Hmmm... I say like this (chronological order):
1. Beautiful Day
Shame about the boy-band production of this track, but turn the bass and drums up and you have an instant classic. What wonderful lyrics!
2. In a Little While
Starring Bono's vox and Larry's funky drums (though as usual the song only exists due to Edge's genius).
3. When I Look at the World
The "sleeper" of ATYCLB; nothing about it is overwhelming, but it's just very solid and quite an emotionally effective track.
4. Flower Child
A lot of you seem to like "Stateless" and/or "Fast Cars", but "Flower Child" is the gem B-side / obscurity of the decade for me. I've never heard such a joyous U2 tracks that is so natural (ie., not self-consciously "happy"). And it has a strong enough melody to be a chart-topping hit (which you can't say about anything on NLOTH!).
5. Electrical Storm (prefer the W.Orbit mix)
I dig that they did a smouldering, sultry, sensual-intensity kind of single. Love the melody and the "Baby don't cry!". The Larry-as-porn-stud video was great too.
6. Miracle Drug
Can't get enough of that simple guitar motif. He could play that for an hour and I'd be happy. I like the lyrical conceit of this song, too.
7. City of Blinding Lights
This is probably my #1 U2 tune of the decade. Love everything about it; the lyric hits me hard in a sensitive spot.
8. Yahweh
Kind of gauche the first time I heard it, but it's just so incredibly beautiful that it won me over. Some of the simple lines of this folk tune can break my heart. Heartbreaking and uplifting at the same time -- this is the essence of U2.
9. Magnificent
The jury is still out on this one -- at times, it sounds like generic U2 by numbers. At other times, it's a total classic. Right now, I'm diggin' it.
10. Cedars of Lebanon
Just awesome. The lyrics and the vocals are enough to make it a classic.
There ya be!
(By the way, I'm kinda surprised to see how much love "The Ground Beneath her Feet" gets here. I think the main problem with it for me is that I didn't hear it for about 5 years after I read Salman Rushdie's accompanying novel... which I hated. He also came to my university to talk, and I really didn't like him. So I blame Salman's presence for my indifference to that one!)
