How would you change the "best of" compilations

[edmerch1984]

In my opinion, all the tracks on the best of albums are strong ones, but if I could I would make some changes to make them better. Thought it would interesting to see which tracks you guys would axe and which ones you guys would replace. Sorry if this has been done before.

Best of 80s...

Axe - new years day + unforgetable fire

Replacements - In Gods country, electric co.

Best of 90s...

Axe - Staring at the sun, miss sarajevo, hands that built america, stay, gone, numb, stuck in a moment, hmtmkmkm.

Replacements - Zoo station, wild horses, ultra violet, in a little while, so cruel, new york, walk on, when i look at the world

I've just realised whilst making this that the best of 90s is a pile of compared to what it could be. Don't get me wrong, i like the album, but oh my gosh. Am I the only one who thinks this???

 

[tommycharles]

On 1980-1990, I'd take off WLCTT and add Gloria, Electric Co. and Out of Control.

As for the 1990-2000 release, you're not the only one disatisfied, most fans seem to be. I would get rid of all the ATYCLB material and The Hands That Built America, and replace the Orbit mix of Electrical Storm with the single version. Also it's missing Wild Horses, Zooropa, and Please.

 

[1stepcloser]

I'd never axe NYD or the UF. They're both classics! As for the 90's, i think the only one i would axe would be Stuck and put In A Little While in it's place.

In A Little While

 

[Tombola]

1980-1990

1.) 11 O' Clock Tick Tock (live)
2.) I Will Follow
3.) Out Of Control
4.) Gloria
5.) Sunday Bloody Sunday
6.) New Year's Day
7.) Pride (In The Name Of Love)
8.) The Unforgettable Fire
9.) Bad
10.) Where The Streets Have No Name
11.) I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
12.) With Or Without You
13.) Sweetest Thing (new version)
14.) Desire
15.) Angel Of Harlem
16.) All I Want Is You

1990-2000

1.) Where Did It All Go Wrong (new version)
2.) The Fly
3.) Even Better Than The Real Thing
4.) Mysterious Ways
5.) One
6.) Until The End Of The World
7.) Numb (original)
8.) Lemon
9.) Stay (Faraway, So Close!)
10.) Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me
11.) Miss Sarajevo
12.) Discotheque (original)
13.) Mofo
14.) Staring At The Sun (original)
15.) Gone (original)
16.) The Ground Beneath Her Feet

 

[TheQuiet1]

80s:

Axe- Desire (I'm sorry but I hate it) and Angel of Harlem.

Replace- Fire and I was gonna say RTSS but as The Joshua Tree is already more than represented on the album I'll say 40 instead. Seems appropriate to end the album with 40 given it's lyrics of "I will sing a new song" tie in nicely with the whole "Dream it all up again" thing that ended the 80s.

90s:

Axe- Mysterious Ways, Numb and Stuck.

Replace- Last Night on Earth, Zoo Station (that can be the album opener. "I'm ready. Ready for what's next") and Babyface

 

[craigp]

80's - nothing needs axing from it as it doesnt even use the full 80 mins! "40", gloria, out of control and the full versions of nyd and streets should be on.
90's - axe
"the first time" - wtf?! what did that ever do to be on a greatest hits cd?
add-
the original mixes of disco, sats and numb. the original mix of electrical storm insted of the remix (im not too bothered about that though as its on the bside disk). Last night on earth and please.

 

[MrBrau1]

First things first, I'd make the B-sides record for 90-00 look like this:

Lady With The Spinning Head (UVI)
North And South of the River
Holy Joe (Garage Mix)
Slow Dancing
Alex Descends Into Hell For A Bottle Of Milk/Korova 1
Salomé
Paint It Black
Summer rain
Big Girls Are Best
Where Did It All Go Wrong
Satellite Of Love
Always

 

[doctorwho]

The best way to change the "Best Of" discs? For the 80's, don't shorten the songs (there was room), don't dominate the disc with R&H songs (yes, they were all released as singles - doesn't mean they belong on a "Best Of") and add more songs from earlier in U2's career ("Gloria", for example). But I love the B-side disc - wouldn't touch it.

The 90's is the reverse. Love the main disc - wouldn't touch it. I like the alterations done to these songs. The 80's disc just shortened the songs - not good. But the 90's changed lyrics or the whole tempo of the song - made it more like it is in concert. Very good. If there was any change, I would keep "The Fly" on all discs, not just those in the U.K. or Japan, and I might add "Lemon". However, the 90's b-side dics is atrocious. What's with all the remixes? And why weren't songs like "Holy Joe" added? That, to me, is an obvious oversight.

I get why U2 might not have been able to put remakes on the discs. That might have been a copyright issue. Or perhaps the U2 camp felt that a remake wasn't really their work, so it doesn't belong on a "Best Of" - even as a B-side disc. But there were a lot of original songs left off on the A-side disc in the 80's and the B-side disc in the 90's.

 

[GibsonGirl]

For one thing, I'd remove the stupid new mixes of the Pop songs from the Best Of 1990-2000. I'd also take off The Hands That Built America and Electrical Storm, because the title of the compilation is NOT The Best Of 1990-2002.

