I often think about Bono’s comment that it is easy to dial up anger or sadness or any one of the other “negative” emotions when writing music, but that real joy…that’s not so easy. Still, over the years, U2 has managed to capture that elusive feeling in several great recordings. “Rejoice,” from U2’s sophomore album […]
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U2101 – I Fall Down
For those of you looking to make summer travel plans, I have a recommendation for you. Cincinnati, Ohio is a great town, with tons of wonderful restaurants, attractions, restaurants, events, and, yes, restaurants. I grew up in the Queen City of the mid-west and I still miss it terribly. Unfortunately, U2 has only visited Cincy […]
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U2101 – Saturday Night & Fire
A long time ago, in a record store far away, a great debut album was released. This album was titled Boy, and it was the first LP from an Irish band called U2. Some few copies of this album, early pressings of the vinyl, for instance, have a short snippet of music at the end […]
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U2101 – Touch
My favorite of U2’s early B-sides is probably the song “Touch,” from the 11 O’Clock Tick Tock single. “Touch” started out as a song called “Trevor,” which I have always thought to be about a friend of the band’s, or at least of Bono’s, from the Bible study group they attended. The lyrics to the […]
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U2101 – Things to Make and Do
If you were to catch me off guard and ask me what the first single released from Boy was, I might answer without thinking and say “I Will Follow.” Of course, if I were to say that, I would be wrong. For some reason, I tend to forget that “A Day Without Me” was released […]
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U2101 – Boy/Girl
It seems like many years ago that I seriously started collecting U2 memorabilia and records. One of the first items I acquired was a vinyl copy of U2 Three, and at the time, I thought I had something really special and rare because I had never before heard “Boy/Girl,” one of that record’s B-sides. “Boy/Girl” […]
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U2101 – Cartoon World
This week we are taking a look at one of those songs that has only ever been released in a live version. That is to say that, like fan-favorite “Mercy,” no official studio version has ever been let out into the wild. Unlike “Mercy,” however, it is doubtful that a studio version of this song […]
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U2101 – Another Day
One of U2’s most under-appreciated songs, in my opinion, is the A-side from the early single, Another Day. Really, this song has all the hallmarks of early U2 — a soaring chorus, intricate guitar work, a catchy, bouncing bass-line, some vigorous and dynamic drumming, a little punk-rock aggression tempered with pop-rock melodic sweetness — I […]
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U2101 – Speed of Life
Happy New Year, everybody! I hope that all of your holiday wishes have come true and that you are now fighting fit and eager to tackle another new beginning. I also hope that this new year brings you everything you are hoping for, and that all of our lives are catastrophe-free for the next twelve […]
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Christmas From U2
I wanted to write something special today to celebrate the Christmas holiday that is only a couple of days away…one day away, as you read this…but the truth is, I’ve already written about every holiday song U2, or any member thereof, has contributed to. So, I decided to get a little creative and to write […]
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