Top 100 U2 Songs

Sometimes when I'm bored I like to look at what search keywords people enter into Google to bring them to my blog.  Sometimes they're hilarious, and sometimes I just can't figure out why Google sent them my way.  I have a lot of lists of songs, but one list that I certainly haven't had is the top 100 U2 songs.  I saw that someone searched for that and somehow arrived at my blog... well, random person, I'm going to oblige you.  Here is my version of the Top 100 U2 Songs of all time.  Now, I would say that various versions of some of their songs are better than some of the crappy songs at the very bottom of the list, but for simplicity I've eliminated all duplicates of the same song, and kept my favorite version of the song.  (For instance, I like the "new" version of the song "Gone" better than the original.)  I'm not putting quotes around the song names, and the only thing listed with them is what album the version of the song is from.  (I should note that I do not own Boy, apparently.  I thought I did.)  Anyway, here's the list:

1.  One    Achtung Baby
2.  Running To Stand Still    The Joshua Tree
3.  Pride    The Unforgetable Fire
4.  Sunday Bloody Sunday    War
5.  With Or Without You    The Joshua Tree
6.  Bad    The Unforgetable Fire
7.  Where The Streets Have No Name    The Joshua Tree
8.  Gone (New mix)    Best of 1990-2000
9.  Beautiful Day    All That You Can't Leave Behind
10.  I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For    The Joshua Tree
11.  The Fly    Achtung Baby
12.  Walk On    All That You Can't Leave Behind
13.  All I Want Is You    Rattle And Hum
14.  Staring At the Sun    Pop
15.  Electrical Storm - New Song    The B Sides (1990-2000)
16.  Stuck In a Moment You Can't Get Out Of    All That You Can't Leave Behind
17.  The Hands That Built America    Best of 1990-2000
18.  City Of Blinding Lights    How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb
19.  Discotheque    Pop
20.  Do You Feel Loved    Pop
21.  Desire    Rattle And Hum
22.  Zoo Station    Achtung Baby
23.  Until the End of the World    Achtung Baby
24.  Elevation    All That You Can't Leave Behind
25.  Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses    Achtung Baby
26.  Magnificent    No Line On The Horizon
27.  New Year's Day    War
28.  Bullet The Blue Sky    The Joshua Tree
29.  Even Better Than the Real Thing    Achtung Baby
30.  Mysterious Ways    Achtung Baby
31.  Kite    All That You Can't Leave Behind
32.  Tryin' to Throw Your Arms Around The World    Achtung Baby
33.  Numb (New mix)    Best of 1990-2000
34.  In a Little While    All That You Can't Leave Behind
35.  Miracle Drug    How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb
36.  Seconds    War
37.  Red Hill Mining Town    The Joshua Tree
38.  Ultra Violet    Achtung Baby
39.  Silver And Gold    Rattle And Hum
40.  One Tree Hill    The Joshua Tree
41.  The Unforgetable Fire    The Unforgetable Fire
42.  Two Hearts Beat As One    War
43.  Angel Of Harlem    Rattle And Hum
44.  So Cruel    Achtung Baby
45.  Grace    All That You Can't Leave Behind
46.  Acrobat    Achtung Baby
47.  When I Look At The World    All That You Can't Leave Behind
48.  I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight    No Line On The Horizon
49.  Miss Sarajevo    Best of 1990-2000
50.  If God Will Send His Angels    Pop
51.  New York    All That You Can't Leave Behind
52.  Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me    Best of 1990-2000
53.  Vertigo    How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb
54.  Please    Pop
55.  Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own    How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb
56.  "40"    War
57.  Last Night On Earth    Pop
58.  Peace On Earth    All That You Can't Leave Behind
59.  In God's Country    The Joshua Tree
60.  The First Time    Best of 1990-2000
61.  Crumbs From Your Table    How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb
62.  Trip Through Your Wires    The Joshua Tree
63.  Van Diemen's Land    Rattle And Hum
64.  Get On Your Boots    No Line On The Horizon
65.  Summer Rain    The B Sides (1990-2000)
66.  A Sort Of Homecoming    The Unforgetable Fire
67.  Moment Of Surrender    No Line On The Horizon
68.  A Man And A Woman    How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb
69.  Wire    The Unforgetable Fire
70.  Cedars Of Lebanon    No Line On The Horizon
71.  Love Is Blindness    Achtung Baby
72.  The Refugee    War
73.  If You Wear That Velvet Dress    Pop
74.  Stand Up Comedy    No Line On The Horizon
75.  All Because Of You    How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb
76.  No Line On The Horizon    No Line On The Horizon
77.  All Along The Watchtower    Rattle And Hum
78.  Like A Song...    War
79.  Helter Skelter    Rattle And Hum
80.  When Love Comes To Town    Rattle And Hum
81.  MLK    The Unforgetable Fire
82.  Promenade    The Unforgetable Fire
83.  Lady With The Spinning Head (Dance Mix)    The B Sides (1990-2000)
84.  Hawkmoon 269    Rattle And Hum
85.  North And South Of The River    The B Sides (1990-2000)
86.  One Step Closer    How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb
87.  Mothers Of The Disappeared    The Joshua Tree
88. Wild Honey    All That You Can't Leave Behind
89.  Your Blue Room    The B Sides (1990-2000)
90.  Salome (Zooromancer Remix)    The B Sides (1990-2000)
91.  White As Snow    No Line On The Horizon
92.  Exit    The Joshua Tree
93.  Original Of The Species    How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb
94.  Dirty Day (Junk Day Mix)    The B Sides (1990-2000)
95.  Unknown Caller    No Line On The Horizon
96.  Breathe    No Line On The Horizon
97.  Love And Peace Or Else    How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb
98.  Elvis Presley and America    The Unforgetable Fire
99.  Fez - Being Born    No Line On The Horizon
100.  4th of July    The Unforgetable Fire






