What U2 song should I use for class presentation?

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Gonna Run 2 U

Gonna Run 2 U

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Im taking a popular music class at my college and our final presentation is to select a song, get up in front of class, play a few minutes of it..say why we chose it and connect it to ideas we learned from class (cultural resistance, hegemony, mass media..things like that)....I definitely want to do a less known u2 song...for time restrictions (the presentation itself is only 5 minutes) i thought about maybe promenade?...its so hard to choose because i could always just play 2 minutes or so of a song...i was also thinking of "stay" because the build up into the chorus is one of my favorites...i can also use live media like youtube and stuff so i can even take concert clips and show them to the class..

Well guys what do you think? what song/performance should i go with to really impress the class with u2!?
 
Heartland? maybe play the second half of the song, that outro is one of the greatest things ever :drool:

I would choose any one of the following:

Heartland
Stay
Acrobat
Bad
Hawkmoon
Tomorrow
Running to Stand Still

if you can show something from youtube, maybe show the second half of this absolutely incredible performance that never gets old:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=_JMjqC2PKZo

if you have to cut it short use the second half of the performance :)

also maybe you could use a Miss Sarejevo performance from the vertigo tour? Milan maybe? :hmm:

good luck! :)
 
Thanks for the input so far, i dont know if its helping or making the decision harder because theres so many different great ones to choose from! I just want to play the best song that backs up my argument that u2 is one of the best ever.
 
I personally thing something more unusual would be better for a class presentation. Don't reinforce their view of U2 as an "old" or "boring" band.

I tend to use the 90's material to demonstrate U2 are fantastically versatile. You could even talk about artists' most progressive work being ignored due to commercial pressure!
 
Gonna Run 2 U said:
connect it to ideas we learned from class (cultural resistance, hegemony, mass media..things like that)...
Click to expand...

you need to choose a song where you can do this really well. Please is a good suggestion. Sunday Bloody Sunday is solid but perhaps too well known, New Year's Day has the same issue, although with either you could talk about how they've been used in the mass media. If you're looking for political but less well known I'd go with Silver and Gold.
 
thelaj said:
I personally thing something more unusual would be better for a class presentation. Don't reinforce their view of U2 as an "old" or "boring" band.

I tend to use the 90's material to demonstrate U2 are fantastically versatile. You could even talk about artists' most progressive work being ignored due to commercial pressure!
Click to expand...

I was thinking the same thing..i want to change their views on U2 because i know in the back of their minds they are thinking - HELLO, HELLO!!

Thats why this is becoming such a tough decision because I would love to take something off of October but it has signature Edge chimey guitar..

Also something from maybe the rattle and hum dvd to showcase how powerful they were (and still are) as a live act.

..i just dont know, i guess ill have to focus on Achtung through Pop and make a final decision

Its impossible to showcase your favorite band based on one song!!!

...any suggestions from those three albums?
 
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Re: Re: What U2 song should I use for class presentation?

Varitek said:


you need to choose a song where you can do this really well. Please is a good suggestion. Sunday Bloody Sunday is solid but perhaps too well known, New Year's Day has the same issue, although with either you could talk about how they've been used in the mass media. If you're looking for political but less well known I'd go with Silver and Gold.
Click to expand...

yeah they are too well known and silver and gold really isnt a favorite of mine...those ideas from class necessarily arent that important to tie in...the professor actually brought up Bono in class in regards to not what the words mean in context of a song but how it is sung --meaning that the way bono sings words in parts of songs mean more to the listener than what actually he is saying....

so it could really be any U2 song..

a girl did a jay-z song for petes sake! come on. haha..im trying to really throw them something out of left field..and i really dont think they would expect me to be a U2 fan so i want to make it memorable...

i may be thinking too much into this but theres about 60 people that will have my attention..ill make my decision soon and get on with it!
 
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its more known than songs that i think are better, for me its not a wow type of a song. u2 have a lot better to offer..if choosing just one song to play to 60 college students.
 
