All U2 Sounds The Same?

[doctorwho]

This topic has come up before, but this time, there's a twist.

I work with a gentleman nearing retirement. But he's still "hip" and knows U2.

Unfortunately, he thinks all their songs sound the same. This is one argument I hate. There are some bands who do have very similar sounds (INXS and Bon Jovi leap to mind), but that alone doesn't make them bad. But for a group like U2, I have trouble with anyone thinking this.

So for fun, I thought I'd make him a CD of the most widely diverging U2 songs.

Given his age, I thought I'd even thrown on things like the Sinatra and Bono and/or Bennett and Bono duet. But that also means I'd consider things like Gavin Friday and Bono, Sinead and U2/Bono, etc.

However, I thought I'd ask for other opinions. I want to create a nice CD of VASTLY different U2 songs that a man in his 60's could appreciate. Hits are fine, but chances are he's heard the hits and this is why he thinks they sound the same (there are similarities between "With or Without You" and "One" or "Mysterious Ways" and "Beautiful Day" for example). So albums, collaborations, rarities, b-sides, etc., are appreciated. I prefer NOT to use live songs though, unless there is something you really think has to be included.

Thank you in advance!

 

[Utoo]

My dad feels this way, too. He thinks that Edge sounds the same on every single song, except for Mysterious Ways. His response when I asked him what band shows true versatility? Grand Funk Railroad.


Unfortunately, I think it's a common misconception held by people who haven't really paid attention to the subject on which they're commenting.

 

[coolian2]

U2 sound the same in the fact that generally it is the same voice on every song - something the untuned music ear will consider sounding the same.

 

[craigp]

people who say all songs sound the same need to listen to boy, joshua tree, achtung baby and pop together!

 

[The_Edge89]

You can fit something like 12-14 songs on a CD if you want to play it in your stereo right?

Here's 14 songs, and you can put them I the order you see fit or course.

Two Shots Of Happy, One Shot Of Sad
Mofo
The Electric Co
Tomorrow
The Unforgettable Fire
Trip Through Your Wires
Heartland
Acrobat
Lemon
Miami
Love And Peace Or Else
Miss Sarajevo
I Still Haven't Found... (R&H Gospel version)
Bass Trap
(bonus: Mercy ?)

Maybe not the best list, but quite decent I think.

Some of the country/blues, some "mainstream" pop, a couple of experimental tracks, a bit of dance music and of course a couple of classic The Edge sounds.

 

[ponkine]

When some casual listener say that all AC/DC or Kiss sound the same I can understand ... but when someone say that all U2 sound the same it's beyond me

 

[Screwtape2]

His response when I asked him what band shows true versatility? Grand Funk Railroad.

My dad would say the same thing but they're both right about versatility in that band. The Pheonix album is so good.

 

[dietcokeofevil]

Here's a test.

Any band you're not a fan of. How divergent do you believe their songs to be?

 

[The_Edge89]

Well, Coldplay's guitarist uses the same old boring thinline Telecaster for every bloody song as far as I know, but I don't say I know a lot about them.
Great tone in those guitars and all but it gets too boring after a while.

Edit:
Snow Patrol uses the Telecaster a lot too...Actually too many bands sound the same today, all top british acts are using the same fecking telecaster model.

As for Red hot chili peppers, isn't John using a stratocaster for most songs?

Thank god for The Edge and his 36+ guitars!

Les Pauls
SG's
Explorer
Stratocasters
Telecaster
Rickenbacken twelve-string
and so on, this is what helps a guitarist develop his sound.

 

[dietcokeofevil]

My dad would say the same thing but they're both right about versatility in that band. The Pheonix album is so good.

Uh....Yeah.

 

[Screwtape2]

Here are some songs that are very different from each other. The key is to make the CD flow from mood to mood. Tracklisting is everything. Though this is just a list

Two Shots
The Fly
God Part 2
The Ocean
A Day Without Me
Stateless
Mercy
With A Shout
October
Do You Feel Loved?
IGWSHA
Miami
Heartland
So Cruel (one of the Salome Bootleg takes)
Morning Child/Don't Turn Around (WGRYWH takes from Salome)
Be There
Walk To The Water
Touch
Your Blue Room
Slug
Exit
Race Against Time
The Unforgettable Fire
Promenade
HMTMKMKM
Lemon

 

[phillyfan26]

My friend just told me this the other day, and it really pissed me off!

Out of Control
I Threw a Brick Through a Window
Sunday Bloody Sunday
Pride
Where the Streets Have No Name
With or Without You
Bullet the Blue Sky (live - Rattle and Hum version or ZooTV: Sydney)
God Part II
The Fly
Zooropa
Gone or Discotheque
Walk On
City of Blinding Lights

 

[BANZAI]

The album ZOO, starting with Zooropa and ending with Zoo Station. Not every song is my favorite, but I don't think anyone can say these sound the same. Every song has its own sound, atmosphere and character. It's like a zoo...

