What is the greatest U2 video????

[An Cat Gav]

For a long time I have wondered why U2's videos rarely do justice to the song they're for?
Don't get me wrong, some are truly great; All I want is You, Unforgettable Fire, A Celebration!!!!!, Streets, The Fly, Even Better than the real thing, Night and Day and my personal favourite, Stay, but others either just plain suck, eg the US version of Stuck In a Moment, Staring at the Sun, Elevation, Vertigo
I know that the band like to get very hands on with their videos and usually want to add clips of them playing live, but I feel that they sometimes should have a bit more faith with the directors vision. For example, Anton Corbjins version of One would have been much better if they hadn't included the band playing in Hansa and the same can be said for SOmetimes you cant make it on your own.
What do you think? Do you think that their videos could be a lot better?
What's your favourite and least favourite U2 video?

 

[mirrorballman]

unfortunately there is/are no "great" U2 video(s)!

but that's just my opinion...

the videos don't do justice to the songs...

 

[An Cat Gav]

you've got to admit that the "A Celebration" video has something special))

 

[mirrorballman]

you've got to admit that the "A Celebration" video has something special))

haha, i thought we're only talking bout the 90's?!?!!

every video with a mullet haircut in it is brilliance, no doubt about that.


anyway, while imo they don't have "great" ones, i think the ones U2 do well are the ones they go with the extremes (either really simple or just out of your mind).

in that sense, i think "lemon" has a pretty cool video, when you watch it you just go wtf? or "mysterious ways", the video really reflects the mood of the song, you just wanna get up and shake that ass

a simple one i enjoy, for instance, is "one" (bar version). especially when he hits the "love is a temple" part and doesn't lip synch with it...very powerful. also "sycmioyo", pretty simple stuff...

videos that are total downers: stuck in a moment (what's with the ground rolling???), elevation (good U2/bad U2? seriously?), even better than the real thing (i just get dizzy, no need)...and some i cant think of.


one video i hate and love at the same time: "stay (far away, so close)". i love when the band plays and the boys support them (bono whispering in her ear, larry playing one drum stick)...i think that's a very cool idea, well done. might just be my favorite U2 moment video-wise. but i hate the whole bono-on-the-statue thing and when he bungee jumps down...looks )

 

[clifedge]

All I Want Is You
One
Lemon

 

[digsy]

i got to agree - i don't think there's such a thing as a great u2 video.
there are some pretty cool ones but in comparison to vids other artists have come out with that just blow everything else out the water... u2 don't have one of them

personaly faves though: one, discotheque (really!), sweetest thing i love too and i'm a sucker for BD. i'm sure there are a few more as well, just can't think right now
oh and numb - i think thats as close to great as they get

don't get me wrong - u2 can make pretty and entertaining and enjoyable videos, there are hundreds of them... i just don't think there are any truly great videos.

 

[SunBloc]

The Fly (it's something to do with the Fly Suit)
A.C.'s One
SYCMIOYO

 

[zoopop]

I always thought "If God Will Send His Angels" was an awesome video. Very simple but the images and enviroment fit the song well.

 

[nurse chrissi]

I love Stay
I think it is an exceptional music video

 

[waynetravis]

Even Better that the Real Thing
God Will Send his Angels
Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me
Discotheque

 

[annie_vox]

To is Please... can´t explain why but I when I saw it for the first time it brought tears to my eyes...

 

[Total U2 Nut]

All I Want Is You
One
Lemon

Lemon My favourite.

 

[zoopop]

Even Better that the Real Thing
God Will Send his Angels
Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me
Discotheque

 

[TheQuiet1]

I really liked:
The opening of NYD
The way sections of Bono singing was slowed down in Lemon
Last Night on Earth
Beautiful Day
The whole collection of stories in IGWSHA that I never noticed till I watched the director's commentary

Things I really didn't like:
Stuck in a moment (USA version)
Mysterious Ways
Staring at the sun


By and large I tend to think U2 videos are kinda average. They don't do really crap ones but nor do they do really legendary ones either. They don't even do 'so bad it's genius' ones a la Gun 'n' Roses's November Rain video.

 

[martha]

I always thought "If God Will Send His Angels" was an awesome video. Very simple but the images and enviroment fit the song well.

I like this one as well, and for the same reasons.






But Streets will always be my favorite.

For purely lickable band members, this one can't be beat.

 

[catlhere]

EBTTRT is obviously a good choice. It's kinda repetitive with the same camera shots. But the shots are so unique and cool that I never seem to mind.

Another one that I really love is I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For No one ever seems to enjoy this video but I think it's cool just because it's my two favorite things. Las Vegas and U2. Can't go wrong!

