U2 - Community rankings - FIN - #4 Sunday Bloody Sunday, #3 - One, #2 - Bad, #1 - Where the Streets Have No Name -Spotify links, thanks to Krista4 (2 Viewers)

Anarchy99 said:

We are definitely going to have some outliers that will sway the results given that there are only a few of us ranking the songs. I mean, people are entitled to their opinions (provided, of course, they align with mine).

There's a track from Joshua Tree that I guess I have way lower than everyone else (not quite as low as Bullet the Blue Sky low but in that neighborhood).

I am sure I have a few tracks ranked way higher than others (probably due to memories and specific events). Like you said, that's what makes things interesting. We all could rank the anthems highly (and we should) . . . but there are no laws prohibiting people from not siding with the masses. I believe people are still allowed their own thoughts and perspectives. After a group hug, the rest of us may find it in our hearts to forgive you.

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We have 4 songs left that attract a ranking of over 160 from one of us. You have one of them. Im not sure who will be more defensive, the low rankers or the high rankers on this one. We see it soon at #50.

If Bullet surprised you, just wait until your #2 gets aired.

John Maddens Lunchbox said:

If Bullet surprised you, just wait until your #2 gets aired.

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Preemptively taking phasers off of stun, placing a thumbtack to identify the location on the map, digging in, and preparing to defend that hill once we get there (hopefully not soon). (I already know you are not a fan.)

Anarchy99 said:

Preemptively taking phasers off of stun, placing a thumbtack to identify the location on the map, digging in, and preparing to defend that hill once we get there (hopefully not soon). (I already know you are not a fan.)

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I dont mind it. I am second lowest ranker on it. The lowest is over 100 behind me and its one of the 4 remaining over 160 by one of us. We will see it Within 10. Yours will be the first of the weird #2 ranked songs. #1, 3 and 4 ranked songs all exhibit normal ranking behavior

For those that like Bullet, Queensryche has a pretty good live version of it.

dhockster said:

For those that like Bullet, Queensryche has a pretty good live version of it.

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John Maddens Lunchbox said:

Am i listening to Big Girls are Best and then going out chubby chasing?

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Why can’t this be a spin-off thread?

John Maddens Lunchbox said:

#56 - Bullet the Blue Sky (1987)   Highest- 32     Lowest- 175      The Joshua Tree LP
Vulture-19/218 - Bono asked the Edge to put the sound of “U.S. OUT OF EL SALVADOR” through his amplifier, & he obliged. “I wanted it to feel like hell on Earth, because fr the demon seed comes the flower of fire,” Bono said. “OUTSIDE, IT’S AMERICA,” the lyrics cry, while the Edge lights his fretboard on fire. “In a locust wind / Comes a rattle & hum” — u can almost feel that desert wind coming out of the amplifier. In concert, Bono might take it too far or wander off making no sense, but Edge & his guitar are there to make sure you remember what the song is about.

Comment - Powerful song w a lot to say. 

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Songfact:
Perhaps the archetype political song by U2 (arguably SBS could take that role too) the lyrics describe the unintended consequences of US President Ronald Reagan's foreign policy decisions in South America.   (esp. the policy to provide financial & political support to the Salvadoran regime which reqd them to ignore that regime's abuse of human rights.)

In 1986, Bono & his wife, Ali, traveled to Nicaragua and El Salvador, the latter was then in the midst of a horrific civil war. There, he stayed w a group of guerillas in the middle of the mountains in the north of the country.  He witnessed firsthand the brutality of the U.S.-backed military dictatorship, incl the sight of F-16 fighters attacking civilian villages. 

"I wanted to go & see things for myself. It's why I ended up in the famine in Ethiopia, It's why I ended up in Central America. I just want to see it for myself.  There were wonderful people offering solace to refugees from the war in El Salvador. I was w 1 of those groups visiting. We went out into the hills - maybe that was irresponsible because we were in the middle of a war zone. In the hillside across the way, they were firebombing these villages to get the paramilitaries out of there. I remember the ground shaking & I remember the smell of being near a war zone. I don't think we were in danger, but I knew there were lives in danger or being lost close to us, & I felt for them. It upset me as a person.......as a student of nonviolence I had a violent reaction to what I was witnessing."


The line:  "In the locust wind, comes a rattle & hum" was clearly the inspiration for the title of U2's follow up album, R&H.
The line:   "And this guy comes up to me, His face red like a rose on a thorn bush"  is a reference to Reagan.
The line:  "Because outside is America" was almost changed to "Because outside is the world"....They were not sure they wanted to name the US directly.

The Music:
BTBS first originated as a demo that U2 recorded during a jam session at STS Studios in Dublin w producer Paul Barrett, prior to the proper JT recording sessions. While listening to a song by English rock band the Fall, Edge tried to emulate its guitar riff, but instead came up w his own part that eventually became the chorus for "BTBS".  Adam & Larry then joined in playing at half-time. Bono recalled that Adam was also playing in a different key from the Edge. The guitarist became irritated, as the rhythm section was playing much differently than how he thought they should. He thought to himself, "What the $%^& are they doing?", & considered stopping the jam. After the take was completed, the band listened to playback in the control room & realized that the demo was "absolutely brilliant". Compared to the final version of the song, the Edge described the demo as "much more bare-boned, like a heavy funk track". Still, the song was discarded for some time until producer Brian Eno, convinced the band it was worth working on.

When Bono returned to Ireland & the JT sessions, he instructed the Edge to “put El Salvador through your amplifier.” The result was incisive & explosive, w a heavy, tumultuous sound that recalled Led Zeppelin & lyrics that dug into the darkest aspects of American imperialism & racism. “I love America & I hate it,” Bono said. “I’m torn between the two.”

Recording engineer Dave Meegan helped develop the song, wanting it to sound like Led Zeppelin, so he adjusted a monitor mix to make it "really heavy sounding."  Lanois was inspired by what he heard, as the song up to that point was being treated softly. He quickly summoned the band to a warehouse next door, where the crew used a public address system to play an acoustic recording of Mullen's drums, which was then re-recorded inside the warehouse. Lanois called it a "really elaborate kind of rock & roll chamber"......and Meegan added that, "it made [the drums] sound like John Bonham"

TJT album was produced by Brian Eno & Daniel Lanois, (also TUF). But TJT also received considerable input fr U2's former producer, Steve Lillywhite, who was brought in to mix four of the tracks on the album, including this one. Lanois on how the song turned out:  "'Bullet the Blue Sky' turned out a lot different," he said. "I wouldn't have had as many effects on it, because we had a bit of a purist attitude toward some of these recordings, essentially that there was a sound that was captured in performance in a room, & we wanted to remain loyal to that space, to convey that sound. And he was not as sentimental to that idea, so he pulled out all the stops."