ZOO

1. Zooropa
2. Red Hill Mining Town
3. Mofo
4. Scarlett
5. Numb
6. Promenade
7. Lemon
8. When Love Comes To Town
9. Vertigo
10. Daddy's Gonna Pay Your Crashed Car
11. Kite
12. The Electric Co
13. HMTMKMKM
14. Heartland
15. Zoo Station

 

[LemonMelon]

MOFO and MLK are like...the exact same song. You could play them over each other.

 

[Niceman]

Lucille
Van Diemen's Land
Big Girls are Best
Drowning Man
Salome (Zooromancer)
Exit

 

[The Slow Loris]

Just off the top of my furry little head....

(I would juxtapose some of these with U2's more well known songs to get the point across.)

'Never Let Me Go' -- Million Dollar Hotel soundtrack
'Dancin Shoes' -- M$H soundtrack
'Stateless' -- M$H soundtrack
'Slug' -- Passengers
'Always Forever Now' -- Passengers
'Your Blue Room' -- Passengers
'Lemon' -- Zooropa
'Zooropa' -- Zooropa
'Daddy's Gonna Pay...' -- Zooropa
'Mofo' -- Pop
'If You Wear That Velvet Dress' -- Pop
'If You Wear That Velvet Dress' -- Jooles Holland colab.
'Gone' -- Pop
'Please' -- Pop
'Hold Me Thrill Me Kiss Me Kill Me'
'I Fall Down' -- October
'In A Little While' -- ATYCLB
'Wild Honey' -- ATYCLB
'The Sun The Moon The Stars' -- ATYCLB sessions
'Tomorrow' -- October
'October' -- October
'Zoo Station' -- Achtung Baby
'The Fly' -- Achtung Baby
'Love is Blindness' -- Achtung Baby
'Two Shots of Happy, One Shot of Sad'
'Dirty Day' -- Bitter Kiss remix
'A Day Without Me' -- Boy
'An Cat Dubh' -- Boy
'A Man and a Woman' -- HTDAAB
'Drowning Man' -- War
'Party Girl' -- Under a Blood Red Sky
'Numb' -- Zooropa
'Ito Okashi' -- Passengers
'I'm Not Your Baby'
'Elvis Presley and America' -- TUF
'Sweetest Thing' -- Best Of 1990s
'That's Life' -- The Good Thief Soundtrack
'I've Got You Under My Skin' -- Frank Sinatra Duets

Well, that should get you started for now!

 

[rjhbonovox]

Diversity used to be what U2 was all about, unfortunately with their last 2 albums being very retro they have only added to the weight of argument that they sound all the same. But up until the 2000's U2 had a great variety. Check this list

Daddy's gonna pay for your crashed car
Miami
Mofo
The Fly
Numb

and compare it to something like -
Pride (very typical 80's U2 and the sound that everyone associates with U2)

Just do a 90's cd of the most diverse tracks and throw in Slug and Alex descends into hell for a bottle of milk and they will see that U2 didn't always sound the same!

 

[Neenie]

When someone says U2 songs “sound all the same” they have made a smart assessment of U2’s musical catalogue, and their argument deserves credibility.

When Achtung baby first come out I kept thinking this sounds just the same as U2’s 80’s stuff. When “Beautiful day” come out I thought this sounds just like “Discotheque” the first single to come off the album before that.

U2 have not re-invented their sound in a whole 25 year career. No wonder people are saying thier music sounds the same.

 

[shart1780]

Be sure to add something from Passengers. Slug, Always Forever Now and Your Blue Room would be good.

 

[The Slow Loris]

Be sure to add something from Passengers. Slug, Always Forever Now and Your Blue Room would be good.

*Ahem*.... ^ ^ ^

 

[Reggie Thee Dog]

When some casual listener say that all AC/DC or Kiss sound the same I can understand ... but when someone say that all U2 sound the same it's beyond me

 

[The Slow Loris]

Diversity used to be what U2 was all about, unfortunately with their last 2 albums being very retro they have only added to the weight of argument that they sound all the same. But up until the 2000's U2 had a great variety. Check this list

Daddy's gonna pay for your crashed car
Miami
Mofo
The Fly
Numb

and compare it to something like -
Pride (very typical 80's U2 and the sound that everyone associates with U2)

Just do a 90's cd of the most diverse tracks and throw in Slug and Alex descends into hell for a bottle of milk and they will see that U2 didn't always sound the same!

U2 have never put out anything that sounds like ATYCLB. 'Wild Honey' and 'In A Little While', for example, sounded completely new for U2 at the time. And the funny thing is, 'Pride' was a completely new sound for U2 at the time as well. It's only because we've heard it along with the songs on The Joshua tree (the evolution of that sound) a million times now that we say it sounds so typically U2. The truth is, U2 refined their sound as much in the mid to late 80s as they did in the 90s. I guess it's just a lot more noticable when the band has become huge.

