Stars Don’t Go should’ve been released as a b-side/bonus track during SOI.
New Album Discussion 1 - Songs of..... - Unreasonable guitar album
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PookaMacP
War Child
The John Tree
War Child
I really hope we never hear the RedOne sessions. Please delete those. Write it into the will that the sessions must be destroyed.
Typing in “Wayne Bono” into Twitter yields some amusing results:
“This Wayne/Bono song is Grey’s Anatomy music”
“I am sitting and listening to the new Lil Wayne album. The song with Bono might be one of the worst songs ever recorded”
“Wayne rapping with random ass elephant noises and jelly roll singing about sharks and bono….I’m good on this shit man”
“All the Hot Boyz free and out making music and this n**** Wayne making songs with Bono instead”
“Wayne really called Bono. Aight man”
“This Wayne track with bono is truly an abomination”
“N**** Wayne got Bono on a feature? I’m turning this bullshit off.”
“This Lil Wayne album is ASS. My goodness. This shit is tough to get through. Bono?!?!”
“I always wanted to know what Lil Wayne was up to during 9/11! Shout out Bono!”
“When I tell you there's a track on the new lil wayne album that features bono, you'll think, wow that sounds bad, but you're not even approaching the ballpark of how bad this thing is, in your mind”
“Lil Wayne put Bono on a leftover track from 2010 that was supposed feature Kevin Rudolf”
“Man wtf is this Wayne & Bono track. This shit stinks! Sounds like some bullshit raising awareness for Kony 2012 fundraising concert shit
”
Typing in “Wayne Bono” into Twitter yields some amusing results:
“This Wayne/Bono song is Grey’s Anatomy music”
“I am sitting and listening to the new Lil Wayne album. The song with Bono might be one of the worst songs ever recorded”
“Wayne rapping with random ass elephant noises and jelly roll singing about sharks and bono….I’m good on this shit man”
“All the Hot Boyz free and out making music and this n**** Wayne making songs with Bono instead”
“Wayne really called Bono. Aight man”
“This Wayne track with bono is truly an abomination”
“N**** Wayne got Bono on a feature? I’m turning this bullshit off.”
“This Lil Wayne album is ASS. My goodness. This shit is tough to get through. Bono?!?!”
“I always wanted to know what Lil Wayne was up to during 9/11! Shout out Bono!”
“When I tell you there's a track on the new lil wayne album that features bono, you'll think, wow that sounds bad, but you're not even approaching the ballpark of how bad this thing is, in your mind”
“Lil Wayne put Bono on a leftover track from 2010 that was supposed feature Kevin Rudolf”
“Man wtf is this Wayne & Bono track. This shit stinks! Sounds like some bullshit raising awareness for Kony 2012 fundraising concert shit
”Yeah, hopefully it never sees the light of day. In reference to Springsteens 'Tracks', that was released for good reason - the endless songs were brilliant.I really hope we never hear the RedOne sessions. Please delete those. Write it into the will that the sessions must be destroyed.
Typing in “Wayne Bono” into Twitter yields some amusing results:
“This Wayne/Bono song is Grey’s Anatomy music”
“I am sitting and listening to the new Lil Wayne album. The song with Bono might be one of the worst songs ever recorded”
“Wayne rapping with random ass elephant noises and jelly roll singing about sharks and bono….I’m good on this shit man”
“All the Hot Boyz free and out making music and this n**** Wayne making songs with Bono instead”
“Wayne really called Bono. Aight man”
“This Wayne track with bono is truly an abomination”
“N**** Wayne got Bono on a feature? I’m turning this bullshit off.”
“This Lil Wayne album is ASS. My goodness. This shit is tough to get through. Bono?!?!”
“I always wanted to know what Lil Wayne was up to during 9/11! Shout out Bono!”