 

[TheQuiet1]

But the 90's changed lyrics

They did? Which songs have altered lyrics?

<Evidently is not paying enough attention when listening to U2.

 

[doubleU]

Best of 80s...

Axe - new years day + unforgetable fire

This would be rewriting history. It would be a lie. I for one thinks NYD hasn't aged well and don't listen to it anymore, but it's essential to U2's history.

Best of 90s...

Axe - Staring at the sun, miss sarajevo, hands that built america, stay, gone, numb, stuck in a moment, hmtmkmkm.

Replacements - Zoo station, wild horses, ultra violet, in a little while, so cruel, new york, walk on, when i look at the world

I agree the 90's best of needs work, but not this way. No Stay, Gone, or HMTMKMKM???

I wouldn't mind seeing Wild Horses on it. But that's about it. Bsides they fucked up big time.

And Walk On will probably end up on the next one.

 

[ImOuttaControl]

The 80's disk:

Only remove WLCTT. Replace that with Gloria or Electric Co and you'd have a perfect compilation.

The 90's disk:

It's a complete trainwreck. First of all U2 were idiots for including ATYCLB material--they could have made a superb best of.

--put all the original versions of the Pop songs on the album AND the boom cha's back in Discotheque!!

--Remove "The Hands That Build America"--it should have been released as a single with the movie but it does not fit with the 90's material at all.

--After removing Stuck, Beautiful Day and THTBA; add in:

The Fly should be on every disk!!!
Please
Lemon
If God Will Send His Angels (this is a beautiful, underrated song that actually did get some good airplay here in the U.S. thanks to the City of Angels soundtrack)

 

[gareth brown]

For the 80's, don't shorten the songs (there was room),

Are you sure? I haven't got my CD handy but wouldn't it overrun the original four sides of vinyl to use all unedited versions of the tracks?

 

[Aygo]

People who buy this kind of compilations (and the most of them surely're not fans like us) are appreciators or curious about the band, so what they really want is single that they used to hear on the radio (reffering as successful songs in my country, of course), saw on mtv or the songs that they know that are known because of being concert typicals.
I think the best of's should be more organized, and the 1990-2000 shouldn't include ATYCLB songs, cause they belong to this era. People associate BD and Stuck to nowadays and not to the Zoo/Pop times.

I think that I aleady posted it here before, but I usually make best of compilations in 90min cd's for some friends that ask me for it. The usual tracklists I choose are:

1. where the streets have no name - [single edit]
2. i will follow
3. new year's day - [edit]
4. pride
5. with or without you
6. i still haven't found what i'm looking for
7. sunday bloody sunday
8. bad
9. the unforgettable fire
10. in God's country *
11. gloria
12. fire *
13. a celebration *
14. desire
15. when love comes to town - [single version]
16. angel of Harlem
17. all I want is you
18. unchained melody **
19. bullet the blue sky - [Rattle and Hum version]
20. '40' - [UABRS version]
* - sometimes permuted by RTSS or OOC / ** - not always included

1. even better than the real thing
2. mysterious ways
3. mofo
4. last night on Earth - [single version]
5. HMTMKMKM
6. discotheque
7. lemon - [edit]
8. numb - [edit]
9. stay
10. who's gonna ride your wild horses - [Temple bar edit]
11. one
12. gone
13. please - [UK edit single v.]
14. if God will send His angels - [single version]
15. until the end of the world
16. the fly
17. staring at the sun
18. sweetest thing - [single mix] *
19. miss Sarajevo - [radio edit]
20. the first time
* this may be a 80's song but eveybody knows that it was released in the 90's

1. city of blinding lights - [audio rip from the video]
2. all because of you - [single mix]
3. vertigo
4. electrical storm - [band version]
5. stuck in a moment you can't get out of
6. elevation (sometimes the album version others Tomb Raider mix)
7. the hands that built America - [soundtrack version]
8. the ground beneath her feet
9. beautiful day
10. original of the species - [single version]
11. SYCMIOYO
12. Walk on - [Hallellujah mix]

 

[Earnie Shavers]

The 80's disc is okay. I mean, if it were a personal tracklist of my favourite 80's U2 songs it would be slightly different obviously, but as a little Hits sample of the 80's it's good.

The 90's however. No. No. No.

AXE - Anything off ATYCLB. They both sound so out of place. Ground Beneath Her Feet can definitely stay though. U2's second last great song deserves it's place on this one.

AXE - Any single/remix versions. The originals are generally better.

INCLUDE - The Fly. What the fuck?

 

[GibsonGirl]

AXE - Anything off ATYCLB. They both sound so out of place. Ground Beneath Her Feet can definitely stay though. U2's second last great song deserves it's place on this one.

AXE - Any single/remix versions. The originals are generally better.

INCLUDE - The Fly. What the fuck?

