What song encompasses all aspects of U2?

[miss becky]

I agree with those who said that there is no one single song that encompasses everything U2 has ever done. But I do think Mercy comes awfully close.

 

[watsons]

What about Please? Live or the Single Version, it definitely is a U2 1990's song, but we hear various vocal styles as the song builds, the Edge's signature guitar and backing vocals later on, Adam's bass IS the song in the beginning, while Larry has to kick it at the end. Everyone's involved and it's a song that could have been on JT, AB, ATYCLB, HTDAAB, yet it came from POP. It's political yet it's a prayer. I think it makes for a strong argument, anyway.

I thought about "Please" right when I saw the subject line of this thread. It has some synths in there, as well as the early snare drum sound from Larry. Its theme/message alludes to early/middle U2. Yeah, that's as good a nominee as there is.

 

[Phalanx]

Beautiful Day does it for me.

 

[Catman]

STARING AT THE SUN!!

 

[Axver]

Hey, look, it's another Let's Over-rate Mercy Festival ...!

 

[Peter]

U2-sound: Pride

U2-spirit/live magic: Streets

U2-politics: Sunday bloody sunday / Please

U2-inspiration: The fly

U2-experimentation: Zooropa

Combination? Hmmm, difficult one... maybe Until the end of the world? Beautiful Day? Walk on?