“When I tell you there's a track on the new lil wayne album that features bono, you'll think, wow that sounds bad, but you're not even approaching the ballpark of how bad this thing is, in your mind”
“Lil Wayne put Bono on a leftover track from 2010 that was supposed feature Kevin Rudolf”
“Man wtf is this Wayne & Bono track. This shit stinks! Sounds like some bullshit raising awareness for Kony 2012 fundraising concert shit
All these dance collaborations they've released in the last few years have been terrible. Genuinely woeful, and largely down to the pitiful state of Bono's lyrics. The out of touch ravings of a billionaire sunning it up on his yachts, it's the absolute dregs. The Edge isn't much better with his uninspired generic music, definitely the sound of a man into environmentally destructive real estate plans. And that's it, U2 have lost touch with any sense of reality and spiritualism. They are simply too in thrall these days to the celeb obsessed, materialistic millionaire life to be in any way inspired. Not serious musicians anymore with any artistic integrity, there's literally no sign of creative life left in this band. We Are The People, Ahimsa, Skyscrapers, Atomic City.... they're quite frankly taking the piss at this stage.
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Irvine511
Blue Crack Supplier
Ah, well that's a classic case of trauma related memory suppression.Matt, you forgot ‘Your Song Saved My Life’
I remember the day it came out, my first listen was under a barbell. Headphones on, the bar came down as soon as the music started. It was the shortest gym session I’ve ever done. My enthusiasm for self improved died almost as quickly as theirs
to be fair - all of the songs mentioned are one off side projects. ahimsa was literally just a quick throw away for a couple of gigs in India. Atomic City - which i actually like a lot - was strictly for the Sphere shows.
Skyscrapers was a throw away from a previously recorded backing track that received little to no pub. it's also not a U2 track. nor is the Lil' Wayne track.
technically speaking neither is We Are The People - which again, was a one off for a single event - but i'll allow it because two members featured on the track.
criticism of all of these things individually is certainly valid - but collectively saying they that they've lost inspiration over a bunch of songs written for one off events is a bit much.
save that for criticism of SOI/SOE.
Skyscrapers was a throw away from a previously recorded backing track that received little to no pub. it's also not a U2 track. nor is the Lil' Wayne track.
technically speaking neither is We Are The People - which again, was a one off for a single event - but i'll allow it because two members featured on the track.
criticism of all of these things individually is certainly valid - but collectively saying they that they've lost inspiration over a bunch of songs written for one off events is a bit much.
save that for criticism of SOI/SOE.
The John Tree
War Child
While I certainly understand the distinction between "official U2" vs. "unofficial U2," I'm not sure I agree that a song being for a specific event or a movie soundtrack excuses it from criticism or makes it okay to be subpar.
funny you say that.
i'm not saying that critique of the songs is verboten. i'm saying that critique of one offs for individual events as proof that they've lost inspiration isn't totally fair. just because Bono released New Day with Wyclef didn't mean that they lost the plot heading into All That You Can't Leave Behind.
mikal
Blue Crack Addict
For da new millennium
PookaMacP
War Child
I agree with you there, although I think the listing exercise was more to figure out whether there was a pattern: did all of these songs originate in the EDM sessions circa 2010/2011?
To me, it's quite a positive that they're releasing them: it suggests they're leaving that idea behind and moving on. That's relevant to the next record in the same way that Bono's voice and arrangement of the songs on the Surrender EP, or the Eno remixes for the Sphere, are a better signs of what they're up to right now.
2861U2
Rock n' Roll Doggie Band-aid
Landlady next
DancingBrft
The Fly
That all being true….remember when U2’s b sides and throwaways were sometimes as good as the albums
Not really, no.
And I'm someone who has a quote from a one off as his username.
But sorry, there are only a handful of b sides that I would say are album worthy. Most are b sides for a reason.
