Which Album Has Had the Strongest Lyrics?

[LMP]

I'd have to say AB has had superior lyrics than all the other albums, the songs have so many double meanings *dwelled upon in the 'Sexual Meanings' thread * and also the music supporting the lyrics aren't too shabby either

 

[-macphisto-]

War

 

[2861U2]

ATYCLB

One of the best "gospel" albums I know

 

[believer75]

ATYCLB

One of the best "gospel" albums I know

Agreed.

I think Bono's lyrics were the best during AB and the Zooropa days, but ATYCLB is brilliant in a different way than AB and Zooropa.

 

[pop marter]

Achtung Baby and Joshua Tree for me. I think those are the best two albums, musically and lyrically.

Atomic Bomb is a close third!

 

[ZeroDude]

Achtung Baby easily even if just because of the Fly.

 

[AquariumDrinker]

Achtung Baby - all of the songs have pretty good-to-excellent lyrics.

 

[beli]

1. Pop
2. Achtung Baby

 

[TheBrazilianFly]

1. Pop
2. Achtung Baby

3. Rattle And Hum
4. War
5. The Joshua Tree

 

[mystery girl]

1. Achtung Baby
2. Pop
3. The Unforgettable Fire

 

[youtwohearts]

War

 

[Do Miss America]

Joshua Tree

then Achtung Baby

then Atomic Bomb.

 

[djerdap]

Pop

 

[meital]

Achtung Baby & Joshua Tree

 

[Numb1075]

1. AB
2. HTDAAB
3. Pop (very underated lyrically)

 

[Do Miss America]

Pop's good, but Miami and parts of Playboy Mansion ruin it for me as the album as a whole thing. They just don't seem to fit lyrically into the album.

 

[LMP]

I think the Playboy Mansion has that same irony as Zooropa has, and how we associate things w/ something from the media

 

[Squishy Peanut]

Achtung Baby

 

[Needle_Chill]

JT and R&H

 

[Harry Vest]

October

 

[tarquinsuperb]

Pop, which I think revels the shame of the whole thing.
At the end of the day it's a rather dark motherf***er of a record and I love it.
I take the point about The Playboy Mansion and Miami but Please, Wake Up Dead Man, MOFO, Gone, Do You Feel Loved and yes even Discotheque more than make up for it. I remember four years ago after the release of ATYCLB and going through their entire catalogue as a new fan (I like to think my judgements as a result are objective) but I instantly fell in love with Pop, it really stood out even alongside the other great stuff and I think that's why.
Not quite my favourite U2 album but up there and the one with the strongest lyrics.

 

[rivergoat]

Although Pop's my favorite album overall, Playboy Mansion and Do You Feel Loved sound like a first impression - lyrically, there's not much depth to them.

My favorite lyrics would have to be from The Unforgettable Fire. Its vivid imagery and soul-clenching emotive vocals are backed by music you can almost reach out and touch. As a whole, it's the best album for 'letting the music take over.' It's their most poetic album - both lyrically and musically.

just my thoughts...

goat

 

[anitram]

Achtung Baby almost entirely
Pop minus a couple of songs
JT has some lovely plays on words.

 

[U2_Muse]

Achtung Baby

 

[BrownEyedBoy]

Whichever album would've had So Cruel on it...

(AB)

 

[RademR]

I'd say JT or R&H, their absolutely brilliant.
However, I'd go with AB because they speak mostly about love, which we can all relate to.

 

[VertigoGal]

Anyone think Zooropa?

Like Pop, it has a few weak links (Some Days, parts of Babyface), but lyrically this is a really beautiful, mysterious album. Zooropa, Stay, The First Time, Dirty Day, The Wanderer, not to mention LEMON...all great.

I also love Pop and think it's very underrated lyrically.

In the end I'd probably have to go with Achtung Baby, though (don't I always?). It's so perfect...personal and universal. The metaphors, the imagery. One is a perfect song lyrically...you don't know if he's talking about love or sex or religion or politics or the world in general. Maybe all of those. Not overrated one bit, IMO. Other songs like So Cruel, Acrobat, and Love is Blindness have genious lyrics too.

 

[popacrobat]

pop

 

[sallycinnamon78]

For me it would have to be Achtung Baby, then Unforgettable Fire, Joshua Tree and ATYCLB.