So I think with a little order-changes, decision changes about previous releases, and tweaks to versions, this could have been their strongest album after Pop. All of this is fantasyland stuff since some of these things are maybe far-fetched and others don’t exist. It would also include a lot of ignoring half of the songs currently on the album.
01. Vertigo - as is, this is a perfect lead single, album opener, and pop hit. I wouldn’t change a thing about the song or it’s placement.
02. Xanax and Wine - lyrically I like this better than Fast Cars, but marry the lyrical content with the Jacknife Lee version of Fast Cars, and it would be great here.
03. She’s Gonna Blow Your House Down - here’s the first curveball! I think this was one of their best unreleased songs prior to this album. The drum beat is similar to All Because Of You, but the execution and melody is better. It could have scratched that itch. Possibly add in some of the very good guitar lines from All Because Of You, because really to me that song is a mess squarely because of Bono - both lyrically and vocally.
04. Electrical Storm - second curveball! I personally hate when bands release new songs to Best Ofs. It’s ridiculously presumptuous. I’ve always found the band version (eg. not the William Orbit version) would have fit in perfectly on this record. Only change I would make is the stupid heavy as a truck line.
05. Mercy - I’ve long been a guy who has detracted Mercy. Hear me out: it’s 100% due to the production. The version we got is waaaay over limited. Example? The guitar at the beginning is very loud. When the rest kicks in, it immediately gets quiet. That’s just one little example of the production issues in the version we have heard. This always has bothered me. Fix that and it’s a great song. (Note: the changes later were not for the better, it should be the original version)
06. Crumbs From Your Table - remove the clipping and this is a perfectly fine song.
07. Miracle Drug - maybe a better vocal take from Bono on the chorus, or having Edge double him would make it better. And get rid of that stupid freedom has a scent line and replace it with something not terrible.
08. Sometimes You Can’t Make It On Your Own - I don’t really have a problem with this song. It’s not my favorite but I know it’s probably the most important to Bono - but I like this placement better.
09. One Step Closer - no changes except placement.
10. City Of Blinding Lights - I think this is a natural closer/showstopper, so I’d end it with this.
Singles: Vertigo, Electrical Storm, City Of Blinding Lights.
Notable absences of songs I like: A Man And A Woman. I tried to get it to fit. I couldn’t. I think it could’ve been a good non-album single or a good fit for the ditched Rubin album as a complete song. Possibly all of the songs I cut could’ve been in line for that though (Love And Peace Or Else, Original Of The Species, Yahweh, and add in Window In The Skies, All My Life, and A Man And A Woman and you’ve got the backbone of a Rubin album).
Anyway, this is just daydreaming, but I think that fantasyland version of the album flows more musically and thematically.