Essential Songs: U2 B-Sides
Submitted by JohnnyW on Tue, 02/20/2001 - 10:25
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- 1.Trash, Trampoline and the Party Girl (1983): An extremely raw sounding mid-tempo rocker; Bono's voice is so ragged that only his and the band enthusiasm pull it off.
- 2.Endless Deep (1983): An instrumental in the same ragged vein as "Trash..."
- 3.Love Comes Tumbling (1985): A live version of this is found on the EP Wide Awake in America.
- 4.Spanish Eyes (1987): Atmospheric and melancholy.
- 5.Hallelujah Here She Comes (1988): A joyful, gospel-tinged love song.
- 6.Salome (Even Better than the Real Thing): A surging, spiraling rocker that conveys the seductiveness of the original Salome; could provide a soundtrack for Wilde's play on the same topic.
- 7.Satellite of Love (One): A Lou Reed cover that was often played during U2's ZooTV tour.
- 8.North and South of the River (Staring at the Sun): A fairly straightforward rootsy song, it indicates what some of Pop might have sounded like without the electronica dusting.
- 9.Two Shots of Happy, One Shot of Sad (If God Will Send His Angels): The song Bono wrote for Frank Sinatra but never performed by ol' Blue Eyes, this is U2's version.
- 10.Please-Live in Rotterdam (Please): The prominent melodic bass line, courtesy of the live setting, brings this song to life, something that never happens on the album version.
U2 has always released high-quality b-sides with their singles, and in compiling this list, it surprised me how consistent these songs are. None would necessarily be a high point for their respective albums, but all the songs are strong and could fit easily on the albums. For the eighties b-sides, all of which are on the B-Sides disc that came with select versions of the Greatest Hits album, I have provided the year of release, but I don't know which single they accompanied. For the nineties b-sides, I've provided the A-side. I believe that all of their nineties singles are still inprint, although some are imports.