I'm sure that if you note how many of the songs from "No Line On The Horizon" are toward the bottom of the list, it will come as no surprise that it's my least favorite album U2 has ever made.  On the other end, I love The Joshua Tree of course, but I'm also a big fan of Achtung Baby.  And yes, "One" remains my favorite song.  I wasn't super meticulous about this list.  I just tried to rank them by how likely I am to listen to them comparatively.
Anyway, my break is going great and I'm thoroughly enjoying it.  It's surprising me how busy I've been able to stay.  That's nice.  Anyway, see ya.

Jeff's Top Twenty Bands/Artists List

 I'm bored.  So I'm back.  I decided to post a list that comes from a mix I made yesterday.

It's My TOP TWENTY FAVORITE BANDS/ARTISTS:

1. U2.  I always think that they'll fall from the number one spot, but no band can ever really top them.  This despite the fact that I don't even like U2's newest album at all.  I saw them twice when they toured after the release of "All That You Can't Leave Behind."  They're an incredible band.  Bono's cool. 
2. Guster.  I really quite love this band.  Many of their songs fit right into my life.  They really aren't incredible musicians or anything, but they're just right for me.  C'mon, you know a band that has a "conguero" (who even plays regular drum sets with his hands) has got to be good!  I saw them over two years ago and really enjoyed the show they put on.
   
3. Travis.  Even Travis is guilty of a most recent album that I find to be a flop ("Ode to J. Smith" -- it does have one good song, but that's it).  Although that wasn't enough to deter them from becoming my new number 3.  (A spot formerly held by Dave Matthews Band.)  "The Boy With No Name" album is really an amazing one.  Provided this band actually takes their time on an album ("Ode" was produced very quickly after the previous album), they'll continue to be in my top 3 for a long time.
4. Coldplay.  Yup.  You know these guys.  It seems to me that everyone knows Coldplay and either loves them or hates them.  Consider me among the former.
5. Ben Kweller.  Ben is chill.  I find among his music so much to love.  Although he ALSO made a recent album that I'm not a huge fan of (He made a random country album?), I can certainly forgive him.  It's rare that I go too long without listening to some BK.
6.  Death Cab For Cutie.  I think this band, like Coldplay, is really incredible at making songs that just sink in immediately.  This band did make a couple sub-par albums way back when they started, but they are absolutely on a roll since then.  "Transatlanticism" is a classic.  "Plans" is also incredible, but that goes without saying when you consider how popular it made them.
7. The Weakerthans.  Like Travis, I wish these guys could really catch on here in the U.S.  (Travis is made up of Brits.)  This Canadian band has really impressed me.  I love when music is about the lyrics.  These guys have a fairly simple rock approach to the music, but the lyrics are what really drew me to them.  Their last two albums have each featured a song that is from the point of view of a pet cat, but they don't sound weird.  I love the stories.  Good stuff.
8. Sea Wolf.  This band would not have made the top ten if I hadn't bought their second album just a couple days ago.  They just released that album, and it cemented the fact that I love this band.  Their first album and EP even before that were FULL of songs that I loved.  It's rare that I can like every song on an album, but this band has done that TWICE!  Matt Pond PA does that to a degree, too, but these albums have songs that I REALLY like and play frequently.  They're very much about the lyrics and somewhat remind me of The Decemberists.
   
9. Nada Surf.  Although I didn't love this band from the get-go, they really grew on me.  "The Weight Is A Gift" is one amazing album that really caused me to like them so much.  I wish people knew Nada Surf for more than just their first hit, "Popular."  I think this band could continue to rise on my list if they keep it up.
10. The Decemberists.  This band is really unique.  They have a theatric flair that is so well executed and that I can't find anywhere else.  Their most recent album, "The Hazards of Love," plays like a dramatic play.  This band is all about story-telling, and doing it eloquently.  I feel like I'm listening to music a century-old, but it's actually very much modern alternative rock.  I don't know if The Decemberists will move any higher into my top ten, but they're a great band nonetheless.
11. Dave Matthews Band.  DMB used to be my #2 band.  They stayed as my third favorite since I discoverd Guster and have always been there since.  But then... I just kinda quit listening.  I don't have any desire to buy their newest album.  They are still a great band, and I'll always enjoy the album "Everyday," but I just quit being really in love with their stuff.  I don't really know what happened.  They still have some great music though.
12. Pete Yorn.  A former top fiver.  Pete is really a great artist.  His music has just gotten progressively slower and slower with each new album.  (He only has 4.)  My appreciation of him dropped after the first 2.  Don't get me wrong, I still really like Pete.  I saw him open for The Foo Fighters a long time ago, and his portion of that concert remains among my top five live performances that I've seen.
13. Matt Pond PA.  Matt Pond PA is unique among the artists on this list because they don't really make individual songs that I REALLY like and listen to all the time like other bands do, but I like almost ALL of the songs they produce.  I can't really explain why it is like that, but that's how it is.  I'm excited for the direction they're going though.  I really like all of the albums they've made.  They've shot up to this spot from not being in the top twenty, and they could certainly move higher.  I love their implementation of strings in their rock music.  Their stuff is often very smooth and relaxing, but not too boring.  It's good music.
14. Grandaddy.  Grandaddy used to be top ten, but they've just been passed up by newer discoveries that I like better.  I still really liked their quirky and VERY unique sound.  I also like music that can make me laugh without being only made for that purpose.  They sadly made one last crappy album and broke up, but their album "Sumday" will always be in my favorites.
15. Carbon Leaf.  Carbon Leaf is an all-around good rock band.  They have their own style.  I don't love all of their music, but they've certainly made enough songs that I really enjoy to earn a top twenty spot.  They're a talented group that is only getting better.  I can't wait to get their newest album.
16. Collective Soul.  This band and Counting Crows are two that used to be top ten bands in my opinion.  However, they've both been so long out of my realm of stuff I listen to that they don't really impress me as much anymore.  I rarely listen to Counting Crows anymore, but Collective Soul still has many classics that I can't resist listening to every so often.  I think they've just been passed by music that better fits my preferences.  Still... they're a great band.
17. Muse.  I quite like Muse.  It's fun to listen to.  I really don't love their lyrics all the time, but I do especially love running or working out to their stuff.  When I get their newest album, we'll see if they'll impress me enough to stay in the top twenty, or if they'll drop out.  They have two albums that I'll always listen to and love though.  ("Absolution" and "Black Holes and Revelations")
18. Badly Drawn Boy.  He's a great British singer-songwriter.  Very unique, but fun music.  Hasn't been writing stuff I love recently, but has a lot of great stuff already under his belt.  His best stuff to date was the music he wrote for the movie "About A Boy." 
19. Cake.  Nerd rock at its absolute best.  I always enjoy a good Cake song now and then.  I wish they'd release a new album sometime soon, but I really like a lot of their older stuff.  Really fun stuff.  "The Distance" is a hilarious and awesome song.
    
20.  Phoenix / Ambulance LTD.  I couldn't choose between these two bands to finish off my list.  They each only have one album that I know and love, but they each very much impressed me with that one album.  While I may still look into their older albums, I only own Phoenix's most recent album, "Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix."  I really like it a lot.  They're a French band that really seems to be growing in popularity with this most recent album here in the States.  Ambulance LTD, on the other hand, only came out with one album and then broke up.  It's a BIG shame.  They could have been a really amazing band, not to say that their beginning wasn't amazing.  Their only major album "Ambulance LP," is great rock music.  I wish they were still around.  I watched their website for months in anticipation of a new album, but it never came.  And then I heard they broke up.  Sad day. 

So that's the list.  I recommend all of these bands or artists.  I love music... as you can tell I'm sure.  I have a bunch of albums that I currently want to buy (see my wishlist) that could change up this list though.  We'll see.  CHECK OUT MY OTHER MUSIC LISTS:  Top 40 Funny Songs, Top 100 Favorite Songs

It's currently my "fall break," but I don't have any plans.  I went and saw "Up" again tonight with some neighbors.  I really like that movie.  I think I might fish tomorrow if it's at all warm enough.  K... cool.... see ya! 

Wednesday Thoughts...

U2 might not be my favorite band anymore. Their newest album is not great. Not great at all. There isn't one song on there that I really like. It's all just blah-music. I gave No Line On The Horizon a 3 of 5 stars on Amazon. A 3 OF 5! That's just weird for me to think that low of a U2 album. I'm thinking it might be time for those guys to pack it in. Bono's voice is NOT even close to the same these days. So that's a bummer.

Turns out water freezes when the temperature outside is less than 32ºF outside. DID YOU KNOW THAT?! Spencer and I tried to go flyfishing this morning. It was fun for the first 5 minutes until I realized that my line was no longer moving through my rod... and then I saw the newly formed ice chunks in each of the eyelets on the rod. Not great. We only fished for about 20 minutes total. Sorry Spence!

Clear plastic containers are not the most appetizing way to present a burger. Spencer and I stopped at the Dairy Keen in Heber just after our sad attempt at fishing, which I'm now calling "Spencer's First Wading Lesson," and got some food. I ordered a "Train Burger." It was a great burger, had ham on it, wonderful tasting thing. But they give it to you in a clear plastic container like you'd expect when you receive a nice brownie or a cheesecake slice. This is very much not appetizing. The burger humidifies its little glass box... then the bottom... oh the bottom... it shows every last drop of leakage that most burger wrappings would disguise or absorb. Again... not the most appetizing presentation. It was a kick-trash burger otherwise.

Well, there's three Wednesday Thoughts for you. The End.