Falling In Love Again With U2's Biggest And Most Well-Known Hits

[namkcuR]

Most of us have heard U2's biggest hits so many times that we tend to get a somewhat board of them(the hits) from time to time. I'm talking about the absolute most well-known and most successful hits in their entire catalog - I Will Follow, Sunday Bloody Sunday, New Year's Day, Pride(In The Name Of Love), Bad, Streets, I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For, With Or Without You, Desire, All I Want Is You, One, Beautiful Day. It's been like that for a while for me - I often focus on non-single album tracks and b-sides intead - but in the past few weeks I've been falling in love with them again, listening to studio recordings and live performances alike of these songs.

They're just great, great rock songs. We may get bored with them or tired of them, but when you listen to them, especially live, it's clear that there's a reason why they are the absolute most well-known and most successful hits in U2's entire catalog, and a reason why Bono refers to them as 'the best bits of the past' on the Vertigo DVD.

 

[tuwie]

hahah i feel ya
i used to be soooo sick of hearing Beautiful Day everywhere by 2001. i used to skip that track for fear of ruining it for myself due to overplay. i just didn't want to be bored of it.
but by the time 2004 came around, i suddenly truly appreciated it so much more, that now, i see the beauty every time it's on (which is still quite often). i absolutely LOVE it and i agree that they really is a reason why they're the best.
anyone who says U2 is overrated or overplayed just hasn't gotten the time to really appreciate it on another level ;] it's something you can't explain. i guess it takes one to know one.

i also always wondered if U2 ever got sick of some of their songs because they play mostly the same ones at every show. but then, after my epiphany, i guess they don't, because each performance takes them to that "other place" =)

 

[LemonMelon]

hahah i feel ya
i used to be soooo sick of hearing Beautiful Day everywhere by 2001. i used to skip that track for fear of ruining it for myself due to overplay. i just didn't want to be bored of it.
but by the time 2004 came around, i suddenly truly appreciated it so much more, that now, i see the beauty every time it's on (which is still quite often). i absolutely LOVE it and i agree that they really is a reason why they're the best.
anyone who says U2 is overrated or overplayed just hasn't gotten the time to really appreciate it on another level ;] it's something you can't explain. i guess it takes one to know one.

i also always wondered if U2 ever got sick of some of their songs because they play mostly the same ones at every show. but then, after my epiphany, i guess they don't, because each performance takes them to that "other place" =)

Excellent post, and I definitely agree.

 

[Canadiens1131]

i also always wondered if U2 ever got sick of some of their songs because they play mostly the same ones at every show. but then, after my epiphany, i guess they don't, because each performance takes them to that "other place" =)

I don't think they're 'sick' of songs they play every tour night, but I do think there's a certain amount of band on autopilot happening.

 

[CTU2fan]

I don't think they're 'sick' of songs they play every tour night, but I do think there's a certain amount of band on autopilot happening.

I agree, and that's why I wish they'd drop some of the "classics" from the every-show set. WoWY in particular, it really seemed like the band was phoning it in on the Elevation tour...and IMO if that's the way they're playing it, don't bother.

Back on topic, I definitely agree...lately for me it's been Streets. I mean, I've always liked it, but I guess I took it for granted...but when I got the MoFi Joshua Tree release and really listened to WTSHNN, it's just brilliant, I can't get enough of it.

 

[thefly418]

I Will Follow, Sunday Bloody Sunday, New Year's Day, Pride(In The Name Of Love), Bad, Streets, I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For, With Or Without You, Desire, All I Want Is You, One, Beautiful Day..................Good post because all of these songs except Desire, for me at least, would probably be in my top 20 favorite u2 songs ever. I try not to focus on the hits, as you said you do, but somehow these songs are the most captivasting to me. I guess thats the main point in calling them hits and the "classics" from U2 catalogue.

 

[pgv]

I feel like that exactly. Lately I've been listening to one alot, and I'm starting to appreciate why it was such a big hit. Becuase its a great song and I never really gave it a chance!

 

[RavenBlue]

I've been going through this lately as well, especially with One and Sunday Bloody Sunday. There's a reason they're classics. sometimes we need to take a step back from them, but upon returning, they still have that shine

 

[FitzChivalry]

I go in waves, like the ocean tide. Right before the Vertigo tour and with all the talk going on around here, I just couldn't get enough of U2. That's all I was listening to, day and night. Then after my last show, the come-down and the adreneline started to wear off and now I've beeen listening to a lot of other bands and exploring new music.

But I will ALWAYS go back to U2. For me, it's always been this way. I've been listen to U2 since Boy (thanks to my Dad) and I've been obssessed since JT/R&H era. There's just no way to maintain/sustain that kind of enthusiasm over 20+ years, but like I said . . . waves, like the ocean tide . . . I always go back to them.

Their music is like home to me.

Especially "Bad", "Where The Streets Have No Name" and "With or Without You" . . . it's so easy to burn out on those, but when you re-discovery them or become re-invigorated by them, it's like nothing else!

 

[JCOSTER]

I always love hearing any u2 song anywhere. But I have particulary fell in love with Achtung Baby again. Also being at a different age I understand and appreciate it more.

 

[onebloodonelife]

Their music is like home to me.

Exactly! No matter what, I always go back to U2 for that reason.

 

[OutOfControl03]

I know what you mean, I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For is like that for me.

 

[thrillme]

As many times as I've heard, "I will follow" "streets" and "new year's day" I still don't tire of them.

 

[tuwie]

Their music is like home to me.

^___________^ couldn't have said it better myself

 

[SunBloc]

I go in waves, like the ocean tide...... But I will ALWAYS go back to U2.
................

Exactly. U2 is kind of like my reference point. They were the ones that basically taught me to love music. So, I'll always have a soft spot for them...

And I still get chills during the Bad/40/Streets segue

 

[cobl04]

Their music is like home to me.

When I was on camp for school it was literally what I missed most. The first thing I did when I got home was listen to The Ground Beneath Her Feet because it was in my head on camp.

U2's music for me just has this power like I can describe. It's the only band that has ever really had a big effect on me. Every single song just makes me feel...i don't know...safe. With all my worries and troubles at school, personal life, etc (i'm not complaining here, they are jst problems to me) U2 is the only music where I can listen to it and just forget everything. I will forever be in their debt.

Now, on to the topic.

I'm actually in the opposite mood at the moment. Having just bought Zooropa I'm all about the album tracks. But the other day, I thought before I buy listen to Zooropa, I'll listen to the 80's best of, then Ab, then Zooropa, and I fell in love again with With or Without You. It's never been a 10 for me before, but it is now.