Re-Ranking War

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djerdap said:
So you miss intense drumming and then you slag off Like a Song..., which has a fantastic Mullen outro? That one is a classic and one of their most underrated tunes.
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This is probably the #1 pre-TUF song I'd like to hear revived in concert, and it's probably my second fav on the album now next to NYD.


Red Light and The Refugee are dated for sure, but the album overall is still better than October; I can't even remember how a couple of those side 2 songs go.
 
I find it boring and cheesy on the album. I get its live appeal, but I can think of hundred different songs I'd rather have closing the set.
 
I almost like every song on this album. Especially Drowning Man, Surrender and Seconds are among U2's best work to date imo. I also like Red Light and the refugee.

Sent from my GT-I9505 using U2 Interference mobile app
 
War was an album whose songs really did translate and sound better live. I might have to throw it on and given it a listen for the first time in a while.
 
1) New Years Day
2) Sunday Bloody Sunday
3) Seconds
4) Drowning Man
5) Surrender
6) 40
7)The Refugee
8) Two Hearts
9) Like A song]
10) Red Light
 
SpiralStaircase said:
I'm mildly surprised by the apparent lack of love for 40
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It's such a plain non-event on the album.

Obviously it was great as a live closer, but I'd say it was better as a closer when it was just a snippet (one of Bono's most perfect snippets) in Bad. I'm not sure U2 have had a better closer than Bad/40. Love Is Blindness is the only other real contender in my mind.
 
1. Like a song
2. New Year's day
3. Sunday bloody Sunday
4. Drowning Man
5. 2 Hearts
6. Surrender
7. Seconds
8. 40
9. Red light
10. The Refugee

The first 4 are great (Like a song is in my top 3 favourite U2 song), then the rest is ok.... that's why this album has never been in my top 4 U2 albums.
 
40 is the perfect closer, it bookends the album beautifully with SBS with the repeated "how long [to sing] this song", and its gentleness after what has gone before is necessary to underscore the determination to accept - and learn from - the subject matter of the previous songs. Non-event? Cheesy? Jeez, some of you are cloth-eared aintcha :D
 
*****
1. New Years Day

**** 1/2
2. Sunday Bloody Sunday
3. Drowning Man

****
4. Like a Song

*** 1/2
5. The Refugee
6. Seconds

***
7. Two Hearts Beat as One

**
8. Surrender

*
9. 40
10. Red Light

Third last in my ranking of U2 albums. Gosh, Side 2 is weak.


Sent from a barge floating through the docks of Dublin
 
Axver said:
It's such a plain non-event on the album.

Obviously it was great as a live closer, but I'd say it was better as a closer when it was just a snippet (one of Bono's most perfect snippets) in Bad. I'm not sure U2 have had a better closer than Bad/40. Love Is Blindness is the only other real contender in my mind.
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Whilst I haven't heard the Bad/40 combination you mention, 40 on the Live From Paris album is nigh on perfect for me.


Sent from my iPhone using U2 Interference
 
New Year's Day
Like a Song
Sunday Bloody Sunday
---
40
Seconds
Drowning Man
---
Two Hearts Beat as One
Surrender
Red Light
The Refugee

I like the USA mix (I think that's the one) of Two Hearts better than the album one.
I also like the intro of USA mix of New Year's Day, swapping spots in the playing list between NYD with SBS.

---

Kieran McConville said:
I also quite like Elvis Ate America.
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I hated it for years.
Recently it popped up in shuffle (after Dirty Day) and I... liked it.
Since then it's a lock in Zooropa for me.

I just usually have low standards when it comes to U2, I think that the only song I hate from them is Two Shots of Happy.
 
Can't rank it.

The 3rd U2 masterpiece! TUF, Boy, ATYCLB, SOI even, can come close to War but they don't quite get there. At least in my opinion.

Red Light and Refugee are a little weaker than the rest, but I still think both are great.

In my mind, U2 has 3 basically perfect albums:

Joshua Tree
Achtung Baby
War

I really hope some War tracks make the cut on the I & E tour...... Two Hearts, Surrender, Drowning Man, Like A Song..... 40, really could pick almost anything and it would be great value added to set list.
 
New Year's Day and Sunday Bloody Sunday are the standouts. Two big U2 anthems and two fantastic songs. I've got a bit bored by SBS over the years, because of the way it's been played since the eighties, but the song itself is still great. Like A Song and Drowning Man are great and Two Hearts has positive energy, a good riff and the rhythm section is really delivering. Seconds is a good song and I appreciate 40, even if the album version is pretty dull compared to the live closer. Surrender's album version is not that interesting, the live version is a completely different story. The Refugee and Red Light are forgettable.

Not one of my favourite U2 albums, but it's pretty good overall:up:
 
Drowning Man
Like a Song...
Sunday Bloody Sunday
[Treasure (Whatever Happened to Pete the Chop)]
New Years Day
Two Hearts Beat As One
Surrender
Red Light
Seconds
[Endless Deep]
The Refugee
40


Sent from my iPhone using U2 Interference
 
Here's to hoping they play Two Hearts Beat As One and Surrender on this tour


Sent from my iPhone using U2 Interference
 
I had to go back and track down this thread just to say that Surrender is a pretty frikin awesome song. Why I never got into this track earlier baffles me, it needs to come back live.
 
1 New Years Day 10/10
2 Sunday Bloody Sunday 9.75/10
3 Drowning Man 9.25/10
4 Seconds 8.5/10
5 Like A Song..... 8.5/10
6 Two Hearts Beat As One 8.25/10
7 Surrender 8/10
8 40 7.5/10
9 Refugee 6.5/10
10 Red Light 4/10
 
New Years Day 10/10
Seconds 9/10
Sunday Bloody Sunday 9/10
Drowning Man 9/10
The Refugee 8/10
Surrender 8/10
Like A Song 8/10
2 Hearts 8/10
40 8/10
Red Light 6/10

I prefer Boy and October, but War still has that real kick to it, the cover image is also still as striking now as it was back then.
 
Classics:

1. Sunday Bloody Sunday
2. New Year's Day
3. Two Hearts Beat As One
4. Seconds

Great:

5. Drowning Man
6. Surrender
7. Like A Song
8. 40
9. Red Light
10. The Refugee

9/10 or a 10/10, really.
 
I once wrote an article on this site and I named War as the Most Important Album of U2's Career, because without War U2 would've been relegated to the likes of the Alarm.

Here's the article: Four Most Important U2 Albums

That said I've been on a "Red Light" kick for about 5 years now...:rockon:

Edit: I know 11 O'clock Tick Tock was released in 1980...that was changed by the copy editor...:ohmy:
 
I'm baffled by some of the rankings and opinions on this album. While none of these songs even crack my top 10 (maybe not even 15 or 20), every song on here is fantastic. Aside from AB, this might be my favorite album to listen to from beginning to end.

And fuck y'all Red Light is AWESOME.
 
Red Light is cool as shit.

Classic:
1. New Year's Day
2. Sunday Bloody Sunday

Great:
3. The Refugee
4. Drowning Man
5. "40"
6. Two Hearts Beat As One

Good:
7. Red Light
8. Like A Song...
9. Seconds
10. Surrender

They're all good. Second best album.
 
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