U2 vs. The Beatles (album by album)

The friendliest place on the web for anyone that follows U2.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

Salome

you are what you is
Joined
Jul 5, 2000
Messages
22,081
Location
Netherlands
hehe, go sula!

anyway I own over 150 albums, still not one Beatles-album
so I'm as much help as sulawesi

------------------
Salome
Shake it, shake it, shake it
 
Originally posted by U2fan42:
1. Boy vs. "Please Please Me" and/or "With The Beatles"
2. October vs. "Hard Day's Night" and/or "Beatles For Sale"
3. War vs. Help!
4. Unforgettable Fire vs. Rubber Soul
5. Joshua Tree vs. Revolver
6. Rattle & Hum vs. Sgt. Pepper
7. Achtung Baby vs. Magical Mystery Tour
8. Zooropa vs. The White Album
9. POP vs. Abbey Road
10. ATYCLB vs. Let It Be

discuss

Since I own all of the Beatles albums (on vinyl - ooh) and all of U2's albums (also on vinyl - ooh), I can "discuss."

Now, I wouldn't group the albums the way you did for several reasons, including the fact that U2 have yet to stop recording. However, I will work with your groupings for this discussion.

  1. Without a doubt "Boy." One of the best first albums ever.
  2. Easily "Hard Day's Night." The Beatles hit their stride with this album. Still had hints of their "bubble-gum pop" sound, yet also far more mature.
  3. "War." "Help" is solid, but pales to "Hard Day's Night." In contrast, "War" is a significant leap from "October." Plus, "War" really has U2 at the peak of this era of their sound.
  4. Although "Rubber Soul" is brilliant, my personal bias takes hold here. "Unfor. Fire" is my favorite U2 album, so it "wins."
  5. "Joshua Tree" would be better served if compared to "Sgt. Pepper." However, since you are comparing it to "Revolver" then JT dominates. Although JT is not my favorite U2 album by any means, it is the best album of 1987 and one of the best albums (top 5) of the 80's. It has achieved a classic status that "Revolver" has not.
  6. Easily "Sgt. Pepper." Even though R&H has some brilliant tracks, compared to the brilliance of JT, it is a let-down. In contrast, "Sgt. Pepper" is one of, if not the, best Beatles' album - and it has achieved a classic status matched by few releases.
  7. I've always loved "Magical Mystery Tour." I also feel that this album would best be compared to R&H, not AB. If this were the comparison, "Tour" easily wins. It has its whimsical nature, but also some of the Beatles' most powerful tracks. However, since you compared "Tour" to AB, then AB wins. AB was a clear turning point for U2 and it succeeds on every level. It is, IMO, the best album of the 90's.
  8. While I consider "Zooropa" one of my favorite albums, even my personal bias cannot choose this album over the "White Album." This double album effort by the Beatles is their AB - a true change in direction with an experimental sound that succeeds on every level.
  9. "POP" is a solid album and one that I adored in '97. However, come '01, I find myself oddly not appreciating it that much. This is a rarity for me with U2 albums. Most U2 albums grow on me over time. In contrast, I feel more distant from "POP." "Abbey Road" though is an album that can be heard again and again. Brilliant material.
  10. This last one is a challenge. "Let It Be" has the sentimental value of being the Beatles' last release. Plus, it too contains outstanding tracks that have stood the test of time. However, ATYCLB has won me over completely. There seems to be a song for every mood I experience on that album. I believe that ATYCLB will become a cherished classic, much like JT and AB. Therefore, I prefer ATYCLB.
    [/list=a]
    So the "score" from your 10 comparison is six for U2 and four for the Beatles. However, if you did your comparisons a bit differently, I think the score would be 5/5 or perhaps even in the Beatles' favor!



    [This message has been edited by doctorwho (edited 11-24-2001).]
 
1. Boy vs. "Please Please Me" and/or "With The Beatles"

2. October vs. "Hard Day's Night" and/or "Beatles For Sale"

3. War vs. Help!

4. Unforgettable Fire vs. Rubber Soul

5. Joshua Tree vs. Revolver

6. Rattle & Hum vs. Sgt. Pepper

7. Achtung Baby vs. Magical Mystery Tour

8. Zooropa vs. The White Album

9. POP vs. Abbey Road

10. ATYCLB vs. Let It Be


discuss
 
I can't vote on the first three since I haven't heard those Beatles albums.

