Unforgettable Single

10 Aug 2012541
Over on our Discography page you'll find dozens and dozens of singles the band have released over the years.

Starting with U23 way back in 1979 - Out of Control, Stories for Boys, Boy-Girl - the trail leads all the way to 'I'll Go Crazy', third single from No Line On The Horizon, in 2009.

Maybe you'd forgotten Lemon was a single. Or you've never listened to Fire. Or you just recently discovered Please. But there'll be a U2 single that's special to you in some way - the one that comes on the radio or arrives unnoticed when your iPod's on shuffle and suddenly a moment in your life comes back to you.

What was the U2 single that stopped you in your tracks - and still does ?

It might depend on where you were when you first heard it, what was happening in your life, how you first got into the band?

Remind yourself of the history of the band's single releases and look through the promotional videos on this page in our Video Gallery (set aside a week or two for this) -  find the one that reminds you of a time and place in your life.

In the comments below tell us why this song is special for you. Is there a story behind it - an anecdote from your life ?

What brings the track alive for you? What was happening to you at the time you first heard it that means you'll never get over this single?

We have prizes for the best, the funniest, the most moving or surprising entries. Add them in the comments below. Did we mention that ? (Don't forget - we're not talking about any U2 track but about those released as singles...)


Comments
541
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solcm
One
Love is a temple, love a higher law... I like U2 since a long, long time ago, my friends tell me that I am a groupie (in just an emotional way) because last tour, I traveled to see the band in Dallas, Mexico City, Sao Paulo Brazil and Salt Lake City. I'm willing to follow them just to hear my favorite song of all times, live!!! ONE... I hope that for the next tour I can go to the opening and closing concerts at least. I dream to share that experience with my husband who recently learned how the play the song with his guitar, just for me, and with my three brothers, Leo, Haza and Alex. I have been with Alex and Leo in some of the U2 concerts, however I would like to be able to invite all of them and buy their tickets to share ONE of the main things that bring me happiness.
babyfez
With or Without You
Best song ever written. It hit me like a punch in the face when it was released. Never turn your back on a U2 song.
dew-acrobat
The song that "is not a Rebel Song"....
I was very young ... probably 8 or 9 years old ... My sister and my brother, both much older than me, had just bought a vinyl with a red photograph on its cover, with a silhouette of a man holding a flag. The first time I heard the beginning of "Sunday Bloody Sunday", with the speech and the sound of the drums echoing in my ears, I thought to myself "this is unique" ... That force and energy that captivated me for over 25 years and still remains. Best of all is that "Sunday Bloody Sunday" is not my favorite U2 song, but it's that when I was only 9 years old, took me to the amazing world of U2 ... And I'm still in it!!!!
isca75ad
Where the Streets have No name
Being 14 years of age,going through pubity and dealing with the death of one of my family was a huge difficult time.At that age you cannot express any words or emotions that people can identify with,so I became trapped in my own head. Babysitting for my sister one evening christmas time 1987,I stumbled across The Joshua Tree without any idea who it was by.Put the needle on the record,heard the almost funeral like chords,the weird sounding guitars,then the words that that changed my life and me forever....."I WANT TO RUN,I WANT TO HIDE,I WANT TO TEAR DOWN THE WALLS THAT HOLD ME INSIDE,I WANT TO REACH OUT AND TOUCH THE FLAME,WHERE THE STREETS HAVE NO NAME". Instantly became a huge fan,there is almost a religion in there somewhere for me,and i'm not religious.... THANK YOU U2 I WILL FOLLOW ALL MY DAYS
With Or Without You
First. last & only time I've ever heard a radio station DJ (Steve Slaton, then of KISW-Seattle)play a new single back-to-back. It was that good and such a unique moment that I still remember it to this day and even sent him an e-mail reminding him about it 5 years ago for The Joshua Tree's 20th.
Buckeyes
2 Heats Beat As One
Still one of my favorites - the poetry and the passion - "If I want to live I have to die to myself tonight" straight out of the world's greatest Book.
fcovzqz29
ZOOTV in Mexico missing from the tour li
What happened to the four concerts in Mexico on Nov 21,22, 24 & 25 1992??? Was that only a dream?.... no, wait a minute, I was there ... you can fin the set list here: http://planetau2.com/category/mexico/
