Possibly Stupid Question About "A Celebration"

[pax]

Why, does anyone suppose, was "A Celebration" not included on the B-sides disc of Best of 1980-1990?

 

[Blue Room]

Because it was not a B side. A Celebration was a single. I believe it was the last single released by the CBS label for U2 and it was mainly released in Ireland only (Japan also).

 

[Bonochick]

*now has that song stuck in my head*

*must...listen...NOW..........*

 

[wertsie]

Shake! Shake!

Okay, I have two more questions...

1. Was it released in 1982 (seems like it was between October and War, but I could be wrong)?

2. Why didn't they put it on an album?

Seems like a lot of people really like this song!

 

[david]

Shake Shake!

Didn't Bono have on red pants in that video? That video is a classic example of how far music video has come.

 

[wertsie]

Yep! Those red pants!

But you know...That video was the first time I ever heard that song. And I immediately loved it!

 

[pax]

Well, it was a single, but it was also not a single from any particular album. And I'm just wondering why it wasn't on Best Of. Such a great song.

 

[martha]

And I'm just wondering why it wasn't on Best Of.

To piss me off. I love that song; mebbe my third favorite U2 song. Or fourth.

 

[Blue Room]

Well, it was a single, but it was also not a single from any particular album. And I'm just wondering why it wasn't on Best Of. Such a great song.

I would agree that it is a good song. But it was a single that did very little for them and it wasnt even released worldwide. That is why it was not on "Best Of".

 

[david]

I don't think "A Celebration" would of fit on the Best Of. Remember, they had to leave off "Gloria", shorten "Streets", then add about 2 minutes of silence to the already 6 minute "All I Want Is You", so they could add the non single "October" as a secret song at the end of the album.


Don't you sense my sarcasm?

 

[pax]

Another possibly stupid question: Why the hell was "October" on Best Of anyway? It's so damn anticlimactic after ending with "All I Want is You." WHY OH WHY could they have not just ended with AIWIY? They did the same thing, ending AB with "Love is Blindness" WHEN THEY COULD HAVE ENDED WITH "ULTRA VIOLET"!!!

::runs away screaming at U2's occasionall irritating album orders::

 

[Blue Room]

Well, because it is their music, their perogative and I think they think they know the best order for THEIR music.

Personally I cant imagine Achtung Baby ending any other way than Love Is Blindness. I have never even heard anyone say before that it should end with Ultraviolet? Doesnt seem like a closer to me at all. Oh well.

 

[SkeeK]

It's too catchy. They had to keep it under wraps.

 

[wertsie]

It's too catchy. They had to keep it under wraps.

Aha!

 

[amybatt]

dublin

But it was a single that did very little for them and it wasnt even released worldwide.

I have it on 45 vinyl, a Japanese release. I would revise that to say it wasn't released in the US, but it was in Ireland (I'm pretty sure) and definitely Japan.

 

[sulawesigirl4]

It's too catchy. They had to keep it under wraps.

hear hear! I think Skeek's got the answer!

 

[pax]

All of your arguments would make sense to me were it not for the still-baffling presence of "October."

And, by the way, I stand by my comments about both the order of AB and Best Of. I certainly believe that U2 can and should make their own decision about the order of songs on CDs, but that does not necessarily mean that I understand or even agree with the decisions they make. It doesn't make me appreciate them any less.

 

[wertsie]

All of your arguments would make sense to me were it not for the still-baffling presence of "October."

Meaning...what?

 

[pax]

Meaning that people have made the argument that "A Celebration" wasn't a successful single even in its limited release, which is why it's not on Best Of. But"October" was never even released as a single and it's on one of U2's (to be frank) least-cared-about album. So you can't really use that argument to defend "A Celebration"'s omission, because by those standards "October" should have been left off.

 

[Popmartijn]

Well, I think that October is among the best songs U2 did during the 1980's. And A Celebration isn't. So IMHO October has any right to be on The Best Of 1980-1990, secret track or not. Just like Bad (which also wasn't a single).

A Celebration never was a high point in U2's carreer, that's why they stopped playing it (live) in early 1983, whereas its B-side (Trash, Trampoline and the Party Girl) improved a lot when played live.

C ya!

Marty

 

[pax]

I don't want to beleaguer this point, but "Bad" is obviously an exception because (if I'm not mistaken) it was played live with such frequency and it became almost anthemic for the U2 concert experience. Whereas "October" has neither the distinction of being a single NOR the distinction of being a widely-played live anthem (again, if I'm not mistaken).

And, with all due respect to tastes, I can think of 5 songs off the top of my head that are better than "October." At least 2 from the October album itself.

 

[Popmartijn]

I don't want to beleaguer this point, but "Bad" is obviously an exception because (if I'm not mistaken) it was played live with such frequency and it became almost anthemic for the U2 concert experience. Whereas "October" has neither the distinction of being a single NOR the distinction of being a widely-played live anthem (again, if I'm not mistaken).

October was played at (almost) every concert until the Lovetown tour.

Marty (who can also find two songs on the October album he likes more than October)

 

[pax]

Thanks for the info, Marty...that's why that "if i'm not mistaken" is such a helpful phrase, because sometimes I am.

 

[Popmartijn]

Thanks for the info, Marty...that's why that "if i'm not mistaken" is such a helpful phrase, because sometimes I am.

IIRC, I never am! (mistaken, that is)

C ya!

Marty

 

[KhanadaRhodes]

i still don't get it. why did they even have to include a hidden track anyway? why couldn't they just put gloria on there? why the hell do they hate the damn october album so much? why is that the only album they leave unplayed at concerts now? why did adam cut off his afro? why did bono wear those red pants?

 

[wertsie]

i still don't get it. why did they even have to include a hidden track anyway? why couldn't they just put gloria on there? why the hell do they hate the damn october album so much? why is that the only album they leave unplayed at concerts now? why did adam cut off his afro? why did bono wear those red pants?

I would say that October is the only album not played at concerts because it didn't really give them any hits (well, a minor one in "Gloria," perhaps!). I love October! I wish they'd play some October tunes too...Maybe for the next tour...

Actually, I kind of liked Bono's red pants.

 

[KhanadaRhodes]

I would say that October is the only album not played at concerts because it didn't really give them any hits (well, a minor one in "Gloria," perhaps!). I love October! I wish they'd play some October tunes too...Maybe for the next tour...

Actually, I kind of liked Bono's red pants.

yeah, i know what you mean. here's kind of what i'm talking about:

Gloria

Otherwise known as "the number where they introduce the band." For obvious reasons, they no longer do this. To my ear, live performances of Gloria seem slower than the studio track on October, and this one is no exception.

that's taken from a review of under a blood red sky here on interference.

does everyone but me know why they stopped playing it live?