U2:10

On this St. Patrick's Day, I thought it would be appropriate to pay some tribute to the greatest Irish band of all time, who also happens to be the greatest band of all time (and coincidentally, also my favorite band of all time).

Here are my ten favorite U2 songs. Now, I have to qualify this list by saying that these are my current favorites. Some of them would be on any U2 "best of" list, but some of them are more obscure. And there are certainly some notable songs that are not on the list, like "Beautiful Day," "I Will Follow," and most notably absent is "Pride (In the Name of Love)." So this is not a list of the biggest hits. It is simply a list of my current favorites - the songs that really get me.

And I have to say, choosing my "favorite" U2 songs is hard to do. How do you select a few songs from such an incredible song catalogue? But, nonetheless, I have constructed a list...because that's what I do. I make lists.

I've also posted YouTube videos of each song.

So here we go:

10. Grace

So we start off with a song from "All That You Can't Leave Behind," which had a number of radio hits. I don't think this song was ever released as a single. They didn't even play this song live when I saw them on the Elevation tour.

The reason I picked this song is the lyrics. It gets me every time. It's a song of second chances - of beauty from ashes. I won't list all of the lyrics, but here is a portion of it from the end of the song:

What once was hurt, what once was friction
What left a mark no longer stings
Because grace makes beauty out of ugly things



9. When I Look at the World

Another song from "All That You Can't Leave Behind" that never got airplay. This song gives me chills when I hear it. It's a song of desparation and angst at the condition of things - one that wants to have hope but cannot escape despair. And it is this gut-wrenching honesty that makes so many of U2's resonate.

So I try to be like you
Try to feel it like you do
But without you it's no use
I can't see what you see
When I look at the world



8. Ultraviolet

Now, this is one of the best obscure U2 songs ever. At least it was. They pulled this one out during the encores on the 360 tour and performed it on the late night shows. Bono's jacket was shining lights everywhere and he was singing into this cool retro mic. It was awesome. I was pleased to see that the song finally got some of the glory it deserves.

Baby, baby, baby, light my way!



7. Bad

If you twist and turn away
If you tear yourself in two again
If I could, yes I would
If I could, I would let it go
Surrender
Dislocate

This song is originally from "The Unforgettable Fire," but my favorite version is the live version from the "Rattle and Hum" movie. Almost the entire song goes back and forth between two chords. And I guess that mirrors the longing of the lyric - trapped, but yearning to break free - going back and forth. Like "Running to Stand Still" from "The Joshua Tree," it brings you into the desparation of addiction. And yet, it just sounds so hopeful - so heavenly.

Let it go, and so to fade away
I'm wide awake!



6. Sunday Bloody Sunday

This is perhaps one of the most gut-wrenching songs they have ever written. Inspired by the violence in their home country, it is an indictment of the war and violence that steals the lives of the innocent. It is also serves as a wake-up call.

And it's true we are immune
When fact is fiction and T.V. is reality
And today the millions cry
We eat and drink while tomorrow they die

It's originally from the "War" album, but again, my favorite version if from the "Rattle and Hum" movie, which includes a passionate speech by Bono, prompted by the bombing of a veterans parade. I get chills just thinking about it.



5. One

From "Achtung Baby," this is one of the first U2 songs I ever heard. It's also one of many U2 songs that my band attempted to cover back in the day. It's a beautiful song of pain and lament. Simply iconic.

Did I ask too much, more than a lot
You gave me nothing now it's all I got
We're one but we're not the same
Well we hurt each other then we do it again
You say love is a temple, love a higher law
Love is a temple, love the higher law
You ask me to enter, but then you make me crawl
And I can't be holding on to what you got
When all you got is hurt...

One life but we're not the same
We get to carry each other



4. Miracle Drug

So the list so far has had plenty of desperation and angst (and there's more to come). But this song from "How To Dismantle an Atomic Bomb" is a song of unabashed hope. It's a countepart to "When I Look at the World." Things can be different. Another world is possible.

