"It's a musical journey" - U2 POLL RESULTS

mine are kinda "four groups of five". I'll defend the heck out of my #1 tho. think 4 of my top 5 are still alive here...

I don't really like 20 u2 songs but if I had voted that woulda been my #1

Yeah, I didn't vote for it but this one's pretty charming.

pretty psyched for "Stay"'s placing! agree that the dryness of the production really makes it, feels like such a contrast to the big big sound of other U2 ballads. and the acoustic arrangement on the last tour was lovely.

I'm pleased that my most hated hasn't shown up yet

I'm just uploading the last batch of jpgs - it's taking a while, but will get cracking with the top ten when I'm done.

Didn't vote b/c I enjoy U2 casually but have seldom connected with them on a deeper level (which with U2 counts for more than with most bands - a true fan of this band is a believer), but crossing my fingers for "Kite" in the top 10.

huh. i liked Zooropa alot when it came out - but never really liked Stay.

wait, did this song chart?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmPCkPg8g0g

what's with U2 and the word "all"? they have so many song titles that include "all"

Pretty surprised In God's Country placed so high - after #20 or so, I figured it was not in at all. I had it near the bottom of my ballot and didn't realize it was a favorite for anyone. It's not an attention-grabbing song, but it has a lot of details that I like: great guitar work (especially the solo), good match between the lyrics and music, and the same driving-song feel as Zoo Station. It's grown on me a lot over the years.

Love the whole vibe of Stay. Nocturnal, European (despite the 7/11 line), melancholy. It's kind of sweet that their second Berlin album, like Bowie's first, should use car-crash imagery - intentional or subconcious, I'm not sure.

this is nice
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxzuqvXO4oc

"Stay" was my #1 U2 ballad. I realized how well it was written when I sang it at karaoke a couple of years ago -- and outdid Bono too.

Okay, ready to go now. Kicking off with another that I thought might win the whole thing, but landed a little lower than I expected...

http://img171.imageshack.us/img171/8230/010one.jpg

10 One
453 points, twenty votes, two first places, one most hated
Achtung Baby (1991)

Now I'm curious about this'ere top ten.

My favorite part in Wenders' otherwise forgettable Wings Of Desire sequel was the scene in the bar when everyone is just hanging out - no angst, no handwringing, or Big Statement about Germany - just some friends chatting while "Stay" is playing in the background.

UTEOTW was my #1 also.

I don't think I love One, but I couldn't say a bad thing about it. It's perfect songwriting.

bono looks like bill compton there

what's with U2 and the word "all"? they have so many song titles that include "all"

― it was pleasant and delightful, just like (La Lechera), Wednesday, August 10, 2011 4:01 PM (8 minutes ago) Bookmark

you can't leave that 'all' behind

all i want is you
is that all?
all that you can't leave behind

wocka wocka wocka

only 3 songs that placed outside the top 10 got a 'most hated' voted...i have a feeling a whole lot of the top 10 will have had some.

matching jumpers for larry and adam, bless

yeah, ive assumed the most hated votes would be clustered w/a handful of... certain songs

yeah it would stand to reason their biggest hits would get the most hate... i'm starting to feel relieved that my most hated song probably won't show up.

im pretty sure mine will, but my #1 most assuredly wont and i'd bet that nobody else even voted for it

I'd always taken this for an aggressively okay U2 song, what are we missing?

― Pete Scholtes, Wednesday, August 10, 2011 2:05 PM (1 hour ago)

1. it's under 3:00 and brevity is the soul of wit (U2 songs can have a problem with going on a little too long imo)
2. love the melody
3. bono's singing is indistinct enough that I don't have any problem with ponderous lyrics -- only a couple of lines emerge here and there, and the ones that do are ones that I like a lot
4. propulsive Larry/Adam
5. sharp Edge (haw)
6. benefits in comparison with the most famous songs on that album, which I think are overwrought sludge

U2 songs can have a problem with going on a little too long imo

I'm a little surprised not to agree with this. Twilight's the only one that I really wish they'd cut back.

i didn't end up using my hate vote, mainly because i didn't think there was a chance of one of those horrible singles from ATYCLB showing up in the results. though i'm glad to see that on the back of a most hated vote, 'one' doesn't occupy one of the very top spots.

http://img844.imageshack.us/img844/4494/009lemon.jpg

9 Lemon
484 points, nineteen votes, two first places
Zooropa (1993)

"Lemon" did more to change my perception of U2 than any other track. When I first heard it I just stared at the stereo gobsmacked.

According to the band, they were going for Prince meets Talking Heads.

I love "Lemon"; the verse sounds very Eno-eque & I'm guessing he had a lot to do with this song?

According to the Flanagan book, he suggested stapling two different songs together; those are his keys playing all over the outro too.

I've put Live At Red Rocks on for this last stretch, and as a result cannot even imagine Lemon right now

Eno and Edge harmonize rather nicely too.

Lemon was my #1, glad it made the top 10.

The strength of support for this next one took me by surprise.

Aw, yay.

love mysterious ways, everyone here prob well sick of sbs

― 10/11 of a dead jesus (darraghmac), Wednesday, August 10, 2011 12:50 PM (42 minutes ago) Bookmark

I like SBS a lot. If my imaginary ballot had gone beyond 10 it prob would have been like 11 or 12.

― ladies love draculas like children love stray dogs (ENBB)

no no i meant 'here', y'know?

http://img225.imageshack.us/img225/7720/008beautifulday.jpg

8 Beautiful Day
487 points, twenty one votes, one first place
All That You Can’t Leave Behind (2000)

great tune, perfect really

I overlooked this one on my ballot. I think bc it's so foundational to the album that I forgot to think of it as a "track". Glad to see it here.

oh ouch xxxpost i was talkin' bout Lemon

too late, enjoy your "Beautiful Day"

(which is a great song because it is kind of reminiscent of "The Sun Always Shines On TV" at points)

I found a spot low on my ballot for "Beautiful Day", despite the sound of the verses; the layers of the chorus overwhelm me.

amazed Beautiful Day didn't get any most hated votes

Strongly considered it, some dude... can't stand it.

and Beautiful Day still would've beat One even if the latter hadn't gotten a most hated vote!