If U2 had released Treasure....

[theFly51]

as their 1st single instead of Out of Control, would they have had the same success? Or would have they flopped? Treasure (Whatever Happened to Pete the Chop?) is a great tune but I read somewhere that the band didnt want to release it because it sounded too much like a "pop" song. Thus angering Paul McGuinness, they decided to release Out of Control.

So my question is would U2 still be as big as they are now if they would have released Treasure?

 

[Popmartijn]

No.

For one thing, they would've had to wait until 1980 until they could they release a single (as Pete The Chop wasn't written until early 1980). And it's not that the band decided to release Out Of Control just to anger Paul McGuinness. In fact, they didn't have any say into what would be the A-side of U2:Three, as it was decided by radio listeners of what should be the single.

 

[Harry Vest]

I don't think it would have made much of a difference either way although Out Of Control is a much better song!!!

 

[cobl04]

It was Pete the Chop first, and then a few years down the track they "sort of fucked it in the ear" and it became Treasure, so it couldn't have been released anyway.

 

[Axver]

If I remember correctly, Cartoon World was at one point under consideration to be the very first single.

As for Pete The Chop --> Treasure, the others beat me to it. I understand that Pete The Chop was held onto as a possible emergency single should their career start to head south, but by the War sessions, it was unnecessary and became Treasure for the NYD single. Personally, I think they would have been much better off putting Treasure on the album and relegating Red Light to b-side status, but ah well.

 

[cobl04]

If I remember correctly, Cartoon World was at one point under consideration to be the very first single.

As for Pete The Chop --> Treasure, the others beat me to it. I understand that Pete The Chop was held onto as a possible emergency single should their career start to head south, but by the War sessions, it was unnecessary and became Treasure for the NYD single. Personally, I think they would have been much better off putting Treasure on the album and relegating Red Light to b-side status, but ah well.

They could have relegated Seconds, The Refugee, Red Light or Surrender for it in my opinion, it's better than any of those!

 

[chocky]

The lyrics/vocals on the 1980 live versions (Pete the Chop) are a bit of a shambles IMHO. I love the 1983 version (Treasure) - musically it's not that far removed from the original but the lyrics are much better.

Maybe it would've been a more cohesive song if recorded during the Boy sessions, but honestly, I like the idea it's a b-side. When I first discovered this song back in early 1985 it was a real hidden treasure (pardon the pun).

 

[A stor]

I think U2 would still be as popular because, in the US most listeners probably didn't hear of them until the album War. Sunday Bloody Sunday and New Year's Day were played on mainstream rock radio stations.