DancingBrft
The Fly
I personally think the b sides from like 84-91 are usually, not always, but usually top notch material. In my opinion, there is a full album’s worth of b-sides that are as good as UF, JT, R&H, and well, maybe 73% as good as AB, but that’s still pretty good. The one offers and stray tracks from 93-99 are as good as album material to me
Irvine511
Blue Crack Supplier
Show me where on the doll the U2ers hurt you with their one-offs and side projects.
Obviously everyone is entitled to their own opinions, but I will heartily disagree with the idea that U2 have B Sides that can stand up to the content on the Joshua Tree or any of the others.
Like - there are a few here and there that probably could have been album tracks. But the majority of U2's B Sides are b sides for a reason. This isn't Springsteen or Pearl Jam purposefully holding back songs because they think they would be too popular. U2 would fall over their own damn feet to put out any song that they felt would be a hit. Always have, always will.
david
ONE love, blood, life
U2 just aren’t good at the b-side thing anymore BUT I feel like their odd songs that came out during the last 25 years COULD have been saved to be used on a proper album.
The “tacked on tracks”: For whatever reason Lucifer’s Hands, Crystal Ballroom, Book of Your Heart, Stateless.. didn’t make it to albums in a proper sense. But I really feel like these are great tracks. (Hands, Ballroom and Heart really good have replaced some songs on the two Songs of albums..)
The one offs: Electrical Storm..Then there’s Ordinary Love and of course Invisible, which were all great stand alone tracks. I’m actually in the Window In the Skies isn’t a bad song camp. Mayyybee Atomic City..
Then take the two strongest stray tracks that U2 finally did release off the Bomb deluxe anniversary edition: Evidence of Life and what Mercy became.. and you could have SOMETHING.
I don’t remember what was left from the NLOTH era.. what was the instrumental walk out track from that tour that got a 7” vinyl only release? Was it Stingray Guitar? Could they have done anything with that?
That’s at least 9/10 good tracks. I guess it’s kind of fun now to play around with playlists via streaming services to just make a “what-if” album using these tracks. Will they flow despite production differences through the years?
The “tacked on tracks”: For whatever reason Lucifer’s Hands, Crystal Ballroom, Book of Your Heart, Stateless.. didn’t make it to albums in a proper sense. But I really feel like these are great tracks. (Hands, Ballroom and Heart really good have replaced some songs on the two Songs of albums..)
The one offs: Electrical Storm..Then there’s Ordinary Love and of course Invisible, which were all great stand alone tracks. I’m actually in the Window In the Skies isn’t a bad song camp. Mayyybee Atomic City..
Then take the two strongest stray tracks that U2 finally did release off the Bomb deluxe anniversary edition: Evidence of Life and what Mercy became.. and you could have SOMETHING.
I don’t remember what was left from the NLOTH era.. what was the instrumental walk out track from that tour that got a 7” vinyl only release? Was it Stingray Guitar? Could they have done anything with that?
That’s at least 9/10 good tracks. I guess it’s kind of fun now to play around with playlists via streaming services to just make a “what-if” album using these tracks. Will they flow despite production differences through the years?
ascender_RS
Refugee
I used to love looking forward to singles coming out from the band where there would be original songs on the b side. Some of them have gone on to become real favourites and nice companion pieces to the albums.
@david - Soon is the track you're thinking-of. That is the first track in my NLOTH album playlist.
@david - Soon is the track you're thinking-of. That is the first track in my NLOTH album playlist.
OP
OP
dan_smee
ONE love, blood, life
The idea that U2s b sides could make an album to rival TJT of TUF is honestly a pretty sloppy take. The crass counter would be: go on, make a track list and we’ll judge it against them, but I don’t think we need to.
They have some excellent b sides, one offs and leftovers. But all of them are from eras where the album material mostly outshone them and for good reason.
The later years with things like Crystal Ballroom and Book of Your Heart are maddening because they should have replaced album songs. You might make a case for luminous times to bump trip through your wires, but they very much exceptions and not rules.
They have some excellent b sides, one offs and leftovers. But all of them are from eras where the album material mostly outshone them and for good reason.
