happy 15th birthday to joshua tree!

[Flaming Friar Sr]

ah, inspired by the pop thread i got to think. eh wait a minute doesnt that mean that jt is 15... and so it is. i remember clearly going out to a record store on march 7th 1987 to buy jt on its first day of issue. what a glorious day and glorious moments. date must be right. in my mind it is stuck that it was march 7th. i went out and bought it on the first day im sure. never thought about the exact date again before the pop thread. well not often anyhow. but proof me wrong. ps i live in the netherlanbs. so you might have another celebration date if you live anywhere else.

but more memories... the first album i bought myself. after years of listening to my fathers u2 collection i was finally old enough to buy it myself. and somehow i finally had some money i guess. i bougth vinyl even though it was also possible to buy a cd. i think this was propbably the last vinyl record i ever bought. hmmm.. i was looking forward yto hearing it all week. a couple of days prior that hasd been an excellent review in the newspaper. one thinbg negative though, the critic wrote that it soundfed great and all but it was to simple. all songs progressed around a maximum of 2 chords. i myself kinda like that. but anyway i wasnt disappointed at all. noooooo... i weasnt. you all know what i mean. its a good record and much more. my finers trembled when they put the album on my all record machine. then streets.... o wowie. great. ah, ill klisten to it later on i think. in its honor i bought the rattle and hum dvd today. never saw it before. but only had been looking for it a couple of weeks. since i only got a dvd player then. well you know, rnh is more or less jt's brother... so, in conclusion reminisce all you want in here....

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~stadtmueller

 

[sulawesigirl4]

I only have a tape deck in my car and am therefore limited to my music selection while driving. However, a few weeks ago I picked up used tapes of JT and AB and have been a happy camper since. JT has been my drive music for over a week now and I'm rediscovering the joy and the thrill that this album was for me when I first starting falling for the band.

I don't think there ever has been or ever will be an intro quite like the one into Streets. Regardless of how many times I listen to it, it never fails to move me and stir me on a very deep level. ISHFWILF has evolved for me personally from a song that I could take or leave, into a heartfelt anthem that I could identify with. WOWY was the song that first struck me to the core, made me aware of U2 and inspired me to find out who these guys were...who could make music like this that would express my heart and soul so eloquently. It still is my favorite U2 song when all is said and done.

So many beautiful songs...one terrific album. Never to be forgotten.

Happy Birthday "Joshua Tree".

-sula

 

[Ana]

Already 15 years! WOW

One of the best albums ever made.

*HAPPY BDAY TO U JOSHUA TREE!!*

 

[madonna's child]

Happy Birthday, Joshua Tree!

You'll always rock my streets with no names!

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The Irish been coming here for years. Feels like they own the place.

All That You Can't Leave Behind is my album of the year!

Love,
Emily

Visit my webpage for U2 wallpapers:
www.geocities.com/springtime5348/index.html

 

[STING2]

Joshua Tree was released on March 9, 1987 outside the USA. In the USA it was released on Tuesday March 17, 1987. The March 7th date was most certainly what is called a "street date violation". But they still do happen to this day.

 

[senrab]

One of the best albums ever.....

 

[Roland of Gilead]

Holy Crap!

I am getting old!

(I base on age on U2 releases, not my actual B-Day.)

I was 16 when the Joshua Tree was released. I thank God for giving me the Greatest Album of all time when I was a young horny teenager. With or Without You must of helped me charmed at least 3 girls into going out with me. I don't think I would of been the man I am now if it wasn't for this album.

 

[follower]

My remembrance of The Joshua Tree release will be forever linked to a great event in my life and that was when I got pregnant of my first child. But I won't bother you all with this story again...Just wanna say that, apart from being a widely recognized masterpiece, The Joshua Tree has a special place in my heart and its 15 anniversary brings back some special moments to me. That's the reason why I chose the album to be my soundtrack this week. The Streets/ISHFWYLF/WOWY combo remains essential and Running to Stand Stil, One Tree Hilll, Red Hill Mining Town and Mothers of Disappeared keep their power of gettng me moved whenever I listened to them.

 

[Sperber]

it is hard to imagine that U2 are going strong so long now. Is there any exemple for this in music history? Their masterpiece (besides AB) is now 15 years old???Where has the time gone...

And I fear another masterpiece is in the pipe

 

[scatteroflight]

That's amazing. Unfortunately I don't remember it coming out

I was only seven. I wasn't aware of U2 till I was nine or ten, I think. At least not consciously, but I guess it was in the air

I would still choose it as their greatest album. It's funny, but I don't actually listen to it that often. Of course, I often hear songs off it on the radio. When I do listen to it--I almost always listen from start to finish, and it's always a beautiful and profound experience. JT and Sting's The Soul Cages are probably my two favourite albums but I don't listen to them as often as some other music. But maybe that make the experience all the better.

