Which side of Achtung Baby is better.

[SkeeK]

This came up in the new album forum, and I first posted this there, but decided to move it to a new thread

There was a bit of an argument about whether the first half of U2 album is always stronger than the second half. I think usually this is the case.. though I do find the second half is usually more interesting.

But I decided to go through the songs and objectively assign them 5 star ratings. By objectively, I mean that personally So Cruel is one of my all time favourite U2 songs, but I only give it 2.5 stars because I know it's not generally well-liked. I've been reading this forum for four years, so I think I have a pretty good idea of what 'u2 fans in general' think about things. Obviously some of you will vehemently deny these ratings, but overall I think they're pretty accurate as a reflection of general opinion.

1:
Zoo Station - good.. 3
EBTTRT - good to great.. 3.5
One - Classic.. 5
UTTEOTW - great, almost classic.. 4.5
WGRYWH - good.. 3
So Cruel - decent to good.. 2.5

2:
The Fly - great.. 4
Mysterious ways - great.. 4
TTTYAATW - decent.. 2
Ultraviolet.. 3.75
Acrobat.. 3.75
Love is Blindness.. 3.5 (would give 4+ for live version)

Songs like Acrobat and UV are tricky because they have strong vocal support, but many people find them average and stay out of the fawning threads.

Anyway, i'm going to do the math and see how it turns out.

side one average: 3.58 (i'm very tempted to give another half star to so cruel (my fav) to make it 3.6666. or if you put Zoostation at 3.5, EBTTRT at 4, as well as so cruel at 3, it's 3.83

side two average: 3.5. I could probably drop UV and Acro down to 3.5, which would make the total 3.4.

This is all very arbitrary and I did it with no prethinking, but merely to see what side I thought everyone thinks is better.

There's a lot of half points here and there one could change, but I think overall the two sides are about even.

And before you go trashing the low ratings i gave amazing songs, this is all in reference to other U2 songs.

 

[beau2ifulday]

I'm a little divided on this. I mean, 'Acrobat' is my favourite U2 song lyrically... it completely blew me away when I heard the lyrics. However, whenever I listen to it, I always end up thinking 'damn, they could have done better musically' - ditto for 'The Fly'. I guess i'd still go for the second side though, at the end of the day. I've never been a huge fan of 'One' or EBTTRT, and I don't think the strength of UTEOTW would be enough to make the first side better.

 

[AquariumDrinker]

In reference to other U2 songs? More interesting that way.

Zoo Station: 3
EBTTRT: 4
One: 5
UTEOTW: 4
WGRYWH: 2.5
So Cruel: 3.5


The Fly: 3.5
MW: 4.5
TTTYAATW: 3
Ultraviolet: 3
Acrobat: 4
Love Is Blindness: 4

Side 1 Average: 3.67
Side 2 Average: Same!

So they're equal according to my rankings.

I just want to add that I think the tracklistings are what they are mainly for flow and pacing purposes, more so than a deliberate attempt to front-load an album with stronger songs.

 

[SkeeK]

I just want to add that I think the tracklistings are what they are mainly for flow and pacing purposes, more so than a deliberate attempt to front-load an album with stronger songs.

Definitely agree in reference to Achtung, but I'm not so sure the same could be said about ATYCLB.

 

[ImOuttaControl]

ZooStation: 3
EBTTRT: 4
One: 5
UTEOTW: 5
WGRYWH: 3
So Cruel: 3.5

The Fly: 5
Mysterious Ways: 4
TTTYAATW: 3
Ultravoilet: 4
Acrobat: 4.5
Love Is Blindness: 5

Side 1 average: 3.92
Side 2 average: 4.25

I guess it's all a matter of opinion! I personally think that WGRYWH is kind of weak(single version much better) and ZooStation isn't real strong either, even though I love it.

 

[jick]

I prefer the dark side of Achtung Baby.

Cheers,

J

 

[AquariumDrinker]

Definitely agree in reference to Achtung, but I'm not so sure the same could be said about ATYCLB.

