Is Please the best song U2's ever written?

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mug222

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I'm starting to think so. In terms of lyrics (brilliant) and musical construction (utterly unique).

What prompted this thought was a cover of Please by one of my favorite artists ever, Elvis Costello. Hopefully you've all heard it, as he does a beautiful version.

So, any thoughts?
 
Nooo way. I don't even like the tune. I wouldn't even put it in my top 30. One is the best song they ever wrote.
 
I think it's a beautiful song.. and has gained much more eerie resonance lately...


But in terms of naming U2's best song - that a subjective qualification.
 
HelloAngel said:


But in terms of naming U2's best song - that a subjective qualification.
Click to expand...

I'm aware, and just looking for some opinions...
 
Definately one of my favourites (not the album version though)

And I think it is possibly U2's most creative, unique work, where they try some pretty unique things in terms of structure and stuff (and adam playing in the wrong key at the beginning lol) and it turns out really, really well. One is an amazing, spellbinding song, but I see Please as being a little more adventurous. Which I like. That said, I'm not sure which I like more. I'd tend to say Please, just because songs like One already have their fair share of supporters and a song like Please deserves a hell of a lot of recognition.

And yeah, the lyrics are really really well done. And it also has my favourite U2 video, yeah that one that never gets shown anywhere.

And if it's not on the upcoming best of because they had to scrap it to make room for BD, Walk On, and Stuck... That will piss me off.

And something else I found out that I thought was kinda interesting... Craig Armstrong did the string arrangement on the single version (which is eons above the album version imo)
 
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i think Please is right up there - probably top 5. Certainly for me it's adams number 2 baseline behind wowy. Lyrically it is amazing, the tempo variations and vocal ranges are awesome.
Very different to everything else from Pop, and has been presented in some incredibly varied formats. Definately one of the top 5 songs live IMO as well.
 
Please is definitely in the top 10 songs in my opinion, maybe even in top 5.
I agree with Skeek about being very :mad: if it is not on the Best Of album cos of songs from ATYCLB.
 
Best of compilations are usually the best selling, or 'greatest hits' of any band, so naturally the ones that were more successful are going to be on there. Record companies also use the ones they think will sell the compilation the best to more people.

Has anyone ever noticed that with almost every really famous band it seems like at least one of their really famous songs is always left off? I think that's to make sure people have to buy at least one other album and not just the greatest hits, what do you think?
 
Salome said:
because A Sort of Homecoming is a far better song
on every account
Click to expand...

whether or not this is snide (can't tell over the internet): ASOH is one of my top songs, as well, but it can't compare lyrically.

edit: are you a costello fan, by the way?
 
Salome said:
because A Sort of Homecoming is a far better song
on every account
Click to expand...

:up: :yes:

Right you are! It's far superior. I can think of many more that are too.
 
mug222 said:


whether or not this is snide (can't tell over the internet): ASOH is one of my top songs, as well, but it can't compare lyrically.

edit: are you a costello fan, by the way?
Click to expand...
I disagree vehemently that a song with better lyrics than A Sort of Homecoming exists (by any band / artist)

so, no it was not a snide


(I like Costello a lot)
 
"the city walls are all come down
the dust a smoke screen all around to see
faces ploughed like fields that once
gave no resistance"

It just seems a bit overdone, to me. It's perfect for that stage in U2's existence, granted: youthful innocence, unbridled by the cynicism that another decade would bring. But these lines from Please, though they're supremely jaded, mean more to me:

"Your Catholic blues
Your convent shoes
Your stick-on tattoos
Now they're making the news
Your holy war
Your northern star
Your sermon on the mount
From the boot of your car"

They're both terrific lyrics in their own way, actually. All right, I'll back down.

(p.s. while on costello, and terrific songs, and because I'm listening to it now: New Amsterdam is one of the best songs ever created by anybody.)
 
I love ASOH and it's a shame it's so underrated. If you want to talk political stuff, SBS is superior both musically and lyrically to Please. But One will most likely be the song that will be remembered as their best, and maybe Streets.

Anybody want to make any arguments against "One?"
 
Did anyone else here bid for the original lyrics of Please when they went on internet auction? I think it was in 1999.
- i dont know what they were eventually sold for but i the last time i looked it was about US$1600, im pretty sure it was to raise money for the omagh victims.

*Wish i had of had more money to invest*

I still think please is lyrically one of U2's greatest.
 
I'm amazed by that version of Please at the Popmart concert in Mexico City.......it is extraordinary........
 
U2Kitten said:
Best of compilations are usually the best selling, or 'greatest hits' of any band, so naturally the ones that were more successful are going to be on there. Record companies also use the ones they think will sell the compilation the best to more people.
Click to expand...

I am almost positive that U2 gets to decide (or at least make some suggestions) what goes on their Best Of compilations and such.

Anyway, I LOVE Please. It's a wonderful song -- lyrically and musically. It is most definitely in my top 20 :)
 
While I absolutely LOVE the song (it's particularly powerful when played live), I'd have to say, "No." While it is arguably one of the most beautiful songs U2 has written to date, my heart is still set on "One."
 
Yo yo yo yo.
Please is number Three for me.

1. Bullet the Blue Sky live (19/08/01)
2. Where the Streets Have no Name
3. Please (Live)
4. Hold Me Thrill me Kiss me Kill Me
5. Pride

Please segued with Streets just blows me away everytime. Please has a unique quality to it (as do all U2 songs), there's just something about it that just sparkles for me. There a lot of bitterness and pain in the lyrics which I can relate to. It is so touching to listen to. Only the live version though, the others are about as gripping as being hit on the head with a wet sponge.
 
Not sure, but I think Bono said that Stay is the best song they have ever written. Anyways I absolutely love Please, although I agree with Skeek on the single version being superior than the album one, musically speaking. As for the lyrics, Please comes from an era of fabulous songwriting by Bono, which is the POP era. Please is an outstanding peace IMO.
 
rafmed said:
I love Please, my fav perhaps in Pop, I agree lyrically is superior to ASoHC, which is anyway a classic.
Click to expand...
no song with "stick-on tattoos" in it has better lyrics than A Sort Of Homecoming

since no song has better lyrics than A Sort Of Homecoming that isn't really surprising though
 
GypsyHeartgirl said:


That's putting it mildy....;)
Click to expand...

I don't mean to detract from your hating of Pop, which is totally up to you.. but i would recommend getting the single version of Please, listening to it, and pretending it's not on Pop. Because the single version really isn't much like the rest of Pop... sweeping strings, beautiful melodic guitars and soaring vocals... sounds more in place on JT or perhaps a cross between the MDH soundtrack and ATYCLB. Seriously. I just really like to think that everyone can be as profoundly moved by this song as it has done to me.
 
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