Best/Worst U2 Song Ever?

[AJ123]

Best: One
Worst: Staring At The Sun

I would consider that song one of the top 3 of that era (90s)

[@lmighty DS]

Best: One
Worst: Staring At The Sun

I would consider that song one of the top 3 of that era (90s)

i'd consider it top 3 on Pop, maybe top 10 of the 90's.

[Borack]

Best: Streets (then Gloria)
Worst: Lemon (then Trip Through Your Wires)

And yes, I do like Vlad ... but I've always thought Lemon was rancid.

[LToy]

Best: One
Worst: Staring At The Sun

Whaaaat?

Lyrically, Staring never worked for me as it never seemed to go anywhere in terms of a narrative.  The themes come across as a mish-mash of ideas that go off on tangents, and it doesn't help that Bono's delivery tends to detract from the song, rather than propel it forward.  It also doesn't help that the band weighed down the song with a clunky arrangement.

[EnduringChill]

Best: One
Worst: Staring At The Sun

I would consider that song one of the top 3 of that era (90s)

i'd consider it top 3 on Pop, maybe top 10 of the 90's.

I'll take it even farther and say I consider it one of the top 3 U2 songs, period.

I very much associate the video with the song and I love the video. That's probably it, but the song itself sets a mood that I can picture even w/o the video.

i will say i at least prefer the video the ST's video, despite my love of the giant Zoo TV U2 heads.

...Love? Those things creep me out.

[_acrobat]

Best: One
Worst: Staring At The Sun

Whaaaat?

Lyrically, Staring never worked for me as it never seemed to go anywhere in terms of a narrative.  The themes come across as a mish-mash of ideas that go off on tangents, and it doesn't help that Bono's delivery tends to detract from the song, rather than propel it forward.  It also doesn't help that the band weighed down the song with a clunky arrangement.

Yeah I can see what you're saying, still think its a damn fine song though

[singnomore]

Re exchange on previous page - to remind contributors that its about discussion and opinions not about having a pop (scuse the joke) at each other...

Back to the chat....

[@lmighty DS]

I very much associate the video with the song and I love the video. That's probably it, but the song itself sets a mood that I can picture even w/o the video.

i will say i at least prefer the video the ST's video, despite my love of the giant Zoo TV U2 heads.

...Love? Those things creep me out.

Yes, i love them. I find it so bizarre an odd that they exist, i want to wear one. I do, EC, i do.

[LToy]

Best: One
Worst: Staring At The Sun

Whaaaat?

Lyrically, Staring never worked for me as it never seemed to go anywhere in terms of a narrative.  The themes come across as a mish-mash of ideas that go off on tangents, and it doesn't help that Bono's delivery tends to detract from the song, rather than propel it forward.  It also doesn't help that the band weighed down the song with a clunky arrangement.

Yeah I can see what you're saying, still think its a damn fine song though

Here's another angle to my argument about why I find Staring to be one of U2's most disappointing songs. Staring had a lot of potential but like so many of the songs on POP, U2 missed an opportunity to make it a really great song.  Even though U2 were experimenting with different sonic textures on POP, it was only after a month into the Popmart Tour that U2 realized the best way to present Staring At The Sun was addition by subtraction.  By stripping the song to a basic accoustic guitars & vocal arrangement (dispensing with Adam & Larry's rhythm section) it found new life & presented the song in an entirely new light; in other words, it actually improved the song.  It's too bad that U2 didn't take this approach in the studio with Staring to begin with as it probably could have saved them months of unneccessary tinkering on a song that probably didn't need it in the first place; ie- time wasted in the studio which could have been better spent on tightening the lyrics into a more cohesive structure and theme.
I still stand by my original argument but will add that this is another example of the U2 machine over-producing a song to death which results in potentially great songs being short-circuited & sabotaged despite their best intentions.

[DGordon1]

Electrical Storm at the very least is artistic and creative. Sweetest Thing is junk food for your mind; throwaway pop music rubbish.

What's creative about it

If I have to explain, then you wouldn't get it anyway.