Criticism of America did not hurt record sales in the US, as TJT was the #1 album its 1st wk of release. It also didn't hurt Bono's status w American politicians, many of whom invited him to speak on behalf of various causes. Far from being seen as an enemy of the state, Bono was celebrated by most govt officials, & he used his celebrity & access to advance a variety of causes.

The song was never released as a JT single....This was issued as the B-side of the "In God's Country" single.

When Rolling Stone ranked their Top 50 U2 songs, "Bullet" landed at #21    (so this is in line w Vulture's ranking) 

Here is the R&H version

Been played 792 times in concert

John Maddens Lunchbox said:

#55 - God Part II   Highest- 36    Lowest- 97            Rattle and Hum LP
Vulture-176/218 - “God Part II” is meant as a direct a response to the 1988 Albert Goldman bio of John Lennon, following his then-shocking Elvis biography in the early ’80s. Not all windmills need to be tilted at, & a line like: “I don’t believe that rock’n’roll / Can really change the world” seemed pretty misplaced.

Comment -This song gets a lot of critics. I actually enjoy it. Its probably their best sign of whats gonna come on AB

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Songfact:
Lennon's song refers to things he didn't believe in such as Hitler - Bono's version also refers to things that he also doesn't believe in but also goes on to refer to how pissed he was at the author Albert Goldman who wrote an unflattering biography of Lennon (and also a bio of Elvis)


This was the 2nd time Bono had an emotional response to Goldman, the 1st being in Elvis Presley and America on The Unforgettable Fire album.

only been played live 37 times............36x on the 89/90 Lovetown Tour and 1x on the 92 Zoo TV Tour  

Nemesis said:

The song was never released as a JT single....This was issued as the B-side of the "In God's Country" single.

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But it got plenty of play on FM rock stations because it was just that good (and maybe because it sounded a bit like Zeppelin). 

#54 - Moment of Surrender (2009)

Highest Rank - 21

Lowest Rank - 137

Where to Find it - No Line on the Horizon LP

Vulture.com ranking and comment -37/218 - Bono creates this vast and vivid landscape in “Moment of Surrender” laden with multiple layers of symbolism and significance. It is profound and overwhelming, but in the live show it was absolutely transcendent: It was Bono testifying, the band as choir, Edge executing those heartrending melodies on keyboard and then on guitar. The 360° tour traditionally closed with this song, and it was the perfect thing to have in your head as you walked out of the show, not at all dissimilar to what it felt like to have “40” echoing in the streets once upon a time.

Comment - A solid album track. Just once again, something missing to make it better. Over or under produced. Loses points for "ATM Machine” or should I say Automatic Teller Machine Machine. Goodbye No Line on the Horizon, you are the weakest Link

Next up, A B Side that also gets the live treatment on Under a Blood Red Sky

#53 - Party Girl (Trash, Trampoline and the Party Girl) (1982)

Highest Rank - 31

Lowest Rank - 116

Where to Find it - B Side to A Celebration and Under a Blood Red Sky LP

Vulture.com ranking and comment -28/218 - For a band that, at the time, disavowed any connection to blues and folk, this gorgeous mélange of both of those forms creates a fantastic, spontaneous fairy tale that could have come from a fairy circle or a campfire. There’re some electronic loops in the background that create an edgy, eclectic fog, anchored by Edge’s gentle but firm atonal acoustic chords. Showing up on the B-side of “A Celebration,” the easy rhythm was in stark contrast to the shouty sincerity on the A-side, and its inherent spontaneity (the band had 40 minutes to come up with something and this is what resulted) was a breath of fresh air to fans who loved the band, but also wanted some room to breathe and dance. It’s not surprising that it endured in the set list even as late as 2015.

Comment - Judging the original of this song on its own merits, its a b side and an average one at that. They do the best they can with it on Under a blood red sky, which lifts it considerably in my eyes. im sure its a crowd fave, but the song is not that good. Its probably the worst song on Under a Blood Red Sky. 

Next up, All that you cant leave behind makes an appearance along with an early stand alone single. 

John Maddens Lunchbox said:

#53 - Party Girl (Trash, Trampoline and the Party Girl) (1982)

Highest Rank - 31

Lowest Rank - 116

Where to Find it - B Side to A Celebration and Under a Blood Red Sky LP

Vulture.com ranking and comment -28/218 - For a band that, at the time, disavowed any connection to blues and folk, this gorgeous mélange of both of those forms creates a fantastic, spontaneous fairy tale that could have come from a fairy circle or a campfire. There’re some electronic loops in the background that create an edgy, eclectic fog, anchored by Edge’s gentle but firm atonal acoustic chords. Showing up on the B-side of “A Celebration,” the easy rhythm was in stark contrast to the shouty sincerity on the A-side, and its inherent spontaneity (the band had 40 minutes to come up with something and this is what resulted) was a breath of fresh air to fans who loved the band, but also wanted some room to breathe and dance. It’s not surprising that it endured in the set list even as late as 2015.

Comment - Judging the original of this song on its own merits, its a b side and an average one at that. They do the best they can with it on Under a blood red sky, which lifts it considerably in my eyes. im sure its a crowd fave, but the song is not that good. Its probably the worst song on Under a Blood Red Sky. 

Next up, All that you cant leave behind makes an appearance along with an early stand alone single. 

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It served its purpose back in the day, showing the band could be fun and weren’t intense sour####es all the time. The live version is significantly better than the studio version, which indeed sounds like it was made up on the spot. 

I never thought Party Girl was anything more than a solid tune, but I get that a lot of the early fans loved it.

That seems about the right spot for Moment of Surrender.  I think it was a bit better live, although I don't like the way Bono bellowed out some of the lines in the Rose Bowl version.  There was what I think was a bootleg EP called Wide Awake in Europe that had a great live version of this one. 

Ghost Rider said:

I never thought Party Girl was anything more than a solid tune, but I get that a lot of the early fans loved it.

That seems about the right spot for Moment of Surrender.  I think it was a bit better live, although I don't like the way Bono bellowed out some of the lines in the Rose Bowl version.  There was what I think was a bootleg EP called Wide Awake in Europe that had a great live version of this one. 

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It was an official EP with a limited release to support independent record shops that was released on Black Friday that year. 

I was in HS when Party Girl became popular after Under a Blood Red Sky was released. There was a girl that just moved to the US from Sweden. She was put off by society being so uptight about kids hooking up. She said where she was from, everybody was doing it with everyone else. 

She announced that she was having a party at her place that weekend and to show she was serious, she offered to hook up with anyone at the party of either gender. And she did. Needless to say, her popularity quickly went way up. 

After that, whenever she walked down the hall, guys would start singing Party Girl when she passed by. Like drunken frat boys, extremely loud that you could hear 8 rooms away. She would just smile and flirt with them. She didn’t stick around long as her dad got transferred again. That was scandalous behavior where I came from in a small bedroom community. 

