The best U2 song ever written is...

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Sunday Bloody Sunday is when they became U2. That's when they found their voice. It's brilliant on so many levels and IMO their best ever. Actually I'd say it's the best rock song ever- if there can be such a thing.

I think Bono would agree that SBS is one of their best if you could pin him down. I say this because SBS is the show stopper in so many concerts even after all these years.

But One is a close, close 2nd.
 
"Ground Beneath her Feet" lyrics might have been better if Bono had written them -- Salman Rushdie hasn't written a good book since Midnight's Children. And his book, The Ground Beneath her Feet, is pretty stupid (one of the characters in it is supposedly based on Bono). I also saw Rushdie speak at my university once -- not impressed.

The thing is, when we talk about the best "song written" or whatever, it assumes that the songs are "written". Like, someone sat down with a guitar and a piece of paper and crafted a song.

To me, comparisons of songs sort-of negates consideration of the band's performance and the arrangement, the instrumentation, the key, the tempo, the producer -- even the guitar solo -- and just means THE SONG.

In other words, if you gave the sheet music to Bessie Smith or Billie Holiday or Tom Jones or Donovan or Gilbert O'Sullivan or David Lee Roth or whomever -- it's still a great SONG.

I think what we're talking about in the case of U2 is more what is the best TRACK, which is something like basic song plus performance plus arrangement plus production, etc.

The other thing is, U2, as far as we know, are not really the kind of group who "write" songs. Based on what we read and they say, it seems to be more the case they their songs emerge slowly and arduously, between endless sessions of rehearsals and sudden, inspired moments. And we all know Bono's penchant for making up lyrics and changing them at the last moment, and then further in concert.

I'm not really making any point here, but I guess what I'm saying is that I don't really know how to evaluate U2 at the level of "songs". There are numerous variables that go into determining success or failure of their tunes.

As utterly great as a track like "Where the Streets Have no Name" is, how would it hold up in the hands of other artists? (Let's try to forget the Pet Shop Boys.)
 
Galeongirl said:
Pretty damn good if you ask me.
Click to expand...

I personally didn't like Muse's performance of it (except that guest guitarist), which I found lacking dynamics, and nuanced vocals.

But even so, I guess what I'm alluding to above is this: if you took a song like "Where The Streets Have No Name", can any good artist of any style make it sound good? I mean, Muse basically played it like U2.

U2, and every garage band in history, have covered 'All Along The Watchtower', for example, which was first performed in an austere acoustic setting in Nashville by Bob Dylan and two session musicians, and then brought to radio in a loud, electric version by Jimi Hendrix. You can perform it in any way, in any setting, in any format, and it sounds good. I don't know how many U2 songs transcend the performance and style to simply exist as great songs.

(Note: when I say "I don't know" above, I literally mean "I don't know". I don't mean to say there are no such songs; I DO mean to say I don't know how many there are.)
 
Since I first heard it, "Walk On" has always been at the top of my personal "best U2 song" list. The lyrics are classic Bono - describing a very specific person in a real world situation, but written so they could be interpreted to apply to almost any person who needs a dose of emotional strength. ("One" is apparently another example of this technique, but I simply don't like the minor key melody as much as "Walk On".)

Of course, I was gutted with the 360 version, where Bono's literal interpretation was shoved down our throats with the masked volunteers. Not that I'm unsympathetic to the plight of Aung San Suu Kyi - just that it prevented me from hearing the song the way I wanted to. (Yeah, too bad for me, I guess.)

Oh, and "Until The End Of The World" has awesome lyrics, and it ROCKS live. :D
 
65980 said:
The thing is, when we talk about the best "song written" or whatever, it assumes that the songs are "written". Like, someone sat down with a guitar and a piece of paper and crafted a song.

To me, comparisons of songs sort-of negates consideration of the band's performance and the arrangement, the instrumentation, the key, the tempo, the producer -- even the guitar solo -- and just means THE SONG.

In other words, if you gave the sheet music to Bessie Smith or Billie Holiday or Tom Jones or Donovan or Gilbert O'Sullivan or David Lee Roth or whomever -- it's still a great SONG.

I think what we're talking about in the case of U2 is more what is the best TRACK, which is something like basic song plus performance plus arrangement plus production, etc.
Click to expand...

Agreed. And, based on this criteria, Zooropa is their best TRACK; it offers clever tempo changes, thought-provoking lyrics, mindblowing effects, and a thrilling arrangement that, as the song progresses, leaves every preceding minute in the dust. It's amazing all-around.

All I Want Is You is their best SONG; it's probably the one song I would never mind hearing on American Idol, no matter how badly it gets fucked up. Those lyrics will always move me and that delightfully simple chord progression will always be effective.

Fast Cars is like 75th.
 
i think Streets is the best song that i have ever heard.

i don't, or can't, listen to it very often, because it is such a huge, powerful song that, idiotic as this may sound, it kind of sucks the wind out of my sails, i guess.

one of the very, very few songs i know that commands attention from start to finish, makes me think that everything is going to be alright for five and a half minutes, and completely envelopes me when i hear it.

/zooconfesh
 
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