I was going to mention that ATYCLB was a big exception to that, but it slipped my mind.

 

[PowerSurge]

GREAT QUESTION!

I'd say that if it weren't for ONE and UTEOTW, the first side would die in a battle to the death with the second side.

 

[Tranquilfire]

Is there anyone here who likes Tryin' To Throw Your Arms Around the World?! I love that song! I'd take it over Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses or Ultraviolet (Light My Way), though I do love both those songs. Of course, I'm also the guy that thinks Miami is a kick ass song. Sorry, so as not to steer this off topic, I like the second half of Achtung Baby better. The Fly and Mysterious Ways are just too perfect together. And Acrobat and Love is Blindess? Great pairing...

 

[ImOuttaControl]

Is there anyone here who likes Tryin' To Throw Your Arms Around the World?! I love that song!

Yeah, but the studio version just doesn't do much for me. I love the live version though.

 

[bcrt2000]

you can't split up AB into 2 sides IMHO.. you have to take the experience as a whole...

 

[MrBrau1]

I think you've taken this VS. thing too far. Now someones gonna start a threat title: Bad's Verse VS. Bad's chorus-which is better? Go drink a beer.

 

[Axver]

Zoo Station: 3.5
Even Better Than The Real Thing: 3.5
One: 4.5 (live it's worth 7!)
Until The End Of The World: 4.5 (7 live as well)
Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses: 3.5
So Cruel: 2.5

The Fly: 5
Mysterious Ways: 4
Tryin' To Throw Your Arms Around The World: 2
Ultra Violet: 0.5
Acrobat: 5
Love Is Blindness: 5

Side one average: 3.666 (recurring)
Side two average: 3.58333 (recurring)

So although the songs I rank the highest are on side two, it falls down on the basis of TTTYAATW and UV and thus side one has the better overall ranking. Interesting.

 

[ImOuttaControl]

Zoo Station: 3.5
Even Better Than The Real Thing: 3.5
One: 4.5 (live it's worth 7!)
Until The End Of The World: 4.5 (7 live as well)
Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses: 3.5
So Cruel: 2.5

The Fly: 5
Mysterious Ways: 4
Tryin' To Throw Your Arms Around The World: 2
Ultra Violet: 0.5
Acrobat: 5
Love Is Blindness: 5

Side one average: 3.666 (recurring)
Side two average: 3.58333 (recurring)

So although the songs I rank the highest are on side two, it falls down on the basis of TTTYAATW and UV and thus side one has the better overall ranking. Interesting.

Ultraviolet a .5!??? That's insane! I'd reserve a low rating like that for a song like Refugee.

 

[GibsonGirl]

Ultra Violet: 0.5

Hee, that's higher than I expected you would give it! Anyway, on to my ratings:

Zoo Station - 4
Even Better Than The Real Thing - 4
One - 5
Until The End Of The World - 5
Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses - 3
So Cruel - 2.5

The Fly - 5
Mysterious Ways - 5
Tryin' To Throw Your Arms Around The World - 2.5
Ultraviolet - 3
Acrobat - 5
Love Is Blindness - 4.5

Side One avg. = 3.916...
Side Two avg. = 4.166...

So, to point out the obvious, the second side wins.

 

[u2valleygirl]

If I absolutely had to choose I'd say side one b/c of Zoo Station and Until the end of the World. But in a way, it's like six of one half dozen of another. Sorry to be so nuetral but's it's one of the best albums ever made.

 

[Flying FuManchu]

LOL at Mr. Brau1

 

[u2valleygirl]

Gee Axver, I thought you loved Ultraviolet. I thought it was your favorite song.

 

[RademR]

Zoo Station 4.5
Even Better than the Real Thing 4.5
One 5.0
Until the End of the World 5.0
Whose Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses? 4.0
So Cruel 3.5

The Fly 5.0
Mysterious Ways 4.0
Trying to Throw Your Arms around the World 3.0
Ultraviolet 4.0
Acrobat 4.5
Love is Blindness 3.5

So tough to break down my favorite album ever, all the songs are so good.

