The B-sides top 10

[cobl04]

I woke up this morning and all day I have found myself singing Hallelujah Here She Comes. It made me realise that I really like it. It is a fun, relatively short song that it is quite uplifiting. So it gave me an idea - we always have top 10 U2 song threads but I cannot recall seeing a top 10 U2 b-sides thread. So give it a shot, try and come up with your top 10 b-sides. It can be any song so long as it was not included on any album. Once the thread loses interest I'll add up the scores and we will have the favourite b-side! Also, just so people aren't just listing songs, try an give a brief description of why you like that song so much. Unfortunately, I only have 8 b-sides so mine will be a top 8.

1. The Ground Beneath Her Feet - I love the background music, it's really a good dark song and I love how it explodes at the 2:30 mark. A mysterious feel to it.
2. The Sweetest Thing - A really fun catchy song that never fails to put a smile on my face.
3. Smile - I am not really a fan of some of the instrumental, but the hook is really good.
4. Summer Rain - Like Smile, I don't really like some of the instrumental, but the "Just as you find me, always I will be, a little bit too free, with myself" bit is fantastic.
5. Another Day - I love Edge's guitar in it.
6. Hallelujah Here She Comes - A fun, relatively short song that can be uplifting and catchy.
7. Native Son - In my opinion not as good as Vertigo, but it has better lyrics.
8. The Hands That Built America - Sung really well, and I like the verses and the bridge ("it's early fall, there's a cloud in the new york skyline:") is really good. It is a bit boring though.

 

[Nisse]

Umm where are the B-sides then?

 

[Popmartijn]

Well, as a nitpicker I'd say that The Ground Beneath Her Feet, Smile, Another Day, Native Son and The Hands That Built America are not B-sides. TGBHF and THTBA are album tracks (MDH-soundtrack and TBO1990-2000 respectively), Smile and Native Son are part of The Complete U2 collection as outtakes and Another Day was an early single. And Sweetest Thing was also a single in 1998, so you have to be specific which version you prefer (and I have to say that the 1987 B-side version is way superior).

But, after all this nitpicking, I feel obliged to try to come up with a Top 10 myself...



In no particular order (and no covers, live tracks or remixes):
1. Two Shots Of Happy, One Shot Of Sad
2. Slow Dancing
3. Sweetest Thing (yes, the 1987 version)
4. Hallelujah, Here She Comes
5. Alex Descends Into Hell For A Bottle Of Milk/Korova 1
6. North And South Of The River
7. Walk To The Water
8. Spanish Eyes
9. Love Comes Tumbling
10. Salomé

 

[Aardvark747]

Umm where are the B-sides then?

Here's mine anyway!

1. Two Shots Of Happy, One Shot Of Sad
2. The Hands That Built America
3. Spanish Eyes
4. Walk To The Water
5. Summer Rain
6. Alex Decends Into Hell For A Bottle Of Milk
7. Unchained Melody
8. Holy Joe
9. Slow Dancing (Willie Nelson)
10. Pop Muzik

 

[lady luck]

In no order...

1. Spanish eyes (tender & sweet)
2. Dancing barefoot (great version -- I love the guitar)
3. Neon lights (hypnotic...)
4. Everlasting love (because it's romantic...)
5. Night and Day
6. Slow dancing
7. Holy Joe
8. Summer Rain
9. Always

 

[cobl04]

I went by the songs in the worst song survivors.

 

[Aardvark747]

I went by the songs in the worst song survivors.

That explains it

 

[2861U2]

1) Your Blue Room
2) Always
3) Are You Gonna Wait Forever
4) Holy Joe
5) Two Shots Of Happy, One Shot Of Sad
6) The Three Sunrises
7) Where Did It All Go Wrong
8) Dont Take Your Guns To Town
9) Neon Lights
10) Walk To The Water

 

[beau2ifulday]

1. Trash, Trampoline and the Party Girl
2. Lady with the Spinning Head (UVI)
3. Night and Day
4. Summer Rain
5. Walk To The Water
6. Electrical Storm (Original)
7. Love Comes Tumbling
8. Two Shots of Happy, One Shot Of Sad
9. Hallelujah Here She Comes
10. The Three Sunrises

