For me, it's easily "Elvis Presley and America", from the UNFORGETTABLE FIRE album. Consistently and vitriolically maligned by U2 fans for being a "one take", without much in the way of post-production polish and eschewing pre-established lyrics from Bono in favor of a more improvised, even "scat" approach. I've always found it to have an astounding melody, and to be profoundly moving, in spite of the fact that the lyrics don't say anything concise or have any obvious meaning. A beautiful tune that should be welcomed for its non-conformity, not lambasted.
Honorable mentions go to "Night + Day", a compelling and dramatic primer for the shift U2 were preparing to undertake from the folksy patina of RATTLE AND HUM to the grungy, industrialized ZOO TV era, featuring an explosive vocal track from Bono that leaves me in shudders; and "Unchained Melody", a powerful, heart-rending, wholly original and dissimilar take from the classic Righteous Brothers version that actually improves upon that original recording in every way; either that or I'm just crazy and my ego won't let me believe the latter.
BadlyDrawnBoy
09-26-05, 01:43 PM
The Fly. It gets panned so much, but its flat out the most rockingest U2 song ever.
wendersfan
09-26-05, 01:54 PM
Probably something off <i>October</i>, which I have always thought was their best album. Maybe the title track?
Filmmaker
09-26-05, 01:57 PM
BadlyDrawnBoy, who pans "The Fly"? As a loooong-time U2 fan, I've never heard anybody speak out against it.
Dubya
09-26-05, 03:02 PM
Probably something off <i>October</i>, which I have always thought was their best album. Maybe the title track?
"I Fall Down"
RMSpuhler
09-26-05, 03:20 PM
BadlyDrawnBoy, who pans "The Fly"? As a loooong-time U2 fan, I've never heard anybody speak out against it.
Yeah, but underrated can mean that BDB thinks its the best ever and others just think it's okay.
Me, I've always loved (and wished to see live) "Ultraviolet" and "Acrobat," and I tend to be alone and that.
The most *forgotten* awesome U2 song has to be "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me."
RS
uberjoe
09-26-05, 03:23 PM
Me, I've always loved (and wished to see live) "Ultraviolet" and "Acrobat," and I tend to be alone and that.
Great songs. A friend made a cd of mp3s for her graduating college friends, and included Ultraviolet. I was impressed. Acrobat is also an amazing song.
Filmmaker
09-26-05, 03:26 PM
RMSpuhler, if it makes you feel better, "Ultraviolet" is my favorite song from ACHTUNG BABY.
Yeah, but underrated can mean that BDB thinks its the best ever and others just think it's okay.
But BDB specifically said it is panned; not simply ignored or overlooked, but panned.
atlantamoi
09-26-05, 03:28 PM
I doubt many U2 fans hate "Exit" from "Joshua Tree", but I rank that song right up there with "Bad" as my favorite. I just hardly ever see anyone mention that cut. Funny, two songs I don't care for were mentioned earlier in this thread ("Night + Day" and "Hold Me..." I actually can't stand "Hold Me...")
Dalvin
09-26-05, 03:30 PM
"Homeland" from U2 Rattle and Hum. Such a beautiful love song, in such a unique way. I loved everything about it. Unfortunately, unless your a big U2 fan, is not one most people know. Great and UNDERRATED tune.
uberjoe
09-26-05, 03:33 PM
"Homeland" from U2 Rattle and Hum. Such a beautiful love song, in such a unique way. I loved everything about it. Unfortunately, unless your a big U2 fan, is not one most people know. Great and UNDERRATED tune.
Second only to "Heartland" on the album, IMO.
Filmmaker
09-26-05, 03:55 PM
Second only to "Heartland" on the album, IMO.
:lol:
Filmmaker
09-26-05, 03:56 PM
Funny, two songs I don't care for were mentioned earlier in this thread ("Night + Day" and "Hold Me..." I actually can't stand "Hold Me...")
Hmm...I guess that makes them candidates for being underrated, yes? ;)
Hiro11
09-26-05, 04:15 PM
"Out of Control" has an absolutely kick-ass bass-line and a great lead from Dave.
"An Cat Dubh" into "Into the Heart" is terrific.
"40" is the secret weapon on "War".
