No More Box

I saw Brian Bailey’s post, “10 Favorite Albums of All-Time” the other day and couldn’t even begin. There are a lot of albums that our my favorite for a particular mood, based on where I was when I heard it. Made me think of John Cusack in Hi Fidelity organizing his records in chronological order by first hearing. In honor of Hi Fidelity I thought I’d do a top five, and stick with just U2 to simplify my insanity.

1. The Joshua Tree By far their best complete album. Beginning to end, this is the one that I constantly go back to. It is a complete work of art.

2. War This album has some of my favorite singles (Sunday, Bloody Sunday & New Year’s Day) but as an album it doesn’t have the same continuity that The Joshua Tree had. This CD has been living in my CD player for about 12 repeats now. I should probably change it soon.

3. Rattle & Hum I have the DVD rather than the album for this one (although I did make a complete MP3 of the DVD which I listen to rather than watch when I am driving). Some of the particular versions of songs that are on this make this an “album” that must be included. I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For with the gospel choir in Harlem; When Love Comes to Town with BB King; Sunday, Bloody Sunday on the day of the Inniskilin bombings. Such passion, such energy. Here is a man who believes what he believes with everything he has. No reservations. Man I wish I was seeing them live this year.

4. How to Dismantle and Atomic Bomb While Vertigo was a great rock song and had some deep lines, there are few tracks (and lines) that just speak to me and won’t go away. The song Yahweh has been an echo in the back of my mind since I first read the lyric. That line from Miracle Drug just keeps pounding in the back of my brain. “Freedom has a scent, like the top of a newborn babies head.” What an image. The freedom of Christ and the image of new birth. There’s others on that album that just make it a great beginning to end, repeat, but nothing touches the classics, so it only made number 4.

1. TIE These are two albums that I can’t decide which I like more. I probably have listened to October more often in recent months, so my immediate leaning would be towards it for number five, but I think I would choose Actung Baby if both were handy on a long drive since I know all the lyrics better. Achtung Baby makes the list because it is the songs that first snagged me into the U2 world. Discovering the Joshua Tree and War drug me in deep, but Mysterious Ways and One on MTV in high school is what got me hooked (gives you a hint as to my real age). October (along with Boy) have been more recent discoveries for me. October also currently resides in my van (though not in the player). To see the passion and spirituality that drove them at the beginning (and still does) is exciting. To know where they came from to be able to appreciate where they are now. I think that is what has me hooked on this album. Couple of great singles (Gloria & Stranger in a Strange Land) but an overall good listen. This one doesn’t get repeated as often as the top four, but no complaints musically.

If we went with singles I would definetly have to do a top ten rather than top 5, but they would be mostly off these albums with maybe Beautiful Day as well. Numb was always one of those songs I wanted to dislike, but couldn’t help loving, but I don’t think it would make the top ten. Generally I find myself listening to U2 in my office through iTunes with shuffle and I can’t think of a single song I would skip. Some of their B-sides of the Best of’s probably aren’t appropriate to crank at the church office, but still great songs.

To go back to Brian Baileys original post, a couple of albums I would have to include would be something by Rich Mullins (probably Winds of Heaven, Stuff of Earth), Ten by Pearl Jam, The Black Album by Metalica (or possibly Master of the Puppets), The Gin Blossoms first album, & Grave Dancers Union by Soul Asylum. There are few others and most of these I don’t even listen to anymore, but they all have had impact on who I am, both musically and as a person. I probably would include something by Elton John, James Taylor, and Eric Clapton as well. Not sure by the time I narrowed it down to just ten. Andrew Peterson’s CD, Love and Thunder, has been a regular in the play list and has some of the profound kind of song writing that makes U2 and Rich Mullins so great. You can see why I decided to stick with 5 and just U2, as I have now digressed into the insanity that caused me to ignore the original topic of Brian’s Post. Must go to bed. Good Night.