 

[U2girl]

Streets and WOWY stand out in the 80's for me.

Stay, One (bar) are my favourites in the 90s.

In the 00s, Beautiful day and Original of the species.

Honorable mentions Staring at the sun and Euro Stuck in a moment.

 

[LikeNoOneBefore]

Stay Faraway So Close

Of course, I love Beautiful Day and Stuck (Euro especially). And Walk On is great.

 

[The Searcher]

'Where The Streets Have No Name'

Simply the best, I love the setting of the video, crowds, police.

But also "City Of Blinding Lights" because it reminds you of seeing the concert all over again.

 

[Tennis05]

staring at the sun by ridley is my favorite music ever

 

[MumblingBono]

Even Better Than The Real Thing was great. I still can't listen to that song without expecting the orgasmic female grunts from the video.

And WOWY feature full frontal female nudity. Who else could pull that off?

 

[Azor]

Beautiful Day and OOTS

 

[PopDaisy]

Another one that I really love is I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For No one ever seems to enjoy this video but I think it's cool just because it's my two favorite things. Las Vegas and U2. Can't go wrong!

I always considered "Still Haven't Found" compelling, even before becoming a big U2 fan. It's not that the "artistic vision" itself was all that impressive; the video just made them, as a group, intriguing. Who are these guys? What are they doing? Are they actually singing about religion? In a rock video?

As far as creativity/presentation goes, I'd also have to go with Stay. Kudos also to Numb and Mysterious Ways for establishing a theme and carrying it out perfectly.

All I Want Is You was a valiant artistic attempt gone wrong. Electrical Storm was more enjoyable for obvious *coughLarrycough* reasons but still fell short of its potential.

I love HTDAAB, but I have to admit to being disappointed in most of its videos. OOTS would be the best of the lot, IMHO.

 

[benito]

My three favourite videos are:

Last Night on Earth
If God Will Send His Angels
Lemon

 

[annie_vox]

Miss Sarajevo is pretty good too

 

[LMP]

I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For.

case closed.

where's my prize?

 

[Pero]

Discoteque has the best video
Ebttrt has the coolest video
Stay has the most romantic(am i coming out of the closet) video

But check my theory:
U2 knows shit about making good videos.
Arguments: One had to have better video than one with buffalo's. When One would have had better video than that, than Achtung would have become more "wider masses" album than Joshua tree is.

 

[Judah]

The Fly kicks every other video's ass. Has the band ever looked so uber cool and uber hot at the same time? Methinks not.

Kudos also to Stay (and Bono's repeated falls at the end...owwie) and All I Want Is You.

 

[roy keane]

When all I want is youuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu

 

[Aygo]

haha, i thought we're only talking bout the 90's?!?!!

every video with a mullet haircut in it is brilliance, no doubt about that.


anyway, while imo they don't have "great" ones, i think the ones U2 do well are the ones they go with the extremes (either really simple or just out of your mind).

in that sense, i think "lemon" has a pretty cool video, when you watch it you just go wtf? or "mysterious ways", the video really reflects the mood of the song, you just wanna get up and shake that ass

a simple one i enjoy, for instance, is "one" (bar version). especially when he hits the "love is a temple" part and doesn't lip synch with it...very powerful. also "sycmioyo", pretty simple stuff...

videos that are total downers: stuck in a moment (what's with the ground rolling???), elevation (good U2/bad U2? seriously?), even better than the real thing (i just get dizzy, no need)...and some i cant think of.


one video i hate and love at the same time: "stay (far away, so close)". i love when the band plays and the boys support them (bono whispering in her ear, larry playing one drum stick)...i think that's a very cool idea, well done. might just be my favorite U2 moment video-wise. but i hate the whole bono-on-the-statue thing and when he bungee jumps down...looks )

I disagree with almost everything.

Best videos IMO: Even better than the real thing and One (buffalo version).
EBTTRT because it sumarizes in 3 minutes the importance that television has in our society. I used this video as an example in a presentation I had to make about "the masses and the public sphere" and it was applauded. And well, I find extremely sexual (not sensual...) the band playing inside the shop, being idolatred, the camera going 'round and 'round their bodies and flying under Bono's genital zone, and those slogans, and well, I just love it.
The buffalo One, I find a simple but one of the most emotive, symbolic and expressive videos I've ever seen. I just remember being young and in the end blindfold my eyes because I couldn't see the buffalos falling from the cliff because it made me cry after the whole video.

Other videos that deserve to be mentioned: Discotheque, Desire, Pride (the theatre version). One (travesty version), The fly, Mysterious ways, Stuck in a moment (Van version), Please, Staring at the sun, Original of the species, Stay and Lemon