Gonna Run 2 U said:
its more known than songs that i think are better, for me its not a wow type of a song. u2 have a lot better to offer..if choosing just one song to play to 60 college students.
Click to expand...

Really? I think the single edit and live version of that song is arguably the best thing U2 has ever done.
 
I think if it falls into the category as one of the best i think its because of Adam's bass line ...(sounds so good in my car system)...its just not a song that I would personally explain to some one as U2 at their finest. This is really tough and comes down to what my favorite song is at a particular moment. I bet i wind up deciding right when i walk up to the computer at the podium to give my presentation..click on youtube and just decide there.
 
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I'm probably the only one crazy enough to suggest it, but Windows in the Sky, the video with all the previous artist/bands that have had an influence not just on U2 but the world in general.
But it's not a song that alot of people would call their favorite.
In the context of things - it could work.. or not. :wink:
 
I would say Silver and Gold live or Love is blindness live from Sydney. Two amazingly powerful performances in different ways. As for media overload, the Zoo TV channel surfing before EBTRRT would be perfect, but you are time limited and wont be able to show much of the song. Media overload/technology themes in Lemon and especially Zooropa as well. Also, live performances of Last night on earth talk about , media and general downsides of the irresponsible life- "shes living living next week now, you know shes gonna pay it back somehow" relates to our national debt now!

Please and Bullet would both work as would If God will send his Angels. I know a girl who did please for a class, live performance from Rotterdam and they loved it, felt it was obscure, and powerful.

My top recommendation: Love is blindness live because of that incredible solo. Really shows U2's ability to capture emotion through lyrics and instrumentation like no other act. Good luck!
 
hmm...I doubt anyone in your audience has heard of "Tomorrow," maybe surprise them with that?

oh btw could you please get back to us on how it went after the presentation? I'm very curious as to the reaction from the audience and the overall impression...any feedback would be great, thanks and good luck :)
 
In general, I'd say stick to 90s U2.

If you're playing it for a group of 18-22 year-olds, I'd advise against any studio recordings from the first three albums -- it'll sound too dated for them, probably. If you go with the "cultural resistance" theme, how about the R&H version of SBS? A post-9/11 audience can really relate to it, and it's an amazing performance. Please could work as well.

If you want a sheer WTF factor for the song without caring if they like it or not? Mofo. I've gotten many "Holy shit, that's U2?" comments for that one. A less-extreme choice in the same vein: Do You Feel Loved.

If you just want a great song that they'll probably like but haven't heard: Gone, or maybe Acrobat. Screwtape's suggestion of Bullet is a good one, too; we're all sick of it here, but it's not exactly a radio staple (at least where I live.)

If you want an amazing live performance, use either the last two minutes of Until the End of the World or Dirty Day.

And no matter what you choose, be sure to let us know how it went :wink:. Good luck!
 
Personally I'd stay away from 90s U2 as many of my peers like 90s U2 sounds more dated than 80s U2. They think 80s U2 sounds more timeless.
 
The Joshua Tree sounds more timeless, yes. Some of UF does. Anything before that? Not so much (I'm speaking purely from a production standpoint, here.) I'd make exceptions for New Year's Day and Drowning Man, but that's it. Your mileage may vary, of course. :wink:

I don't think anything from Achtung or Zooropa sounds dated at all. Pop is a little more hit-or-miss.
 
Allanah said:

I don't think anything from Achtung or Zooropa sounds dated at all. Pop is a little more hit-or-miss.
Click to expand...

I think the cheesy synths used on parts of those albums sound dated (Zoo Station, for instance). I played Boy for someone recently who isn't familiar with U2--and this person asked when the album came out and was shocked to hear it was from before he was born by three years. I think 80s U2 in general is less timeless, but more classic, the more I think about it. Sort of like how Led Zeppelin isn't timeless, but it's classic.
 
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