Which U2 song would you play to someone who doesn't know them?

[Fencolina]

ehh.. is there a thread like this already?

Anyway I'm supposed to give a sample to my school class but I can't choose.

It should be something that gives an impression of U2's music.

It can't be anything they've heard before, but that only counts out songs like One, Beautiful Day and the new album (we're all 15 so it's quite sure no one has heard older stuff )

What is a typical U2 song? What would you choose? Or what did you choose, 'cause you've sure been in situations like these?

 

[beau2ifulday]

Bad or perhaps Sunday Bloody Sunday.

 

[dandy]

a live version of 'bad'

'running to stand still' from zoo tv

'streets'

'out of control'

 

[miss becky]

Just one song?

Streets
Bad
New Year's Day
Mysterious Ways

 

[solar]

Pride, New year´s day, EBTTRT, With or without you, streets....

 

[bono_man2002]

"40"

Because last time U2 played in (2001 Astoria) Bono forgot the lyrics.....so heres hoping Edge has a better memory.

 

[phanan]

I'd have to go with Bad.

 

[goldmember]

Try with With or without you
It has all U2 qualities
all of the songs above qualify also

 

[Axver]

I'd be tempted to pick something like Pride or Streets.

Though if they don't know Streets, they don't know music.

 

[lazarus]

Do NOT play some ballad. You're probably going to have to play something upbeat or epic to get the attention of a younger group. The worst thing would be to hear people chatting during some heartfelt slow song.

I would have to agree with the other suggestion of a live version of Bad, either Wide Awake In America or from some later performance. DO NOT play the album version.

The other suggestion would be Sunday Bloody Sunday, if that's something you don't think they've heard. If you're allowed to speak about the song before you play it the song might have an added impact.

As much as I'd want to play something off Achtung Baby, I think Mysterious Ways might be too "fun" (and probably recognizable), and despite some impressive guitar work, Until the End of the World has no chorus.

If you really want to blow their minds, put on the title track from Zooropa. THAT'S impressive.


laz

 

[yimou]

Just one song?

Streets
Bad
New Year's Day
Mysterious Ways

This is good,,,

 

[the tourist]

If I could hear a U2 song again for the first time it would either have to be The Unforgettable Fire, Bad, or Heartland.

 

[TheBrush]

out of control, firdt single i do believe. Best guitar song and solo i think, you can't go wrong, it deals with an age you are all close to.

BAM problem solved!

 

[Yahweh]

Where the streets have no name since it was the first U2 I heard and I have been hooked ever since!

 

[D'oh!]

Where the streets have no name or Until the end of the world

 

[the tourist]

4th of July. Hahaha, or maybe Korova 1/Alex Descends Into Hell For A Bottle Of Milk? Things To Make And Do!

 

[rivergoat]

If it's just one song, I'd say Acrobat... it's got heads-up lyrics and the rolling punch sound of much of their earlier (pre-AB) works. It's a song that works on many levels.

Others I would recommend (depending on the tastes of the audience) would be Mofo (if it's at school, your teacher may raise an eyebrow though!), Gone, In a Little While (I turned a 17-year-old friend of mine on to U2 with this song), or Lemon (that's kind of a love/hate song for non-U2 fans though - or so I've found).

just my thoughts...

goat

 

[jick]

If it's just one song, I'd say Acrobat... it's got heads-up lyrics and the rolling punch sound of much of their earlier (pre-AB) works. It's a song that works on many levels.

Others I would recommend (depending on the tastes of the audience) would be Mofo (if it's at school, your teacher may raise an eyebrow though!), Gone, In a Little While (I turned a 17-year-old friend of mine on to U2 with this song), or Lemon (that's kind of a love/hate song for non-U2 fans though - or so I've found).

just my thoughts...

goat

Finally, someone mentions a POP song.

Why not just play them Miami instead to highligh U2's versatility?

If it were me though, I'd play them Stuck In A Moment.

Cheers,

J

 

[Fencolina]

Thanks, guys.. you're really helping. It's just so cruel I must take just one song. Yeah I'm allowed to talk about the songs, few words.

Streets is too classic, though. They could not internalize it. Zooropa could be a good idea though there isn't anything romantic I could say about it, unlike Mofo or Bad..

 

[lazarus]

Zooropa could be a good idea though there isn't anything romantic I could say about it, unlike Mofo or Bad..

Well it's not necessarily romantic, but there's something really inspiring about the "She's gonna dream up the world she wants to live in/dream out loud". You can talk about how this song is telling people to see through all the advertisements that are selling them things or telling them how to look or live, and create their own life in the middle of the confusion.

I think it's something a group of younger people might really take to. The lines about "And I have no compass/and I have no map" could easily relate to students who are having trouble finding their place in the world or knowing what they want to do with the rest of their lives. The more I think about it the more this song sounds perfect as an introduction to the importance of the band. U2 has some great political songs, but will that have as much of an effect on your audience?

Put flowers in the mud, baby.


laz

 

[ZeroDude]

Acrobat, don't let the Bastards grind ya down should grip everyone

 

[the rockin edge]

With Or Without You

 

[Balfron]

dont play bad, you need to listen to that more than once before you like it!

acrobat could work, or streets... mysterious ways is cool too

 

[Rachel D.]

Seeing as how they're fifteen-year-olds, I think you should use "Elevation." (The Tomb Raider Mix might work best.) Why? Because when I was fourteen, I used that song to convince a couple of my thirteen-year-old friends that U2 aren't "stupid." One of my friends actually became a die-hard fan! (Unfortunately, that was only temporary. Now she likes all those bands whose names start with "The.")

"Elevation" might not be the best U2 song ever, but it's catchy and it fits the tastes of the aforementioned age group.

 

[discothequeLP]

Alex Descends into Hell for a Bottle of Milk/Korova 1





you gotta tell 'em the title first

 

[caligemini]

Where the Streets have No Name, Followed by The Fly and then ending with Sometimes U Can't Make It on Your Own. If they don't get my obsession by then - F 'em!

 

[LeafsNation]

...New Year's Day

 

[Stryker395]

Wow...that's tough. Here are my suggestions

Please
Staring at the Sun
Still haven't found what I'm looking for
In God's Country

 

[Marusa]

I still haven't found
Staring at the Sun
New Year's Day
Streets

 

[Yahweh_OMG]

Gone (Best of version) this one could be very good, it represents what U2 is all about, melody, power, beautiful voice, passion, guitar.

Bad is too complex for the 1st intro to U2....IMO

Streets, classic song, they would love it.

Mofo is too different from what 99% of U2 is about, even though I love that song and hope it will make its return in the setlist (I doubt it)

So, IMO, you should play GONE!!!!!