John Maddens Lunchbox said:

#54 - Moment of Surrender (2009)

Highest Rank - 21

Lowest Rank - 137

Where to Find it - No Line on the Horizon LP

Vulture.com ranking and comment -37/218 - Bono creates this vast and vivid landscape in “Moment of Surrender” laden with multiple layers of symbolism and significance. It is profound and overwhelming, but in the live show it was absolutely transcendent: It was Bono testifying, the band as choir, Edge executing those heartrending melodies on keyboard and then on guitar. The 360° tour traditionally closed with this song, and it was the perfect thing to have in your head as you walked out of the show, not at all dissimilar to what it felt like to have “40” echoing in the streets once upon a time.

Comment - A solid album track. Just once again, something missing to make it better. Over or under produced. Loses points for "ATM Machine” or should I say Automatic Teller Machine Machine. Goodbye No Line on the Horizon, you are the weakest Link

Next up, A B Side that also gets the live treatment on Under a Blood Red Sky

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Way way too high for me.  I won’t get too deep on this (to avoid boring others) but as someone who has experience with a “moment of surrender” this song does nothing for me.   As opposed to Bad or Running to Stand Still — which hit me more deeply.

This would have been around 100 for me.

Anarchy99 said:

I was in HS when Party Girl became popular after Under a Blood Red Sky was released. There was a girl that just moved to the US from Sweden. She was put off by society being so uptight about kids hooking up. She said where she was from, everybody was doing it with everyone else. 

She announced that she was having a party at her place that weekend and to show she was serious, she offered to hook up with anyone at the party of either gender. And she did. Needless to say, her popularity quickly went way up. 

After that, whenever she walked down the hall, guys would start singing Party Girl when she passed by. Like drunken frat boys, extremely loud that you could hear 8 rooms away. She would just smile and flirt with them. She didn’t stick around long as her dad got transferred again. That was scandalous behavior where I came from in a small bedroom community. 

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God Bless Sweden

Alex P Keaton said:

God Bless Sweden

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I've only spent a week in Sweden, so my sample is obviously limited, but the Swedish women I saw in bars seemed to have zero interest in American (or Aussie or British) men.  Likely b/c Swedish dudes were pretty much just as attractive and stylish as Swedish women.  Compare that to Belarus - where I told my wife I'm moving if she ever leaves me.  Gorgeous, well-dressed women everywhere holding hands with stocky hirsute dudes wearing jean shorts.  

I like Party Girl.  Bummed I've never gotten to see it live.  But it definitely feels like an afterthought and no way would I have ranked it higher than Bullet the Blue Sky or Exit.

John Maddens Lunchbox said:

#54 - Moment of Surrender (2009)   Highest- 21    Lowest- 137           No Line on the Horizon LP
Vulture-37/218 - vivid landscape laden w multiple layers of symbolism & significance. Profound & overwhelming, live ....absolutely transcendent: It was Bono testifying, the band as choir, Edge executing those heartrending melodies on keyboard & then on guitar. 360° tour traditionally closed w this song, perfect thing to have in your head as you walked out of the show, not at all dissimilar to what it felt like to have “40” echoing in the streets once upon a time.

Comment -solid album track. something missing to make it better. Over or under produced. Loses points for "ATM Machine” or should I say Automatic Teller Machine Machine.

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Songfact:
This spiritual ballad is a 7-and-1/2 minute meditation on addiction.  (The term “moment of surrender” is Alcoholics Anonymous lingo for when an addict admits being "powerless over alcohol" & needs help.) 

Bono:  “The character in the song is a junkie, so that’s where I got it.  I know a lot of people who have had to deal w demons in courageous ways. Maybe there’s a part of me that thinks, ‘Wow, I’m just an inch away.'”   “That spirit blows through every now & then. It’s a very strange feeling. We’re waiting for God to walk into the room – & God, it turns out, is very unreliable.”  

The song was written & recorded during an impromptu jam in a riad of the hotel Riad El Yacout (Morocco) photo.   The band improvised the version that ended up on the album out of thin air in 1 take.
Per Daniel Lanois:  It was an ensemble composition that had that great Eno/Mullen thing from the go. Eno created a percussion loop of a "rolling hand drum" so that the band would have something to improvise along with. However, Eno had not arranged the loop properly & the result was a strange, uneven beat.  As Eno was trying to fix the loop, Larry Mullen  began playing along to it and soon thereafter, asked Edge to play some chords.  The original sketch had Eno in charge of the chorus.  Bono would point to me: 'Ok, Lanois, you sing the chorus'.  Producer Daniel Lanois, who has struggled w his own addiction issues in the past, came up w the chorus melody & contributed pedal steel guitar to this track. 

Later, during the editing process, a short cello piece was added to the beginning, & a verse was removed to reduce the song's length. When Eno found out, he was outraged that U2 wanted to shorten the song, & was adamant that the band not alter the original track too much, saying, "These #$%&ing guys, they're supposed to be so spiritual—they don't spot a miracle when it hits them in the face. Nothing like that ever happened to me in the studio in my whole life."

"Moment of Surrender" wasn't even released as a single.
Instead,  the 3 singles that were released to promote NLOTH:
        1 - “Get On Your Boots.”.......released worldwide.               (What were THEY THINKING??? )
        2 - “Magnificent”            .......released in Europe & US, but not in many countries that typically recd U2 singles
        3 - “I’ll Go Crazy if I Don’t Go Crazy Tonight,” .....released in N.America, but wasn't released in many other countries
A box was issued through U2's mail program, which contained room to hold 4 x 7” singles from NLOTH, but in the end, only 3 singles were released. (rumor was both “Unknown Caller” & “Moment of Surrender” were being considered)

Brian Eno:   "I thought this song should have been the 1st single & would have been a good introduction to the rest of the album.  It's my favorite on the album."   Brian Eno interview on the song

"Moment of Surrender" topped Rolling Stone's Best Songs of 2009 poll  (despite not even being released)
.......while NLOTH also scored the magazine's Best Album of 2009 honor.

The song landed at #8 when Rolling Stone ranked their Top 50 songs of U2

Been played live 130 times..............almost all during the 2009/10/11 360 Tour....with 13x on the 2015 I+E Tour.
During concert performances, the stage lights were dimmed & fans were urged to hold up their mobile phones to create "a stadium full of tiny stars"

"Moment of Surrender" is the 10th track in the Anton Corbijn film Linear, where a Parisian traffic cop travels across France & the Mediterranean Sea to visit his girlfriend in Tripoli. During the sequence, the cop leaves the bar & begins to wander the streets of Cádiz at night, eventually making his way down to the beach where he falls asleep on the sand. In the morning he wakes up & the next track, "Cedars of Lebanon", begins.  Link  

Anyone ever notice that you can line up the following 3 songs from U2 ?  
"Stuck in a Moment"......."Moment of Surrender"......."Surrender"    (obviously, not in chronological order)

John Maddens Lunchbox said:

#53 - Party Girl (Trash, Trampoline and the Party Girl) (1982)   High-31  Low-116    B Side to A Celebration & Under a Blood Red Sky LP
Vulture -28/218 - gorgeous mélange creates a fantastic, spontaneous fairy tale that could have come from a fairy circle or a campfire. There’re some electronic loops in the background that create an edgy, eclectic fog, anchored by Edge’s gentle but firm atonal acoustic chords. Showing up on the B-side of “A Celebration,” the easy rhythm was in stark contrast to the shouty sincerity on the A-side, & its inherent spontaneity (the band had 40 mins to come up w something & this is what resulted) was a breath of fresh air to fans who loved the band, but also wanted some room to breathe & dance. It’s not surprising that it endured in the set list even as late as 2015.

