U2’s 40 Songs That Saved Their Lives

[zoocarolina]

. Got through all 40 today and thoroughly enjoyed the trips down memory lane. Not too shabby.

 

[bono_212]

I thought it was pretty funny that Bono picked a song he's featured on, but then Edge went and picked a U2 song altogether

 

[mikal]

Good thing they didn’t pick a Neil Young song.

 

[Hollow Island]

Bono also picked a song that he co-wrote

Their lists are surprisingly pedestrian for the most part. They really, really like their big hits!

 

[zoocarolina]

I thought it was pretty funny that Bono picked a song he's featured on, but then Edge went and picked a U2 song altogether

Yup, the conversation probably went something like ok we can’t pick one of our own songs bc then people will say we are pretentious pricks and Larry probably deadpanned since they probably already do since you hate your voice Bono and our name let’s pick One so it leaves no doubt.

 

[zoocarolina]

Bono also picked a song that he co-wrote

Their lists are surprisingly pedestrian for the most part. They really, really like their big hits!

If they added on another 10 each we’d probably get some deeper cuts since I was surprised Edge didn’t have a Television one on there.

 

[pacemaker]

Yea, a lot of these are probably more accessible placeholders for other songs, or whittled down from bigger lists. There's some marketing angle to these lists. Life on Mars? being the singular Bowie track for both Edge and Bono... not unheard of, just weird. The Television omission also surprised me.

I'm also willing to accept that B&E are just that boring these days.

An overly dramatic take: One coming into existence literally saved Edge's life - by pulling him back from a brink he may have been on, let's say - and that's why they've built the reverential tale of it coming together to save the band in one fell swoop.

 

[deltau922]

I see Larry could only think of nine

 

[Partyslammer]

I see Larry could only think of nine

Drummers can’t count.

 

[Hewson]

Larry's not on board with math.

 

[gump]

Very curious to understand how Empire State of Mind saved Bono's life. Like, seriously?

That said, I loved his Dylan choice.

 

[The Panther]

So, I guess "Bittersweet Symphony' saved Bono's life at the end of the Pop tour?

Edge's list is, like, really mainstream top-40 stuff. Adam's is the best.

Larry's list... Um, okay, 'Upside Down' by Diana Ross? Try to imagine Larry grooving to that...

 

[pacemaker]

So, I guess "Bittersweet Symphony' saved Bono's life at the end of the Pop tour?

Edge's list is, like, really mainstream top-40 stuff. Adam's is the best.

Larry's list... Um, okay, 'Upside Down' by Diana Ross? Try to imagine Larry grooving to that...

Not that anyone needs an excuse to like a song, but drummers I know tend to have attachments to songs they otherwise wouldn't really care about because at one point it was an example or challenge that they overcame. I looked at Larry's list with this in mind.