Is Vertigo the most "hard rock" tune U2 have ever done?

[God Part III]

Vertigo is just fast, not hard. Well it is hard, but no big solos.

 

[mikal]

it looks as though we all have different definitions of "hard rock", which is all cool.

 

[IrishDawg]

Funny I haven't seen Sunday Bloody Sunday mentioned much. I think it's at the top of the list, but not the hardest. The Fly and HMTMKMKM are harder as mentioned quite a few times. I said harder, not better though.

 

[whitehead]

I am an old metal head, still listen to metal and punk here and there, but not as much as when I was 18 or so. Grew out of it, I guess.

my top 5 U2 big rockers
-Exit
-God Part II
-The Fly (especially live)
-Mofo (yes, Mofo)
-Bullet

there are a bunch worth noting after that, many have already been mentioned also Sunday Bloody Sunday, Acrobat, I would put Vertigo in this bunch, so probably top 6 or 8, not #1 on my list.

I think the 'hardness' of this song is very deceptive. It's sort of a punk/pop song to me using power chords, I like it and all, but there is a dire theme to some of those other songs.

Plus Bono seems way too happy to really make this a hard song for an old metal head

 

[Sleep Over Jack]

Vertigo is just fast, not hard. Well it is hard, but no big solos.

Since when does a song need a guitar solo to be "hard"?? Vertigo has a rough-sounding guitar riff and a good tempo.

 

[ZeroDude]

Acrobat is hard, Vertigo isn't

 

[yimou]

Acrobat is hard, Vertigo isn't

 

[Sleep Over Jack]

Acrobat is hard, Vertigo isn't

Er...

 

[AtomicBono]

Why does no one mention Discotheque? Take away the techno sound effects and that's pure rock 'n roll there, total garage band. But anyway, I'd say in studio, Vertigo is pretty hard, but Exit and The Fly are harder.

 

[david]

ABOY rocks way more than Vertigo.

I think ABOY is the most rocking U2 song in years.

 

[Lancemc]

For me, the quintessential Hard Rock act is Led Zeppelin. So going on that I'd say that Love and Peave or Else is U2's most "hard rock" song.

 

[david]

Electric Co!

 

[Phalanx]

Mofo or Like a Song > Vertigo

 

[Like someone to blame]

I respectfully refer all "newer" and/or "younger" U2 fans to their back catalogue for their hardest tracks:

Electric Co.
Rejoice
Out of Control
Two Hearts Beat As One
Like A Song
Indian Summer Sky
Treasure (Pete The Chop)

However, the hardest "rocker" in my opinion is Wire, featuring classic Bono wailing and screeching, a dirty bass riff by Adam, some mean and nasty guitar by Edge, and steady skin slapping by Larry.

You all can argue it's Vertigo, Exit, or HMTMKMKM, but just because the song uses power chords doesn't make it a hard rocker. Go back and listen to the above mentioned songs objectively, especially Wire and Like A Song. You'll be surprised how much they "rock."

Really, the only recent songs (last decade or so) that belong on the hard list are MOFO, Vertigo, & ABOY. I just don't think they are the "hardest".

 

[Paliughi]

If you don't know....ELECTRIC CO. Would love to hear it on the tour, God willing there is a tour.

 

[desire25]

For me, the quintessential Hard Rock act is Led Zeppelin. So going on that I'd say that Love and Peave or Else is U2's most "hard rock" song.

You just beat me in saying this. yes LAPOE is so rock, it reminds me of the grandfather of heavy metal , Led Zep.

 

[Yahweh_OMG]

HOLY JOE kicks Vertigo's ass

 

[Yahweh_OMG]

THE FOOL too..... but it's prior to Boy, so I don't know if it counts?

 

[artdirector]

Vertigo is one of the top upbeat songs they've done. The last time they've done one this fast and heavy was probably the song WIRE from the unforgettable fire.

 

[80sU2isBest]

I think Another Time, Another Place may be their "hardest rock" song.

 

[Canadiens1131]

SBS wipes the floor with Vertigo really, mostly due to Larry's drume and Bono's shouting.

 

[zoopop]

I think Vertigo has the roughest/heaviest riff by the Edge. Its so fast and rocking. Mofo is U2's closest thing U2 has come to "hard rock". There are a few metal elements in it. Here is my list of U2 "hard rocking" tunes:

Twilight
Like A Song (ROCKING!!!)
Tomorrow
Wire
Bullet the Blue Sky (live)
Exit (live)
God Part II
Until The End of The World
The Fly
Acrobat
Dirty Day (Live)
Hold Me Thrill Me Kiss Me Kill Me
Discotheque
Mofo
Gone
Last Night on Earth
Wake Up Dead Man (Dark/Heavy)
Elevation
New York (live)
Vertigo
Love and Peace or Else
All Because of You (Bono's shout rules)
Crumbs From Your Table (Riff is pretty heavy on the G to D to A chords)


Funny how the one album labeled a dance record is U2's most rocking (Pop)????? People want this huge rocking record from U2 and they gave us Pop 7 years ago.

 

[Reggie Thee Dog]

I think Vertigo is the best "riff" the Edge ever came up with, and it is a very 'rockin'' song. I don't know if it's the hardest rockin' song, but it's quite close to the top.

 

[TheBrazilianFly]

The Electric Co.
The Fly
Elevation (That solo is amazing!!!!!)
Vertigo
Like A Song
Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses (That's right, it's a pretty hard song. If you have heard a live version than you know that the distortion was even dirtier and the drums are great!)
The Fool
New Year's Day (Maybe this is just rock n' roll because of the piano but the metallic sound of the guitars is..... )
Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me
Last Night On Earth (this is more heavy than hard)
Love And Peace Or Else (this is more heavy than hard)
Until The End Of The World (the end is kinda heavy metal in my opinion)

 

[eviltwin]

good call Zoopop...that list is an excellent starting point when making hard u2 mixc-d

btw don't understand why it took three pages of posts before El. co and peace&loveorelse got mentioned? back to the original subject Vertigo is too much punk to be hard rock, the two are incompatible by definition, but if we expand it a bit, perhaps.

my entry for the hardest rocking u2-tune: Wire

....here's a rope now swing on it

 

[U2DMfan]

ABOY rocks way more than Vertigo.

I think ABOY is the most rocking U2 song in years.

Absolutely, you sir, have figured it out.

ABOY is a fuckign rock song.

Vertigo is pop pretending to be punk. It's a good song, but give me a break.

 

[discothequeLP]

Funny how the one album labeled a dance record is U2's most rocking (Pop)????? People want this huge rocking record from U2 and they gave us Pop 7 years ago.

hahahaha!!! i've always known that Pop was the hardest rocking song, and i've always known that people were dissapointed when this alubm wasn't the "big rocker" that people really wanted, but i never fuckin' put the two together!!! Haha, that's fuckin genius man.



Pop does rock!

 

[Palace_Hero]

Street mission.

 

[snutes1]

I think Another Time, Another Place may be their "hardest rock" song.

Amen

My favorite song from BOY is "another time another place"

It definately rocks.


My top five hard rockers

Wire,
Another time another place
Acrobat
HMTMKMKM
The fly