The 10 Best U2 Songs
No introduction necessary. In chronological order.
“Tomorrow”
I think I connected to U2 for two reasons: my mom had THE JOSHUA TREE lying around and I related to Bono. His mom died when he was 11; my dad died when I was 2.
When he sings about it, on “Tomorrow”, you hear the anguish in the singer. That isn’t a register Bono goes to very often, but when he does, it really works. This is haunting, wrenching, beautiful music.
“Sunday Bloody Sunday” (Live on UNDER A BLOOD RED SKY)
One thing I do think U2 haters miss is what they’re able to do live. It’s also hard to remember that, once, U2 was kind of cool, a little punk. You could argue that this set in Denver (when my parents were living there actually, before I was born) was a career peak.
“Bad” (Live From Paris)
“Bad” is the fan’s favorite, the song the band really figured out live. On the album, it’s a bit airy, but live, it’s immediate and joyful and transcendent. The religious elements of U2 work for me, too, as somebody raised in the church.
There are more heralded recordings, but I’m partial to the LIVE FROM PARIS cut, the lesser-known live record from their heydey, but one that showcases as well as anything how damn good they were back then.
“I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” (Live on RATTLE & HUM)
Again, the gospel songs are always gonna mean something special to me. I know RATTLE & HUM is reviled, but it was the other album my mother had, and I wore it out almost as much as THE JOSHUA TREE.
Dropping all pretexts and bringing on the black choir actually works for U2 for once. This is church music.
“Running To Stand Still”
Heroin is the other Bono theme that I find resonant. At least three of the songs on this list are about it. He writes about the drug with such feeling, such empathy and such clarity. The spirit arrives whenever Bono is singing about the dark star.
There is gentleness and serenity to be found, though. This is such a tender moment after its album’s gigantic opening songs.
“Ultra Violet (Light My Way)”
The song on ACHTUNG BABY that I think best blends U2’s newfound appreciation for irony with their innate inability to totally drop the earnest. The catchy-as-hell “Baby, baby, baby/Light my way” is sarcastic, except it isn’t really.
“Zooropa”
I’ve written a couple times now that ZOOROPA’s genius is the band’s complete severance from its old self. But the eponymous opener shows them finding their elevated plane again, but just with a totally different sound. Something new and digital and ravenous. Something European.
(You’ve got the right shoes/To get you through the night.)
“The First Time”
“Zooropa” is the musical eureka moment on the album, but “The First Time” is the emotional centerpiece. Bono finds peace in losing faith in this spiritual.
“Sometimes You Can’t Make It On Your Own”
When your dad dies when you’re two years old, you’re bound to have some father issues. Bono’s tributes to his mom get a lot of attention, but the more emotionally complex songs about his dad can be equally affecting. This is the best one, matched perfectly by a sad but sweet tone.
“Moment of Surrender”
Their last great epic, in the tradition of “Bad” and “Where the Streets Have No Name.” Another heroin lament. A hymn, really.