 

[doctorwho]

No matter what, I'm including "Fast Cars" as that sounds wildly different to me and perhaps "Love & Peace". Those two songs are a big reason of why I enjoy the album so. I'd include "Vertigo" too, but chances are he's heard that song a zillion times and associates it with other big hit songs, like "Mysterious Ways" or even "Beautiful Day". It's an upbeat song that's a huge hit.

Oddly enough, he adores Pink Floyd and felt "Rumors" by Fleetwood Mac was brilliant. I enjoy both, but "Rumors" is not this diverse masterpiece. Is it a brilliant album? Yes! Is "Dark Side..." brilliant? Of course! But neither are brilliant because of their utter diversity. Fleetwood Mac's sound on each album - in the Stevie Nicks era - is very similar.

I think an earlier poster said it best - if one isn't a fan of the band or artist, all the songs sound the same. The trouble with that is that it is very dismissive. As a result, I try my hardest to at least learn a little something about the artist. I may not like the music, I may not like them, but at least when I spout forth my views, I'm not some uninformed fool.

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. I'll dig through them all more this weekend and see if I can come up with a perfect 14-20 songs for a single CD. I'll try hard to avoid the hits. Then later, maybe as a joke, I'll give him "U218" as a present.

 

[thrillme]

U2 sound the same in the fact that generally it is the same voice on every song - something the untuned music ear will consider sounding the same.

Hmm, so adding Boomerang II would be good for throwing the listener for a loop.

Bono doesn't start singnig till about a minute or so into the song, I think it's just Adam and Edge, until Bono comes in later.

1. Boomerang II
2. An Cat Dubh
3. Like a Song
4. Promenade
5. Lemon
6. the Ocean
7. Tomorrow (the most "Irish/Celtic" sounding U2 song.)
8. Exit
9. Numb
10. Hold me, thrill me
11. Stateless
12. God pt 2
13. A Man & a Woman
14. I Will Follow

 

[U2girl]

Trying to get as many sides of U2 as possible, and pretty much covers all of their albums:

Gloria to represent the spiritual side of the band
Surrender for the militaristic War sound
MLK to represent the atmospheric side of the band
Pride to hint at the anthemic side of U2
Trip through your wires for the "America" sound
Desire for the rock angle
Even better than the real thing for the sensual side of the band
The Fly for the re-invention
Numb for experimenting (plus you get Edge singing)
If you wear that velvet dress for groove
Mofo for dance music
Wild honey for the pop incarnation
Fast cars for Arabic sounds
In a little while for soul
I still haven't found... Rattle and Hum version for gospel
LAPOE for glam rock
Ground beneath her feet for the usual "U2 love song", but also some of that more ethereal-yet-U2 music from MDH soundtrack
Miss Sarajevo for collaborations
Two shots of happy, one shot of sad for swing/big band music (*does this count as U2? Only Bono and Edge performed this)

No clue how to make all of that work in any track order though.

 

[Idun]

I've got a friend who thought U2 sounded the same all the time. But for some months ago (I think it was when Mary J Blige and U2 came on the radio with One) she started to try listen to some of the songs that I had sent her, and she heard that it wasn't the same all the time and now she likes U2 and I'm proud of that I got her to like 'em It's a big different between songs like Tomorrow and MOFO or Vertigo and With or Without you. The different is like hiphop and classic music or something. OK, U2 got their special sound with the drums and The Edges guitar-playing but the songs still don't sound the same all the time.

 

[Final Straw]

I think that the guys definitely have a recognisable sound(mainly due to the edge's guitar) but I don't think you can say that they always sound the same. Does Pop sound just like Boy? Does October sound just like Zooropa? No!

 

[u2trinity]

Here are some songs that are very different from each other. The key is to make the CD flow from mood to mood. Tracklisting is everything. Though this is just a list

Two Shots
The Fly
God Part 2
The Ocean
A Day Without Me
Stateless
Mercy
With A Shout
October
Do You Feel Loved?
IGWSHA
Miami
Heartland
So Cruel (one of the Salome Bootleg takes)
Morning Child/Don't Turn Around (WGRYWH takes from Salome)
Be There
Walk To The Water
Touch
Your Blue Room
Slug
Exit
Race Against Time
The Unforgettable Fire
Promenade
HMTMKMKM
Lemon

This is would make nice couple of disks ,and I would add .

In The Name Of The Father
Wire
Drowning Man
Refugee
Boomerang 1
and not sure about this one because of his age but ?
Billy Boola

 

[Reggie Thee Dog]

Don't forget "Race Against Time"...very different!!

 

[TheBrazilianFly]

Try this:
01. City Of Blinding Lights
02. Fast Cars
03. Even Better Than The Real Thing
04. The Ground Beneath Her Feet
05. Mofo
06. Twilight
07. Two Hearts Beat As One
08. Your Blue Room
09. Love And Peace Or Else
10. When Love Comes To Town
11. One Tree Hill
12. Please
13. In A Little While
14. Gone
15. Angel Of Harlem
16. North And South Of The River
17. Yahweh

I hate when people say that all U2 songs sounds the same.