Comment - Judging the original of this song on its own merits, its a b side & an average one at that. They do the best they can w it on UABRS. im sure its a crowd fave, but the song is not that good. probably the worst song on UABRS. 

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Songfact:
U2 were never a band w much of a reputation for bagging groupies. Any backstage shenanigans that may have gone on were kept on the supreme downlow. That's why it's so odd they wrote "Trash, Trampoline & the Party Girl" back in 1982, though it was created in a mad rush when they needed a B-side for "A Celebration."  It was clearly meant as a throwaway tune, but it's had an odd afterlife. 

Been played live 193 times.............. it is the most frequently performed b-side in U2's live history, (the only b-side to be played more than a 100 times).

Only 1 non-album song has been played more times, the 1980 single     "11 O'Clock Tick Tock".

"Party Girl" became a regular of the War Tour encores. This happened despite the fact that after the initial performance, Bono stated "that is the 1st & probably last time we play that song."  Fans loved it & they kept it in the set all through the 1980s.  It continued to be a regular for the next couple of tours (earning an inclusion on the extremely popular live album Under a Blood Red Sky & the concert film Live at Red Rocks: Under a Blood Red Sky).  It has appeared sporadically at concerts since then, usually for special occasions such as the birthday of a band member. 

Interestingly, it was never played on the Pop Mart Tour.......and it hasn't been played since 2015  (so it wasn't on the TJT 2017 or 2019 tours)

Party Girl (Barcelona 2009) <--- check out the 2:50 mark 

Party Girl (Paris, 1987)   Ali, his wife, comes out on stage to deliver the champagne to Bono around the 2min mark.

ultimately.............It's had a much longer afterlife than "A Celebration". 

Alex P Keaton said:

Way way too high for me.  I won’t get too deep on this (to avoid boring others) but as someone who has experience with a “moment of surrender” this song does nothing for me.   As opposed to Bad or Running to Stand Still — which hit me more deeply.

This would have been around 100 for me.

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Totally agree.

I remember when Rolling Stone raved about that song and I was thinking it was one of the weakest on that album.

#52 - In a Little While (2000)

Highest Rank - 47

Lowest Rank - 93

Where to Find it - All that you Can’t Leave Behind LP

Vulture.com ranking and comment -90/218 - Bono sings this in a desperate, tattered voice. The term “whiskey-soaked” is such a cliché, except in this case it happens to be 100 percent accurate: He had been drinking all night, got two hours of sleep, and came in and improvised the lyrics and the melody. He even works in a Van Morrison reference, to boot.

Comment - Nice album track. Bono gets a bit carried away, but thankfully that isnt a criteria. This is another one that isn’t really loved by anyone, but not hated either. 

Next up, For some reason I always thought the next track was on Boy, but it wasn’t. It was a stand alone single and eventually on Under a Blood Red Sky. 

#51 - 11 O’Clock Tick Tock (1980)

Highest Rank - 39

Lowest Rank - 93

Where to Find it - Standalone Single and Under a Blood Red Sky

Vulture.com ranking and comment -36/218 - U2’s second single, “11 O’Clock Tick Tock” demonstrates a band who were now trying to rein themselves in instead of running ahead at full speed for every second of every minute. The band is still a little stiff, but there is nothing predictable about the music, lyrics, or performance. There’s lovely shade from Adam Clayton before the last refrain, Edge’s power chords would slice through butter, and, end to end, it is a vivid emotional moment.

But where most people first came to know “11 O’Clock Tick Tock” is from Under a Blood Red Sky, where the band turns in just about as perfect a performance of this particular track as they’d ever get. All of the extraordinary elements of the track are even more so: Bono has learned how to emote without overstretching and Larry and Adam work in lockstep, and giving Edge the ability to deftly thread guitar notes from start to finish — even when the lead singer needs to go into the crowd and pull a girl out to dance with.

Comment - Kicks along nicely, but its the poorer cousin on this album. Still better than Party Girl. Its better than a lot of album tracks that preeced it, so this seems a fair landing spot for it. This will be the second last standalone single we see. 

Next up, The top 50 and the one a days begins with the third track from either Joshua Tree or Achtung Baby. To say it divided the rankers would be an understatement. 

The admin to Date with 178 songs listed and 50 to go

B-Sides = 48 (15 covers) - (2 tracks to go here and in Soundtracks etc)

Soundtracks/Special/Greatest Hits LPs - 19

No Line On The Horizon = 11 (All Done)

Songs of Innocence - 11 (1 to go)

Zooropa - 9 (1 to go)

October = 9 (2 to go)

Songs of Experience = 11 (2 to go)

Rattle and Hum - 10 (2 to go)

How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb - 10 (2 to go)

Pop - 9 (3 to go)

Boy - 8 (3 to go)

The Unforgettable Fire - 6 (4 to go)

War - 6 (4 to go)

All that you can’t leave behind - 7 (5 to go)

The Joshua Tree - 2 (9 to go)

Achtung Baby - 2 (10 to go)

For the final 50 songs the four rankers have the the highest rank as follows

14, 13, 12 and 14. There are some ties. 

Basically there Is consistency with all of us roughly having the same number of top rankings for the last 50.

Not so much at the other end.

One ranker has the lowest ranking on 23 out of the last 50 songs. I have the lowest ranking on 5 of the last 50 songs. The other 2 have roughly the average.

John Maddens Lunchbox said:

#52 - In a Little While (2000)

Highest Rank - 47

Lowest Rank - 93

Where to Find it - All that you Can’t Leave Behind LP

Vulture.com ranking and comment -90/218 - Bono sings this in a desperate, tattered voice. The term “whiskey-soaked” is such a cliché, except in this case it happens to be 100 percent accurate: He had been drinking all night, got two hours of sleep, and came in and improvised the lyrics and the melody. He even works in a Van Morrison reference, to boot.

Comment - Nice album track. Bono gets a bit carried away, but thankfully that isnt a criteria. This is another one that isn’t really loved by anyone, but not hated either. 

