa the 2004 Presidential election: “And we love to wear a badge, a uniform/And we love to fly a flag/But I won't let others live in hell/As we divide against each other/And we fight amongst ourselves/Too set in our ways to try to rearrange/Too right to be wrong, in this rebel song”.
Best part: Bono’s youthful anger

65. Electric Co: Nothing but loud, fast post-punk. The lyrics are oblique, but still seem to fit in the parent album’s theme of childhood innocence.
Best part: Pronouncing the title as “Electric Co” not “Electric company”
Definitive version: The live cut on Under a Blood Red Sky with the “somebody cry, somebody cry” introduction that they rediscovered for their latest tour.

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64. Mercy: “The greatest B-side ever” Bono told Blender Magazine in 2004, but we still haven’t “officially” heard this track yet. Cut from …Atomic Bomb, the track was allegedly leaked to the fan community from an advance copy of the album. One of the U2 fanbase’s favorite tracks, this 6 and a half minute track is vintage “Bad”-era U2, complete with huge buildup and soaring chorus, only to pull back at the end of the song.
Best part: “Fear nothing, I fear nothing, feaaaaar”

63. Dancing Barefoot: The last cover song on this list, U2 covered Patti Smith for the b-side of “When Love Comes To Town”. Not being familiar with the original track, I can’t comment on how faithfully they stick to it. The song is a complete winner, with all members firing on all cylinders to produce one of the best “rock” songs of their career.
Best part: Edge’s guitar solo

62. Fast Cars: The bonus cut on certain versions of How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb, “Fast Cars” is a really fun Spanish guitar-led take on the world post 9-11. Unfortunately, in the US, the song was only released on the boxed-set version of the album, so most Americans missed out on the song, which was probably the most political cut on the disc.
Best part: “I got CCTV, pornography, CNBC, I got the nightly news to get to know the enemy”
Check out: the Alternate version called “Xanax and Wine”

61. October: A sleight piano ballad, “October” has a gorgeous melody and a poetic (if simple lyric). More dynamic than songs on the preceeding album, the October disc benefited greatly from the use of piano. This song is a perfect example of this.
Best part: “October, and the trees are stripped bare of all they wear/…October/and kingdoms rise and kingdoms fall/but you go on/and on”

60. One Tree Hill: Dedicated to a crew member that lost his life in New Zealand, and released as the last single from The Joshua Tree there, “One Tree Hill” is probably the emotional high point of the second half of the album. “One Tree Hill” is also home to a heartbreakingly beautiful lyric that at once eulogizes a friend and references Biblical events.
Best part: “And when it’s raining/raining hard/that’s when the rain/will break my heart”

59. Desire: The first single from Rattle and Hum, “Desire” makes great use of the Bo-Diddley beat. With strange lyrics that seemingly reference both Hendrix (“with a red guitar, on fire”) and heroin addiction (“I’m like the needle/needle and spoon”) among other things, Desire is one of U2’s biggest chart hits (#3 in the US and their first UK #1). Short, compact, and sweet, Desire is a fan-favorite during U2 shows. Also gotta add that I’m a sucker for harmonica in U2 songs.
Best part: the “Yeah” in the beginning of the song or “Oh sister, I can’t let you go”

58. The Hands that Built America: Taken from The Gangs of New York, “The Hands That Built America” was nominated for an Oscar, but lost to Eminem. The song is a slow tribute to the great Americans who made the country what it is today. However, I’m more taken by the love story also discussed by the lyrics. “Hands…” also contains one of my favorite ever U2 lyrics ever: “You’ve got to live in your dreams/don’t make them so hard”.
Best part: the above lyric
Definitive version: Toss-up between the more Celtic sounding mix on Gangs of NY soundtrack or the version on 1990-2000.

57. Daddy’s Gonna Pay For Your Crashed Car: Love the pounding, industrial beat of this song, as well as the Russian fanfare that begins the song. Unlike much of anything else in the U2 cannon, this Zooropa song is one of the most danceable songs that the boys from Dublin ever cut. Although I initially dismissed the lyrics as garbage, watching the performance from Zoo TV really changed my mind about the song.
Best part: “You’ve got a head full of traffic” and then the beat kicks back in…

56. Yahweh: The “official” closer of …Atomic Bomb, “Yahweh” is one of those uplifting songs that U2 does best. Strangely enough, I’m far from a religious person, but I have to admit that I am extremely moved by a song such as this. Bono sings with such conviction and pleading that I can’t help but submit.
Best part: “Take this heart/take this heart/and make it break”
2nd best part: “Take these hands/teach them what to carry/take these hands/don’t make a fist”
3rd best part: “This love is like a drop in the ocean”

55. So Cruel: This song brought my U2 fan level up about 100 points. After going through an extremely difficult time in my life, I was rummaging through some of my father’s CDs and came across Achtung Baby. I put it on to listen to the hits, but instead was drawn to this song which spoke to me as I’ve never been spoken to before. The lyrics are a portrait of a couple going through a breakup (probably written about Edge’s divorce), and are more real than I could bear at the time. While no longer at the top of my favorite U2 songs, I still feel a strong connection with the track. I think Bono’s songwriting hit a new level with this song, as he’s on fire throughout the piece.
Best part: “Between the horses of love and lust/we are trampled underfoot”

