I went on a business trip this week. 4.5 hr flight and I didn’t really feel like watching a movie, so I decided to listen to music. I used to have my phone loaded with music but took most off once I went to Spotify, but what I left on was the stuff that Spotify doesn’t have, and hadn’t listened to it in ages.
35,000 feet above the 49th parallel I rediscovered the magic of U2.
Kindergarten Who’s Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses - love this version, better then the album version which is more rigid. This one flows, cool as the breeze.
Kindergarten So Cruel - cool to see the different lyrics. Outstanding.
Down All The Days - 80’s meets 90’s. To me this blows away Numb, with Edge rambling on about nothing. Bono singing gospel over the music of Numb. Brings emotion to the emotionless music.
Wave of Sorrow - this is one of the JT outtakes redone years ago. One of my favourite things they’ve done this century.
North and South of the River - live on Irish TV - wow, this is one of those lost U2 performances that really is one of their finer moments.
One and With or Without You - live Vancouver April 1992 - my first U2 show, Zoo TV arena. This is pure magic. Only a handful of artists get to this plateau. Bono goes off at the end of both of these. Taking the songs to places they haven’t been able to go in decades. Not bound to the in ear tracks or his diminished vocals, Bono flys here, and it’s what sets U2 apart from their contemporaries.
Running to Stand Still - Point Depot 89 -one of my favourite live U2 recordings. Really beautiful and there’s chills when the crowd joins Bono singing the Dirty Old Town coda.