**The Offical U2 Fan Thread**

[indigo tree]

Too bad, It'd probably be very hard to get a hold of the original single.

 

[wonder111]

Pud, Bullet the blue sky is an awesome one, but out of the two, Joshua Tree, and Rattle and hum I like the Rattle and hum edition only because it's live and they added allot more lyrics to the end of it.

All I want is you makes me shiver it's so good, awesome song, awesome lyrics, just a great song all together.

Anybody else feel that way about "All I want is you"?

absolutely! Bono's views are the closest I've ever heard to mine, so musically and personally I love it all!

 

[Axver]

Indigo Tree - 'Too bad, It'd probably be very hard to get a hold of the original single.'

Very true, but not as hard as getting a hold of U2:3, their very first single. My uncle has every single U2 single anyhow, so if I can't find it myself, he can always just burn it onto a CD/record it onto another cassette for me. Yep, I come from a family of U2 fans ...

 

[indigo tree]

Indigo Tree - 'Too bad, It'd probably be very hard to get a hold of the original single.'

Very true, but not as hard as getting a hold of U2:3, their very first single. My uncle has every single U2 single anyhow, so if I can't find it myself, he can always just burn it onto a CD/record it onto another cassette for me. Yep, I come from a family of U2 fans ...

Heh, wish I did. My dad is heavily into classical, my sister doesnt seem to know what she likes...so.yeah.

 

[Axver]

I think I was doomed/blessed to U2 fanaticism from the start. My Uncle is completely obsessed (like I am), I'm converting my Mum, even though she's always liked them, and pretty much the rest of my family likes them.

A lot of people I know don't seem to know what they like either. I keep on dropping (not-so-)subtle hints about U2 to them. Shame it doesn't seem to be working.

 

[MP Kevin]

The whole reason I am a musician today is because of this band!!! So many great songs and records. It's impossible to sort it all out on one post here. Lately it's been...

Exit (the live version on the Rattle and Hum video)
Until the End of the World
Stay (Faraway, So Close)
Heartland
Discoteque (don't ask why...)

'Rock and roll stops the traffic!' - Bono

Well, guys - that's all there really is to say. Walk with the King and be a blessing!

Kevin / Mending Point
Ephesians 2:8-9

 

[Axver]

So many great songs and records. It's impossible to sort it all out on one post here.

Oh, amen to that. I just wish they'd release their new album soon (latest word is it's coming out in March next year), because I'm desperate for new U2!

Exit (the live version on the Rattle and Hum video)

That is FANTASTIC! I love that. I also downloaded a very good live version of it today, also from the Joshua Tree tour, from the 28 September 87 show (wherever that was held).

Until the End of the World
Discoteque (don't ask why...)

Have you seen either of those on the Popmart Mexico video? They're great, particularly UTEOTW when Edge 'chases' Bono with his guitar, and I was watching Discotheque earlier day and really got into it. I love the "Boom-cha"s and it was a crime to leave them out of the Best Of 1990-2000 New Mix. It's a great song, and although I'm not really sure what the exact meaning is, there's some fantastic individual lines.

 

[MP Kevin]

Justin, our singer, has the Popmart video you're talking about! It's really great! That tour was ridiculous! It was just so huge and that giant screen was amazing. We sometimes watch it after practice and dream about when maybe we might be playing to huge crowds like that. Wild stuff, dude!

Discoteque is just cool - I have no idea why but I always skipped that track because I thought it was... well... a little gay. (hopefully I can say that on here). About six months ago I popped in the disc and was driving down the highway and I felt like I had found a new song altogether. Some of the lyrics are brilliant and the feel of the song just moves. I love it now!

Same thing with Zooropa - never really liked it until recently. There music truely stands the test of time... even the stuff that maybe no one got when it came out. It somehow comes back and gets ya, you know?

Can't wait for the new one. God bless.

Kevin / Mending Point
Ephesians 2:8-9

 

[Axver]

Justin, our singer, has the Popmart video you're talking about! It's really great! That tour was ridiculous! It was just so huge and that giant screen was amazing. We sometimes watch it after practice and dream about when maybe we might be playing to huge crowds like that. Wild stuff, dude!

I play guitar myself - unfortunately I don't have a band - and I like to imagine myself playing to a crowd like that myself! It'd be grand. And the Popmart tour ... that was just incredible and over-the-top. But then again, that was the entire point of it. It's a shame the real message of it got lost too often.

Discoteque is just cool - I have no idea why but I always skipped that track because I thought it was... well... a little gay. (hopefully I can say that on here). About six months ago I popped in the disc and was driving down the highway and I felt like I had found a new song altogether. Some of the lyrics are brilliant and the feel of the song just moves. I love it now!

Heh, I used to skip it because ... I'm not really sure why. I just didn't really like it a terrible lot and thought it was strange. But then when I watched the Popmart video and really listened to it, I realised what a great song it was. Out of the three versions I have - Pop CD, Best Of Mix, and Popmart live - I definitely think the Popmart live one is the best. U2 songs are great in the studio, but live they're something else. Bad on the Rattle And Hum video and 11 O'clock Tick Tock on the Under A Blood Red Sky video are my two favourites. U2 is so much better live.

Same thing with Zooropa - never really liked it until recently.

By Zooropa, do you mean the CD or the song? I think they're both great. On the CD, I particularly love Zooropa, Numb, Lemon, Stay, and Some Days Are Better Than Others.

There music truely stands the test of time... even the stuff that maybe no one got when it came out. It somehow comes back and gets ya, you know?

I know EXACTLY what you mean. My favourite U2 studio CD at the moment is Boy, which was made seven years before I was born! Now THAT is what I call standing the test of time!