"Promonade" is the perfect after-sex-on-a-summer-evening-windows-open-slight-breeze song
"One Tree Hill" is actually my favorite song off of "Joshua Tree"
"Miami" is a cool song off of "Pop" (very underrated in general, IMO). Excellent song live.
"Wild Honey" is a fantastic track.
"Original of the Species" is among my favorite new tracks.
Tyler_Durden
09-26-05, 04:16 PM
In God's Country. I'm sure all U2 fans like it, but the "general public" mostly doesn't know it. And even though no-one asked, I think One is definitely their most overrated song.
Hiro11
09-26-05, 04:19 PM
In God's Country. I'm sure all U2 fans like it, but the "general public" mostly doesn't know it.Excellent track, great chorus. I love the bridge and solo too.
RMSpuhler
09-26-05, 04:33 PM
But BDB specifically said it is panned; not simply ignored or overlooked, but panned.
Yeah, you're right. I missed that.
Kind of related: I think "City of Blinding Lights" gets criticised too much as the concert opener for a lot of the Vertigo tour. I think it's a brilliant song to open with - the entire crowd starting to jump on "...I get ready to leave the ground" and singing/yelling along with "Oh you look so beautiful tonight..." is great.
RS
Filmmaker
09-26-05, 04:38 PM
"Out of Control" has an absolutely kick-ass bass-line and a great lead from Dave.
"An Cat Dubh" into "Into the Heart" is terrific.
"40" is the secret weapon on "War".
"Promonade" is the perfect after-sex-on-a-summer-evening-windows-open-slight-breeze song
"One Tree Hill" is actually my favorite song off of "Joshua Tree"
"Miami" is a cool song off of "Pop" (very underrated in general, IMO). Excellent song live.
"Wild Honey" is a fantastic track.
"Original of the Species" is among my favorite new tracks.
I've never quite had the love for "An Cat Dubh" that many other fans have (it never seems to gather quite enough energy--I agree "Into the Heart" is top-notch) and the meandering "Promenade" would quite likely fall in my bottom 5 U2 songs ever, but many of the ones you've mentioned are fabulous tracks, especially "Out of Control", "40", "One Tree Hill" and the delightfully swanky "Miami"!
Filmmaker
09-26-05, 04:43 PM
Yeah, you're right. I missed that.
Kind of related: I think "City of Blinding Lights" gets criticised too much as the concert opener for a lot of the Vertigo tour. I think it's a brilliant song to open with - the entire crowd starting to jump on "...I get ready to leave the ground" and singing/yelling along with "Oh you look so beautiful tonight..." is great.
RS
I love "City of Blinding Lights" but even so, it is my 2nd favorite track from their latest album; as a result, I have to admit that I prefer when they open their concerts with my 1st favorite, "Love and Peace or Else"...
RMSpuhler
09-26-05, 04:47 PM
I love "City of Blinding Lights" but even so, it is my 2nd favorite track from their latest album; as a result, I have to admit that I prefer when they open their concerts with my 1st favorite, "Love and Peace or Else"...
I like Love and Peace, and it's probably my second or third-favorite (even with its quasi-corny lyrics, there's something about "A Man and Woman"...). I just like it better in the war grouping (w/ Bullet and Sunday Bloody Sunday), and with that group falling after everybody's warmed up.
But it's hard to dislike anything at a U2 concert if you actually get to *go* to a U2 concert... ;)
RS
Hollowgen
09-26-05, 05:34 PM
instead of "underrated" i say "not mentioned" - Wire
basically most anything from the unforgettable fire aside from Pride.
atlantamoi
09-26-05, 06:55 PM
Hmm...I guess that makes them candidates for being underrated, yes? ;)
Candidates yeah... but IMO they aren't underrated. Just average to bad :)
Drexl
09-26-05, 07:11 PM
"Stay (Faraway, So Close!)"
It's hard for me to pick one favorite of theirs, but this is it.
astrochimp
09-26-05, 07:39 PM
Does "Running to Stand Still" from Joshua Tree count as underrated? Its my favorite U2 song :)
Filmmaker
09-26-05, 09:30 PM
Does "Running to Stand Still" from Joshua Tree count as underrated? Its my favorite U2 song :)
If it counts in your eyes, then it's valid. There have been a couple of mentions (like "Hold Me, Thrill Me..." and "Stay") that personally perplex me--these were radio hits; how does that make them underrated?--but my perception doesn't have to match others'. Personally, since "Running to Stand Still" has been a staple of nearly every tour since "The Joshua Tree"'s, it's hard for me to see it as underrated, but if you feel it deserves more kudos than it's gotten, then rock on!