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54. Walk On: Adopted by America as the de facto 9/11 anthem, “Walk On” was originally dedicated to a Burmese prisoner. The song is a celebration of strength of character, and one of the most inspirational songs in the U2 songbook. “Walk On” was used to great effect as the closing track on U2’s Elevation tour.
Best part: the Hallelujah’s in the single and live versions of the song
Definitive version: The Nigel Godrich produced single mix

53. Discotheque: The first U2 product I ever owned, “Discotheque” came out when I was 14. Prior to this, U2 had always been “my father’s band”, but in my ears, this was music for my generation. Despite the fact that the band isn’t fond of the album/single version of the song, I think that it is head and shoulders above the butchered version on their hits collection. Discotheque captures U2 at a really playful moment in their career. Supposedly, the Pet Shop Boys song “Discoteca” was written as a take-off on this song.
Best part: The chugga-chugga guitar riff.
2nd best part: “Boom-cha discotheque”

52. Seconds: The second song on 1983’s War LP, “Seconds” has the distinction of being one of the few U2 songs with Edge on lead vocal. The song is written about the aftermath of a nuclear bomb, and could’ve been used to great effect on U2’s latest tour. The song’s got a great beat courtesy of Adam and Larry, and even has a small interlude from the movie “Soldier Girls”.
Best part: “And they’re doing the atomic bomb/do they know where the dance comes from”

51. God Part II: Written as a sequel to John Lennon’s revered “God”, “God Part II” was a ballsy move that exemplified everything that people disliked about U2 in 1988. Well, fuck ‘em I say. I absolutely positively love this track. “God Part II” could really be the bridge between 80’s U2 and the more danceable 90’s band. Edge launches into a really great guitar solo, and Bono really belts out the contradictions that the song is based around.
Best part: Bono screaming “I, I believe in love” over Edge’s squealing guitar.

50. A Sort of Homecoming: The opening cut on 1984’s Unforgettable Fire, “A Sort of Homecoming” sounds like early winter to me. The song reminds me of mornings spent writing final papers for college. I either envision snowy Irish fields, or grouchy Pitt students fighting for tables in the library.
Best part: “Tonight we’ll build a bridge across the sea and land”

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49. The Sweetest Thing: Written after Bono forgot his wife’s birthday, “The Sweetest Thing” was recorded for the Joshua Tree and initially appeared as the B-side to “Where the Streets Have No Name”. In 1998, U2 needed a single to go with their first retrospective, and the band decided that “The Sweetest Thing” was too good to remain a B-side forever. The song is one of the most pure pop moments ever recorded by the band and although I don’t think it would fit on Joshua, it is of high enough quality to be an album track.
Best part: “Blue eyed boy meets a brown eyed girl”
Definitive version: The single mix

48. In A Little While: A simple song written in the same manner as “The Sweetest Thing”, “In a Little While” was originally written as an apology of sorts. Apparently, however, when Joey Ramone was dying, he requested this to be the last song he heard on Earth. I love Bono’s raspy, world-weary voice; I love the bluesy guitar riff that repeats through the song, and most of all I love the refrain. I initially skipped this cut, thinking it was only filler quality, but was soon bewitched by its charming melody.
Best part: “Slow down my beating heart/slowly/slowly love”

47. Pride (In the Name of Love): A tribute to Martin Luther King Jr, and U2’s first top 40 hit in the US, Pride has also become one of their most overplayed songs ever on Top 40 radio. Familiarity has definitely dulled this song, at least in my estimation. Plus, Bono gets MLK’s time of death wrong! Still one of their most enduring songs, and the chorus does press all of the right buttons.
Best part: Edge’s guitar solo
2nd best part: “They took your life, they could not take your pride”

46. Miracle Drug: Back in September 2004, really bad quality bits and pieces of …Atomic Bomb were leaked. I had a moral quandary, I had resolved not to listen to anything until the album came out, but I wanted to know what the songs sounded like. My solution was to freak and made my roommate listen to them. He described this song as very “Achtung Baby-esque” and maybe “one of the best things they’ve done so far”. I freaked again, and couldn’t wait to hear the album .Well, he was right on both counts. I love the midtempo rush of this song, I love the lyrics, and I love the Edge’s vocal bits at the end. This song was a definite highlight on their current tour.
Best part: The guitar solo and Edge singing overtop “Beneath the noise, below the din/I hear a voice, it’s whispering/ in science and in medicine/I was a stranger, you took me in”

45. The First Time: Amid all of the experimental dance tracks on Zooropa, U2 threw in two top-notch ballads. “The First Time” may not be one of the best known songs in U2’s catalog, but it is one of the most moving. The song is rife with great imagery: The grounded brother keeping his wandering sibling grounded, the lover providing soul, the father offering riches to his son. This song was an unexpected addition to the 3rd leg of U2’s latest tour, and it was another highlight.
Best part: “He said I have many mansions, and there are many rooms to see/But I left by the backdoor, and I threw away the key/yeah I threw away the key… for the first time/I feel loved”