Next up, For some reason I always thought the next track was on Boy, but it wasn’t. It was a stand alone single and eventually on Under a Blood Red Sky. 

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Not better than Bullet the Blue Sky (I could post this every day for a while )

John Maddens Lunchbox said:

#51 - 11 O’Clock Tick Tock (1980)

Highest Rank - 39

Lowest Rank - 93

Where to Find it - Standalone Single and Under a Blood Red Sky

Vulture.com ranking and comment -36/218 - U2’s second single, “11 O’Clock Tick Tock” demonstrates a band who were now trying to rein themselves in instead of running ahead at full speed for every second of every minute. The band is still a little stiff, but there is nothing predictable about the music, lyrics, or performance. There’s lovely shade from Adam Clayton before the last refrain, Edge’s power chords would slice through butter, and, end to end, it is a vivid emotional moment.

But where most people first came to know “11 O’Clock Tick Tock” is from Under a Blood Red Sky, where the band turns in just about as perfect a performance of this particular track as they’d ever get. All of the extraordinary elements of the track are even more so: Bono has learned how to emote without overstretching and Larry and Adam work in lockstep, and giving Edge the ability to deftly thread guitar notes from start to finish — even when the lead singer needs to go into the crowd and pull a girl out to dance with.

Comment - Kicks along nicely, but its the poorer cousin on this album. Still better than Party Girl. Its better than a lot of album tracks that preeced it, so this seems a fair landing spot for it. This will be the second last standalone single we see. 

Next up, The top 50 and the one a days begins with the third track from either Joshua Tree or Achtung Baby. To say it divided the rankers would be an understatement. 

Click to expand...

The studio version has a nice rhythm but is a little twee. That problem disappears with the live version, which has a much-improved and powerful vocal and some crunchy guitar. 

I am guessing track 3 from TJT got the "I am tired of it" treatment from a couple voters, thus its low ranking (considering its popularity). 

As for the two new songs, In a Little While is about 100 spots too high.  Never cared for it.  It's not a bad song, but it's not all that good either. 

11 O'Clock Tick Tock is pretty good.  This is higher than I'd put it, but I won't quibble too much over its placement.  The main guitar lick is pretty rad. 

John Maddens Lunchbox said:

#52 - In a Little While (2000)

Highest Rank - 47

Lowest Rank - 93

Where to Find it - All that you Can’t Leave Behind LP

Vulture.com ranking and comment -90/218 - Bono sings this in a desperate, tattered voice. The term “whiskey-soaked” is such a cliché, except in this case it happens to be 100 percent accurate: He had been drinking all night, got two hours of sleep, and came in and improvised the lyrics and the melody. He even works in a Van Morrison reference, to boot.

Comment - Nice album track. Bono gets a bit carried away, but thankfully that isnt a criteria. This is another one that isn’t really loved by anyone, but not hated either. 

Next up, For some reason I always thought the next track was on Boy, but it wasn’t. It was a stand alone single and eventually on Under a Blood Red Sky. 

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I was lowest. It's an ok song. It doesn't sway me one way or another. It's one of the decent songs from the 2000s, but there are several other songs off the album I like better.

John Maddens Lunchbox said:

#51 - 11 O’Clock Tick Tock (1980)

Highest Rank - 39

Lowest Rank - 93

Where to Find it - Standalone Single and Under a Blood Red Sky

Vulture.com ranking and comment -36/218 - U2’s second single, “11 O’Clock Tick Tock” demonstrates a band who were now trying to rein themselves in instead of running ahead at full speed for every second of every minute. The band is still a little stiff, but there is nothing predictable about the music, lyrics, or performance. There’s lovely shade from Adam Clayton before the last refrain, Edge’s power chords would slice through butter, and, end to end, it is a vivid emotional moment.

But where most people first came to know “11 O’Clock Tick Tock” is from Under a Blood Red Sky, where the band turns in just about as perfect a performance of this particular track as they’d ever get. All of the extraordinary elements of the track are even more so: Bono has learned how to emote without overstretching and Larry and Adam work in lockstep, and giving Edge the ability to deftly thread guitar notes from start to finish — even when the lead singer needs to go into the crowd and pull a girl out to dance with.

Comment - Kicks along nicely, but its the poorer cousin on this album. Still better than Party Girl. Its better than a lot of album tracks that preeced it, so this seems a fair landing spot for it. This will be the second last standalone single we see. 

Next up, The top 50 and the one a days begins with the third track from either Joshua Tree or Achtung Baby. To say it divided the rankers would be an understatement. 

Click to expand...

And I was highest on this one. A good representation of a song that wasn't a big hit but still had the U2 sound and fared better live. Oddly enough, there are several songs that Vulture and I align on. Not sure if that is a good thing or a bad thing.

John Maddens Lunchbox said:

#52 - In a Little While (2000)   Highest- 47   Lowest- 93    All that you Can’t Leave Behind LP
Vulture-90/218 - Bono sings this in a desperate, tattered voice. The term “whiskey-soaked” is such a cliché, except in this case it happens to be 100% accurate: He had been drinking all night, got 2 hrs of sleep, & came in & improvised lyrics & melody. He even works in a Van Morrison reference, to boot.

Comment - Nice album track. Bono gets a bit carried away, but thankfully that isnt a criteria. This is another 1 that isn’t really loved by anyone, but not hated either.

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Songfact:
When Bono came up w the understated, soul-kissed “In a Little While,” he thought he’d written a simple little tune about stumbling home after a night out drinking & facing the inevitable hangover to come (“Friday night running/To Sunday on my knees”).   U2's "Tryin' to Throw Your Arms Around the World," from AB, describes a similar theme.


The song took on a new meaning when Joey Ramone died of cancer in 2001 only a yr after its release; the singer was a huge U2 fan, & he had been listening to “In a Little While” in the hospital during his final moments.
Bono:   “Joey turned this song about a hangover into a gospel song,  That’s the way I always hear it now, through Joey Ramone’s ears.” 

The title "In a Little While" originated as a line that co-producer Brian Eno had been toying w but not found a use for before giving it to U2.  After the band was done w the track, the Edge said they found it too traditional & not unique enough. As a result, they took it to Windmill Lane Studios for Richard Stannard to work on. Stannard stripped the song down from its layers, found a section of the rhythm track that he liked, & added it as a loop over drummer Larry Mullen Jr.'s drums.

The song landed at #42 when Rolling Stone ranked their Top 50 songs of U2

The Killers' frontman Brandon Flowers performed the song as a duet with Bono in Las Vegas in 2006 on the Vertigo Tour.   (the Killers are from Las Vegas)

Been played live 150 times........'01 Elevation Tour, '05 Vertigo Tour, and '10/11 360 Tour.    Hasn't been played since 2011.

Anarchy99 said:

And I was highest on this one. A good representation of a song that wasn't a big hit but still had the U2 sound and fared better live. Oddly enough, there are several songs that Vulture and I align on. Not sure if that is a good thing or a bad thing.