Decker
09-27-05, 01:07 AM
How about "The Ground Beneath Her Feet"? That is an amazingly beautiful song, and I doubt if even 10% of people who consider themselves U2 fans have ever even heard of it.
naitram
09-27-05, 01:13 AM
Seconds
Hawkmoon 269
Decker
09-27-05, 02:42 AM
Hawkmoon 269
:up: Simple but effective song.
vman69
09-27-05, 05:03 AM
Dirty Day
Hawkmoon 269
Your Blue Room
A Sort of Homecoming
Surrender
One Tree Hill
Filmmaker
09-27-05, 10:22 AM
How about "The Ground Beneath Her Feet"? That is an amazingly beautiful song, and I doubt if even 10% of people who consider themselves U2 fans have ever even heard of it.
Count me in the subsection of that 10% who not only own the MILLION DOLLAR HOTEL soundtrack, but also a remix of said track.
Hawkmoon 269
Oooh, nice pick. :thumbsup:
I'd also like to add two more honorable mentions, both from earlier in U2's career and both with more raw, honest energy than a thousand Good Charlotte/Green Day songs laid end to end: "A Celebration" and "Treasure (Whatever Happened to Pete the Chop)".
grunter
09-27-05, 12:52 PM
"Drowning Man"
"If God Would Send His Angels"
And I totally agree concerning "Elvis Presley and America" - which was always one of my favorite tracks from "Unforgettable Fire."
Filmmaker
09-27-05, 01:57 PM
And I totally agree concerning "Elvis Presley and America" - which was always one of my favorite tracks from "Unforgettable Fire."
Good to hear! :thumbsup:
Ky-Fi
09-27-05, 06:56 PM
I'm more of a fan of early U2, and haven't followed them much the last few years. My favorite song is "Celebration", of which I could never seem to track down a copy of---has that damn song been released on CD yet!!??
Also, I think it was a crime that "Love Comes Tumbling" was left off of Unforgettable Fire----that song is just fantastic. "Indian Summer Sky" is probably my favorite off that album.
Nazgul
09-27-05, 08:44 PM
Electrical Storm
The Hands that built America
Lemon (Perfecto Mix)
Lady with the Spinning Head (UVI)
Ultraviolet (!)
Zooropa
tofu
09-27-05, 08:54 PM
I second In God's Country. That's just a great song especially with the opening guitar riff.
I also have always loved their cover of Dancing Barefoot.
atlantamoi
09-27-05, 09:01 PM
I'm more of a fan of early U2, and haven't followed them much the last few years. My favorite song is "Celebration", of which I could never seem to track down a copy of---has that damn song been released on CD yet!!??. That was the very first song I searched for back in the early days of Napster. We used to play that tune on my high school station in Indy back around '81 or '82. It was one of the most requested songs for months.
Good choice.
Decker
09-27-05, 11:20 PM
Electrical Storm
The Hands that built America
Lemon (Perfecto Mix)
Lady with the Spinning Head (UVI)
Ultraviolet (!)
Zooropa
Whoa! There's not one of those tracks I like in the least. Well, that's what great about U2, I suppose : the wide variety of songs that can appeal to a larger group of fans and their willingness to change their style as they feel like it without fear of a backlash.
monkey
09-28-05, 02:23 AM
Some of my picks:
Tryin to Throw Your Arms Around the World
A Sort of Homecoming
11 O'Clock Tick Tock
North and South of the River
Gone
Dancing Barefoot
Stateless
Walk to the Water
Filmmaker
09-28-05, 09:23 AM
Whoa! There's not one of those tracks I like in the least. Well, that's what great about U2, I suppose : the wide variety of songs that can appeal to a larger group of fans and their willingness to change their style as they feel like it without fear of a backlash.
The first two are shaky, but the rest are awesome! Nazgul, have you listened to the Extended Dance Remix of "Lady With the Spinning Head"? It actually improves upon perfection!
