What if they had released "Red hill..." as first single from JT?

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Stefan

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The story is well-known: Red hill mining town was meant to be the first single from The Joshua Tree, but the decision was changed because they thought the video was really bad (or was it because Bono had difficulties singing it live?). Instead With or without you was released and the rest is history.

What if they had released Red hill as planned? It's a good song but nowhere near the class of With or without you in my opinion. How would it have influenced the succes of The Joshus Tree? Maybe U2 would not have become the biggest band in the world. Or do you think that is going to far?
 
I thought I still haven't found what I'm looking for replaced Red hill...
 
Red Hill Mining Town was set to be the 2nd single off of Joshua Tree and was apparently scrapped because Bono could not sing the song in rehearsals. I do think as a 2nd single, this song would have been highly sucessful. It has such an addictive beat and chorus.

The real interesting thing is that Bono freaked out right before the release of WOWY; but it was too late for U2 to consider any changes. I wonder what Bono had in mind for the opening single if not WOWY.
 
If granny was a mole, she would be called Sol!!!
What if....they didn't make Joshua or Achtung????
About Red hill, not even close to WOWY
 
I like Red Hill Mining Town, but I don't think it would have been a strong single.

I wish they had released One Tree Hill as the fourth single in the U.S. instead of In God's Country. I think it would have been very successful.
 
I love it, but I heard it was not made a single (and the hot video ditched :sad: ) because Bono could not sing it live and gave up.
 
phanan said:
I wish they had released One Tree Hill as the fourth single in the U.S. instead of In God's Country. I think it would have been very successful.

Well, they released In God's Country in the US and One Tree Hill in NZ because they're location-specific ...
 
U2 hasn't always had the greatest wisdom in choosing singles -- Pop comes immediately to mind.

It's funny that their second #1 in the US was an accident.
 
The fact that With or Without You was the first single DID change U2's career and DID help so much in making U2 who they are now. Had it been another one, I really don't know how things would have come. Don't forget that it was after the release of With Or Without You that U2 were for the first time a really HOT, mainstream popular band. Actually, they've never been that ever since to this extent.

And another thing to make the story more interesting. U2 were not going to include With Or Without You in the album at all. They had lost grip of the song while recording and had given up, however Gavin Friday had listened to the recordings and convinced them that this song was going to change their career, and it did. U2 retried recording the song, completed the masterpiece, released it as the first single and the rest is history.
 
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Oooh, I got a hypothetical, too! What if Heartland had been released as a single instead of With Or Without You on The Joshua Tree? It's obvious it should have been on that album....
 
What's wrong with the idea of "Red Hill Mining Town" having been a single? I think it's one of the best songs on JT. In fact, it's my third favourite after WOWY and Streets. I think it would have made a great single - the chorus is catchy, the music is good, and the beat isn't too slow.

Then again, I've never understood why people don't like "Trip Through Your Wires". :shrug: True, I skip over it sometimes, but I still think it's a bloody good song.
 
Originally posted by voxson
The fact that With or Without You was the first single DID change U2's career and DID help so much in making U2 who they are now. Had it been another one, I really don't know how things would have come. Don't forget that it was after the release of With Or Without You that U2 were for the first time a really HOT, mainstream popular band. Actually, they've never been that ever since to this extent.

And another thing to make the story more interesting. U2 were not going to include With Or Without You in the album at all. They had lost grip of the song while recording and had given up, however Gavin Friday had listened to the recordings and convinced them that this song was going to change their career, and it did. U2 retried recording the song, completed the masterpiece, released it as the first single and the rest is history.

Interesting view. It's strange they didn't like With or Without You initially, I think it has classic written all over it. We must all thank Gavin Friday:wink:
 
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