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44. Bullet the Blue Sky: The loudest and hardest song on the Joshua Tree and possibly in U2’s entire catalog, “Bullet the Blue Sky” has been a tour staple ever since 1987. The song is an indictment of US funded South American Civil Wars, although the meaning seemingly changes each time they play it live. In 1993, the song seemed to be more about racism, in 2000 and 2001, the meaning alternated between arms trading and the NRA, and in 2005, the song carries a definite anti-war edge. Famous for its “rap” at the end, Bono gets a little carried away with his story of “this guy…peeling off those dollar bills”, but he can be forgiven when we consider all of the imagery in the song. Strangely enough, “Bullet the Blue Sky” is my mother’s favorite song in the U2 cannon.
Best part: Edge’s atonal guitar soloing
Definitive version: The Zoo TV era version of the song found on the Stay EP and on the Zoo TV video.

43. Out of Control: U2’s first single, released in 1979 and also included (in a different version) on their Boy album, “Out of Control” is a great example of U2’s post-punk roots. Although the lyrics are seemingly nonsensical, they do have some sense of lost youth and nostalgia.
Best part: “I got big ideas, I’m out of control”
Definitive version: My favorite is from 2001’s Slane Castle performance. Older and wiser, U2 play their first single and thank their parents for helping their careers along.

42. Even Better Than The Real Thing: Not only a “rock” song, “Even Better…” was a great “dance” song as well. The second track on 1991’s Achtung Baby and also an eventual single, “…Real Thing” was a great example of U2’s early ‘90s transformation. . The single was packaged with a great video that contained some excellent (at the time) special effects and a Prince impersonator, the song was a real winner. I love the warped sounding guitar, and the soaring chorus. The single also came with at least two great remixes: Paul Oakenfold’s Perfecto mix is played to this day (last year I caught it during a Monday Night Football game) and the Apollo 440 Stealth remix which makes great use out of the warp effect.
Best part: “My heart is where it’s always been/and my head is somewhere in between”

41. Electrical Storm: Released as the single from U2’s second Greatest Hits album, “Electrical Storm” came in two different versions: The single mix was done by William Orbit and had some excellent Ray of Light-esque sound manipulations. The “B-side” version was more straight ahead rock, keeping the focus on Edge’s shimmering guitar. I initially dismissed this song as mediocre U2, but I succumbed soon to its beauty. Check out the Anton Corbijn directed video and see Larry Mullen Jr. arguing with a mermaid and pulling TVs and bathtubs out of the sea. It’s better than it sounds.
Best part: The guitar solo and Bono screaming “Heyyyyy”

40. Gone: Along with “Last Night on Earth” and “Staring at The Sun”, “Gone” provided Pop with some much needed guitar crunch. Although never a single, “Gone” proved to be enough of a live favorite to be included on U2’s second retrospective, albeit in a slightly different remix. The song dealt with the absurdities of celebrity life (“goodbye/you can keep this suit of lights”) and had a heavy Edge guitar part to balance the heaviness of the lyrics.
Best part: The last chorus and guitar solo. “Gone, gooooone”
Definitive version: I’m going to have to go with the album version, although the live cut and remix definitely are still top-notch.

39. Zoo Station: The opener on Achtung Baby, “Zoo Station” helped introduce the new U2 to the world. The song flies by on a speedy, danceable train journey around underground Germany. It’s the second half of Bowie’s epic “Station to Station” if you will. I also hear similarities in Depeche Mode’s later “I Feel You”. Lyrically, Achtung Baby had Bono reaching new peaks of brilliance, and I feel that this song is as good an example of this as any other. Great tribute to moving on “I’m ready/I’m ready for what’s next”
Best part: “Time is a train/Makes the future the past/leaves you standing in the station/your face pressed up against the glass”

38. MOFO: Wow! Probably the only real “techno” song on Pop, “MOFO” is precisely what many U2 fans were fearing U2 would do with the Pop record. A wall of distorted guitars, in your face synths, Bono’s digitally altered voice, and slamming drums, “MOFO” sounds nothing like a U2 song; perhaps that was the point. When I bought the Pop album, I admittedly didn’t think much of the song, but in time (and partially due to the remix on the Video Collection), “MOFO” really grew on me.
Best part: “Mother, am I still your son?/You know I’ve waited so long/To hear you say so”

37. Numb: Another stunning reinvention. Despite Achtung Baby’s very obvious change in sound, it still had the trappings of a normal rock album, the songs were just dressed up with a dance sheen. In 1993, however, “Numb” could not have sounded more different to the “U2 sound”. A monotone Edge rap over a jackhammer sounding beat, Bono wailing like a female opera singer in the background, and oh-so-ironic lyrics, Numb still became a huge MTV hit. Remember the video with Edge being tied to a chair and tortured but showing no emotion?
Best part: Bono: “Gimmie some more, gimmie some more of that stuff/ I feel numb, too much is not enough”

36. Mysterious Ways: This song is all about that guitar line. Shimmying, moving, shaking like a belly dancer, Edge put his hands all over this cut. The video’s Moroccan escapades may have left their thumbprint all over the song, but I can’t hear the song without thinking of the Middle East.
Best part: “Lift my days/light up my nights/love”
2nd best part: “One day/you will look back/and you will see/where you were held/how by this love/while you could stand there/and not move on this moment/follow this feeling”

_____

35. If God Will Send His Angels: Without a doubt the prettiest moment on Pop, “If God Will Send His Angels” was originally intended for Zooropa, but for whatever reason didn’t make the cut. When we did finally get the song, it was a dreamy ballad punctuated with a great guitar line. My favorite part of the song is the last bit of the song where Bono and Edge are singing overtop of each other. The album cut and the single cut differ slightly in the lyrics in the end, and I truly love both versions. Also, “Love, what’s that you said to me/does love light up your Christmas tree/and the next minute you’re blowing the fuse/when the Cartoon Network turns into the news”
Best part: “and I don’t have to know how/and I don’t need to know why/and I don’t want a promise/cause I don’t want a lie/I just know that I need you/to love”
Definitive version: I guess the single cut, due to the aforementioned lyric.

34. With or Without You: Probably the most famous song in the entire U2 collection, “With or Without You” is also one of the best loved. And one of the most understood. Similar to the Police’s “Every Breath You Take”, “With or Without You” has convinced many people that it’s a simple love song, when in reality it’s a description of an unhealthy obsession: “I can’t live with or without you”. Love how the song pulls back at the end instead of really exploding.
Best part: “And you give/and you give/and you give yourself away”
Definitive version: The live version from the Rattle and Hum movie. Check out the emotion in Bono’s voice, and the great guitar soloing from Edge. This version also has the last verse that isn’t on the album version, but is usually added when they play it live.

33. One: Along with “With or Without You” this is probably U2’s signature song. The story of “One” has been told often: U2 in Germany trying desperately to break new ground, almost breaking up, when suddenly “One” appears out of thin air. The song really is incredible, and I wish I could hear it again for the first time, because familiarity probably has taken some of the edge off the song. The band donated all of the proceeds from the song to AIDS, and has often used the song to speak out against the AIDS crisis “One life, you got to do what you should”. In his recent Rolling Stone interview, Bono said that the song was written from the viewpoint of a gay son coming out to his father: “We’re one but we’re not the same”
Best part: “You say that love is a temple/love the higher law/you ask me to enter/then you make me crawl/I can’t be holding on/to what you got/when all you got is hurt”
Definitive version: Any live performance of the track; especially with the “hear us coming, lord, hear us call” bit added.

32. Wire: Nasty little song from Unforgettable Fire; I love that guitar intro, and then the song really picks up speed and begins. God knows what the lyrics are really about, but I sense some drug references in it: “such a nice day/to throw your life away”, but maybe the song really is just about suicide. I love Bono’s exaggerated vocal ticks in the song: “Cold man, such a cold heart/such a cold man to watch you tear yourself apart”. And then the last line…
Best part: “Here’s the rope, here’s the rope/now swing on it”

31. Who’s Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses: One of my favorite U2 lyrics ever, “Who’s Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses” is also somewhat of a bridge between 80’s U2 and the sleeker, racier 90’s version. The song is a despairing but hopeful look at a lover, and the dysfunctional relationship she and the protagonist enjoyed. Another one of my all-time favorite U2 lyrics is contained here: “hallelujah, heaven’s white rose/the doors you open/I just can’t close”.
Best part: the end, when Bono’s singing really picks up steam and he belts “Come on now love, don’t you look back”

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30. Red Hill Mining Town: Initially supposed to be the second single from The Joshua Tree, U2 nixed the idea when they realized that Bono would kill his voice singing the song night after night. To the best of my knowledge, “Red Hill Mining Town” has never been performed live; that, to me, is a mighty shame. The song contains the saga of a family (or is it lovers) struggling against everything tearing them apart in their lives. The job is done, the money’s over, and now we’re barely hanging on. “We’re wounded by fear/injured in doubt/I can lose myself/ It’s you I can’t live without” is one of the greatest all-time passages in a U2 track.
Best part: The aforementioned lyric

29. Two Hearts Beat As One: Passion, passion, passion. I love how passionate the boys were during this point in their career. It’s a love song written as a political song.
Best part: “Can’t stop to dance/honey this is my last chance”

28. Slide Away (duet with Michael Hutchence): Not really a U2 song per say, this duet came from Hutchence’s posthumous duet album. Bono added his vocals after Hutchence had already died, during post production on the album. Given the tragic circumstances surrounding Michael’s death, Bono’s part couldn’t be more appropriate. Hutchence sings of a desire to “slide away and come alive again”, and Bono responds that he will “catch your fall”. Not a very well known song among the U2 camp, I think it is definitely one of the best moments in both Bono and Hutchence’s respective cannons. The song never fails to make me short on breath.
Best part: “But you tore a hole in space/like a dark star falls from grace/you burn across the sky/and I will find you wings to fly”

27. Do You Feel Loved: From one of the most tragic songs in the songbook to one of the sexiest. “Do You Feel Loved” shows that when Pop worked, it REALLY worked. A stellar combination of rock and dance, the song just oozes sex. I really love that flecked guitar sound, and the warm, enveloping bassline. Lyrically, I think Martin Gore was probably an influence (“with my teeth at your back/and my tongue to tell you the sweetest lies”).
Best part: “Love is coming/pushing and shoving/in the belly of a woman/heavy rhythm taking over/to stick together a man and a woman”

26. Bad: Ah, Live Aid 1985. Bono and his mullet (along with the rest of U2, of course) treated the world to an extraordinary performance of one of U2’s greatest ever songs. The song is written to a junkie, and the entire song is based around heroin. Apparently, the little jangly part at the beginning of the song is supposed to mimic the high when heroin comes on. Bono pledges himself to help this person overcome their addiction, to help them through their time of trouble. Throughout the song, the music and singing build almost to a crescendo, but then, as if the song was a dream, it pulls back instead of really exploding.
Best part: “I’m wide awake/I’m wide awake/I’m wide awake, I’m not sleeping”
Definitive version: Check out almost any live version. Chill-inducing.

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25. Zooropa: The opening track on 1993’s Zooropa, the title cut is another cut seemingly influenced by Bowie’s “Station to Station”. The song is a two part song, with the first part seemingly beamed in from a distant satellite, and the second galloping towards some finish line. The lyrics in the first bit all come from advertisements: “Be all that you can be…we’ve got that ring of confidence”. The second part of the song, however, is really the payoff. “Zooropa” is a song that definitely wouldn’t have worked as a single, but I’d like to have seen one anyway.
Best part: When the first part of the song bleeds into the second and Bono sings “and I have no compass, and I have no map/and I have no reasons/no reasons to get back”

24. Ultraviolet (Light My Way): Love, love, love that intro. Probably one of the most life-affirming moments on a U2 CD, “Ultraviolet” bounces along on a sublime Edge guitar part, and a soaring Bono vocal. Lyrically, the song isn’t all that awe-inducing, but this song is the perfect example of the whole being greater than the sum of its parts.
Best part: Falsetto: “Ultraviolet love”

23. I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For: Another one of U2’s most renowned songs of all time, “Still Haven’t Found” is yearning from the top of a mountain. Bono has “climbed the highest mountain”, but “yes he’s still running”. It took a while for this song to overcome all of the massive overplay that it endured over the years, but I again find myself loving “Still Haven’t Found” more with each listen. I love the doubt and decay in Bono’s voice, I love the yearning of the lyrics, and I love the answering comfort in Edge’s guitar.
Best part: “You broke the bonds, and loosed the chains/carried the cross/and my shame/all my shame/You know I believe it”

22. Ground Beneath Her Feet: Written by Salman Rushdie (lyrics) and U2 (music), “The Ground Beneath Her Feet” came from the soundtrack to The Million Dollar Hotel. I love the prominent organ part (or is it a treated guitar?), I love the lyrics, and I love the song’s epic sweep. Definitely worth seeking out if you’ve never heard it.
Best part: “Oh come back above/where there is only love/only love”, and the strings, guitars, and vocals just go over the top.

21. Stuck in a Moment: Written about the suicide of Bono’s friend Michael Hutchence, “Stuck in a Moment” was everything that Bono wished he could’ve said to Michael in his last minutes on Earth. I love the opening salvo during which Bono tells us that he’s just trying to find “a decent melody/a song that [he] can sing in [his] own company”. The song really is a beautiful ode to a loved one who’s departed, either in death or in divorce. The Edge sings the last bit of the song “and if the night runs over/and if the day won’t last…”. The song may have been written too late to save Hutchence’s life, but whenever I have a hard time seeing the big picture, I put it on and listen to the last verse “it’s just a moment/this time will pass”.
Best part: “I will not forsake the colours that you bring/the nights you filled with fireworks/they left you with nothing”.
Definitive version: The acoustic version found on the U2 7 EP. It strips the song into its most basic elements, and turns it into a complete masterpiece.

20. Stay (Faraway, So Close): U2 consider this the best song they ever wrote. Who are we to disagree? A gorgeous guitar-driven ballad from Zooropa, “Stay” follows around a jaded person close to the singer (an ex? a future lover?). I love the imagery in the song “Red light/grey morning/you stumble out of a hole in the ground/a vampire/or a victim/it depends on who’s around”
Best part: “Stay with the demons you drowned/stay with the spirit I found/Stay and the night would be enough”

19. I Will Follow: One of the most defining songs of the New Wave era, “I Will Follow” is still a live staple for U2 25 years later, and keeps getting better with age. The guitar motif really makes the song, and Bono’s propulsive singing just takes it to another level. The song also has another U2 characteristic, the little breakdown in the middle of the song (think the middle of Vertigo). Anyway, “I Will Follow” really got the ball rolling on college radio stations, and helped launch the band stateside.
Best part: the guitar intro and “I was on the inside”
Definitive version: Pick any live version of it from the past 25 years. They all sound great!

18. Gloria: My father’s pick for greatest U2 song ever. Reminds me of being extremely little and hearing him play it incessantly. Definitely the highlight on the October album, Gloria makes the most of its bilingual chorus and verse.
Best part: At the end of the song when Edge and Bono harmonize on the chorus
Definitive version: The live cut on Under a Blood Red Sky “This is Gloria!”

17. Love is Blindness: Organ intro to the shimmering backdrop of the song. I’ve read that the song was written from the perspective of an Irish terrorist. Not too sure if that was the intended meaning, but it definitely fits. Such a dark, gorgeous way to end the Achtung Baby album, “Love is Blindness” definitely is one of the saddest songs ever written by U2. I really love the guitar solo, and the interplay between bass and clicking drumbeat in the background.
Best part: “A little death/without mourning/no call/and no warning/baby, a dangerous idea/that almost makes sense”

16. Sunday Bloody Sunday: A signature song from the 1980s that was not even originally a single, “Sunday Bloody Sunday” exemplified the political aspect of U2’s music. That military marching beat, the white flag, the disbelief and anger in the lyrics. “Sunday Bloody Sunday” is a song that has only gotten better with age. In modern times, the song has become less of a protest, and more of a call for unification “Lift yourself up”
Best part: “Sunday Bloody Sunday/I’m so sick of it!”
Definitive version: Check out the slowed down version played on the U2 Go Home DVD. Either this or the one on Rattle and Hum shot after another Irish attack.

15. The Unforgettable Fire: Inspired by a series of paintings depicting the horrors of Hiroshima, the lyrics to “Unforgettable Fire” are more oblique than the paintings. The music seems to depict the horror of a nuclear bomb more than the lyrics do. Possibly the most dated-sounding song in U2’s catalog, I still really love the 80’s synth sound that dominates. Really wanted them to bring it back for 2005, but alas…
Best part: “And if the mountains should crumble/or disappear into the sea/not a tear/no not I”

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14. Angel of Harlem: This tribute to Billie Holiday came from 1988’s Rattle and Hum. As much as I love the brass section on the studio version, I think it works even better as a straightforward rock song, as the band performs it in concert. Really gorgeous melody, and a total winner.
Best part: “Soul love/this love won’t let me go/So long/Angel of Harlem”
Definitive version: Check out U2 Go Home: Live at Slane Castle

13. Acrobat: Probably the darkest song on Achtung Baby, “Acrobat” revels in its despair. Love the churning guitar and the forceful drums on this one. Bono delivers another complete set of lyrics, and there are certain passages that rival anything else he’s ever done. “Don’t let the bastards grind you down”
Best part: “And I must be an acrobat/to talk like this/and act like that”.

12. New Year’s Day: Supposedly having something to do with Martial law being lifted in Poland, “New Year’s Day” deals with unity through a period of separation. Love the electric piano part that pins the song down as much as I love the guitar part that lifts it up. Another song that my father played ad naseum during my childhood, I can hardly think of the song without thinking of my parents in the mid-80s.
Best part: “I, I will begin again”
Definitive version: Live version on Under a Blood Red Sky

11. All I Want is You: A really simple set of lyrics set to a really simple delayed guitar part, “All I Want is You” is another song that is much more than the sum of its parts. I really love the building string section, the passioned singing, and the ringing guitar lines. This song was used to great effect in the movie Reality Bites.
“All the promises we make, from the cradle to the grave/when all I want is you”
Best part: The dueling guitar and strings

10. Lemon: The shimmering, futuristic disco of “Lemon” was supposed to sound like Prince, but truthfully, I hear nothing Purple about the song, other than the falsetto. The lyrics seem like two songs pasted on top of each other (which they probably were); the “man makes a picture” segment seems inspired by the Talking Heads (which it probably was), and when put together, the song is simply one of the coolest sounding things ever done.
Best part: “Ahhhhh, Midnight is where the day begins”

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9. Dirty Day: The highest song from Zooropa on my list, “Dirty Day” is an absolute stunner. The album’s most “rock” sounding song, “Dirty Day” is an almost nihilistic look at either divorce, father/son relationships, or some combination of the two. Dedicated to Bukowski in the linear notes and in lyrics (“these days, days, days/run away like horses over the hill”), “Dirty Day” is a pretty simple song based on a descending guitar line and a high pitched synth.
Best part: “From father to son/in one life has begun/a work that’s never done/from father to son”
Definitive version: Live on the Zoo TV tour

8. The Fly: Released as the first single from Achtung Baby, “The Fly” is meant to sound like a phone call from hell, and it does. Listen to the guitar line, listen to Bono’s treated vocals, the slight dance beat. I really love the juxtaposition of Edge’s vocals in the chorus (credited to “Gospel Voice”) over Bono’s gravelly growl. Love the truisms that pop up throughout the song as well (“ambition bites the nails of success…every artist is a cannibal/every poet is a thief/all kill their inspiration/and sing about their grief”).
Best part: Edge’s monstrous guitar solo
Definitive version: Live from the Elevation tour