fcovzqz29
ZOOTV in Mexico missing from the tour li
What happened to the four concerts in Mexico on Nov 21,22, 24 & 25 1992??? Was that only a dream?.... no, wait a minute, I was there ... you can fin the set list here: http://planetau2.com/category/mexico/
ABaxter
Walk On
Before I even knew this song was written for Aung San Suu Kyi, I remember first popping it in to my CD Player and immediately falling in love with it. How can you not stop and pay attention to The Edge's opening with Bono beautifully telling us "Love is not the easy thing...the only baggage you can bring-is all that you can't leave behind"? I still watch the video on Vevo, and still listen to the song on my iPod & iPad constantly. It's transcendent and timeless to me. I will scoot across the room in my walker to put this song on repeat when I'm in my 80's...or command whatever technology has come long by then to listen to this magnificent song. One of my fondest U2 memories is that trek across town, and being introduced to "Walk On'. Thanks, guys..
ecrin
One... One... One
This song always touch my heart and soul.... I'm 42 and im stillI filling like that ...
harryu2
'Unforgettable Fire'
It was in December 1987 that I coincidental recorded 'Running to stand still' when it was played on the radio! After recognizing that this song is from U2...I was interested of listening to the Maxi 'The Unforgettable Fire' from my sisters boyfriend! I was blown away...I still like 'Three Sunrises' and 'Love comes tumbling' either! That was the Moment I became a huge fan! I was really happy to hear the song at the 360°Tour...as 'Ultra Violet', 'Zooropa', 'Your Blue Room', 'Scarlet', 'Real Thing' and so on... Hope they will play 'Indian Summer Sky', 'Like A Song'...'Drowning Man', 'MoFo', 'If God Will Send His Angels' on their next Tour! And hope to see you there, too!
Andy3
TWO HEARTS BEAT AS ONE
At a time when as a teenager at 13 trying to understand what social circle I fitted into and with confusion over a family issues, life at the age can be pretty confusing to most people. Travelling in a Yellow Morris Ital owned by my father on yet another trip to see relatives and wondering why I couldn't just stay at home. Two hearts beat as one was played on the radio and I sat up and took notice of the band that I really wouldnt have thought that 29 years later would still be producing music that isn't just something that personally, but is recognised by worldwide acclaim to be some of the iconic songs of the last 3 decades. U2 is something that most 80's kids have grown up with and even non U2 fans will have a classic song that is close to their hearts. How many bands touch so many lives at a personal level I dont know? Not there biggest hit a turning point!
pjkdog
The Fly
I remember my teenage self wandering the darkened streets of my little town, yellow Sony Sport Walkman in hand, spooling Achtung Baby, and just totally grooving to the The Fly through my headphones. I would build a callus on my thumb from hitting the rewind button everytime the song ended with those echoing chords, just so I could start from the begining again, seeing in my head the images from the video of the coolest shades on the coolest singer in the coolest band in the land...awesome stuff.
hargiriougr
KITE (2007 / Window in the skies)
I all began at 04.21.2007, 9.30 p.m. I was pregnant and ready to go to bed, cause of next day's early waking up. I was going to go to the hospital at the scheduled appointment for the birth of my daughter and it was the last day at home! I was thinking that the next time I will arrive home it would be with my tinny little thing! And just before I put on my pijamas I felt a pain. My doctor had told me that 22 of April was my last day that my baby can come on her own..so I was curious about what is going to happened first! And then I realized that she has decided to come on her own ! I whispered ''Something is about to give, I can feel it coming, I think I know what it is...'' and it was the first thing that came on my mind ! The paint went coming even more strong ... I dressed up and went to the hospital immediately. On my way to the hospital I was singing ''Kite'' for the hole distance. I was very happy! In the ''pain room'' (as they call the waiting rooms) my doctor said to me that my little tinny was wrapped with the umbilical cord and that he will try not to make me birth will caesarian section! I was worried! and I whispered ''..Cause hardness, it sets in, you need some protection....'' then lots of crazy thoughts cross through my mind, like : me dead and my daughter alive, or the other way around !!....and I said to my daughter ''...I want you to know, that you don't need me anymore, I want you to know, you don't need anyone, anything at all...'' I begged her to fight and come out soon! And she did after 1 hour!!!! Everything went well and she came out in the second push! Everytime I think of it or hear it I get so emotional !
