What is U2's "Stairway to Heaven?"

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I would have said WOWY a year ago but it seems like all the non-U2 fanatics I meet say One is their all-time fave U2 song...

(my personal fave is BAD, but I suppose that's irrelevant!)
 
One

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Nate


"No particular place names
No particular song
I've been hiding
What am I hiding from?"

-Zooropa
 
Originally posted by Michael Griffiths:
If we're talking in the same vein as 'Stariway To Heaven' (classic concert song that's very long), I'd have to go with 'Bad'. Granted, it was never a single, but with U2 it's a bit different, as it's their live show that really defines them in many ways. 'Bad' just happens to be a live U2 classic.


I have to agree with Michael here...
 
Originally posted by Roland of Gilead:
It has to be BAD.

It has aged well. It is a classic live song. There is so many ways the band can go with this when played live (this song must have the most snippets added to it live). It marks the beginning of Larry's advanced percussion play. It was/remains one of Bono's brilliantly written lyrics. It showcases Adam's bass playing. He drives the beat so well on this one. And Edge, what can be said of the Edge on this one. Never has minimalistic repetitive sharp-edged playing sounded so advanced and overwhelming. What makes this song so special is how 4 members sound their best without stealing the song from the others. It just bring the best out of all 4 members at the same time.

I love how you worded this Roland! Bad is just so good!
 
For U2, I would have to go with Bad, musically, but hit single wise, it is With Or Without You.

Achtung Zooropa, for Bruce Springsteen, I would not say it is Born In The USA. I am a diehard fan and I would say, and I know a lot of fans feel the same way, that it is Jungleland off the Born To Run album. The song Born To Run it self is THE Bruce song, the one that made him famous, but Jungleland is a musical masterpiece that is up there with Stairway To Heaven.

[This message has been edited by ericb (edited 12-10-2001).]
 
Originally posted by Michael Griffiths:
If we're talking in the same vein as 'Stariway To Heaven' (classic concert song that's very long), I'd have to go with 'Bad'. Granted, it was never a single, but with U2 it's a bit different, as it's their live show that really defines them in many ways. 'Bad' just happens to be a live U2 classic.


"Bad" is an excellent choice. Like "Stairway...", "Bad" was also NEVER released as a single (it's true - "Stairway..." was always an album track despite it being one of Zeppelin's best known songs).

If not "Bad," then "Streets." I would NOT choose "One" or "With or Without You" for this category. While U2 may always be well known for those two songs, if one is trying to choose U2's "Stairway to Heaven" then "Streets" may come the closest to being that song. It's clearly THE song that gets any U2 concert going. It is long, yet every moment is enjoyable. Many describe it as a highlight of the show. In contrast, "One" and "With...", while outstanding songs, don't have the concert impact of "Streets."
 
"Yesterday" is only about 2 minutes long, good but hardly an epic. That's one of the reasons I choose "Bad" as U2's "Stairway To Heaven". It has the length, the epic quality, the music, the lyrics and the feeling. "I'm WIIIIDDEEEE AWAAAKE!!!"

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~Just as you find me, always I will be, a little bit too free, with myself~
 
It has to be BAD.

It has aged well. It is a classic live song. There is so many ways the band can go with this when played live (this song must have the most snippets added to it live). It marks the beginning of Larry's advanced percussion play. It was/remains one of Bono's brilliantly written lyrics. It showcases Adam's bass playing. He drives the beat so well on this one. And Edge, what can be said of the Edge on this one. Never has minimalistic repetitive sharp-edged playing sounded so advanced and overwhelming. What makes this song so special is how 4 members sound their best without stealing the song from the others. It just bring the best out of all 4 members at the same time.

I do think highly of With or Without You and One. Both, without question, are landmark U2 songs. Bad put U2 on the map in such a big way. At Live Aid, it was not Sunday Bloody Sunday or Pride that people remembered. It was Bad. And if you happened to see that performance, you knew immediatily that U2 won over a world full of new fans. One song did this, just one song. BAD.
 
Originally posted by doctorwho:
"Bad" is an excellent choice. Like "Stairway...", "Bad" was also NEVER released as a single (it's true - "Stairway..." was always an album track despite it being one of Zeppelin's best known songs).

If not "Bad," then "Streets." I would NOT choose "One" or "With or Without You" for this category. While U2 may always be well known for those two songs, if one is trying to choose U2's "Stairway to Heaven" then "Streets" may come the closest to being that song. It's clearly THE song that gets any U2 concert going. It is long, yet every moment is enjoyable. Many describe it as a highlight of the show. In contrast, "One" and "With...", while outstanding songs, don't have the concert impact of "Streets."


Very good points doctorwho! Thanks for your input everybody. I think all those songs will be classics.



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I agree that Stairway is not their best--but they have so many great songs that it's hard to choose (my favorites--Hey, hey what can I do, Your Time is Gonna Come, Tangerine, Going to California--there's just so many more I could list!).

Anyway, for U2 I'll have to go with Bad/One.

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I'm too sexy for my cat
 
The Beatles don't have 'one' signature song; they have about a dozen. That's what separates them from everybody else.

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"You gotta love living, baby, 'cause dyin's a pain in the ass."-- Frank Sinatra

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!
 
One doesn't have the concert impact that streets has? Are you crazy? One has people in tears. I love streets and think it is one of the all time great live songs, but One is one of the greatest songs ever written for several reasons, and easily U2's best. People who hate U2, and my friends who are sick of hearing them everytime they are in my car, still love that song. It impacts people on many emotional levels and means different things to different people. I think it was perfectly placed during the elevation tour as a setup to walk on. It is like... we will always remember, now we will go on. It was awesome. Streets is great... One is the greatest.
 
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