Top Ten U2 Songs

I know that I just aged out some of my dear readers, since there is a crowd of people who think of U2 as dinosaurs that sound kind of like the guitar licks in that one Calvin Harris song.  But I still enjoy myself some U2, and on the release of their new album in a super weird new way, my friend and frequent commenter Joseph asked his friends to compile their top ten U2 songs.  I'm game (although I'm about 100% sure that he has asked me this question at least 4 times in our friendship. I know for a fact I have ranked my top U2 albums to him before, but I'm certian I've done this before because I can recall realizing that one of my favorite songs is called "Bad," when I had no clue that was the name).  Furthermore, I am doing this by running through my iTunes library - which means I'll likely forget about songs, especially those from the Batman Forever soundtrack or the dumb Mission Impossible theme.

Honestly, I look through Achtung Baby and feel like I could just choose that whole album.  That album is awesome.  Same with The Joshua Tree.  And then there is UNO... DOS... TRES... CATORCE!!!  Ugh.

1.  Running to Stand Still 
One of the first things I figured out how to play on the guitar, back when I tried to play guitar.  I did so very poorly, I have no illusions.  But when I jammed this song, I was Irish ginger power raging about heroin addition.  When he sings "scream without raising your voice," it knocks me over each time.  So awesome.

2.  With or Without You

Stupid Friends ruined this song for me for quite some time, but I just can't drop it entirely.  Such a great song.  Adam Clayton gets short shrift after Bono and the Edge (he just needed a cool nickname!) but the combination of the Edge's spooky little sounds and Clayton's rock solid bass line throughout this song are so fantastic.  As I write this, I feel like if it weren't for Friends, this would be #1 in my list.  Sing along to this in your car like Tom Cruise sang Free Falling and you'll live for four minutes and fifty-nine seconds.

3.  Bad

This is the Edge guitar sound that people go crazy about, that chiming, dancing ringing sound that builds and builds until the whole band shreds.  This is the real deal U2.  I'M WIDE AWAAAAAKE!

4.  All I Want is You.  

Reality Bites.  The 15 year old Jack wanted love so so bad.  And U2 wanted a string section the same way.

5.  Pride (In the Name of Love) 

This was on the second CD I ever bought, this actually really cool compilation called Greenpeace Rainbow Warriors that was my favorite thing in the world for a time.  I wonder where that thing went.  But singing along to this song makes me feel like I am important to the cause.  Dunno what cause, but it feels like I am right there on the front lines making a difference.

6.  Stay (Faraway, So Close)
This one was my jam for a while freshman year of college.  I think I used it to show chicks how tender I was.  Thank God facebook didn't exist when I was a kid.

7.  Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses

Teenager angsty Jack sang this one with force.

8.  Desire

So American!  So gritty and bluesy!  The Bo Diddley beat!  You can make fun all you want, but this song rocks.

9.  In God's Country
This is one of my top road trip songs of all time.  Freaking perfection.  Listening to it makes me think of west Texas scenery flying by at 85 miles per hour when I'm on my way to somewhere cool and amazing.

10.  Where the Streets Have No Name
This video felt like hardcore rebellion back in the day.  The organ to guitar start of this one is mastery.  All four members of the band absolutely kill it to make this one kick ass.  The Joshua Tree was so damn good.  And F tha POLICE!!!

Honorable mentions: 

• Tryin' to Throw Your Arms Around the World.  Love that slinky little bass line, and a woman needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle.
• I have always liked Never Let Me Go from the Million Dollar Hotel soundtrack.  I have no clue how I found it, I think it might have been from the napster days, but it is this smoky groove of a little love song.
• I'm bummed that none of the Pop songs made my list, because I actually like that album quite a bit.  But none of them could beat out those other top ten.  Last Night on Earth is probably my favorite.  Staring at the Sun is also a great one.
• I also could have included a lot more of the Zooropa album.  I know people are supposed to hate those "euro-trash" albums, but I dig Lemon, Daddy's Gonna Pay, Somedays Are Better than Others.
• Magnificent - thought it would make the cut, but no such luck.  Good tune though.  Makes you want to stand up and be badass.
• I Will Follow - also really thought this would make the list, but I'm just way to smitten by the Joshua Tree era.
• 40.  I sang this about 300 times for Young Life club as a leader in college, so for a while I couldn't take it.  I'm back on board, but this one also missed the cut.

And by the way, I feel like I should admit that I own the Rockabye Baby disc of U2 songs, with lullaby renditions of 11 top U2 hits!  Parents are so damn gullible and delisional when their children are not sleeping!  So dumb!  I paid good money for that garbage though!  I think I might also have the Beatles, Coldplay, and Metallica as well.  So sleep deprived and dumb.

Oh, and I also purchased a Pickin' on U2 CD - yes, that is bluegrass session musicians playing U2 hits in the style of a hillbilly hoedown.  If I had just saved all the money I spent on truly dumb CDs and invested in Apple stock, I'd own all of you right now.