by NEIL PITMAN
As a lifelong1 U2 fan, this assignment was a daunting task. Compile my top 10 U2 songs? Impossible. I must, by very definition of my fanaticism, love them all. Different yet equal. However, as I don my hat of journalistic objectivity, I realize that “Red Light” truly isn’t on par with “Mysterious Ways.” So, before we “get on our boots” for No Line on the Horizon, here is my attempt at encapsulating 30+ years of music from one of the world’s greatest bands into a single, definitive list.2
10. “Beautiful Day” (All That You Can’t Leave Behind, 2000)
After Pop’s overall critical failure, U2 blasted back with this single. Reminiscent of their classic sound (courtesy of The Edge’s Gibson Explorer), this uplifting track was the first step on the U2’s journey to “reapply for the job of the best band in the world”.
9. “Out of Control” (U2 Three, 1979; Boy 1980)
Written on Bono’s 18th birthday, this is U2’s first single, and one that is a great representation of their early sound. I actually find this track more compelling then their breakthrough single “I Will Follow;” the breakdown and guitar solo add a sense of urgency to the song.
8. “The Fly” (Achtung Baby, 1991)
At the end of 1989, it had been 3 solid years of the world hearing nothing but The Joshua Tree, Rattle and Hum, and Bono’s pontifications about various causes. U2 backlash was in full swing. However, following a year-plus hiatus, U2 released this as the first single from Achtung Baby, resulting in “the sound of four men chopping down The Joshua Tree”.
7. “Until the End of the World” (Achtung Baby, 199
This is the only non-single that is in my list, but it has been a live staple since the Zoo TV tour. The Judas/Jesus dialog is an interesting perspective and, quite frankly, The Edge simply rocks.
6. “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” (The Joshua Tree, 1987)
“Being a Christian hasn’t given me all the answers; instead it’s given me a whole new set of questions” - Bono3
An anthem of faith and doubt, this gospel song has a truly great bass groove and fantastic lyrics, all grammar aside…4
5. “With or Without You” (The Joshua Tree, 1987)
This song has always fascinated me with its repeating bass line, endless guitar (yes guitar, not keyboard) and Bono’s octave jumping. Its fantastic climax has left many a concertgoer lightheaded from screaming “oh oh oh oh…”
4. “Pride (In the Name of Love)” (The Unforgettable Fire, 1984)
This track jumped out from the rest of the Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois produced ethereal soundscape and became an instant hit. 18,000 people at a concert chanting “uh oh oh oh” in tribute to Martin Luther King, Jr. is something that should make us all feel pride.5
3. “Sunday Bloody Sunday” (War, 1983)
Politics and rock n’ roll have always flirted with each other, sometimes with results that can be hard to stomach (yes, even with U2). However, the troubles in Northern Ireland hit very close to home for the band, and this was a brave stance for them - especially in 1983. As bloated as the Rattle and Hum movie is, check it out for the definitive live performance (no children under 13 please).
2. “One” (Achtung Baby, 1991)
The penultimate top U2 song was born in a time of uncertainty for the band, a theme which carried into the Achtung Baby album. Its twisting dialog can be (and has been) applied on many levels. “One” resolves with “we’re one, but we’re not the same, we get to carry each other, carry each other.” Get to. Not got to.6
1. “Where the Streets Have No Name” (The Joshua Tree, 1987)
Live, there is nothing like it. Strangers embracing. We have lift-off!
“I was getting desperate and thinking about the next tour. I imagined being at a U2 show and tried to dream up what I would want to hear. It was my attempt to conjure up the ultimate U2 live song. It was a strange feeling when I finished the rough mix, because I thought I had just come up with the most amazing guitar part and song of my life, but I was totally alone in a big house and had no one to share it with. I remember listening to the complete silence of the house for a few seconds after the music had stopped and then doing a dance around the room punching the air.” - The Edge7
“What can I give back to God for the blessings He’s poured out on me? I’ll lift high the cup of salvation - a toast to God! I’ll pray in the name of God; I’ll complete what I promised God I’d do, and I’ll do it together with His people.”8
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Footnotes:
1. Life for me apparently began on November 5th, 1993, the first time I heard Zooropa in David Backhouse’s basement in Three Hills, Alberta.
2. Disclaimer: I am an album guy, not a singles guy. These are the songs that I feel are best out of their respective album context. As much as I love October, Zooropa, How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb, etc., I didn’t feel that any songs from these records fit in this particular list.
3. Preface to Speaking My Mind by Tony Campolo.
4. “I Still Haven’t Found That For Which I Am Looking”?
5. Upon further analysis… Number of people singing for Dr. King = 147. Number of people singing because they worship Bono and do everything he says = 5,495. Number of people singing because they have had 4 a) Miller Lites b) Heinekens or c) Carlsbergs = 12,358.
6. U2 by U2, pg. 224
7. U2 by U2, pg. 185
8. Psalm 116 from Eugene Peterson’s The Message, recited by Bono in the Streets intro, Elevation tour.
Neil Pitman has been to eighteen U2 shows since 1997. You can check out his rock n’ roll band here.
February 25th, 2009 at 5:26 pm
[...] In anticipation of U2’s forthcoming album, No Line On the Horizon, Neil Pitman has compiled a list of the ten best u2 songs for Into the [...]