One can forget it, but the truth is that the U2 were born in 1977. This makes U2, the band, 24 years old... and to live up to 24 on the Pop Music World (PMW) is quite an achievement, more or less comparable to the evolutional success of crocodiles :).

U2's most remarkable difference, is the group's chameleonic ability to adapt to new music trends, and thus attract new audiences. If we look back to other bands with great longevity, like the Pink Floyd or the Dire Straits, we see that their music style didn't change much, and that helps to explain theirs relatively defined and faithful audiences. For example, you know what kind of people you'll find on a Pink Floyd concert: mostly socially fit adults on their 30s and 40s (and beyond). But you can't really slice this easily who will be at a U2's presentation...

U2's music might seem not that chameleonic, until "Rattle and Hum", but that is because music technology kept basically unchanged until then. Then, computers started playing an increasingly important role on music authoring, and a whole new era was born. I don't want to write about what forces have been changing commercial music in the last 5 to 10 years, but it obviously is NOT (just) technology; in fact, not going deeper, I suspect that what now mostly contributes to what you hear on FM and "MTVs", worldwide, is what the Music Industry *wants* you to hear: you are smashed with Marketing, ranging from the on-your-face strategies to the oh-so-subliminal tactics, and you are literally brainwashed to the believes that there is "quality" on a certain product, or that a certain other product is what socially fits you best, and so on... the time the Art (Music) could mould (alone) the masses' Market is gone.

Because U2 were born on a time where their Art was nearly their only weapon to convince buyers, AND because U2 subsisted to a time when it is easier to reach / to sell to whoever they want, with the right investment, AND having succeeded on both contexts... they are now in a position to become a phenomenon much bigger.

U2's music has (or had) obvious political content, until "Rattle and Hum". For example, right before "Rattle and Hum", it was "Joshua Tree" where Bono Vox literally sang "this is a request for sanctions against South Africa" (because of the Apartheid)... and before that, who can forget "sunday, bloody sunday"?... but "Rattle and Hum" indeed represented a turning point.

The works that followed "Rattle and Hum" are somewhat "lighter" on the lyrics, no matter if more or less enjoyable, depending on who listens.

After all these years, U2 remains one of my favorite bands, and the songs that I am sharing with you today can certainly make clear why.

"Unforgettable Fire" - track 02 - "in the name of love" - Ripped from my very first CD-Audio. I bought it second hand from Ricardo Rolinha. I spent dozens of hours playing and programming my ZX Spectrum, listening to "Unforgettable Fire"... [download 940 KB MP3 @ 128kbps]

"Joshua Tree" - track 01 - "where the streets have no name" - I would love to run back to the time, streets, and (girl)friends that this song remembers me, but I can't. Those streets changed a lot; and friends are scattered all over the country. [download 940 KB MP3 @ 128kbps]

Enjoy! If you have a legal issue with these 59 seconds long MP3 @ 128kbps files, just e-mail me, and I'll remove them from the site, as soon as I read the message. I don't intend to harm any business, and I believe that no harm comes from less than 1MB of MP3 data. Thank you.

More MP3 (MP3 files #1) on 220101.