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I was 61 - solid tune.  Definitely benefited from Under a Blood Red Sky.   In the same vein, I was 84 on Party Girl.  Both good songs from that early era, but not necessarily standouts, to me at least. 

John Maddens Lunchbox said:

#51 - 11 O’Clock Tick Tock (1980)   Highest- 39    Lowest-93   Standalone Single + Under a Blood Red Sky
Vulture-36/218 - U2’s 2nd single, demonstrates a band who were now trying to rein themselves in instead of running ahead at full speed for every sec of every min. still a little stiff, but there is nothing predictable about the music, lyrics, or performance. There’s lovely shade fr Adam Clayton before the last refrain, Edge’s power chords would slice through butter, &, end to end, it is a vivid emotional moment.

But where most people 1st came to know it is from Under a Blood Red Sky, where the band turns in just about as perfect a performance of this particular track as they’d ever get. All of the extraordinary elements of the track are even more so: Bono has learned how to emote w/out overstretching & Larry & Adam work in lockstep, & giving Edge the ability to deftly thread guitar notes from start to finish — even when the lead singer needs to go into the crowd & pull a girl out to dance with.

Comment - Kicks along nicely, but its the poorer cousin on this album. Still better than Party Girl. Its better than a lot of album tracks that precede it, so this seems a fair landing spot for it. This will be the 2nd last standalone single we see. 

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Songfact:
A version of the song debuted live in August 1979 w alternate lyrics & was originally known as "Silver Lining." It eventually evolved into "11 O'Clock Tick Tock" & was finally committed to vinyl in May 1980.   It was U2's 1st single released outside of Ireland & their 1st on Island Records.   CBS Records, who would continue to hold U2’s contract in Ireland for the next few yrs, released the single in that country.  U2 would tour on this single throughout the UK & Ireland, embarking on The 11 O’Clock Tick Tock Tour that same month.

 The B-side of the single included a song called "Touch" (not often heard) Link  (Touch wasn't in our FBG list)
Here is a picture of the single sleeve .....a very odd Blue when u compare vs all other U2 singles.

The title doesn't appear in the lyrics but it came from a note Bono's friend Gavin Friday (from The Virgin Prunes) left on his door when he came to visit & Bono was not home.  

Recording & Mixing
Island Records suggested that U2 use Martin Hannett to produce the record, who was more famous for his work w OMD & Joy Division (a band influential on U2).  While U2 were impressed by Hannett's technically innovative production style, they had a difficult experience w him. They found him to be an eccentric personality & believed he had imposed his distinctive production style on their music.  Some examples of what went on during those recording & mixing sessions:

• When Hannett travelled to Dublin for the recording session, which took place at Windmill Lane Studios, he was not impressed with the studio's facilities & made the band rent equipment from London.
  
• Hannett was taken aback by how raw U2 were at the time.  U2 was nervous during the session, having never recorded in a studio w a proper producer before. Clayton believes that nervousness affected the band's performances.
  
• The rhythm section, in particular, had issues playing at a consistent tempo, as they continually sped up during the song.  At 1 point, Hannett was scratching his head & said to Edge, "What are we going to do? It's 3 in the morning & the rhythm section can't play in time together!"   Per Adam Clayton:   "And that was pretty much true.”  
  
• As a result, Hannett asked Larry Mullen to use a click track to stay in time, but Mullen was unsure he could play w one, having never done so before.
  
• Hannett lived up to his reputation as a "mad genius". He did creative things w electronics during the session that the band had never heard before. He obsessed over details & insisted that each sound be isolated & recorded separately. He crafted the song's bassline by recording each individual note played by bassist Adam Clayton on a separate track before sequencing them together.
  
• U2 were "freaked out" by Hannett's eccentric personality & attitude. They suspected him of using acid in the studio; at 1 point, Hannett fell backwards out of his chair & exclaimed, "Jesus Christ! I've just hallucinated a gherkin!"
  
• During the session, fellow Dublin band the Atrix stopped by the studio & confronted U2 & accused them of plagiarizing the guitar riff of "11 O'Clock Tick Tock" from their song "Treasure on the Wasteland". 
  
• Hannett insisted that the song be mixed at 3 a.m. because he deemed it the "most creative time". He stayed up for 3 days without sleep during the protracted mixing phase, making tape loops in an attempt to fix the band's poor timekeeping.
  
• Hannett also wanted to apply his trademark drum sound, which was achieved by processing the snare drum through an effects unit called a Time Modulator. After finishing, he reset all the settings on the unit so the engineers would be unable to see what he did.
  
• After Hannett returned to London w the tape recordings, the band rejected his 1st mix but accepted his follow-up attempt
  

When it came time to produce U2's debut album Boy, Hannett's name was in consideration, but the band ultimately decided to hire Steve Lillywhite.

The studio version of the song didn't appear on an album until it was included on the 2008 remastered edition of Boy, but live versions show up on various compilations & live albums, w the most definitive live version on Under A Blood Red Sky. On that album, it's the only track taken from a performance at The Orpheum in Boston on May 6, 1983.  (It did appear as a b-side on some versions of U2’s “Pride (In the Name of Love)“ single in 1984.)

"11 O'Clock Tick Tock" did not chart at the time of its original May 1980 release.  After its inclusion on UABRS, the song peaked at #30 on the US Rock Albums & Top Tracks chart in Jan 1984.

Won Best Single in the 1980 readers' poll from the Irish magazine Hot Press.

The song landed at #29 when Rolling Stone ranked their Top 50 songs of U2

Compare the Live UABRS version linked by JML......to this 1981 live Swedish TV version

Been played live 403 times..............It was played consistently at shows on Boy, October, War & TUF Tour.  But since the end of the TUF Tour, the song has only made an appearance 13 times (with 7 of those on 2001's Elevation Tour). Regardless, it is still one of U2's 20 most-performed live songs.

John Maddens Lunchbox said:

Next up, The top 50 and the one a days begins with the third track from either Joshua Tree or Achtung Baby. To say it divided the rankers would be an understatement. 

Click to expand...

We really need to be careful and not get the thread locked tomorrow. I’ve got a chair on standby ready to throw. 

Nemesis said:

.

 The B-side of the single included a song called "Touch" (not often heard) Link  (Touch wasn't in our FBG list)
Here is a picture of the single sleeve .....a very odd Blue when u compare vs all other U2 singles..

Click to expand...

It was #138

Nugget said:

We really need to be careful and not get the thread locked tomorrow. I’ve got a chair on standby ready to throw. 

Click to expand...