boyzie98
With or Without You
Not just the classiest record by U2 but the classiest record I have ever heard. Still gives me goosebumps every time I hear it, with the 1st time being when I was in the US on holiday, and as it went down a storm on that 87 tour it always makes me think back to the holiday. and on a gloomoier but celegratory note, when it's my time, it's one of 3 records I am going to have played at my funeral ! and I guess the band must like it to, cos it's still on the playlist after all these years. and it's not just me, my 10 and 13 year old lads love it as well, so it was't a song for jsut one gneration, it's one of those handful that are timeless.
cinbad
New Years Day
An older U2 fan here! I was 22 and I'd been hearing this 'different', outspoken group around for a couple of years but when the opening bass chords, followed by Bono's cry hit me (via a small portable radio!), I was instantly stopped in my tracks! Then the piano riff came in (followed by that catchy chorus) and that was it!!! Another totally,dedicated fan was added to their growing list! Throughout the many years since, I have enjoyed this track EVERY single new years eve and day, every week in between the years, sung to it, danced to it, yelled it out to play at their concerts, practiced it on my keyboard, taught my kids (who are also great fans) to play it. Many, many great and different memories. Every time I hear it, it always leaves me with a glazed over, far away look and a big happy, grin on my face! The Unforgettable Fire runs a VERY close second because... what can you say... It's brilliant!
With Or Without You
My mom died in '87. sleight of hand and twist of fate!
janez83
Mysterious Ways
Grammar school, first love - mysterious one:), Sony walkman (yellow sport edition), in-ear headphones and full throttle on volume. That was really cool. I remember also summer holidays and a lot of fun with friends, spending time on beach, listening to the strange sound of guitar, which proved later to be really special. Guys do your best as usual! Thx!
Thor u2
With Or Without You
The most powerfully moving song I've ever heard in my life in my opinion, majestic and evocative. Quite simply the greatest of all time, one I will never grow tired of.
antelund
Two Hearts Beat As One
That song really got me hooked up! Remember me and my childhood mate, back in 1985, at age 13, sneaking in to his older brothers room every time we had the chance. We knew we would be in deep, deep s**t if he got us, but e had THOSE cool records and a player. One day after school, home alone, we took the chance and I grabbed that 12' SUNDAY BLOODY SUNDAY with TWO HEART BEAT AS ONE on the B side. Holy Moses! We played that song over and over and over, loud, really loud, jumping around in the room, until.... his brother was standing there in the door way! I I thought my last moment had come! "Rrrtsscchhh....- What the h*ll are you guys think you´re doing?" "-Uhmm.... jumping?" I said "-Really? Why?" He said "-Can´t stop!" "-Why not?" "-The song make us doing it!" His brother just smiled and said "-That´s good!" What the happend was a complete turnaround, since then we could listen to all his records, IF we asked! We had in some way proved us worthy... ;)
mache3
Love rescue me
i found the most powerful lyrics and the amazing balance between Dylan's and Bono's voices. I remember that i kept placing the pickup needle of the record player on this specific song again and again and memorizing the words like prayer. It was a revelation. i think it was a kind of quietness before the force and the electric guitrs of the next song (When love comes to town), a sunshine before the storm or the other way round....
one
the song speaks for itself
Scott4
The Fly makes it all new again
I was a college student in Wisconsin and my wife began screaming from the other room, "New U2! New U2!" I ran out to find the spectacle of a newly leathered U2 blasting out of my TV. After the Americana denim & blues of Rattle & Hum, this was just the song to hook me back into the band. 20 years later, that song still stops me in my tracks.
katmal2006
GLORIA
This is the very first video I remember seeing on MTV and I have been a huge fan ever since. Gloria brings back so many memories from my youth, being only around 11 years old at the time. About 10 years later I snuck backstage at the Los Angeles Sports arena during the Zoo TV tour, but could'nt get far enough to get a glimpse of them in person. Maybe because it looked odd having an 7 month pregnant girl roaming around opening every door she could find..(embarassingly escorted out).U2 will always and forever be my favorite band and getting to meet one or all of them is definately on my bucket list!
