Is Please the best song U2's ever written?

[scatteroflight]

No. But it's good.

 

[scatteroflight]

because A Sort of Homecoming is a far better song
on every account

Yes!

 

[U2002revolution!]

Answer= No.

 

[Salome]

"Love. What's that you say to me? Will love light up your Christmas tree? The next minute your blowing a fuse. And the Cartoon Network turns into the news" - If God Will Send His Angels

this doesn't really have anything to do with this thread, but
I really feel "IGWSHA" has some of the most awkward writing Bono has ever delivered

the blind leading the blond

 

[scatteroflight]

this doesn't really have anything to do with this thread, but
I really feel "IGWSHA" has some of the most awkward writing Bono has ever delivered

the blind leading the blond

I couldn't agree more, especially about the blind/blond line. IGWSHA is a song where I enjoy the music, but don't enjoy the lyrics.

 

[wertsie]

I couldn't agree more, especially about the blind/blond line. IGWSHA is a song where I enjoy the music, but don't enjoy the lyrics.

hmmm...But I have come across some POP haters who actually liked IGWSHA...Who knows?

 

[scatteroflight]

hmmm...But I have come across some POP haters who actually liked IGWSHA...Who knows?

Well, that's sort of me (though I would class myself more as a Pop disliker than hater, despite my reputation.) I dislike the lyrics of that song, but I basically think of it as a song I like, out of several that I more or less like or think are ok on that album.

 

[speedracer]

whether or not this is snide (can't tell over the internet): ASOH is one of my top songs, as well, but it can't compare lyrically.

edit: are you a costello fan, by the way?

You had to win
You couldn't just pass
The smartest ass
At the top of the class

Uh...sorry, just doesn't do it for me lyrically. (Yeah, I know there are other lyrics to the song, but this little verse kind of stinks it up for me.)

 

[Jayhawk]

I feel that the real strength of Please is in it's live form---mainly on the Popmart Tour. Please took on an entirely different tone during the Popmart Tour, especially on the 2nd leg European shows. The first leg version was horrible, but after hearing U2 play Please in St. Louis on the 3rd leg, I was SURE it was one song off Pop that would make the setlist cut for the next tour. Seeing videos from Popmart Mexico City and Santiago Chile reinforced that too. I guess in some ways, I was right about Please making the Elevation setlists but it wasn't until the 3rd leg and I was a bit disappointed by the acoustic version. To me, the Popmart version of this song is beyond powerful. Very quiet beginning, angry sounding middle, very involved ending...like all 4 band members are hitting on all cylinders...like this is one song they really believe in.

Best bootleg versions I have heard:
Popmart Nuremburg
Popmart Barcelona
Popmart Leeds
Popmart San Antonio
Popmart Atlanta
Popmart Mexico City
Popmart Santiago(my favorite Popmart show)

 

[Salome]

hmmm...But I have come across some POP haters who actually liked IGWSHA...Who knows?

I always enjoy being labelled a POP hater just because it's my last fav U2 record (are 80% of the people here being called October haters?)

but this has nothing to do with how much I like / dislike POP

I just have a hard time listening to those lyrics and not getting distracted by some of the words Bono uses

I don't like it
at all

 

[Joshua_Tree_Hugger]

I really like both POP and ATYCLB.

I don't care what you say - "IGWSHA" and "Please" are excellent lyrically. Lots more hits in there too...

 

[Jack4U]

It's definitely one of the greatest song U2's ever written but it's NOT the best [ 1. :lemon: ].

Live version is almost perfect, very close to my TOP5.

 

[bullet the blue sky]

Is Please the best song U2 has ever written? Five years ago I sent a message to some long forgotten website that the band may as well put their instruments down now because they won't write a better song than Please, and so far I have been proven right.

You only have to look at how versatile the song is to realise how good it is. Musically and lyrically it is fantastic and transcends many genres such as hip-hop, rock etc. Personally, I think my favourite version of Please is the one from the VMAs in 1997.

I also think I might be the only person on earth that prefers the album version to the single version.

I quite enjoy the fact so many people don't like Please and don't like POP. All it does it further strengthen my argument that I have a greater taste in music

 

[wertsie]

I quite enjoy the fact so many people don't like Please and don't like POP. All it does it further strengthen my argument that I have a greater taste in music

Glad to know you're happy with yourself!

PS. POP kicks ass!

 

[Saracene]

It may scrape into my top personal U2 Top 40, but just barely so. The lyrics are excellent though.

 

[sulawesigirl4]

I also think I might be the only person on earth that prefers the album version to the single version.

Nope, there are two of us.

 

[flaming june]

Is Please the best song U2 has ever written? Five years ago I sent a message to some long forgotten website that the band may as well put their instruments down now because they won't write a better song than Please, and so far I have been proven right.

