Songs Nobody Ever Talks About!

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wertsie

wertsie

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Okay, today I was thinking, "You know, there are some really great U2 songs out there that I never seem to hear about!" so I'm going to pick one from each album to comment on, and people can add their thoughts/songs as they wish...

Boy
Stories For Boys: I don't know what it is, exactly. I just love it. I recently added this song to my "car mix" tape that I made (there was a thread about it awhile ago...). It's just really infectious.

October
With a Shout: My latest discovery. I love Larry's drum part. It gets me pumped up every time I hear it and I always sing the "Je-ru-sa-lem" part at the top of my lungs.

War
Seconds: I don't know why, but I remember being so excited when I found out that Edge sings lead on this one. Another great tune.

The Unforgettable Fire
Wire: What can I say? AWESOME guitar part. Another great song for getting me all pumped up.

The Joshua Tree
Mothers of the Disappeared: This song makes me cry. I love how it slowly sneaks up on you, and the Popmart performance of it was especially moving.

Rattle and Hum
God Part II: This is another "must have" tune for me while riding in my car. It's perfect!

Achtung Baby
Acrobat: I love this one, but it doesn't seem like it's mentioned much here...I always listen to it when I'm really pissed off. Great advice..."Don't let the bastards grind you down."

Zooropa
Some Days are Better Than Others: Well...This was really the only song from the album that I could think of that hasn't gotten much attention. Anyway, I really like it. It has a nice groove to it.

Pop
The Playboy Mansion: I remember back when I first saw the title of this song. My first thought was, "WTF?" But really, it's great! I love it. Great message. Great song.

All That You Can't Leave Behind
Wild Honey: I didn't really pay that much attention to this song until it showed up in the middle of my watching Vanilla Sky. Great summer song.
 
U2's music hits us all emotionally different. Most casual fans would go with the big hits of U2, because that is what is dictated on the radio, or on music video channels. If they were to buy U2's albums, they might record surf, and skip over some of what we would call obscure tracks from the casual fans point of view, or even the fanatical fan who just doesn't get moved by all of U2's music, and that is alright, I'm cool with that.

All of the songs you mentioned are fantastic songs, and most of them were part of U2's live shows at one point or another, particularly right after a particular album was released, and for whatever reason, only for that tour. Only Acrobat, Some Days Are Better Than Others, and Playboy Mansion (or possibly just a snippet of the song was played live) have never been played live. It is amazing that we often feel that every U2 song has to move us on an album, and I'm not sure if that is possible. Anyways Wertsie, good choices there.

Chris
 
spanisheyes said:
It is amazing that we often feel that every U2 song has to move us on an album, and I'm not sure if that is possible.

Chris
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Interesting observation...And also I have found that I won't really identify with a song for awhile, and then I'll be listening to it one day and be like, "Oh my god...This is incredible." I had a moment like that while listening to "Running to Stand Still" a few days ago. I always thought it was a good song, but I never really felt that "connection" to it, you know? It's great when all of a sudden something like that hits you. :happy:
 
wertsie said:



Interesting observation...And also I have found that I won't really identify with a song for awhile, and then I'll be listening to it one day and be like, "Oh my god...This is incredible." I had a moment like that while listening to "Running to Stand Still" a few days ago. I always thought it was a good song, but I never really felt that "connection" to it, you know? It's great when all of a sudden something like that hits you. :happy:
Click to expand...

You make a good observation as well Wertsie...U2's music deals with so many issues, can be taken at so many emotional levels, that it takes many listenings, or for us to be at a particular place in our lives when suddenly one of their songs, or a chord connects with us, and we suddenly have this awareness not so much about what Bono, or U2 is saying from their experience and what the song is about, but how the song is speaking to us about a particular situation we find ourselves in, and a particular song becomes meaningful to us. That is the power of music, in that we have to find something of equal to match the emotions of life that we experience, and for me, nothing has come as close to that as U2's music, and even a song that might not have done nothing for me in the past can suddenly come from nowhere, and broadside you emotionally when your at a place for that song to do it for you.

Chris
 
spanisheyes said:


You make a good observation as well Wertsie...U2's music deals with so many issues, can be taken at so many emotional levels, that it takes many listenings, or for us to be at a particular place in our lives when suddenly one of their songs, or a chord connects with us, and we suddenly have this awareness not so much about what Bono, or U2 is saying from their experience and what the song is about, but how the song is speaking to us about a particular situation we find ourselves in, and a particular song becomes meaningful to us. That is the power of music, in that we have to find something of equal to match the emotions of life that we experience, and for me, nothing has come as close to that as U2's music, and even a song that might not have done nothing for me in the past can suddenly come from nowhere, and broadside you emotionally when your at a place for that song to do it for you.

