In 1987, U2 appeared on the cover of Time Magazine, with the periodical's headline declaring the band to be "Rock's Hottest Ticket." U2 had climbed to rock 'n roll's summit and the view couldn't be better. They had a #1 album with The Joshua Tree, more hit songs than they could fit into a single set list and were the darlings of the media and public not only in the US, but around the world. But most bands discover that staying at the top is harder than getting there. What would U2's next move be?
While on the latter half of The Joshua Tree Tour, a Canadian director named Phil Joanou convinced the band to let him record some of their live shows and to conduct interviews and capture behind the scenes footage for a "rockumenatary". Initially, the project was to be released in art house theaters, but Paramount Pictures decided to purchase the film, and they released the movie in mainstream cinemas, hoping to turn it into a blockbuster. The film titled, Rattle and Hum was by no means a flop, but since most hardcore U2 fans saw it in its opening weekend, public interest in the movie soon waned and it was pulled from theaters. Some critics loved it, while others thought that it was U2's attempt to place themselves alongside the great rock 'n roll pioneers like Elvis, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, and BB King. Actually, what U2 was doing with the film and the accompanying album was paying homage to their heroes who had come before. And it is the accompanying album, Rattle and Hum that is the #4 record on this ranking of U2's albums from worst to first.
Rattle and Hum is unique in that it is a kind of hybrid recording. Nine songs are new and recorded in studios, four are U2 originals, recorded live in concert, two are live covers, and two tracks are snippets of other artists performing live. The double album clocks in at over 70 minutes and the live recordings are interspersed with the studio tracks. Somehow, this montage fits together nicely and works as both a live and studio album. Consider the strengths of the studio recordings. Imagine U2 releasing a new record with the following songs.
1. Van Diemen's Land, 2. Desire, 3. Hawkmoon 269, 4. Angel of Harlem, 5. Love Rescue Me, 6. When Love Comes to Town, 7. Heartland, 8. God Part II, 9. All I Want is You.
That's a classic album on its own. When you throw in live original and cover tunes like Helter Skelter, All Along the Watchtower, I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For, and Pride (In the Name of Love), you have a classic record with a few bonus tracks to boot! And though most of these songs are rooted in American blues, country, and rock 'n roll, there are hints in God Part II that the band was beginning to move to a more experimental sound.
U2 Rattle and Hum - Released October 10, 1988
Album Charts - #1 Ireland, #1 UK, #1 US.
Singles - Desire #1 Ireland, #1 UK, #3 US. Angel of Harlem #3 Ireland, #9 UK, # 14 US. God Part II (did not chart). When Love Comes to Town #1 Ireland, #6 UK, #68 US. All I Want is You #1 Ireland, #4 UK, #83 US.
Standout Songs - Van Dieman's Land, Desire, Angel of Harlem, Love Rescue Me, When Love Comes to Town, Heartland, God Part II, All I Want is You.
Weakest Track - None
Hidden Gem - Heartland
Rattle and Hum is a fitting ending to the first chapter of U2's work and a creates an interesting segue to their next chapter in the 1990s. - Shay
No comments:
Post a Comment