 

[Nisse]

1. The Three Sunrises
2. Love Comes Tumbling
3. Trash, Trampoline And The Party Girl
4. Endless Deep
5. Bass Trap
6. Boy/Girl
7. Touch
8. Walk To The Water
9. Are You Gonna Wait Forever?
10. J. Swallow

 

[Miricale_Drug]

Neon Lights
The Three Sunrises
Party Girl
Are you Gunna wait forever?
Live Stay
Accoustic Stuck
Unchained Melody
Summer Rain
11 0 clock (extend version...pride)
North and South of the River (If it was omagh version, put it after stay)

 

[Exit thru Wire]

1. Lady with the Spinning Head (Extended)
2. Two Shots of Happy, One Shot of Sad
3. Johnny Swallow
4. Are You Gonna Wait Forever
5. Where did It all go wrong
6. Hallelujah Here She Comes
7. 60 Seconds In Kingdom Come
8. Unchained Melody
9. Everlasting Love
10. Alex Descends

 

[cleazer]

You're all clueless.

Not a single one of you mentioned Luminous Times?

 

[GibsonGirl]

Mine:

01. Lady With The Spinning Head (Extended Dance Mix)
02. Spanish Eyes
03. Dirty Day (Junk Day Mix)
04. Love Comes Tumbling
05. Deep In The Heart
06. Salome (Zooromancer and original version)
07. Pop Muzik
08. Walk To The Water
09. Slow Dancing
10. Luminous Times

 

[Achtung Joshua!]

Deep in the Heart
Walk to the Water
Spanish Eyes
Luminous Times
Love Comes Tumbling
Lady with the Spinning Head
Alex Descends into Hell...
Party Girl
The Three Sunrises
Endless Deep

 

[gareth brown]

good to see you've fully grasped the concept of a 'B-side' COBL_04...
here's how my list currently stands...

1. Lady with the Spinning Head (Extended Dance Mix)
2. The Three Sunrises / Love Comes Tumbling

4. Salome
5. Endless Deep
6. J. Swallow
7. Bass Trap
8. Treasure
9. Spanish Eyes
10. Are You Gonna Wait Forever?

 

[jonnytakeawalk]

1. Sweetest thing
2. North and South of the river
3. Bass trap
4. Always
5. Hallelujah here she comes
6. The three sunrises
7. Neon lights
8. Everylasting love
9. Heartbreak hotel
10. Walk to the water

 

[Aygo]

1. Salome
2. Holy Joe (Garage mix)
3. Always
4. Are you gonna wait forever?
5. A room at the heartbreak hotel
6. Deep in the heart
7. where did it all go wrong
8. Spanish eyes
9. Lady with the spinning head (Extended dance mix)
10. Fast cars (Jacknife Lee mix)

 

[rjhbonovox]

Well, as a nitpicker I'd say that The Ground Beneath Her Feet, Smile, Another Day, Native Son and The Hands That Built America are not B-sides. TGBHF and THTBA are album tracks (MDH-soundtrack and TBO1990-2000 respectively), Smile and Native Son are part of The Complete U2 collection as outtakes and Another Day was an early single. And Sweetest Thing was also a single in 1998, so you have to be specific which version you prefer (and I have to say that the 1987 B-side version is way superior).

But, after all this nitpicking, I feel obliged to try to come up with a Top 10 myself...



In no particular order (and no covers, live tracks or remixes):
1. Two Shots Of Happy, One Shot Of Sad
2. Slow Dancing
3. Sweetest Thing (yes, the 1987 version)
4. Hallelujah, Here She Comes
5. Alex Descends Into Hell For A Bottle Of Milk/Korova 1
6. North And South Of The River
7. Walk To The Water
8. Spanish Eyes
9. Love Comes Tumbling
10. Salomé

You have some great tracks in there......Alex descends into Hell for a bottle of milk is a great track. It just reminds me now the quality U2 used to put on their b-sides. Comparing it to the last 5 years and their b-sides are to put it bluntly, fuc#ing dire now! What they do now is put damn awful remixes on where they used to have new songs. I think it goes to show that U2 are not the force they once were!