 

[DaveC]

Zoo Station 4.0
Even Better than the Real Thing 3.75
One 5.0
Until the End of the World 4.75
Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses? 2.5
So Cruel 3.5

The Fly 4.75
Mysterious Ways 4.0
Tryin' to Throw Your Arms Around the World 3.25
Ultraviolet 2.5
Acrobat 3.75
Love is Blindness 4.25

Side 1: 3.916
Side 2: 3.75

Side 1 it is.

 

[Axver]

Hee, that's higher than I expected you would give it!

Well, I nearly gave it a flat-out zero, but I must say the beginning shows promise. The only U2 song deserving of a zero is Red Light.

Originally posted by ImOuttaControl
Ultraviolet a .5!??? That's insane! I'd reserve a low rating like that for a song like Refugee.

I don't comprehend why The Refugee is so unpopular. In my opinion, it puts Ultra Violet to shame.

 

[Aardvark747]

I do like Refugee (certainly better than Red Light!), but i'd always take ANYTHING on AB over it.

Incidently, it would have to be side 2 for me. I couldnt give up Acrobat.

 

[djerdap]

Side 2, definitely.

Zoo Station - 4
Even Better Than the Real Thing - 4.5
One - 5
Until the End of the World - 5
Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses - 3.5
So Cruel - 3


The Fly - 5
Mysterious Ways - 4
Tryin' to Throw Your Arms Around the World - 3.5
Ultra Violet - 5
Acrobat - 5
Love is Blindness - 4

 

[Saracene]

Side 2 easily.

Zoo Station 3.0
Even Better than the Real Thing 4.5
One 4.0
Until the End of the World 4.0
Whose Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses? 3.0
So Cruel 2.5

The Fly 5.0
Mysterious Ways 5.0
Trying to Throw Your Arms around the World 3.0
Ultraviolet 4.0
Acrobat 4.5
Love is Blindness 4.5

 

[ZeroDude]

The album is a 10............. So Cruel at least 4, same for Ultraviolet, what are peoples problems with these songs?

 

[jick]

Wow! If someone can rank a great song like Ultaviolet a 0.5 out of 5, then imagine if this very person heard the POP album! He would probably rank that a -20 out of 5! Thank God he probably hasn't heard the POP album.

Cheers,

J

 

[celia]

I think thats one album where the two sides I actually like pretty much the same. A mix of Amazing songs and really good.

Whereas like ATYCLB and Pop id say I like the first half prob more.

 

[God Part III]

1:
Zoo Station - Great - 4.5
Even Better Than The Real Thing - Great also - 4.25
One - Classic.. 5
Until The End Of The World - Their best ever track - 5
Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses - Better than OK. - 3.5
So Cruel - Great Lyrics - 4

2:
The Fly - For the live version - 5
Mysterious Ways - 5
Tryin' To Throw Your Arms Around The World - 4
Ultraviolet - 3
Acrobat - 4
Love Is Blindness - 3.5

Side 1 by far.

 

[Axver]

Wow! If someone can rank a great song like Ultaviolet a 0.5 out of 5, then imagine if this very person heard the POP album! He would probably rank that a -20 out of 5! Thank God he probably hasn't heard the POP album.

I love the assumptions made about my taste.

Discotheque: 4
Do You Feel Loved: 3.5
Mofo: 4
If God Will Send His Angels: 4.5
Staring At The Sun: 4.5
Last Night On Earth: 5
Gone: 5
Miami: 2
The Playboy Mansion: 2
If You Wear That Velvet Dress: 3.25
Please: 3.75 (live, it's easily a 7)
Wake Up Dead Man: 5

 

[whackjester]

I think you've taken this VS. thing too far. Now someones gonna start a threat title: Bad's Verse VS. Bad's chorus-which is better? Go drink a beer.

qft