7. Crumbs From Your Table: Written to the First world from the Third, “Crumbs From Your Table” has probably my favorite Edge guitar part of all time. I love that chiming, ringing effect, and I also love the descending notes underneath. Even more, though, I love the lyrics; Bono calls out church leaders and politicians who send little more than wishes into the most impoverished parts of the world (“I would believe, if I was able/but I’m waiting for the crumbs from your table”).
Best part: “Dignity passes by-yyyyy” and the guitar kicking in behind it

6. Please: An older, wiser “Sunday Bloody Sunday”, “Please” is a churning, moody piece that never really picks up the pace. Love the little guitar part that answers Bono’s vocals during the chorus; love the despondent lyrics that could be about both a dying relationship between two lovers, and a larger social commentary. A total winner when performed live, the band used the song as a segue into “…Streets” during its Popmart tour. Check out the single version with the sweeping string section added
Best part: “Cause you, my love/I could never believe”

5. City of Blinding Lights: From an older, wiser “Sunday Bloody Sunday” to an older, wiser “Where the Streets Have No Name”, “City of Blinding Lights” has been the opening track on U2’s latest World Tour. I love the twinkling opening, I love the soaring chorus, I love the little guitar motif that pops up throughout. As with much of …Atomic Bomb, “City” deals with regaining innocence and naivety.
Best part: “Tiiiiime won’t leave me as I am/but tiiiime won’t take the boy out of this man
Definitive version: Live, this song is really a show-stopper. “Oh, you look so beautiful tonight!”

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4. Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me: Originally written for Zooropa, “Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me” didn’t surface until 1995’s Batman Forever soundtrack. The song retains Zooropa’s sonic sheen, but also adds a great glam-rock guitar overtop. One of the greatest pop singles in U2’s cannon, “Hold Me…” sounds to me like Bono talking to one of the characters he created for himself on the ZOO TV tour: “You’re a headache/in a suitcase/You’re a Star!”
Best part: Bono grunting and groaning overtop of the wailing guitar and the screaming strings during the song’s finale.

3. Where the Streets Have No Name: Apparently written in less than an hour, “Where the Streets Have No Name” is probably the penultimate U2 live track. U2 has said that no matter how bad a show is going, they know that “…Streets” will turn it around. A driving, propulsive number, “Where the Streets…” builds from an organ line reminiscent of 1984’s MLK into one of U2’s biggest anthems of all time. I love the imagery of the love falling apart: “The city’s aflood/and our love turns to rust/we’re beaten and blown by the wind/and trampled in dust”.
Best part: Too hard to single any one moment out on the studio cut
Definitive version: Pick any live rendition of this song. My favorite is the one on U2 Go Home; sends chills up my spine.

2. Kite: Written about letting his children go and grow up on their own, “Kite” took on another meaning during U2’s 2001 World Tour: Bono began singing the song to his dying father. I love the uncertainty in the lyrics: “Who’s to say where the wind will take you”, I love the resolution in the lyrics: “ I know that this is not goodbye”, I love the idea of the relationship as a kite on the breeze. That swaying, soaring guitar line is also a flat-out winner.
Best part: “Did I waste it/Not so much I couldn’t taste it/Life should be fragrant/Rooftop to the basement”
Definitive Version: My absolute favorite U2 performance ever is the Slane Castle performance of this song; Bono’s father had died earlier that week, and he dedicates the song to him. The pure, unadulterated emotion in Bono’s voice is almost too much to take, and I get a lump in my throat whenever Bono almost loses it during the last “Goodbye”.

1. Running to Stand Still: Despair, despair, despair. Much like “Bad”, “Running to Stand Still” is written to an acquaintance hooked on heroin. Unlike “Bad”, “Running…” doesn’t have the hope in the lyrics: “I see seven towers/but I only see one way out”. The mournful slide guitar that begins the song gives way to a great harmonica line. “Running…” is a great example of Bono’s ability to take a situation he’s never been in himself (addiction) and personalize it. The song is an absolute heartbreaker, and Bono’s soaring vocals are just the icing on the cake.
Best part: “You’ve got to cry without weeping/talk without speaking/and scream without raising your voice/You know I took the poison from the poison stream/and then I floated out of here”.
Definitive version: Check out the version from ZOO TV: The piano is replaced by a droning synth line, and when Bono mimes the needle insertion, it’s almost too much. The “Hallelujahs” during the climax of the song are also absolute perfection.

Thank you! This was a wonderful read.

6. Please: An older, wiser “Sunday Bloody Sunday”, “Please” is a churning, moody piece that never really picks up the pace. Love the little guitar part that answers Bono’s vocals during the chorus; love the despondent lyrics that could be about both a dying relationship between two lovers, and a larger social commentary. A total winner when performed live, the band used the song as a segue into “…Streets” during its Popmart tour. Check out the single version with the sweeping string section added
Best part: “Cause you, my love/I could never believe”



such an overlooked song. "Please" is amongst my fav songs by
any artist, ever. i was so disappointed when the single made
hardly any impact on the charts.