 

[Axver]

I find it amazing when people try to rank b-sides and have barely heard of any of them. It totally deprives your list of its intended context, as you're not providing a ranking of what you consider to be the best examples of U2's b-sides but what you think is best of only a small and somewhat arbitrary handful of tracks you possess.

So, lesson learnt? Don't rank b-sides until you've got enough of them to give your list some validity. You wouldn't try to rank the best tracks on HTDAAB after only hearing the singles, would you? For all you know, the other seven songs could be even better than what you put in the position of "#1 song on HTDAAB".

In any case, here's my ranking of U2's ten best b-sides. I'm only including songs that were actual b-sides, so non-album a-sides/iTunes only/unreleased/whatever tracks are excluded.

1. Spanish Eyes
Why this was not on The Joshua Tree and a single in its own right, I will never know. I can understand Bono removing Heartland from JT to give it a less serious tone, but WHY Trip Through Your Wires instead of this gem? It's one of the best examples of the traditional Edge style in my opinion.
2. Treasure (Whatever Happened To Pete The Chop?)
If the band had taken a little more time to write some proper lyrics for this one - or, heck, just used Pete The Chop's lyrics - this could've definitely made an album. The guitar is infectious and I love Edge's vocals at the start and finish. Bono's singing isn't always comprehensible and some lyrics don't make bucketloads of sense, but he still sings very well and a few lines stand out as quality.
3. Luminous Times (Hold On To Love)
Another song that probably should've been on The Joshua Tree, though unlike Spanish Eyes, I think this one might've needed a little bit of improvement before being put on an album - while the lyrics may not be overly complete, that could be overlooked if its climax were fully realised. It's a spectacular song but it doesn't quite hit the peak it should at the end.
4. Dancing Barefoot
I know, I know, it's a cover. I normally avoid covers, but not this one. Talk about taking someone else's song and making it your own! If any cover had to be on Rattle And Hum, it really should've been this one. Edge is in fine form.
5. Bass Trap
Out of all of U2's instrumentals, I think this is definitely the zenith. The guitar line is one of Edge's nicest creations and the entire track is delightfully soothing. It's the kind of song that, to me, feels appropriate for one of those cool days when the sun's shining but a refreshing breeze is blowing. Had U2 ever chosen to make an instrumental album, this should've been on it.
6. Alex Descends Into Hell For A Bottle Of Milk/Korova 1
If there are two words to describe this song, they are 'haunting' and 'eerie'. This was definitely the perfect choice for a b-side for The Fly, and would be nice paired with Acrobat and Love Is Blindness too. The dark atmosphere created by the combination of Edge's guitar and the choir perfectly suits its era.
7. Where Did It All Go Wrong?
This is one of those songs that is just too catchy for the listener's own good. I can understand why it didn't make an album as it isn't the world's deepest number, but I could also understand if it did, simply because it's so damn good as far as a purely catchy, fun rock song goes. Puts stuff like Elevation to shame, and I'm one of Interference's Elevation fans!
8. North And South Of The River
Hard to believe this was consigned to the status of b-side. If this had not come during the Pop era, I'm sure it would've slotted nicely onto an album. The lyrics here are far superior to much of what has made albums! This song is also notable as it is the most recent b-side to debut live, in 1998. Sweetest Thing is excluded as it was a single, and no ATYCLB or HTDAAB b-sides have been played live.
9. The Three Sunrises
What an appropriate title - the intro's atmosphere simply oozes 'sunrise'. The song may not quite reach the promise of its exceptional beginning, but it's nonetheless a fantastic rock song capturing the atmosphere of the UF period. It would've made for a great album opener, except A Sort Of Homecoming is one of U2's most beautiful songs and more worthy of the opening slot. The Three Sunrises (and its UF single/WAIA EP partner, Love Comes Tumbling) deserved an album position, though.
10. Touch
A Boy Tour regular, and for good reason - this is a great rocking number. A better mix and this would clearly be the equal of many songs on Boy, and it certainly held its own on tour.

