Tag Archives: The Joshua Tree

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Song of the Day #5,123: ‘Where the Streets Have No Name (Live)’ – U2

If there’s a song that gives ‘Welcome to the Jungle’ a run for its money as one of the greatest openings of all time, it’s U2’s ‘Where the Streets Have No Name.’ This song kicks off 1987’s The Joshua Tree in epic fashion, stately organs giving way to one of The Edge’s iconic guitar licks.

This song would be a brilliant choice for the beginning of a Stranger Things episode, or as the backdrop to a particularly gripping sequence. Or, as I suggested for ‘Welcome to the Jungle,’ it could score an early trailer for the next season, setting the table with a nostalgic jolt. The current season used a haunting remix of Journey’s ‘Separate Ways’ in similar fashion.

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Song of the Day #3,231: ‘With Or Without You’ – U2 vs. David Bowie

Our next Montauk Madness matchup pairs two legends, one who sadly (and triumphantly) passed away last year and another struggling to remain relevant after spending the better part of four decades as the world’s greatest rock band. David Bowie vs. U2.

Had I faced this decision before Bowie’s passing, I likely would have gone with U2. Apart from the hits, I knew Bowie’s work mostly by reputation. Of course, Bowie’s hits alone put him in contention, but I own almost all of U2’s albums and consider them at worst enjoyable and at best masterpieces (The Joshua Tree remains one of the seminal listening experiences in my life as a music fan).

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Song of the Day #1,398: ‘Red Hill Mining Town’ – U2

Best Albums of the 80s – #7
The Joshua Tree – U2 (1987)

Here’s the second album I purchased on CD after receiving my first CD player (a boombox style contraption that I think I might still have sitting around somewhere).

I had fallen in love with The Joshua Tree on vinyl during my sophomore year of high school, playing it endlessly in my bedroom while reading and playing video games (I wasn’t a very exciting child).

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Song of the Day #971: ‘Running to Stand Still’ – U2

It just hit me, as I was reading up on today’s selection, that this is the third album in a row on my list of greats that was a massive hit. U2’s The Joshua Tree, released in 1987, has sold more than 25 million copies worldwide to date.

How nice to see quality work rewarded on the charts. As I look over the other titles on my list, a pattern emerges: the older albums fared far better, sales-wise, than the more recent ones. Sure, the music industry in general has taken a major hit in the last decade, but it also seems like the mega-sellers these days are not the best records.

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