And I've been coming back to these albums for about half my life now. I think the true test is when the albums stick around in your life.

And there is nothing on the face of the earth like the opening of Streets. I just THINK it and I get chills. That's greatness.



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Your sun so bright it leaves no shadows, only scars
Carved into stone on the face of earth
The moon is up and over One Tree Hill
We see the sun go down in your eyes

 

[Autumn454]

YAY! My favorite album! It has truly stood the test of time and will for all eternity. Long live JT!

I am so hung up on this album, as is evident in my location and sig.

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~Burned by the fire of love~

 

[tiny dancer]

Originally posted by senrab:
One of the best albums ever.....

ABSOLUTELY

 

[doctorwho]

I have NO memory of obtaining JT! LOL!

I recall buying "War" late in'83 after my friends mocked me for not hearing SBS. I adored UF, but I never outright owned a copy of it until '88! I made a tape of UF in '85 (yes, a year after it was released!) and played that poor tape until it died. In '88, a friend bought me R&H and UF as Xmas presents. I remember getting AB the day of its release. I had the opportunity to get "Zooropa" at midnight the day it was released, but as the store played it over and over, I was so disappointed in it, that I actually decided to pass! Of course, I later relented (about 3 weeks later) and obtained it - and it now is one of my favorite U2 albums. I obtained "Pop" and ATYCLB at midnight on their release dates. I believe I bought the "Best Of" on its first day of release as well. "Boy" and "October" were later acquired (I think between '88 and '92).

I became a U2 fan in '83 and remember getting all of the albums except JT. I'm sure I just went to a music store one day and got it - but I really don't remember where or when. I graduated from college that year, so this may explain it as I'm sure I had lots of things on my mind (like making sure I did well enough in my courses to ensure a graduation, getting my minor in mathematics, putting together a resume and hunting for jobs, etc.). Still, it's odd I have no recollection of that moment.

What's even more odd is that for the longest time, I really only listened to the first 3 songs off of JT. "Bullet..." just dragged down the high I had received from "Streets...," "I Still Haven't..." and "With or Without You." I eventually started discovering the beauty of the other tracks, but it took a while.

I guess it's because of these oddities, that JT never became my favorite U2 album - actually, it's one of my least favorite. Still, Bono's soaring vocals, that "Streets..." high and the ever passionate "One Tree Hill" (although JT isn't high on my U2 list, that song is) has found a special place in my heart. I had a letter from a friend where we discussed JT. I remember reading and writing letters to him in a slow philosophy class I had. LOL! Aaah... memories. If only life could be that simple again...

 

[SkeeK]

Originally posted by STING2:
Joshua Tree was released on March 9, 1987 outside the USA. In the USA it was released on Tuesday March 17, 1987. The March 7th date was most certainly what is called a "street date violation". But they still do happen to this day.

Awesome. Looks like the old bastard can get 2 birthday parties then. Good stuff.



[This message has been edited by SkeeK (edited 03-09-2002).]

 

[spanisheyes]

I remember vividly queuing my local record store at midnight, early Tuesday morning, in order to get the cd early. While standing in line, we listened as we got closer and closer to the entrance, while inside, the The Joshua Tree played, and we could hear the most incredible songs filling the night sky. I remember standing there in tears as the faint organ and then the most beautiful guitar intro I'd had ever heard begin the song 'Where The Streets Have No Name'. When I got my copy, I listened to the whole album in my car, unable to drive, but just sat there in the parking lot while song after song imprinted himself into the very core of my being, and I knew that what I was listening to was beyond words, but touched me deep in my soul, and for that moment, I was deeply moved like no other album as ever moved me since. Time seemed to stand still, I heard no other voices, I was entralled by the rapturous sounds I was hearing, while Bono sang like every song was his last. When the last song ended, and side one started again, I drove the late night streets while the songs played on again. I just drove and drove my city streets with no thought of time or care in the world. I had my band with me, and they had given me the greatest gift in their music again, and as I passed from city light to city light, the songs encompassed everything about the night, but also shown with the brilliance of a thousand stars, and it appeared as if the album had the effect of starting with the morning light and sunrise of 'Where the Streets Have No Name' and ending with the setting sun giving way to the night wrapping around the day with 'Mothers of the Disappeared'. I would finally get home, and play The Joshua Tree over and over that night, and knew that what I was beholding with my ears, with my eyes closed as a montage of visual images in brilliant colours filled my mind from each song, was nothing short of musical perfection.

Chris


[This message has been edited by spanisheyes (edited 03-09-2002).]