 

[typhoon]

My favorite B-sides:

1. "All Because of You" (Killahurtz Fly Mix)
2. "Vertigo" (Jacknife Lee 10" Remix)
3. "Vertigo" (Jacknife Lee 7" Remix) (very hard to choose it over the 12" mix; it's like picking favorite children)
4. "Vertigo" (Jacknife Lee Instrumental)
5. "Vertigo" (Redanka Power Mix) (my favorite part is where the music goes from "thump thump" to "thump thump")
6. "Vertigo" (Trent Reznor Remix)
7. "Fast Cars" (Jacknife Lee Mix)
8. "A Man and a Woman" (Slightly-Different-Because-Someone-In-the-Band-Discovered-the-OOPS-Effect Mix).
9. "Sometimes You Can't Make it On Your Own" (96 BPM Radio Edit) (I know this isn't, strictly speaking, a B-side, but I just had to include it; I really feel the slightly different tempo adds a whole new dimension to the piece)
10. "She's A Mystery To Me" (Bono-Can't-Hit-the-Notes-Anymore-But-We-Put-It-On-the-Single-Anyway Mix)

Wow, the band's on a hot streak right now.

 

[VicksSs]

I'm surely forgetting lots that I love, but I'd go for:

1. The Three Sunrises (Such a joyful song although the lyrics go "love won't find its own way home" )
2. Sweetest Thing
3. Your Blue Room
4. Trash, Trampoline And The Party Girl
5. Electrical Storm
6. Xanax And Wine (I it)
7. Hallelujah Here She Comes (I found myself singing this song a lot as well, although I don't listen to it a lot AND I started loving it when I was singing it, so that's a weird coincidence )
8. Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me (counts as b-side, right?)
9. God Part II (Hard Weapon Dance Remix) (maybe it's just coz I love the original )
10. North And South Of The River

Not sure about song order, hahaif I had to revise it once more I'd be forever, but these are the ones I enjoy the most... I hope I don't forget any important ones

 

[rjhbonovox]

6. Alex Descends Into Hell For A Bottle Of Milk/Korova 1
If there are two words to describe this song, they are 'haunting' and 'eerie'. This was definitely the perfect choice for a b-side for The Fly, and would be nice paired with Acrobat and Love Is Blindness too. The dark atmosphere created by the combination of Edge's guitar and the choir perfectly suits its era.
[

Oh another Alex Descends fan. Respect!

Also Axver, North and South is a great song and I loved the live version they did on the Gay Byrne show just after the Omagh bombings.....brilliant. They also did "All I want Is You" on the same show.

 

[rjhbonovox]

My favorite B-sides:

1. "All Because of You" (Killahurtz Fly Mix)
2. "Vertigo" (Jacknife Lee 10" Remix)
3. "Vertigo" (Jacknife Lee 7" Remix) (very hard to choose it over the 12" mix; it's like picking favorite children)
4. "Vertigo" (Jacknife Lee Instrumental)
5. "Vertigo" (Redanka Power Mix) (my favorite part is where the music goes from "thump thump" to "thump thump")
6. "Vertigo" (Trent Reznor Remix)
7. "Fast Cars" (Jacknife Lee Mix)
8. "A Man and a Woman" (Slightly-Different-Because-Someone-In-the-Band-Discovered-the-OOPS-Effect Mix).
9. "Sometimes You Can't Make it On Your Own" (96 BPM Radio Edit) (I know this isn't, strictly speaking, a B-side, but I just had to include it; I really feel the slightly different tempo adds a whole new dimension to the piece)
10. "She's A Mystery To Me" (Bono-Can't-Hit-the-Notes-Anymore-But-We-Put-It-On-the-Single-Anyway Mix)

Wow, the band's on a hot streak right now.

I know I'm gonna be roundly critisiced here but Jesus that is a goddamn AWFUL list of b-sides man! I'm sorry I just had to say it!

 

[Popmartijn]

8. Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me (counts as b-side, right?)

No, it does not. It was a single. A very successful single even.