 

[gareth brown]

*does funny tribal dance round UK copy of Best of 90-00*

 

[LMP]

for the '80s
ADD - Gloria, 11 o'Clock Tick Tock, and Out of Control
AXE - When Love Comes to Town

for the '90s ADD - The Fly, Last Night on Earth, IGWSHA (single), MoFo, Please (UK Edit), and Lemon (Single), The Ground Beneath Her Feet
AXE - ATYCLB material, Electrical Storm, The Hands That Built America, and replace the remixed songs with the original versions

 

[Earnie Shavers]

Woah, forgot about that one:

ADD: Lemon! FOR FUCKS SAKE! Honestly what were they thinking when they put that one together.

 

[LMP]

Woah, forgot about that one:

ADD: Lemon! FOR FUCKS SAKE! Honestly what were they thinking when they put that one together.

they weren't.

 

[BrownEyedBoy]

Stuck has no business in that album. Lemon not being there is a crime.

 

[edmerch1984]

"the first time" - wtf?! what did that ever do to be on a greatest hits cd?
add-

legendary song. lyrics are amazing, but having said that, I am a christian and the song is something i can really relate to

 

[1stepcloser]

I love The First Time. I think it's a gorgeous song. The Best Of's were what got me into U2 so for all i knew it could have been one of their singles. Looking back now it seems a bit of a strange inclusion but i still love it all the same.

 

[bathiu]

80's - all singles from the era... even if that would mean 2CDs (3CDs with the b-sides)

90's - very simple really:

Even Better Than the Real Thing
Mysterious Ways
Electrical Storm
One
Miss Sarajevo
Stay (Faraway So Close)
Gone
Until the End of the World
Discotheque
Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me
Staring at the Sun
Numb
The Fly
Please
If God Will Send His Angels
Wild Horses
Lemon
Last Night on Earth
MOFO
The Ground Beneath Her Feet

...wich was released on DVD

 

[Snowlock]

80's

1. 11 O'Clock Tick Tock
2. I Will Follow
3. Out Of Control (Original Version)
4. Gloria
5. October
6. The Electric Co.
7. Bad (Live)
8. With Or Without You (Live)
9. Streets
10. Red Hill Mining Town
11. One Tree Hill
12. The Unforgettable Fire
13. Pride (Live)
14. Sweetest Thing (New Version)
15. Love Rescue Me
16. All I Want Is You

90's (no 2000)

1. Zoo Station
2. Gone (existing best of mix)
3. She's Gonna Blow Your House Down (rerecorded new version)
4. Acrobat
5. One
6. The Fly
7. Mysterious Ways
8. Discotheque (live)
9. Please (single version)
10. WGRYWH (Live "Sugar Hang On")
11. TTTYAATW (Live)
12. Dirty Day (Better Kiss)
13. Stay
14. Where Did It All Go Wrong (rerecorded new version)
15. Ultraviolet
16. Until The End Of The World

00's

1. Vertigo (live - Stories for boys snippet)
2. COBL
3. Beautiful Day (live - the goal is soul)
4. Walk On
5. Crumbs
6. Electrical Storm (band version)
7. Xanax & Wine (rerecorded)
8. Mercy (rerecorded)
9. Sometimes (live)
10. Oots (single version)

 

[xaviMF22]

The first time had no business in the best of 1990-2000. It needs Lemon

 

[thelaj]

Just wanted to say that even though the "new remixes" of the POP material may be better/worse and don't reflect the period - we should be grateful that the band has given us the opportunity to hear them.

As fans, we seek out these new things, and if they hadn't been on this compilation (but had been recorded) you can bet we would all be scurrying round to find them.

 

[LMP]

Just wanted to say that even though the "new remixes" of the POP material may be better/worse and don't reflect the period - we should be grateful that the band has given us the opportunity to hear them.

As fans, we seek out these new things, and if they hadn't been on this compilation (but had been recorded) you can bet we would all be scurrying round to find them.

I'd have wanted them on an EP "Electrical Storm and Remixes" as a seperate release to the 90-00 Best Of

It would have the 2 mixes of Electrical Storm, and the Best Of mixes of the other songs

 

[Niceman]

80s - Drop: When Love Comes to Town
Angel of Harlem
- Add: Gloria
Out of Control

90s - Drop:Beautiful Day
Stuck in a Moment
Electrical Storm
Hands that Built America
The First Time

- Add: The Fly
Lemon
The Ground Beneath Her Feet
Please
MoFo

90s B-side Disc:

A real one!

Lady With the Spinning Head
Where Did it All Go Wrong?
Salome
Happiness is a Warm Gun
Satelite of Love
North and South of the River
Big Girls are Best
Holy Joe
Two Shots of Happy, One shot of Sad
Under My Skin
Night and Day
Alex Descends into Hell for a Bottle of Milk
Paint it Black
I'm Not Your Baby (with Sinead)

And if they want to give us a re-mix disc, fine, but not instead of our B-sides!!!!

 

[Joey788]

80s:

DROP-When Love Comes To Town, The Unforgettable Fire
ADD-Gloria, 40, RTSS

90s:

DROP-Everything from ATYCLB, The First Time, the remixes of the Pop songs for the original versions
ADD-Lemon, Mofo, The Fly, Please