ShellBeThere
and the VIDEO SINGLE that killed me too,
After Vertigo the radio single did it for me first, I think (Vertigo made everything a little fuzzy back then ;-) ), I caught glimpse of the video single for Electrical Storm. I was on my U2 sabbatical back when it had first come out, so I don't even know precisely when that was. But as I understand it, it came when the U2 faithful and those who came to U2 with All That You Can't Leave Behind were waiting for more. It must have been so welcome! I don't know if the video was a simultaneous release, and perhaps it was just the endless sexiness of Larry and his perfect acting work in it :-), but wow...that was a very profound single as well!
ShellBeThere
Vertigo killed me
September, almost October, 2004. It was released just as the hype for the new album was diffusing through the air. I had been on a little journey of re-discovering U2 after letting them go some years before, at a time when rock bands in general stopped being interesting to me. Suddenly U2 was *very* interesting to me again, and here they were putting out an amazing rock song! I agreed with the lads...it was the Mother of All Rock Songs! I couldn't possibly fit all the details in a .com post, about what driving around with it playing on the car stereo did to me. But it did to me, perfectly, powerfully. Mercy!!! Everyone else too; Right?!
Camheit
Tough... you think you got the stuff
SOMETIMES YOU CAN'T MAKE IT ON YOUR OWN makes my spine tingle every time I hear it. I have many special memories attached to this album HTDAAB, as I was an Aussie living far from home and family in Ireland. The night Atomic Bomb was released I cued in the rain to be one of the first to buy it. That night I drove my house mates crazy listening to it over & over. Still a HOT HOT record!!! Around this time my Dad (back in Oz) became quite sick. Sick enough for me to pack my bags and head home from a country I still hadn't spent enough time with. 'Sometime You Can't Make It' became a very real & personal song. Everything line in the song IS my Dad & I (except the bit about the Opera). Dad's don't know how to give up... sometimes you just have to tell them "we're sharing the load Dad"
jpo2269
Who's Going to Ride Your Wild Horses
Auchtung Baby came out right around the time my college sweetheart and the love of my life and I were starting to drift apart. While it seemed each song on "AB" was chronicling our journey apart, no song captured the insecurity and angst of the situation like "Who's Going to Ride Your Wild Horses." While it still remains my favorite U2 song, every time I listen to the song, part of me is taken back to the fall of 1992 and a reminder of how real the song was to what my life was becoming at the time.
Bullet_The_Blue_Sky
I Will Follow
The first time I actually heard I Will Follow it was not being performed by U2, but by a local amature band at a hall party. When I heard the song I immediately fell in love with it but didn't know what it was called. About 2 weeks later I was walking past a record shop and they were playing the Boy album and the I Will Follow track. Having remembered that song as the one I had heard at the hall party I purchased the Boy album, vinyl of course because this was before CDs, and that started a life long infatuation with U2. They are easily my all time favorite band, I have seen them live many times, and have an extensive collection of U2 memorabilia that includes a copy of U2 3. I will never forget that night at the hall party as it changed my musical life forever.
yves_n_tanya
ONE
Several songs from U@ bring back good memories, from Bloody Sunday to more recent one like Magnificent. However, I should be considered a late 'true fan' of U2 that I really got to know with the "Elevation Tour". Got to see that show a few times in Toronto and Montreal (yep, a small Canadian fan), but the most memorable moment was to see ONE performed in Las Vegas (November 2001), shortly after 9/11. When the list of all victims got shown on screen as ONE was being played, it was impossible to not feel the emotion of the crowd as the cheers raised with every group of victims was being displayed. The emotional climax came when all of the fireman names got listed. I still get goose bumps when I listen to that song and think about that specific moment or even when I describe it to people (as well as write about it). This is engraved in memory for a long time. The number ONE moment from all of the various concerts (U2 and non-U2 ones) that I have seen in the past 3 decades...
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