Best Cover Song from U2

[TheShootist]

My vote is for their version of "Night and Day"

I still have the vinyl of the original album this was released on...some kind of charity benefit album of some sort, would have to dig it out to remeber specificly. This was in the last gasp days of vinyl.

 

[Streets613]

I love when they cover anything by Passengers

 

[corianderstem]

Night and Day is fantastic

I also love Everlasting Love, which is a very straightforward cover, but it's still awesome.

Beat on the Brat is super fun, if only to hear a Nobel prize nominee sing "beat on the brat with a baseball bat, OH YEAH!" with such exuberance.

 

[BVS]

Night and Day is one of my faves, it was release on Red + Hot and Blue, all Cole Porter covers for AIDS awareness.

Actually this album came out during one of the big dips in vinyl sales, CDs were taking over the market. Vinyl has fluxuated quite a bit since then, it had a spike in sales about 94ish when bands like PJ started releasing vinyl again, it spiked again late 90's due to DJing becoming popular, and actually 2009 saw the biggest spike since 91 when soundscan was put into place.

Worthless fact of the day

 

[Super Yo]

Difficult... I love "Night and Day" and "Satellite Of Love", but if I have to choose one my favourite one is the live cover of "Won't Get Fooled Again".

 

[Niceman]

Night and Day
Helter Skelter
All Along the Watchtower
Dancing Barefoot
Maggie's Farm...especially the versions that devolved into Old MacDonald....
Springfield Mining Disaster

 

[Zoo360]

Unchained Melody

 

[nielsgov]

All Along The Watchtower

 

[HCL]

Everlasting Love
Unchained Melody
Jesus Christ

Can't Help Falling In Love and Dancing Queen live too.

 

[djerdap]

Night and Day is the right answer.

 

[U2387]

Unchained Melody

No, this is the right answer.

Plenty of others are good, or even great, but Unchained Melody is just another league, both studio and live between One and UTEOTW!

Other greats:
Night and Day*
Everlasting Love*

*Both of the above are non debatable.

Beat on The Brat
Love Will Tear Us Apart(w/Arcade Fire live)
Instant Karma
All Along The Watchtower

There are only a couple I can't get into:

Paint it Black
Fortunate Son

Both would have worked had they been done in a different style.

With all of the stuff U2 has pulled off over the years, I am convinced they could do anything. Its just there was something off in how they went about the 2 I mentioned, IMHO.

 

[corianderstem]

There are only a couple I can't get into:

Paint it Black
Fortunate Son

Paint It Black isn't bad, but Fortunate Son is not one of their better efforts.

The one I can't even listen to is Happiness Is a Warm Gun.

 

[65980]

Gotta go with "Everlasting Love" and "Dancing Barefoot". Nothing wrong with "The Saints Are Coming" either.

I did enjoy their live take on "All Along The Watchtower" in 1989.

The problem with U2's live covers is that Bono inevitably screws up the lyrics, or sings only one verse (as was the case with "Maggie's Farm").

 

[Mauwer]

Studio - Night And Day
Live - Maggie`s Farm

Cheers ,

Mauwer

 

[juliaguliaxo94]

Night and Day, Everlasting Love and Helter Skelter.

 

[trojanchick99]

Night and Day is great. I also love All Along the Watchtower and Won't Get Fooled Again.

For covers with special guests, The Saints are Coming and Gimme Shelter are really fun.

 

[youarenotimmune]

Unchained Melody

the song just EXPLODES midway. Bono's vocals & Edge's guitaring are mindblowingly epic!

 

[youarenotimmune]

i also loved the (S)he's the One/Desire medley they did in New Jersey (in front of The Boss) last year

 

[powerhour24]

For studio recordings my picks would be Everlasting Love and Instant Karma, I love the reggae style they brought to it.

 

[hillers]

Everlasting Love!

Also, Unchained Melody

 

[rastacruz]

People Get Ready

 

[secretly alone]

I would say either Night and Day or Unchained Melody. Too hard to pick between them...they made both of those songs completely theirs.

 

[europop2005]

Sgt Peppers...love it!

 

[Harry Vest]

No argument...1. Dancing Barefoot 2. Unchained Melody 3. Maggies Farm (live-Amnesty tour)

 

[Ellay]

The one I can't even listen to is Happiness Is a Warm Gun.

It's grown on me over the years, but I take your point

 

[bonocomet]

Night and Day and Unchained Melody. Both made into their own magical U2 epicness.

And I don't have U2's Beat on the Brat.

 

[dan_smee]

i think im the only one who likes Happiness is a Warm Gun.

 

[bonocomet]

i think im the only one who likes Happiness is a Warm Gun.

Nope, I love it.

 

[dan_smee]

phew!

 

[U2DMfan]

Unchained Melody

The studio version is easily the best cover they've done.

I don't think many of these others are all that great or even close.
Night and Day is awesome but it's Bono and sparse Edge and some electronica.
Not much 'U2' there. Dancing Barefoot is good too.

Those three are above the rest.