The later years with things like Crystal Ballroom and Book of Your Heart are maddening because they should have replaced album songs. You might make a case for luminous times to bump trip through your wires, but they very much exceptions and not rules.
2861U2
Rock n' Roll Doggie Band-aid
I had a U2 dream last night. They released a 30-second clip of a new song called "Smoke," kind of a Zoo Station-vibe.
It's track two on the new album
1. Go
2. Smoke
3. Kids
4. Don't tell your parents
5. Freedom is a feeling
6. Extraordinary Love (for America)
7. Yet to be titled Ryan Tedder melody-driven song
8. Groundskeeper (a sequel to Landlady)
9. Bob
10. Stop
1. Go
2. Smoke
3. Kids
4. Don't tell your parents
5. Freedom is a feeling
6. Extraordinary Love (for America)
7. Yet to be titled Ryan Tedder melody-driven song
8. Groundskeeper (a sequel to Landlady)
9. Bob
10. Stop
david
ONE love, blood, life
The odd one off song from the NLOTH era I thought was Return of the Stingray Guitar was actually the song “Soon”.
TinKnight
Refugee
is Stop anyway related to Stop! (The Poverty). Or are they going to keep us waiting on that absolute banger?
david
ONE love, blood, life
Bono only cares about bangers & mash.
phanan
Blue Crack Addict
For the most part, U2 have been very good editors of their albums, with some exceptions (like choosing Elvis over Love Comes Tumbling for TUF). We get on their case for the really dumb stuff, especially for the later albums, but it's hard to argue with the choices made during their prime.
namkcuR
ONE love, blood, life
I'm going to strongly disagree with you here - U2 have so many album-worthy non-album tracks...
11 O'Clock Tick Tock, A Celebration, Party Girl, Love Comes Tumbling, The Three Sunrises, Luminous Times, Spanish Eyes, Sweetest Thing, Lady With The Spinning Head, Slow Dancing, HMTMKMKM, North And South Of The River, Two Shots Of Happy One Shot Of Sad(one of the greatest songs they ever wrote imo), the MDH tracks, Summer Rain, Electrical Storm, Are You Gonna Wait Forever, Fast Cars/X&W/Pictures Of You, Mercy/Luckiest Man, Winter, Invisible, Crystal Ballroom, Book Of Your Heart
I'd even argue Treason should've been on Bomb if it was anything close to finished.
HMTMKMKM and Sweetest Thing were hits.
11OTT, Party Girl, and Spanish Eyes are still live fan-favorites even if they don't get played often. Slow Dancing gets played ever now and then too.
I feel like some might replace something like The Refugee or Red Light on War with A Celebration.
The MDH tracks were always well-received and a lot of people are of the opinion that they're better than some of the stuff that made ATYCLB.
I think a lot of people feel that some version of Fast Cars/X&W/Pictures Of You should've made Bomb.
Mercy was a last-minute cut from Bomb and it finally getting a proper release was a big deal around here.
Winter was a late cut from NLOTH, is in the Linear film, and Brian Eno publicly stated how upset he was that it got cut.
Many of us have been frustrated that the SOI/SOE non-album tracks were cut.
And I haven't even mentioned the two songs that got nominated for Oscars(even though they're not very popular around here).
Your last two sentences - "U2 would fall over their own damn feet to put out any song that they felt would be a hit. Always have, always will." - are correct(at least from Joshua Tree onwards), but one, just because a song is really good doesn't mean it would be a hit...like, Love Comes Tumbling, Luminous Times, Slow Dancing, Two Shots, Stateless, they're great songs but they in all likelihood would've been deep cuts even if they made an album. They don't scream radio. And two, the band isn't always a good judge of what's a hit and what's not, especially in later years. They thought Boots and Crazy Tonight and Get Out Of Your Own Way and American Soul would be hits.
With respect, I think you are underselling U2's non-album output.
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