22. Ground Beneath Her Feet: Written by Salman Rushdie (lyrics) and U2 (music), “The Ground Beneath Her Feet” came from the soundtrack to The Million Dollar Hotel. I love the prominent organ part (or is it a treated guitar?), I love the lyrics, and I love the song’s epic sweep. Definitely worth seeking out if you’ve never heard it.
Best part: “Oh come back above/where there is only love/only love”, and the strings, guitars, and vocals just go over the top.

this songs is simply



i'm a huge Salman Rushdie fan and I like U2 a lot as well
so this song is like a summit of both worlds for me.

i read the book first, so i already knew the lyrics and
their place in the context of the book.

and the song just nailed it dead on. perfection. no one
could have done that better.

I can't wait to read this!

Axchi696 said:

boy, you better get on that lsat!

Axchi696 said:

This song was playing when I passed by the scene of the accident that killed my friend. It will ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS have special meaning to me. I love the intro he gives it on the Live From Boston DVD

EskomoKisses said:

Wow. That's horrible. I'm sorry.

What a phenomenal piece of work! I was thoroughly engrossed reading the entire thing and reminded again why I love this band so much. And what great timing as I scored last minute General Admission floor seats to their Detroit show last week.

And I can't believe you're only 21! Such insight and intelligence. Well done, sir.

And I couldn't believe how many of your best moments I absolutely agreed with. I know and love nearly all of these songs. Although my list and everyone else's would obviously be different, you nailed the feeling and message of U2 in your descriptions.

I'll write a more track-by-track reply once I've had some time to process this.

Fantastic! This and Ellie's thread have gotten me off my ass to finally put my Top 100 Bowie and Prince songs together. Thanks guys!

GangstaFam said:

You're going to have such a great time, this tour is phenominal!



22, to be exact



Well, I really had hoped to get some discussion going... Oh well



Please do, I'd love to read some commentary on my commentary



Now that would be something to see!

beautiful job! enjoyable read. my rankings would be different, but that goes without saying everybody has their own preferences.

One thing I will mention - the song "Mercy" is definitely a strong track that hopefully will get a release one of these days. It wouldn't really have fit on Atomic Bomb, but it needs to be released in some fashion.


I like that "Kite" is in your Top 10, that is definitely one of my faves... along with "The Fly." In fact, if I were to do my own list, it would be between "With or Without You", "The Fly", "Sometimes You Can't Make it On Your Own" and "Acrobat" for the top spot.

NorthernLad said:

Do it! Post it here.

GangstaFam said:

The org has plenty of U2 fans, I'd love to hear some other voices on their best work.

my U2 top 20. (i'll save my Top 100 for a band that is closest to my heart... The Cure )

1 The Fly
2 Acrobat
3 With or Without You
4 Sometimes You Can't Make it On Your Own
5 The Unforgattable Fire
6 Kite
7 Red Hill Mining Town
8 So Cruel
9 Heartland
10 Love is Blindness
11 City of Blinding Lights
12 One
13 Silver and Gold
14 Bad
15 Stay (Far Away, So Close)
16 Running To Stand Still
17 Lady With The Spinning Head
18 Beautiful Day
19 Crumbs From Your Table
20 Please

NorthernLad said:

Love this song; it's another example of how songs evolved during the Achtung Baby sessions. You can hear both 'The Fly' and 'Ultraviolet' in the cut. I'm glad it finally surfaced as a b-side, but I wish that they had included the original cut on the B-side collection instead of the remix.

Great list by the way, it's really cool to see that someone else really loves 'The Unforgettable Fire'.

bump!

The Live from Chicago DVD hits stores on Tuesday here in the US. Can't wait to relive the concert.

Axchi696 said:

omg sweet! forgot all about that. thanks for reminding me.

Axchi696 said:

This is a badazz (wonderful) thread Axchi.

And Kite is truly a ownderful song enough to rate with their best ever. I'm copying and printing your list and comments out.

Axchi696 said:

I just found out today (through Sunday ads) that it was coming out. I had no idea one was even in the making. I was ruinning through the house when I found out this morning.

DiamondGirl said:

Thanks a lot. I'd love to hear some of your comments on what you think is their best work. I'd hate to see this thread die such a quick death.

Axchi696 said:

I was out of town for a few days, but I'm still working on mine too.

Axchi696 said:

This thread will NOT die a quick death. It's going to take me some time but I cannot possibly do what you have done regarding listing favs in order. To do that you must have went through gut-wrenching hell to place some favs behind others and just determining the whole process. But I bet it feels grand to have something like that personalized, for you to stand on for now on. I would love to do this with my three favorite artists, Prince, Rolling Stones, and U2.

A comment to add now: seeing that you put Kite on there as No.2 makes me realize Im not that daft as when I was living that song with ATYCLB it always touched me when I sang it and listened to it.It's good to see others appreciate their latest offerings as something worthy instead of slagging them off as I've seen here and there.

I know that and Walk On are in my top ten for sure!

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[Edited 11/13/05 22:23pm]

GangstaFam said:

Ax, you're only 21? Whoah.

I'd like to see a list from Sassy on here as well.