 

[david]

I agree with SpanishEyes, in the sense of the songs on The Joshua Tree are like classics. They're not like normal songs, it's almost hard to describe them, they're like mini movies or something.

I wish I was there in a record store at 12 midnight when the Joshua Tree was released, hearing the songs played for the first, how great U2 were before this album was released then they release this album and blow everyone away.

I wonder if there will ever be another Joshua Tree. A record of that magnitude, importance, cohesivness, production.

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The more of these I drink the more Bono makes sense.. - Bean from the KROQ Breakfast with U2.

 

[Zooropa140]

Hey, does anybody have a CD version with the cover pictured above? Because all the CD's I have ever seen have the blurry version of the black and white photo. I kinda wish they hadn't made the photo all blurry, I like the clear verison that appeared on the original vinyl album cover. It goes better with the idea that the album was a very clear, coherent statement by the band, unlike The Unforgettable Fire.

 

[Desire4Bono]

It's cool that it still gets so much radio play after all these years. A station I listen to plays WOWY, ISHFWILF,RHMT, IGC, Streets and RSST along with the new songs. That shows what a great album it was and how it will always survive.

 

[doctorwho]

I wanted to add one thing to my post above...

While I don't have a memory of actually buying JT, I do have a memory of the 45 rpm single for "With or Without You" playing in the jukebox in the restaurant bar where I worked. I would play that song over and over.

The owner's daughter, who was around 14 or so but still managed to annoy a lot of people even at that tender age, also loved the song. My fellow coworkers would plead with me not to play U2 as it might attract this young annoying girl to the bar. LOL! But, alas, my love of U2 won - and the song played.

I also remember when "I Still..." started getting airplay. I pointed out the religious overtones to my fellow restaurant workers with such pride. I also took some pride in the fact that I loved this band for 4 years at that point - a time before they became big.

Later, during the summer of '87, I had my first chemist job. I didn't last there long (low wages with poor benefits forced me to seek employment elsewhere), but I loved hearing some of the more "rare" JT songs on the radio at that job. Nothing like getting to work at -*yawn* - 7:30 a.m. but knowing I could hear tons of U2 on the radio.

Lastly, I remember my "friend" in college going on and on about how she saw U2 at the Rosemont Horizon - which became the famous "Rock's Hottest Ticket" boot. I chastised her for not inviting me to the concert. I had friends see U2 for the UF and JT tours, but not me. That's why in '92 I took charge and made sure I got to see them. I've been going to U2 shows ever since.

So while I have no memories of getting the actual CD, I do have plenty of U2 memories from 1987. And while JT isn't my favorite U2 album, it certainly was the best album of 1987 and one of the best albums of the 80's.

I have many fond memories of that simpler time. I guess that's what I love about U2 - since we are close in age, I've always been able to relate to their feelings and music, from the rocking AB, to the experimental "Pop" to the heartfelt ATYCLB. Each album was EXACTLY what I needed in my life at that given moment.

 

[jezebel]

How do you explain something that has been with you for FIFTEEN years now, through good times and bad, through droughts and monsoonal rains, through every life change? That meant so much to you that you HAD to visit THE TREE twelve years after the album had been released, and the songs still reverberate everywhere, through your head and your heart......

I'll never forget how I had just moved to the high desert, I had joshua trees in my front yard, for gods sake, and I bring home one of the first CDs I had ever purchased, "Look, Michael(my husband), U2 named their new CD "The Joshua Tree"!!!! And we put the CD on, and hear the opening chords of Streets, and well, you know the rest.....

Peace from the little town of Joshua Tree, California, just down the road from the Harmony Motel...

Mary

 

[david]

They need to do what Michael Jackson recently did, re-master The Joshua Tree and maybe include a few extra songs on it. AND RESIZE THE DAMN COVER!

Plus there is some new cd/dvd technology coming out that sounds superior to regular cd's so that would be cool if they did that.

My Joshua Tree cd sounds really low and I always have to turn my stereo up louder just to hear it.

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The more of these I drink the more Bono makes sense.. - Bean from the KROQ Breakfast with U2.

 

[Hawkmoon1021]

Originally posted by david:
They need to do what Michael Jackson recently did, re-master The Joshua Tree and maybe include a few extra songs on it. AND RESIZE THE DAMN COVER!

Plus there is some new cd/dvd technology coming out that sounds superior to regular cd's so that would be cool if they did that.

My Joshua Tree cd sounds really low and I always have to turn my stereo up louder just to hear it.

I was in London last year & bought the British JT, which has louder sound and the original album cover, as pictured above, not the blurry US CD cover. I think the British release also may have been remastered in the last few years, since the booklet has additional photos.

 

[Flaming Friar Sr]

if only a remastered version...

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~stadtmueller