4. Rubber Soul

5. Joshua Tree

6. Sgt. Pepper

7. Achtung Baby

8. Zooropa vs. The White Album (tie)

9. POP vs. Abbey Road (tie)

10. ATYCLB

So I end up being 3-2-2 in favour of U2. They're both great bands, though.

------------------
"Good men die unhappily. Bad men die unluckily. THAT's tragedy." --Tom Stoppard

Adam: Look guys, I got a Springfield spoon for my spoon collection.
Edge: Oh boy, here we go...
Bono: Wow, how many is that now Adam?
Adam: Nine. If I didn't have my spoons, I'd go insane.
Bono: Can I see it?
*adam gives bono the spoon, bono throws it away*
Adam: My spoon!
 
Beatles...I don't own any of their stuff. This probably makes me a musical ignoramus, but that's a risk I'm willing to take.

U2...I own all of their stuff. This probably makes me a biased fanatic, but that's a risk I'm willing to take.

biggrin.gif


I was no help at all. Sorry.

-sula
 
As long time U2 (own all officially released records - most vinyl, all on cd) and Beatles (own all officially released records, all vinyl - by the way, I use a Linn LP 12 turntable) fan I slightly differ in my opinion with Dr.Who:

1. "Boy" as a first release was as fresh, unique and very good as "Please, Please me"/"With the Beatles" - result: tie

2."October" is in all way a very unique and a interesting sounding album but I think from
the point of musical development, musical ideas and performance "A Hard Day's Night" is the outstanding record of the first Beatles period (up to Rubber Soul)- result: Beatles win

3. I would like to compare "War" against "Help" and "Beatles for Sale" because I think that both Beatles albums having in some way the same tune and mood and represent the Beatles as "saddled down artists" in their first period. I really like "War" and it's for U2 the climax of their first hard and raw time. I really like "Beatles for Sale" and especially "Help" (my first purchased Beatles album) but in terms of innovation U2 is simply better - result: U2 wins

4. I think comparing "Rubber Soul" and "Unforgettable Fire" is a good thing because both bands are now on a very important point in their careers, changing musical style and directions. Both albums are really great, but Rubber Soul is a little bit to sweet (especially the Ringo song) and "Unforgettable Fire" is still the U2 record with is closet to my heart because it really change my life and my opinions back in 1984! - result: for personal reasons and good memories about the long gone glory eighties, U2 wins

5. I actually think comparing "Joshua Tree" with "Revolver" is better than with "Sgt. Pepper". "Sgt. Pepper" is much more experimental as "Joshua Tree" ever was and I will compare it with "Achtung Baby".

I think "Revolver" and "Joshua Tree" are musical landmarks. "Joshua Tree" is all about feelings and mood. I can remember back in 1987 when I brought this record (vinyl of course) I had to hear it constantly for 4 days and I start sometimes crying because I was so emotional shaken. But I still think "Revolver", when you just compare the music is much more innovative and gives more new directions. I think "Revolver" is the best Beatles album (and I think a lot of the so called musical experts agree with me). And it has one of the top three Beatles songs (maybe the best) ever: "Tommorrow Never Knows"!
Both albumcovers are execellent. I really like the "Joshua Tree" cover (still my U2's favorite) but again the "Revolver" cover is much more innovative. - result: that's a very tough one, but I think Beatles win.