Compared to the Fire and Ice with the rankings on this next one, you are luke warm water

#50 - Mothers of the Disappeared (1987)

Highest Rank - 9

Lowest Rank - 161

Where to Find it - The Joshua Tree LP

Vulture.com ranking and comment -43/218 - Bono wrote this song inspired by the movement of Argentinian mothers demanding justice for their missing children. It is not a rock song; it is almost proto-electronic in feel, anchored by a drum loop Eno put through a processor, with a Spanish guitar line along the top. The drum loop, despite the processing, feels organic when it ties into the lyrics: “We hear their heartbeat,” and it feels like one, albeit in the distance. Bono doesn’t sing so much as chant, and then he veers into keening, as though he is giving voice to the mothers’ grief. It is a very nonlinear song, but in the progression of side two of the album, the steps from “One Tree Hill” to “Exit” to “Mothers of the Disappeared” are not that far removed. It is a difficult song to get right in a live setting, which is why it did not appear on set lists with any great regularity until 2017, where it became both respite after the emotional crescendo of the record and a highlight of the tour.

Comment - Some may have expected this to be the first or second Joshua Tree song listed, but two of us love it profoundly. The rankings really divided the group. We have 9, 11, 100 and 161. I am the number 11. This song has gotten better with age. So much so that it pushes the top 10 for me. The more you learn about the atrocities committed by the US backed dictatorships in South and Central America the more powerful this song becomes. The live versions are simply magnificent as the group figures out how to use it effectively in a concert setting. Bullet the Blue Sky beats you over the head with a message, this one is much more subtle. Its a great perspective to instead of looking at the atrocities focusing on the mothers who lost their children and have no idea what haapened and where they are. Builds beautifully and a great close to a magnificant album. Hear their heartbeats. 

Next up, the final B Side and its a cracker. 

John Maddens Lunchbox said:

#50 - Mothers of the Disappeared (1987)

Highest Rank - 9

Lowest Rank - 161

Where to Find it - The Joshua Tree LP

Vulture.com ranking and comment -43/218 - Bono wrote this song inspired by the movement of Argentinian mothers demanding justice for their missing children. It is not a rock song; it is almost proto-electronic in feel, anchored by a drum loop Eno put through a processor, with a Spanish guitar line along the top. The drum loop, despite the processing, feels organic when it ties into the lyrics: “We hear their heartbeat,” and it feels like one, albeit in the distance. Bono doesn’t sing so much as chant, and then he veers into keening, as though he is giving voice to the mothers’ grief. It is a very nonlinear song, but in the progression of side two of the album, the steps from “One Tree Hill” to “Exit” to “Mothers of the Disappeared” are not that far removed. It is a difficult song to get right in a live setting, which is why it did not appear on set lists with any great regularity until 2017, where it became both respite after the emotional crescendo of the record and a highlight of the tour.

Comment - Some may have expected this to be the first or second Joshua Tree song listed, but two of us love it profoundly. The rankings really divided the group. We have 9, 11, 100 and 161. I am the number 11. This song has gotten better with age. So much so that it pushes the top 10 for me. The more you learn about the atrocities committed by the US backed dictatorships in South and Central America the more powerful this song becomes. The live versions are simply magnificent as the group figures out how to use it effectively in a concert setting. Bullet the Blue Sky beats you over the head with a message, this one is much more subtle. Its a great perspective to instead of looking at the atrocities focusing on the mothers who lost their children and have no idea what haapened and where they are. Builds beautifully and a great close to a magnificant album. Hear their heartbeats. 

Next up, the final B Side and its a cracker. 

Click to expand...

Slow, plodding, boring track IMO. Sure, the backstory and history of the song are inspirational. But when I listen to a song, I only care about the song and not all the other elements about it’s meaning, what went into it, etc. Better stated, knowing all the other stuff doesn’t change the fact that I am not in love with the song  

The music is very repetitive. The drum beat is the same. The same notes and chords are repeated over and over again. Sorry, I just don’t find this track all that creative or interesting. The message may be powerful, but I just find the song overall to only be “OK.” To me it’s an album filler track . . . and I am sure people will say the same thing about my #2 track soon. 

I say similar things about movies like Platoon or The Hurt Locker. They may be great, powerful movies . . . but they may not be for me. 

As far as songs with a cause with a similar drum beat and style, I much prefer Biko by Peter Gabriel. Does that make me a hypocrite for liking one song and not the other? Maybe. But we all like what we all like, even if there is no good reason or explanation. 

John Maddens Lunchbox said:

#50 - Mothers of the Disappeared (1987)

Highest Rank - 9

Lowest Rank - 161

Where to Find it - The Joshua Tree LP

Vulture.com ranking and comment -43/218 - Bono wrote this song inspired by the movement of Argentinian mothers demanding justice for their missing children. It is not a rock song; it is almost proto-electronic in feel, anchored by a drum loop Eno put through a processor, with a Spanish guitar line along the top. The drum loop, despite the processing, feels organic when it ties into the lyrics: “We hear their heartbeat,” and it feels like one, albeit in the distance. Bono doesn’t sing so much as chant, and then he veers into keening, as though he is giving voice to the mothers’ grief. It is a very nonlinear song, but in the progression of side two of the album, the steps from “One Tree Hill” to “Exit” to “Mothers of the Disappeared” are not that far removed. It is a difficult song to get right in a live setting, which is why it did not appear on set lists with any great regularity until 2017, where it became both respite after the emotional crescendo of the record and a highlight of the tour.

Comment - Some may have expected this to be the first or second Joshua Tree song listed, but two of us love it profoundly. The rankings really divided the group. We have 9, 11, 100 and 161. I am the number 11. This song has gotten better with age. So much so that it pushes the top 10 for me. The more you learn about the atrocities committed by the US backed dictatorships in South and Central America the more powerful this song becomes. The live versions are simply magnificent as the group figures out how to use it effectively in a concert setting. Bullet the Blue Sky beats you over the head with a message, this one is much more subtle. Its a great perspective to instead of looking at the atrocities focusing on the mothers who lost their children and have no idea what haapened and where they are. Builds beautifully and a great close to a magnificant album. Hear their heartbeats. 

Next up, the final B Side and its a cracker. 

Click to expand...

I’d be lowest ranked on this, or close to it.   The meaning behind the song matters to me a lot — but the music still has to capture me too, and this song simply doesn’t.  It’s not a bad song, but stylistically it is a poor man’s version of another song still yet to show up which I similarly don’t care for that much.

Mrs APK:  “It would have been around 100 for me.  I like Exit far better, but I really don’t like either song and wish they had just ended the album after 9 songs or replaced those two with B-sides.”

In her longest comment ever about a non-work topic, she continued “I’m not really a Bullet fan either, but yeah, this one is definitely my least favorite on Joshua Tree.  Boring.”

edit to add:  both of us love U2 enough that we still enjoy a song ranked between 100-170 in our catalog.  So it’s really just degrees of enjoyment for us….except on the bottom 30-40 songs.