Ok you really don't need to be a jerk just cause I don't agree with everyone's opinion.

Grow up dude

Oh dear.

[satellitedog01]

Sorry I messed up my response.  I actually quoted everything including my response:-)

Interesting take on Sweetest Thing.  Some of the reasons you like it are similar to the reasons I don't (ie too sweet, didn't fit with the 80s albums and was refit to suit the times)but your points are well made.  I am surprised about your view of Electrical Storm- I quite liked it and, for me, it felt like it fit with Stateless/Million Dollar Hotel era (with Ground Beneath, Levitate et al) and almost bridged to Atyclb.  It's funny how we had such different takes on the Best Of singles.

Jon

[/quote]

It's totally cool with me, Jon.
Electrical Storm was the first time I immediately knew this was something laboured and constructed out of ideas that found no homes in better songs. It happens with Bono "the patron saint of lost songs", he fights for ideas he likes, he likes to see them through.

Sweetest Thing on the other hand is the old hat trick, dressing up serious content (well as serious as Bono will get) in a supremely accessible piece of pop music.

I don't have a problem with a catchy, chirpy, one off pop song if it works, and I am glad when they try new things, I love U2's music for its diversity along the years, and Electrical Storm crosses me just in that respect.
It's not original, it wants to be hit single U2, the lyrics are evidently a patchwork job, with a lot of quickly made up filler past the verses, plus "baby don't cry" totally out of context, unfavourably comparing the song to INXS's super cheesy, yet enjoyable hit single.
The music is not better either, using a nondescript chord sequence and thrown in elements that could be considered signature Edge, Larry, Bono but they come off as a mish-mash of familiar, yet disjointed parts that fit like the pieces in Frankenstein's monster fit: through craft, not nature.

Actually they went on writing crafted U2 songs in the '00s, and it's my greatest problem with their current state. Some of those songs work, most just remind us of more passionate U2 songs-, or the more passionate U2 of the past, some don't achieve either.

[xy]

Because INXS invented the words "baby don't cry" in a rock song.

[xy]

Best : One, WOWY, MOS

Worst : someting on the first four albums... Elvis Presley.
 
90's worst is Miami.

And from 00's Miracle Drug.

[_acrobat]

Best : One, WOWY, MOS

Worst : someting on the first four albums... Elvis Presley.
 
90's worst is Miami.

And from 00's Miracle Drug.

You mean one of the best, right?

[Northern Soul]

Best: One
Worst: Staring At The Sun

Whaaaat?

Lyrically, Staring never worked for me as it never seemed to go anywhere in terms of a narrative.  The themes come across as a mish-mash of ideas that go off on tangents, and it doesn't help that Bono's delivery tends to detract from the song, rather than propel it forward.  It also doesn't help that the band weighed down the song with a clunky arrangement.

Yeah I can see what you're saying, still think its a damn fine song though

Here's another angle to my argument about why I find Staring to be one of U2's most disappointing songs. Staring had a lot of potential but like so many of the songs on POP, U2 missed an opportunity to make it a really great song.  Even though U2 were experimenting with different sonic textures on POP, it was only after a month into the Popmart Tour that U2 realized the best way to present Staring At The Sun was addition by subtraction.  By stripping the song to a basic accoustic guitars & vocal arrangement (dispensing with Adam & Larry's rhythm section) it found new life & presented the song in an entirely new light; in other words, it actually improved the song.  It's too bad that U2 didn't take this approach in the studio with Staring to begin with as it probably could have saved them months of unneccessary tinkering on a song that probably didn't need it in the first place; ie- time wasted in the studio which could have been better spent on tightening the lyrics into a more cohesive structure and theme.
I still stand by my original argument but will add that this is another example of the U2 machine over-producing a song to death which results in potentially great songs being short-circuited & sabotaged despite their best intentions.

I totally disagree.  The guitar riff in the original is what makes the song, for me.

Also, nothing on POP was over-produced.  The production on that album is very minimal, just a lot of textures and ideas.