6. I like to compare "Rattle and Hum" with the so far not mentioned "Yellow Submarine" album. Although "Yellow Submarine" (the original one) has only on one side beatles songs (on the other are songs by George Martin). I especially like George Harrisons "It's all too much" on "Yellow Submarine". On "Rattle and Hum" there are two outstanding tracks "Heartland" and "All I want is you". All in all I think both albums are good made but not outstanding. - result: I favor "Rattle and Hum", U2 wins

7. I will compare "Achtung Baby" with "Sgt. Pepper", because both are very experimental and really provide new musical ground. But my decision is very simple. "Sgt. Pepper" has one really, really great song (maybe this is the best Lennon/McCartney) "A Day in A Life", but "Achtung" has the best U2 song ever ("until the End of the world") and a lot of other outstanding songs. I think "Achtung Baby" is U2's best record and it belongs into the top 5 of the best ever made records (along with "revolver" and "abbey road")- result: Because of the outstanding song quality it' s easy, U2 wins

8. "Zooropa" can be best compared with "Magical Mystery Tour". In some way the tunes and the mood of both albums are similar. Both offers these unbelieveable "summer - looking back songs" feeling. I like both very much. - result: tie

9. "PoP" I would like to compare with "White Album". Both are kind of rough and experimental. The "white album" of course is a classic and contains much more outstanding songs ("Dear Prudence" etc.). I have one of the rare early european vinyl-pressings with the 4 pictures. result: easy, Beatles wins

10. "All You Can't Leave" I like to compare with "Abbey Road". Both albums offer a more mellow sound. I like both very much, but I have to decide - result: I go for "Abbey Road", Beatles wins

11. "Let it Be" has no competitor so far. I really like "Let it Be" and since a couple of years the Beatles officialy released the real recordings without the "Wall of Sound Mixes" by Mr. what was his name?. - result: ?????


I would like to add two new comparisons:

12. Live albums "Under A Blood Red SkY" versus "Live at the Hollywood Bowl". Both albums are catching the live tune of their recording time. Listen to the Beatles record. You really will here: the crowd is louder than the band! - result: tie

12. "B-Sides of Best of" versus " a beatles sampler "Forgot the name" released in the 70ies which contains B-Sides and rare tracks.
I will make it short -result: tie


So my score is 4/4 so far!!!

[This message has been edited by The Moose (edited 11-24-2001).]
 
I Don't Get The Beatles!

I do own some of their albums just because I was curious since they are constantly praise as the gods of music BLAH... I listen and listen.... and have come to the same conclusion....

I Don't Get The Beatles!

------------------
I know someday you'll have a beautiful life.
I know you'll be a star in somebody else's sky
but why, why, why can't it be, oh, can't it be mine?




(??.?(?*?.? ?.?*?)?.??)
?.???. *Monica*.???.?
(?.??(?.??* *??.?)??.)
 
I hope you have listen to whole albums and not only to Best Offs. If you haven't listen to "Revolver", "White Album", "Abbey Road" and "Let it Be" I would recommend to do that. If you still dislike it than you simply don't like the Beatles. There's nothing wrong about that.

Music is a question of taste and not of truth!

[This message has been edited by The Moose (edited 11-24-2001).]
 
Originally posted by bullet the blue sky:
You need to buy all the Beatles albums then sit back and realise where most of today's bands nicked their ideas from.
I don't care where most of today's bands got their ideas from
I don't even care about most of todays bands

------------------
Salome
Shake it, shake it, shake it
 
I don't think you can compare Beatle albums to U2 albums as they're from totally different era's. I love both group's music but trying to say which one has the best LP's is like saying the '27 Yankees would have killed the '76 Reds. Know one can say since they are from different era's. Removing anything from it's time period and comparing it something from another time period is not easy.
JS

------------------
Don't theorize, realise, polarise
Glance, dance,dismiss, apologise
 
As others have opined, I think it would make more sense to compare "Rattle and Hum" to "Magical Mystery Tour" and to compare "Achtung Baby" to "Sgt. Pepper."
 
Originally posted by The Moose:
I hope you have listen to whole albums and not only to Best Offs. If you haven't listen to "Revolver", "White Album", "Abbey Road" and "Let it Be" I would recommend to do that. If you still dislike it than you simply don't like the Beatles. There's nothing wrong about that.

Music is a question of taste and not of truth!


I have listened to those albums with an open mind..... and I still don't get the Beatles! I guess I'm just not a fan!



------------------
I know someday you'll have a beautiful life.
I know you'll be a star in somebody else's sky
but why, why, why can't it be, oh, can't it be mine?




(??.?(?*?.? ?.?*?)?.??)
?.???. *Monica*.???.?
(?.??(?.??* *??.?)??.)
 
Back
Top Bottom