Chrisedge
09-28-05, 12:50 PM
As the "unofficial" biggest U2 fan on here, most of the songs listed on here are classics and anyone who is a fan would like them. My choices?
Miami
The Playboy Mansion
Wild Honey
The Wanderer
Would be my top choices with Miami (Killer live) being the winner...(at least today, tomorrow it might be T.P.M.)
RMSpuhler
09-28-05, 12:54 PM
As the "unofficial" biggest U2 fan on here, most of the songs listed on here are classics and anyone who is a fan would like them.
ChrisEdge has spoken! All hail ChrisEdge!
Whatever.
Chrisedge
09-28-05, 01:08 PM
ChrisEdge has spoken! All hail ChrisEdge!
Whatever.
Lol...get a grip. Underrated means "To rate too low"...
A Sort of Homecoming
11 O'Clock Tick Tock
Ultraviolet
In God's Country
A Celebration
Drowning Man
Hawkmoon 269
One Tree Hill
The Fly
Acrobat
would never be "Rated Too Low" by anyone that has heard them. Now, could you say they are "under-played", not known, great non-singles (well, some of those were singles), yes...but "underrated"...no.
Chrisedge
09-28-05, 01:10 PM
Oh and it's Chrisedge Why do people want to capitalize the E? :)
Filmmaker
09-28-05, 02:18 PM
As the "unofficial" biggest U2 fan on here...
Then I pronounce myself the official one! :thumbsup: Check out my CDTracker list if you doubt it (which doesn't even include the massive number of mp3 remixes, demos, bootlegs, unofficial live tracks and other such rarities I've scoured the 'net for over the years)...
You're welcome to remain my court jester, though, Chrisedge... ;)
Chrisedge
09-28-05, 02:28 PM
Do a Google on Chrisedge. You might have some of my work in your "collection" :)
EDITED TO ADD: The Court Jester Title sounds about right though...
Mondo Kane
09-28-05, 02:54 PM
A Sort of Homecoming
:thumbsup:
cdollaz
09-28-05, 03:16 PM
Hawkmoon
Wire
11 O' Clock Tick Tock
Red HIll Mining Town
Do You Feel Loved
Dalvin
09-28-05, 07:36 PM
God I would give almost anything to see U2 perform at a House of Blues. That is the perfect type of venue for their music. It does happen on occasion with bands trying to warmup. They will come and perform under psydenums. U2 doing "ultimate fans tour" just touring in venues less than 2,000 people would make me the happiest camper in the world.
Filmmaker
09-29-05, 09:29 AM
They will come and perform under psydenums.
You might want to keep your eyes peeled for any group identifying themselves as Passengers, then. Or The Dalton Brothers; or Feedback; or The Hype.
Achtung
09-30-05, 02:07 PM
"The Hands That Built America" gets panned a bit, but I really like that one. Other than that, not much else hasn't been mentioned. I actually really like "Promenade". The entire middle section of that album is probably a bit underrated (Wire, title track, Indian Summer Sky). Maybe add in the last two tracks on Achtung Baby, "Acrobat" and "Love is Blindness", those are often missed.
Too many great and underheard b-sides to list, but how about "Summer Rain", "North and South of the River" (there's a live version with just guitar and piano that is to die for), and pretty much any of the Joshua Tree-era ones ("The Three Sunrises", "Love Comes Tumbling", "Spanish Eyes", "Luminous Times".
And because I can't stop myself, two early gems in "Drowning Man" and "October".
Achtung
09-30-05, 02:10 PM
Nazgul, have you listened to the Extended Dance Remix of "Lady With the Spinning Head"? It actually improves upon perfection!
That'd be the one on the second disc of the 90-2000 compilation. Great stuff indeed.
Achtung
09-30-05, 02:12 PM
I'm more of a fan of early U2, and haven't followed them much the last few years. My favorite song is "Celebration", of which I could never seem to track down a copy of---has that damn song been released on CD yet!!??
Nah, those early singles will almost certainly never be pressed to CD. Your best bet is to track down a vinyl copy on eBay (Party Girl being the b-side).
Filmmaker
10-01-05, 08:57 AM
Actually, your best bet is to download a clean digital copy for $0.99 from iTunes.
Buy: