U2 songs that don't fit their albums

[thelemonbono]

Almost all of these choices above have something in common,they break the momentum of the message that the average U2 album aspires too. Take New York off of ATYCLB for example , a really great U2 song musically but completely off the mark as to what this album is trying to convey lyrically,just at the moment when the album is ready to deliver up somereal answers,blam a little location song, and yes I know its intended to be a metaphore for temptation and how no matter how pious we desire to be we always eventually give in to "NNEEWW YYOORRKK" Sorry just doesn't work, throws me right off the mark. Another one off that Album is Wild Honey which someone else mentioned earlier , which again has fine music set to toss off lyrics. remove both songs and the album actually becomes stronger.
so with this in mind here are the "Album killers that keep our beloved U2 albums from being perfect:
Joshua tree: Bullet the blue sky, Exit, really great U2 songs that belong on another album.
Rattle and Hum: God part II, really nice moment when egde makes the guitar/uzi but probably the worst moment on the album and probably the main reason for the critical backlash(as if to say I am the second coming of the spirit of John Lennon, even if it has beared out to some degree over time)
Actung Baby: Acrobat just take it out and the album flows seemlessly from "baby baby baby light my way-to-Love is blindness I don't want to see"again just remove the song and the album is better.
Zooropa: A great "accidental" U2 album and wish they'd do more like this I can't really pinpoint it like the others because like U2's first four albums they really are just off in search of a mood and a sound and a sort of hard to grasp vision so the lack of conservative structure we find on their "highly produced albums"allows them and the listener more freedom so no real album breakers here. I have just never understood why Bono has not sung the Wanderer, or that edge hasn't put it to guitar, would be a great satillite stage duet !
Pop: What can I say , I believe we all agree here that this Album would have been so much better by just leaving Miami and Playboy mansion off this album. Would have been a great album for Bullet the blue sky and exit though.
and I did ATYCLB above.
so there you have it the list of U2 songs that don't work in the context of their albums,at least for me.
.som nackt barac.

 

[U2Kitten]

JT-

Exit
Mothers of the Disappeared
BTBS

They don't fit the theme, mood or feeling of the rest of it. I usually skip Bullet unless someone else wants to hear it, and I almost never listen to the last 2 songs.

Replace with Heartland, Desire and All I Want Is You

I know it's a great album anyway.

AB-

One

But it's good, so leave it!

POP-

SATS
WUDM

They don't fit the mood or the sound of the rest of it. (I never liked the mood and sound, which is why I like these and not most of the rest lol! )

Zooropa-

Stay

But it's the best song on the album.

ATYCLB-

Elevation

 

[U2Kitten]

As for UF, why did they leave off LCT and 3 Sunrises and put on EP and America and Fourth of July? It's already an awesome album but add those and WOW.

 

[Moonlit_Angel]

I believe we all agree here that this Album would have been so much better by just leaving Miami and Playboy mansion off this album.

Not all of us think those songs should've been left off the album. I personally like those songs.

I honestly don't know what songs I'd say seem "out of place". I mean, there's songs on a lot of their albums that may not be in my top 5 off of the album, but...I don't know.

Angela

 

[U2Kitten]

Just wanted to say, the songs I put were not meant to be songs I thought didn't belong because I didn't like them, in some cases I didn't, in some cases the ones I listed were some of my favorites. I just put the ones I thought didn't 'fit in' with the rest of the songs on the album IMO, whether or not I liked them.

 

[Rafiennes]

I honestly feel that all but 1 of the albums work for me as they are. I think every album (except 1) has a defined begining, middle and end and to rearrange that would take away from the power and impact of the other songs.

I'm also one of the few who absolutely love POP. I think that Miami and Playboy Mansion serve a purpose. If you look at that album as coming off the high of Achtung and Zooropa (including ZOO TV and HMTMKMKM) those two songs are kind of a look back to that way of life. The glitz, the glamour, the neon, the flash. But you've been dealt harsh blows of reality with Staring atthe Sun, IGWSHA and seeing the ravaging effects that the lifestyle you've leftebhind can have on someone else who emmerses themselves in it (Last Night on Earth) So Miami and Playboy Mansion are the final siren songs to lure you back there. I also appreciate them for being sonic experiments by the band.

The only album that doesn't work for me as is would be ATYCLB. I think the track order is off. In fact, the only way I can listen to it is on a playlist in the order I prefer. I think songs like When I Look At The World and Wild Honey are good, but album material? Maybe not. The first time I heard WILATW I thought it sounded unfinished. Wild Honey, while a good song, seemed a little too out of left field for my tastes.

I'm hoping the new album will maintain that begining, middle and end the others have had in the past.

 

[Blue Room]

I dont think there are any songs on JT or AB that do not belong. The reason those are generally regarded as their best works is because they are complete albums from start to finish with little or no filler.

I would strongly disagree that Bullet does not fit the theme of Joshua Tree. The Joshua Tree is at least partially about America, Ireland and Central America and Bullet is about Americas involvement in C. America and what Bono perceived as the dark side of America. Not to mention that I think the harshness of Bullet right into Running To Stand Still is one of the better moments on a U2 album as far as song combinations. I think they compliment each other very well and that translated very well when it was done live also. So I think it definately "fits". Exit is about a man who takes religion to seriously or perverts it (IE American Televangilists), so in that vein I think it fits also. The only one that doesnt fit as far as topic is Mothers, but in a way it is tied to issues in Bullet. I also think it is the perfect closer musically for the album. The album doesnt stick to one complete theme though musically or lyrically and I wouldnt want it to. Overall it is a very cohesive album and I dont think there is a weak track.

I do agree that ATYCLB is a good album but as an overall themed album it is a bit erratic, more than it probebly should be. I agree that the track order is off, the original track order they had for the album before they moved Stuck to the 2nd song work much better. Its the only way I listen to it. I also seem to skip Wild Honey and Peace On Earth when I listen to it. But the rest of the album is very strong for me minus those 2 songs put in the original order.

 

[BVS]

The only thing I've never liked is the transition between Bullet and With or Without you, it's too harsh. I like the song, it should stay just a different arrangement. IMO

 

[gareth brown]

I love listening to every U2 album the way they all are...because when I hear the end of one track, I know which is coming next...i think most of them go perfectly.

 

[u2_england]

Almost all of these choices above have something in common,they break the momentum of the message that the average U2 album aspires too. Take New York off of ATYCLB for example , a really great U2 song musically but completely off the mark as to what this album is trying to convey lyrically,just at the moment when the album is ready to deliver up somereal answers,blam a little location song, and yes I know its intended to be a metaphore for temptation and how no matter how pious we desire to be we always eventually give in to "NNEEWW YYOORRKK" Sorry just doesn't work, throws me right off the mark. Another one off that Album is Wild Honey which someone else mentioned earlier , which again has fine music set to toss off lyrics. remove both songs and the album actually becomes stronger.

Agree with Wild Honey (awful and out of place), but NY keeps the album above mediocre.

so with this in mind here are the "Album killers that keep our beloved U2 albums from being perfect:
Joshua tree: Bullet the blue sky, Exit, really great U2 songs that belong on another album.

I'm sorry, but you are totally wrong about this!
JT is U2's acme and would be the lesser for the exclusion of these two.Each of your choices refer to what is at the heart of JT - religion, dark sexuality and politics.

Rattle and Hum: God part II, really nice moment when egde makes the guitar/uzi but probably the worst moment on the album and probably the main reason for the critical backlash(as if to say I am the second coming of the spirit of John Lennon, even if it has beared out to some degree over time)

God Part II has to be included!!!!
GP2 is a daring, f** you song that keeps RAH from disappearing up it's own over-blown backside!

Actung Baby: Acrobat just take it out and the album flows seemlessly from "baby baby baby light my way-to-Love is blindness I don't want to see"again just remove the song and the album is better.

Hmmm... I'm split on this one.
I love the swirling confusion of angst contained in this track, but I see your point.

Zooropa: A great "accidental" U2 album and wish they'd do more like this I can't really pinpoint it like the others because like U2's first four albums they really are just off in search of a mood and a sound and a sort of hard to grasp vision so the lack of conservative structure we find on their "highly produced albums"allows them and the listener more freedom so no real album breakers here. I have just never understood why Bono has not sung the Wanderer, or that edge hasn't put it to guitar, would be a great satillite stage duet !.

I think Babyface is weak, uninspiring and throwaway.

Pop: What can I say , I believe we all agree here that this Album would have been so much better by just leaving Miami and Playboy mansion off this album. Would have been a great album for Bullet the blue sky and exit though.

Miami is one of U2's underrated classics and screams POP!
So I TOTALLY disagree with your "I believe we all agree" statement.
PM is a tongue-in-cheek gamble that maybe doesn't say POP! as the other tracks do.


I enjoyed your post though
And it's always good to argue/disagree over the biggest band in the world.

 

[Swan269]

Drowning man seems kind of a lost beacon in a sea of anger

 

[jick]

This thread is pure bullocks. I guess a lot of fans seem to doubt U2's choices and foresight. They believe that U2 have bad taste and bad decision-making in putting allegedly ill-fitting songs to the albums.

The problem is, the album is the sum of the parts - take out one song then it is no longer the album anymore. Besides, where does it say that there is a rule that all songs in the album must center on the same theme or have the same musical undertones? U2's albums always have variety, both thematically and musically - so to say one song doesn't fit is like saying U2 should be have a one-tracked narrow-minded process.

I feel that U2 has their own reasons for including and excluding songs so who am I to judge their wisdom of selection and rejection? It's fine to nitpick on U2 - they have their moments of unprofessionalism and failure -- but to nitpick on something as trivial as song selection -- come on!

Cheers,

J

 

[Seabird]

The drop form Beautiful Day down to Stuck always felt like such a letdown to me. I think a slightly more peppier song could have been second on the track list.

 

[thrillme]

Another one off that Album is Wild Honey which someone else mentioned earlier , which again has fine music set to toss off lyrics

----------------------------------------------------------------

That could be so, but the only person I've read say something about that song's being on the album was Adam, and his words were, if I remember correctly, "we added that song, to keep people from jumping out of the windows."

Now I don't think he meant literally, but some of the lyrics to ATYCLB aren't exactly, "oops I did it again" either.

THe Beatles had lyrics such as, "she loves you yeah yeah," "i wanna hold your hand," "lmnop I think you're swell and I know you do me well" ?!

And they had 2 people, it's pretty much Bono coming up with the lyrics, I'm sure Edge and maybe Adam and Larry help in some way, but it's not like 4 people are writing all the lyrics, it's 1 person, and 3 others giving their help when they can.

 

[Salome]

hmm, there are songs that I like less
but I don't think I could name one that I would rather not have/seems out of place to me on an album

 

[Lilac]

J is right, you can't argue with U2 they're perfect!

 

[Swan269]

Well maybe not out of place but songs that have a totally different vibe then the rest of the album. I love Drowning Man but it has a different tone then the rest of the songs.

 

[Axver]

Why The Refugee was track six on War instead of A Celebration, I'll never understand.

 

[~*Buffalo*~]

I always see each of U2's albums as having a particular theme, so yes, some songs just don't fit in very well. For example ...

War - Red Light just doesn't make sense to me. Nor does the Refugee. Good songs, but in the wrong context.

JT - I hardly ever listen to the last 2 tracks. For me, JT ends with One Tree Hill because it's a perfect closer for the idea of the album.

R&H - Van Diemen's Land does not fit at all. Its sound, lyrics, tempo ... nothing at all in common with the rest of the album.

Good idea for a thread!

 

[u2_england]

This thread is pure bullocks.

Well, it's got you posting a reply so at least it made you think - unlike other threads which are as interesting as playing Wild Honey and Babyface back to back.

I guess a lot of fans seem to doubt U2's choices and foresight. They believe that U2 have bad taste and bad decision-making in putting allegedly ill-fitting songs to the albums.

Yes, U2 (like every other band - ever) can suffer from bad decision making, but this thread is totally subjective and personal - it is only what fans think.
You can disagree with U2's choices - we are all entitled to our own opinion.

The problem is, the album is the sum of the parts - take out one song then it is no longer the album anymore. Besides, where does it say that there is a rule that all songs in the album must center on the same theme or have the same musical undertones? U2's albums always have variety, both thematically and musically - so to say one song doesn't fit is like saying U2 should be have a one-tracked narrow-minded process.

I agree with you upto your last sentence.
No one is calling the band narrow-minded, but when an album is in production there are tons of unused session tracks which maybe could've been included in the same way as used session tracks could've been dropped - again it's U2's choice, but that doesn't mean we can't disagree with it.

I feel that U2 has their own reasons for including and excluding songs so who am I to judge their wisdom of selection and rejection?

Who are you?
You are a fan, an admirer, a person with an opinion (which you have shown here).
That gives you the right to judge anything you like, or don't like.
Remember that U2 can gauge feedback and can alter setlists based on fan reaction.
"We're going to have to go away and think it all up again" Bono - this wasn't just aimed at the critics.

It's fine to nitpick on U2 - they have their moments of unprofessionalism and failure -- but to nitpick on something as trivial as song selection -- come on!

Cheers,

J

One thing that isn't trivial is song selection.
It is THE most important choice the band are going to make.
A bad album can affect tours (poor sales equal 'careful' tour dates) and can affect the band itself with bands taking breaks
and solo projects being released which can lead to a band's output dropping which affects us - the fans.
We can all name awful albums by big artists - it happens.

No one is calling U2 sh*t.
They are just having an opinion - like yourself.

I enjoyed reading your post (because it made me think) just as much as I enjoyed reading the original post.

 

[babyman]

every song has its history, every song wich was put in the albums is good...