John Maddens Lunchbox said:

#50 - Mothers of the Disappeared (1987)

Highest Rank - 9

Lowest Rank - 161

Where to Find it - The Joshua Tree LP

Vulture.com ranking and comment -43/218 - Bono wrote this song inspired by the movement of Argentinian mothers demanding justice for their missing children. It is not a rock song; it is almost proto-electronic in feel, anchored by a drum loop Eno put through a processor, with a Spanish guitar line along the top. The drum loop, despite the processing, feels organic when it ties into the lyrics: “We hear their heartbeat,” and it feels like one, albeit in the distance. Bono doesn’t sing so much as chant, and then he veers into keening, as though he is giving voice to the mothers’ grief. It is a very nonlinear song, but in the progression of side two of the album, the steps from “One Tree Hill” to “Exit” to “Mothers of the Disappeared” are not that far removed. It is a difficult song to get right in a live setting, which is why it did not appear on set lists with any great regularity until 2017, where it became both respite after the emotional crescendo of the record and a highlight of the tour.

Comment - Some may have expected this to be the first or second Joshua Tree song listed, but two of us love it profoundly. The rankings really divided the group. We have 9, 11, 100 and 161. I am the number 11. This song has gotten better with age. So much so that it pushes the top 10 for me. The more you learn about the atrocities committed by the US backed dictatorships in South and Central America the more powerful this song becomes. The live versions are simply magnificent as the group figures out how to use it effectively in a concert setting. Bullet the Blue Sky beats you over the head with a message, this one is much more subtle. Its a great perspective to instead of looking at the atrocities focusing on the mothers who lost their children and have no idea what haapened and where they are. Builds beautifully and a great close to a magnificant album. Hear their heartbeats. 

Next up, the final B Side and its a cracker. 

Click to expand...

I always liked it but, when I was young, not as much as the other JT songs. I appreciate it more now. Probably not in my top 50 but maybe not too far outside of it.

I thought #50 was going to be either With or Without You or One.  I misunderstood the comment about the third track from TJT or AB.  

Remember I love JT including Bullet and Exit (just not as much as others apparently).  Mothers is in my top 10 (my #9).  It's perfection - holds up to multiple listens and gets better as the years roll on.  

You guys can have Bullet and Exit and I'll take Mothers to our desert islands and we'll live in harmony (on different islands, but mine will be way better because I have Mothers of the Disappeared). 

Brony said:

Remember I love JT including Bullet and Exit (just not as much as others apparently).  Mothers is in my top 10 (my #9).  It's perfection - holds up to multiple listens and gets better as the years roll on.  

You guys can have Bullet and Exit and I'll take Mothers to our desert islands and we'll live in harmony (on different islands, but mine will be way better because I have Mothers of the Disappeared). 

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I'm free this afternoon . . . I can pack your bags and get you an Uber. Heck, I'll even throw in lunch AND dinner. That is such a good deal. Bullet and Exit? I might even throw in a cheese of the month subscription. Hopefully they can deliver to GPS coordinates (assuming that your desert island won't be on a map).

That's like a fantasy trade I once made back in 2002. I gave up a couple of flavors of the month that had a couple of decent weeks the first two weeks (WR Curtis Conway and RB Anthony Thomas) for Terrell Owens AND Tony Gonzalez. Sure, I felt bad for the other guy . . . but I got over it.

Anarchy99 said:

I'm free this afternoon . . . I can pack your bags and get you an Uber. Heck, I'll even throw in lunch AND dinner. That is such a good deal. Bullet and Exit? I might even throw in a cheese of the month subscription. Hopefully they can deliver to GPS coordinates (assuming that your desert island won't be on a map).

That's like a fantasy trade I once made back in 2002. I gave up a couple of flavors of the month that had a couple of decent weeks the first two weeks (WR Curtis Conway and RB Anthony Thomas) for Terrell Owens AND Tony Gonzalez. Sure, I felt bad for the other guy . . . but I got over it.

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quite a burn from the guy who remembers fantasy trades from 19 years ago. 

Brony said:

quite a burn from the guy who remembers fantasy trades from 19 years ago. 

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I mean, we are on a fantasy football site. I only remember because that was the year I almost led all ESPN fantasy leagues in scoring (out of 100,000+ teams). At one point I was in the Top 5-10 and IIRC I ended up in the Top 20.

But I hope you enjoy your deserted island. Given that I live in the #1 most COVID-positive state in the country right now, that concept sounds very appealing. The brochure sure looks nice. Where can I sign up? We can debate whose island is nicer after we are done with the rankings.

Anarchy99 said:

I mean, we are on a fantasy football site. I only remember because that was the year I almost led all ESPN fantasy leagues in scoring (out of 100,000+ teams). At one point I was in the Top 5-10 and IIRC I ended up in the Top 20.

But I hope you enjoy your deserted island. Given that I live in the #1 most COVID-positive state in the country right now, that concept sounds very appealing. The brochure sure looks nice. Where can I sign up? We can debate whose island is nicer after we are done with the rankings.

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I'm still pissed at Brian Westbrook.

1 Guitar, gently used.    Up for auction.............https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NxaLHeNq2ms

Bono's 1990s custom-painted Gibson ES-175D electric guitar used extensively during many U2 performances. Bono played this guitar on the 1992-93 Zoo TV Tour during performances of the songs "The Fly" & "Angel of Harlem"" from U2's nightly set list. The instrument was custom painted to Bono's specifications by the Gibson Custom Shop, w a subtle glitter effect incorporated into the sleek black finish. Bono has also personally added a decal to the body reading, ""I Feel Good."" The guitar exhibits moderate scuffs & scratches throughout from use, w some tarnish & surface wear to the metal components. A strap & a TKL hard shell case are included. The case has tape applied w details on the guitar listed, as used by Bono's team.

2018 Premier Guitar interview with Edge's guitar tech   
(it's long & technical but shows you just how much goes on behind the scene........or how they say, "How the sausage is made".          Hope some of you enjoy it)  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDYfXvGuaL4

Dallas Schoo has been taking care of The Edge’s ever-changing collection for over 30 years.   The Edge tours with 45 guitars. He performs with 18 to 20 different guitars every show & has a backup for every one of them.

The Edge has Dallas Schoo constantly experimenting with different brands & gauges for each guitar & tuning.

In 1978, on a trip to the United States with his family, a 17-yr-old Edge bought a 1976 Gibson Explorer. This guitar was there for the birth of U2 & has been part of nearly every tour & session since. Edge now owns 11 x ’76 Explorers & currently tours with 3 of them. They are all stock & nearly identical. And to be clear, Dallas Schoo is always on the look for more.

Check out the 45 min mark......regarding how Edge is unique in how he uses his picks (I think I mentioned this previously)
And also the 48 min mark:    Stage unit for changing effects

Nugget said:

I'm still pissed at Brian Westbrook.

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It was still the right move from a real football perspective.