You only have to look at how versatile the song is to realise how good it is. Musically and lyrically it is fantastic and transcends many genres such as hip-hop, rock etc. Personally, I think my favourite version of Please is the one from the VMAs in 1997.

I also think I might be the only person on earth that prefers the album version to the single version.

I quite enjoy the fact so many people don't like Please and don't like POP. All it does it further strengthen my argument that I have a greater taste in music

It's really hard for me, as I think it is for every U2 fan, to pick a favorite U2 song... mainly because they have done so many different brilliant things on every album. However, Please is just awesome. One of the best works of the rhythm section. It's not a simple song, lyrically or musically, and it's hard to get into; but once it gets you, you can't help but love it.

I LOVE that version from the VMA's, my jaw literally dropped when I saw that. I really like it when at about the middle of the song, Larry's drum part is just identical to SBS. I think that song is the SBS of the 90's. Not my favorite, but it's definitely up there with the greatest.

 

[Like someone to blame]

I'm late to the party on this thread... but from reading many of the posts it appears to me that many of you who have already responded are possibly "younger" or "newer" U2 fans. Now, understand, I'm not trying to create any animosity, friction, or controversy between "old" U2 fans and "new" U2 fans but I do think it has some relevance when one debates/answers a question such as the topic of this thread.

As someone whose personal U2 fandom dates back to the "UF" album I tend to have a softer spot for those U2 songs which I grew up with. Also, I was a fan of the band before they hit it "big", so I have enjoyed being a fan during their transformation and evolution as songwriter's and musicians. That said, I sincerely believe that too much of this discussion has unfairly centered on the most recent albums. When we as fans reach back to the "earlier" works we find a slew of candidates for the title of "Best U2 Song Ever". I haven't seen anyone consider the following:

Hawkmoon 269-a fabulously crafted song featuring great lyrics!
Heartland-a mesmerizing, haunting tune that again is wonderfully structured
One Tree Hill-you think Please has great lyrics...go listen to this gem again!
Acrobat-refer to the One Tree Hill comment...this song still blows my mind!
Spanish Eyes-still can't figure out how this didn't make the JT final cuts!
All I Want Is You-U2 finally writes a love song...wonderfully structured and arranged.
Stay-gets overlooked...features great songwriting, beautiful harmonies...it's a keeper!
Pride-put the boys on the rock and roll map here in America...and face it, we all love to sing to this one in concert!
Sunday Bloody Sunday-the ONE song almost all U2 fans yearn to hear in concert!
One-the song speaks for itself!

I would argue that U2's best songwriting took place from 1986-1992 and then re-emerged on ATYCLB after a few "off" albums. (Are "KITE","Walk On", and "WILATW" not great songs or what?) That is NOT to say I dislike Zooropa or POP, I just find those albums more "experimental" in nature and as a result the songs tend to suffer (sometimes lyrically and sometimes musically) from time to time but some great ones were still produced.

Look, this is a very subjective debate. I'm only trying to stimulate the logic behind simply hailing "Please" as the undisputed champ. You will never get me to argue that Please isn't a fantastic song-because it is brilliant! However, you also won't get me to give it my vote for the best song they have written either. In fact, all the songs I mentioned above as candidates wouldn't get my vote either- though I consider them more worthy than Please. My vote would go to a dark horse, a sleeper if you will...a song that doesn't find itself on any U2 album per say and it actually isn't a song from the 86-92 era either. My vote for their BEST song goes to...STATELESS! It's simply outstanding! It's haunting, melodically tantalizing, lyrically brilliant, musically magical, and I love the way the energy of the song builds. In fact, the new "Hands That Built America" reminds me of Stateless.

Please is a wonderful song...but "please" don't discount the earlier material or the very latest when considering this question.

 

[ouizy]

One Tree Hill above all others...

 

[wertsie]

One Tree Hill above all others...

I think that's probably my favorite JT song.

 

[wertsie]

Please is a wonderful song...but "please" don't discount the earlier material or the very latest when considering this question.

I didn't think anyone was...

 

[U2girl]

Yes, one of U2's strongest moments on Pop, but no - they have done better songs in their career.

 

[barlowdog]

I also prefer the album version of Please. I love the bass and the way the song slowly builds to climax, like good sex. It's such a unique piece of music amongst their work. I also think Bono's vocal performance was more inspired. He hits the high notes and the harmonies towards the end are sublime. He sounds a bit flat and tired on the single version, imo.

Please and Mofo are my two favorites on Pop, and they would both rank somewhere in my top 20 right now. My top 20 seems to change daily. And should anyone wonder, I've been a fan since 1983.