Of science and the human heart there is no limit
There is no failure here sweetheart, just when you quit

I am you and you are mine
Love makes nonsense of space and time will disappear
Love and logic keep us clear
Reason is on our side, love

The songs are in your eyes, I see them when you smile
I've had enough of romantic love
I'd give it up, yeah, I'd give it up
For a miracle, a miracle drug

This song gives me hope. I remember listening to it while I was in Ethiopia, and it helped me to remember why I was doing what I was doing.

Beneath the noise, below the din
I hear a voice, it's whispering
In science and in medicine
"I was a stranger, you took me in"

Bono has done so much to raise awareness and inspire action in areas of global poverty and disease, especially in Africa. If you haven't already, you should go to ONE.ORG and join the ONE Campaign, and join the movement to "help make poverty history."



3. With or Without You

Okay, now we're into the top three. And these three songs really can't be separated. They are the first three tracks from "The Joshua Tree" - the greatest album of all time (and also my favorite album).

"With or Without You" is simple but brilliant musically. It has a similar lyrical feel to "One." If ever there was a song that portrayed being torn, this is it.

My hands are tied
My body bruised, she's got me with
Nothing to win and nothing left to lose
And you give yourself away

With or without you
I can't live with or without you

I think there are a lot of layers of meaning in the lyrics. But I won't bore you with my analysis. Just listen to it for yourself, and see what you get!



2. I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For

This the quintessential song of searching, of questioning, of wrestling. It's a modern Gospel tune for the wandering seeker.

I have climbed highest mountain, I have run through the fields
Only to be with you, only to be with you
I have run, I have crawled
I have scaled these city walls
These city walls, only to be with you
But I still haven't found what I'm looking for

I've heard people question the honest questioning of this song, and want to give the song a happy ending like "Now that I've found Jesus, I've found what I'm looking for." And maybe I used to think like that. But the power of this song is it's honest yearning. It's a song of fulfillment and unfulfillment at the same time. I can hear David in it. I can hear Paul. And I can hear myself.

I believe in the kingdom come
Then all the colors will bleed into one
Bleed into one
Well yes I'm still running

You broke the bonds and you loosed the chains
Carried the cross and all my shame, All my shame
You know I believed it

But I still haven't found what I'm looking for

The original version is great, but the "Rattle and Hum" version, which they perform with a Gospel choir, is great too!



1. Where the Streets Have No Name

Track number one on the best album of all time. It really doesn't get any better than this. I will resist the urge to expound on what the lyrics mean to me, and just led you be impacted by the lyrics themselves:

I want to run, I want to hide
I want to tear down the walls that hold me inside
I want to reach out and touch the flame
Where the streets have no name

I want to feel sunlight on my face
I see the dust cloud disappear without a trace
I want to take shelter from the poison rain
Where the streets have no name

Where the streets have no name
Where the streets have no name
We're still building then burning down love
Burning down love
And when I go there, I go there with you
It's all I can do

The city's aflood and our love turns to rust
We're beaten and blown by the wind trampled in dust
I'll show you a place high on a desert plain
Where the streets have no name

Where the streets have no name
We're still building then burning down love
Burning down love
And when I go there, I go there with you
It's all I can do

Our love turns to rust
We're beaten and blown by the wind, blown by the wind
Oh, and I see love, see our love turn to rust
We're beaten and blown by the wind , blown by the wind
Oh, when I go there, I go there with you
It's all I can do

My most vivid memory from the first time I saw U2 in concert was this song. The lights were low when they started playing it, and then when the song kicked in, all these bright gold lights came up. And I looked all around the stadium at the thousands of people there singing along. And I thought of the day in the age to come when people of every nation, tribe and tongue will gather around the throne of God to worship. Needless to say, I had a moment.



So there you have it, my current Top Ten list. I would love to have some feedback on your favorite U2 songs, and why you like them. Just leave a quick comment and join the conversation.