 

[Droobie]

It's interesting that U2 could be in so many ways a Christian band, but have chosen not to be for religious/political reasons.

"Can you imagine how it feels to believe in Christ and be so uncomfortable with Christianity? The church is an empty, hollow building. It's the edifice. The established church is the edifice of Christianity. It's as if when the spirit of God leaves a place, the only things that are left are the pillars of rules and regulations to keep its roof on. And we are more and more claustrophobic around organised religion. I used to think I could walk into a Protestant or Catholic church or whatever and just be at one with myself and the surroundings. But we are... it's as if the way we are outsiders in the music scene we're outsiders on every level. We get flak from everyone. We seem to be walking this line, and whenever we cross it either way it's a long way down, on either side, to fall. And I don't know how we're still there, but it takes it all away to talk about it too much." - Bono

Three of the band members are 'Christians' though obviously they have chosen their own walk. Disillusioned by what has happened between the denominational conflict in Northern Ireland. Many of their songs have Christian undertones, for example "I Still Haven't Found" or "When Love Comes to Town" and can be simply inspirational.

 

[Axver]

"Religion is the enemy of God. It denies the spontaneity, the almost anarchistic nature of the Spirit." - Bono
"I'm not doubting. I don't doubt God. It's religion I'm doubting." - Bono

I love Bono's faith. I find it inspiring and you can see it in everything he does, from his lyricism to his charity work (And just why did he not win the Nobel Peace Prize? He DESERVED it). I also find it a tad ... offensive, I guess, that you call them 'Christians' and seem to imply they aren't really or something like that. Bono, Edge, and Larry are all Christians, and this has been evidenced in their music. I'm glad they didn't choose to sign with a Christian label and create purely Christian music, because that would've limited them, their subject matter, and their audience. Many people have found their way to Christ through U2, because U2 is a Christian secular band - such people, when non-believers, never would've listened to a Christian band, but they were prepared to listen to U2 and subsequently were saved. A Christian band could never question like U2 does (even though we all question at times), they could never sing Running To Stand Still because it would imply they know someone who uses/used heroin, they could never do the anti-commercialisation and anti-media spectacle that ZooTV was, et cetera. If U2 had decided to be a purely Christian band, it would've limited and ruined the band. They chose the right path.

Yes, you're right that many of their songs have Christian undertones. Indeed, nearly all of them do, and many of them, the main theme relates to Christianity and God: Gloria, Tomorrow, With A Shout (Jerusalem), Surrender, 40, When Love Comes To Town, Acrobat, The Wanderer, Wake Up Dead Man, and Beautiful Day, to name some of them.

 

[indigo tree]

Gloria, Gloria...That song lifts me..One of my most favorite spirtual songs.

Bono's relationship with his God is most definetly impressive and appealing. He just seems to radiate the truth...

 

[Lotar]

40 is a good song of theirs to listen to as well

 

[Axver]

40 is simply beautiful, especially the live version on the Under A Blood Red Sky EP.

But Gloria, it's incredible. Gloria ... in te domine ... gloria ... exultate ... gloria, gloria ... oh Lord, if I had anything, anything at all, I'd give it to You ...

 

[VIGO]

New york is the best song from their last album IMO, just listien to the bass line.

 

[sad astronaut]

Ahhh, about time for a u2 fan thread. I'm about to go to bed and will read some posts later.

U2 is undoubtedly my favorite group. Some of my favorite songs are Kite, Where the Streets have no Name, Even better than the real thing...just to name a few. Also, a song that is not well known, but I think is great is "Your Blue Room", it's off the Passengers album or the best of 1990-2000 b-sides. great song if you are into the alternative side of u2.

 

[mrslinky]

Im a U2 fan but Im sorry REM is better!!

 

[sad astronaut]

My wife and I danced to "All I want is you" at our wedding.

Pud, Bullet the blue sky is an awesome one, but out of the two, Joshua Tree, and Rattle and hum I like the Rattle and hum edition only because it's live and they added allot more lyrics to the end of it.

All I want is you makes me shiver it's so good, awesome song, awesome lyrics, just a great song all together.

Anybody else feel that way about "All I want is you"?

 

[sad astronaut]

My favorite 10 songs in no particular order:
1. Where the streets have no name.
2. Trip through your wires
3. Your blue room
4. Until the end of the world
5. even better than the real thing
6. kite
7. in a little while
8. angel of harlem
9. all i want is you
10. running to stand still

 

[Axver]

New york is the best song from their last album IMO, just listien to the bass line.

Personally, I think New York is not that great of a song, and it doesn't come close to Walk On, one of the best songs of all time (not just U2 songs, any songs). They used that to close shows on the Elevation tour and I'm of the opinion they should keep it that way for the upcoming tour. Can't wait for the tour dates to be announced.

In regards to ATYCLB, here's what I think of the various songs;

Sheer genius: Walk On
Brilliant: Beautiful Day, The Ground Beneath Her Feet (found only on British, Japanese, and Australian copies), and Kite
Very good: Elevation, Stuck In A Moment You Can't Get Out Of, Wild Honey, When I Look At The World
Good: Peace On Earth, New York, Grace
So-so: In A Little While

Sad Astronaut, I'm surprised Trip Through Your Wires rated so high on your list. I've noticed not many U2 fanatics are particularly keen on it, although it is a good enough song. You ever heard any live versions of it? I have a live copy from the "Save the Yuppies" free concert in San Francisco from 1987 ... just gone and forgotten the exact date.

Your Blue Room is a truly great song, and I love it how Adam does some vocals. I'd like to hear some early live recordings of Fire, because he apparently sung backing vocals on that track in the early days. And I feel like a bad U2 fan, because I don't have Passengers, but it is difficult to get. Roll on Christmas!