Chris
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:yes: :yes: :yes:

*cheers* EXACTLY! Another example I just thought of..."So Cruel." Up until about 5 years ago I thought that song was kind of dull, but then, like a bolt of lightening, it hit me. I felt EXACTLY the way Bono describes in the song.

:happy: *sigh* Thank God for U2!
 
God Part II is one of my favourite Rattle and Hum songs. It's wonderful on the album, and even better live -- I wish they would play it live once in awhile, but there are so many songs like that.. "Oh I wish they'd play [blah blah], why don't they bring [blah blah] out once in awhile, why don't they play [blah blah], oh it'd be the thrill of my life to hear [blah blah].." ;) It is one of my favourites, though.. I love the lyrics, particularly the part about Goldman.

edit: heh, i can't spell :eek:
 
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I absolutely love "Shadows and Tall Trees"...but I almost never see mention of it by anybody.
 
I adore Heartland, it's my fave song on Rattle and Hum

*just put Boy in the cd player, thanks to this post* :D
 
Last year i did a post on Wire and I Threw a Brick ....... as songs that are underated and got a great response. They are both just fantastic knockout tracks IMHO.
As for Heartland, well, its just about beyond words - my favourite U2 song most of the time.

Pamela
 
wertsie said:






Achtung Baby
Acrobat: I love this one, but it doesn't seem like it's mentioned much here...I always listen to it when I'm really pissed off. Great advice..."Don't let the bastards grind you down."



All That You Can't Leave Behind
Wild Honey: I didn't really pay that much attention to this song until it showed up in the middle of my watching Vanilla Sky. Great summer song.
Click to expand...

I thought these 2 songs were mentioned a lot around here...they are 2 songs i really like anyway :)
 
Re: Re: Songs Nobody Ever Talks About!

Lara Mullen said:


I thought these 2 songs were mentioned a lot around here...they are 2 songs i really like anyway :)
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Really? I don't think I've ever seen them mentioned here before...It's a good thing if they are though. They're amazing tunes!
 
Swan269 said:
I always liked I Fall Down from October.
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:yes: That's another one that doesn't get enough props, imho.

Also, I was just listening to Scarlet last night...Another song that deserves a big hug! :happy:
 
Lovey Dovey said:
Van Diemens Land!!!!!

This song just speaks from the soul...And touches mine. I love it, its so simple and so humble yet subtly powerful. One of the best ever, IMO. :heart:

Wild Honey is another. :heart:
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:yes: Those two songs are both on the mix I've been listening to in my car lately. I remember hearing Edge say something like he wished Bono had sung Van Diemen's Land instead, but I think he does a perfect job!
 
love this thread!

check out my name-- i've always claimed this little wisp of poetry as my fave U2 song --the imagery is so beautiful. it just grabbed me in my more bohemian, romantic college days and it still gets me everytime. it's also been sort of a talisman for me--i listened to it as i was getting ready for my wedding and sweating thru contractions giving birth to my sons. (my husband learned to make room for bono long ago!)
 
"All I Want Is You" does not get enough attention. For example, I think it's the only U2 song that has a sequel. ("The First Time" from Zooropa.) It is probably the ultimate U2 love song (okay, matter of opinion). And it has that awesome long guitar solo from Edge at the end and it has Bono practically weeping "You...all I want is you...all I want is you..." and it has that awesome bass part and..and...

Okay, everyone knows it is my favorite U2 song of all time, I will shut up and go hide in IAMJ again now.
 
paxetaurora said:
"All I Want Is You" does not get enough attention. For example, I think it's the only U2 song that has a sequel. ("The First Time" from Zooropa.) It is probably the ultimate U2 love song (okay, matter of opinion). And it has that awesome long guitar solo from Edge at the end and it has Bono practically weeping "You...all I want is you...all I want is you..." and it has that awesome bass part and..and...

Okay, everyone knows it is my favorite U2 song of all time, I will shut up and go hide in IAMJ again now.
Click to expand...

:yes: I love "All I want is you," especially now that I can play it on my guitar!
 
Stories for boys, with a shout and Acrobat are always playing on my 11 year old (soon to be 12!:)) son's boom box.
He seems to enjoy the old U2 music a bit more than the newer one, I think he identifies with it because of the age thing, you know the idealistic/thinking phase.
Mothers of the Disappeared makes me cry to, the story is too close to home for me.:sad:
Wild Honey makes me dance and sing at the top of my lungs, it's just a happy, sweet tune.:)
 
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