Song (Intro) Wars!: Bad vs. Streets

[discothequeLP]

Both songs are classic U2 songs. Both are practically regulars on the tours. Which one has a better intro, and which one is better overall?


For me, Bad wins the intro contest. Just something about it, that speical sound (Edge's guitar recorded & edited and stuff?) and the beat are just awesome. Streets has a great intro too, but, for some reason, Bad gives me that "U2 Moment" everytime I hear it.

Better overall song? Wow, this is a toughie. I would have to go with Bad again, though. Streets, though it is an awesome song, seems to have gotten repetative over the years. Bad, however, gets mixed up every year. There were snippets of Ruby Tuesday and Sympathy for the Devil during the JT tour. There was The First Time during the ZooTV tours. There was Walk on the Wild Side and Never Tear Us Apart during Popmart. And, of couse, there was 40 and Wild Horses during Elevation

(Oh yeah, the live version of Bad on the WAIA album wasn't bad either )


What do you think?

 

[Angela Harlem]

I really don't like Streets. Though live, it has a real build up kind of thing.
Bad is better overall on cd and live.

 

[Axver]

Personally, I prefer the Streets outro over the intro. But Streets intro versus Bad intro? Tough question indeed, both are brilliant ... but I have to give it to Bad. I find it - actually, the entire song - haunting and moving. Bad, overall, is definitely better than Streets. It's the second U2 song I ever loved (first was Pride), and the first of only three I've been driven to collect live versions of (Gloria and the best song ever, aka 11 O'clock Tick Tock being the others).

After hearing the 12:03 epic performance of Bad from 5 February 1985, Bologna, I can't even come close to saying Streets is better. I adore that performance of Bad, and the 8 November 1987 one on Rattle And Hum. I tried to download a video of the performance at Live Aid, but the stupid site I was downloading it from had an extremely slow server that would reset itself about 30 minutes (or a shocking 8%) into the download. Drove me nuts.

 

[MrBrau1]

"Streets" live intro from 5/25/01 in Toronto is the greatest musical moment in the history of musical moments.

 

[U2Kitten]

Streets

 

[DaveC]

WTF? There's already a Survivor thing going, mate.

 

[Liesje]

yeah, but the battles of the B-sides are far less interesting

 

[madonna's child]

Streets

 

[~*Buffalo*~]

I prefer Bad in almost every way over Streets.

 

[bayernfc]

Intro, I have to say Streets.... nothing matches the Live Streets intro. Although for the overall song, I personally like the Bad lyrics better.

 

[nbcrusader]

Streets hands down. It is the sound of heaven opening.....

 

[intedomine]

Whats the big deal about bad....its nuffin special

streets is legendary as a song as well as an intro....and id be devastated if i never got to see it live....

zoo station, the fly, gloria, seconds, like a song, pride, ultraviolet, all have intros which are ten times better than the bad intro....

zoo station, as a matter of fact, has a better intro than streets, and is by far u2's best intro....

 

[smileplease1974]

no other song creates such jubilation and rejoice amongst crowds as Streets. I've seen loads of other bands and no one has such as spine-chilling intro such as Streets, and no other U2 song makes the crowd go wild like Streets.

There are better U2 songs than Streets, but when that intro begins, the atmosphere and noise is like nothing else, and when the lights go up, EVERY one in the audience is on their feet going mad.

Bad is a great song, but Streets is untouchable.

 

[Saracene]

Streets has got the most majestic, spine-tingling intro I've ever heard. It's so great in fact that the rest of the song doesn't really live up to it IMO, especially when played live. On the album there's at least Bono's "BLOOOOOWWWWN BY THE WIIIIIIND" that sustains the intensity at the end. What I love about Bad is that, instead of packing all the best bits in the beginning, it builds slowly until it reaches that amazing "I'm wide awaaaake" climax.

 

[Liesje]

I like them together - Bad/40 chorus/Streets

 

[bonoz]

I..10 years ago... Listened to U2's where the streets have no name.. since then my whole horizon have been changed and everything i view has been different. It has affected my life so much, i cant live a month without listening to it. Sure bad is a good song. I llove almost all of the U2 songs. But in streets, it feels like something is coming back, with speed, with force, with power, its like a divine revolotionary occurrence, its like a progressive magic that blends into the minds of the people who hear it. Nevermind my words. But streets is one of the best songs in the history of music.

 

[Michael Griffiths]

I..10 years ago... Listened to U2's where the streets have no name.. since then my whole horizon have been changed and everything i view has been different. It has affected my life so much, i cant live a month without listening to it. Sure bad is a good song. I llove almost all of the U2 songs. But in streets, it feels like something is coming back, with speed, with force, with power, its like a divine revolotionary occurrence, its like a progressive magic that blends into the minds of the people who hear it. Nevermind my words. But streets is one of the best songs in the history of music.

 

[Chizip]

But streets is one of the best songs in the history of music.

definitely my favorite song of all time

 

[Diemen]

There are better U2 songs than Streets, but when that intro begins, the atmosphere and noise is like nothing else, and when the lights go up, EVERY one in the audience is on their feet going mad.

Well put. I think overall Bad is the better song, but I slightly prefer the intro for Streets, because of that special something it creates (especially live). I think both intros just bring such a great sense of relief and release. The moment I hear the opening notes to either song live, it just feels so amazing. It's like a weight being lifted off your shoulders. I think Bad is more soothing, whereas Streets is more energizing.

 

[Numbology]

Definitely Streets!That Slane Castle Concert blew me away with bono's crying,shouting and singing at the same time...perfect.
and it has a better intro than bad,that's for sure