The Best Of 1980-1990 / The B-Sides
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Release Date: November 10, 1998
Highest Chart Position: UK: 1 USA: 2
Liner Notes:
Pride (In the Name of Love): Written by U2. Produced and engineered by Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois. Additional engineering: Kevin Killen. New Year's Day: Written by U2. Produced by Steve Lillywhite. Engineered by Paul Thomas. With or Without You: Written by U2. Produced by Daniel Lanois and Brian Eno. Engineered by Flood. Mixed by Steve Lillywhite. I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For: Written by U2. Produced by Daniel Lanois and Brian Eno. Engineered by Flood. Mixed by Daniel Lanois. Sunday Bloody Sunday: Written by U2. Produced by Steve Lillywhite. Engineered by Paul Thomas. Bad: Written by U2. Produced and engineered by Brian Eno and Daniel Lanos. Additional engineering by Kevin Killen. Where the Streets Have No Name: Written by U2. Produced by Daniel Lanois and Brian Eno. Recorded by Flood with Pat McCarthy. Mixed by Steve Lillywhite. I Will Follow: Written by U2. Produced by Steve Lillywhite. Engineered by Paul Thomas. The Unforgettable Fire: Written by U2. Produced and engineered by Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois. Additional engineering by Kevin Killen. Sweetest Thing (The Single Mix): Written by U2. Produced by Steve Lillywhite and Daniel Lanois and Brian Eno. Recorded by Joe O'Herlihy and Pat McCarthy. Additional recording and mixing by Steve Harris. String arrangement by Daragh O'Toole. Strings: Una O'Kane, Nicola Cleary, Aengus O'Connor, Nicholas Milne. Special Thanks to Ali Baba. Desire: Written by U2. Produced by Jimmy Iovine. Recorded by Paul Barrett. Mixed by Shelly Yakus and Rob Jacobs. When Love Comes to Town: Written by U2. Produced by Jimmy Iovine. Vocals and guitar by B.B. King. Percussion by Ms. Bobbye Hall. Backing Vocals by Rebecca Evans Russell, Phyllis Duncan, Helen Duncan. Recorded by Dave Ferguson and Cowboy Jack Clement. Remixed by Shelly Yakus and Rob Jacobs. Angel of Harlem: Written by U2. Produced by Jimmy Iovine. Recorded by Dave Ferguson and Cowboy Jack Clement. Mixed by Rob Jacobs and Shelly Yakus. Organs by Joey Miskulin. Horns by the Memphis Horns. All I Want is You: Written by U2. Produced by Jimmy Iovine. Recorded and mixed by David Tickle. String arrangement by Van Dyke Parks.
Liner Notes (The B-Sides):
The Three Sunrises: Written by U2. Produced by U2, Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois. Mixed by U2 and Kevin Maloney. Spanish Eyes: Written by U2. Produced by U2. Recorded by Flood. Mixed by Dave Meegan. DX7 played by Brian Eno. Sweetest Thing: Written by U2. Produced by U2 with Daniel Lanois and Brian Eno. Engineered by Joe O'Herlihy and Pat McCarthy. Mixed by Mark Wallace. Love Comes Tumbling: Written by U2. Produced by U2. Engineered by Paul Thomas. Mixed by U2 and Kevin Maloney. Bass Trap: Written by U2. Produced and engineered by Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois. Mixed by Kevin Maloney. Dancing Barefoot: Written by Patti Smith and Ivan Krall. Produced by U2. Engineered and mixed by Paul Barrett. Everlasting Love: Written by Mac Gayden, Buzz Cason. Produced by U2. Piano by Paul Barrett. Engineered and mixed by Paul Barrett. Unchained Melody: Written by Alex North and Hy Zaret. Produced by U2. Keyboards by Paul Barrett. Recorded and mixed by Paul Barrett. Walk to the Water: Written by U2. Produced by Daniel Lanois, Brian Eno, and U2. Recorded by Joe O'Herlihy. Mixed by Dave Meegan. Luminous Times (Hold On to Love): Written by U2 and Brian Eno. Produced by Daniel Lanois, Brian Eno, and U2. Recorded by Flood. Mixed by Flood. Hallelujah (Here She Comes): Written by U2. Produced by Jimmy Iovine. Engineered and mixed by Dave Trickle and Mark DeSoto. Additional vocals and Hammond organ by Billy Preston. Silver and Gold: Written by Bono. Produced and arranged by U2. Engineered and mixed by Paul Barrett. Endless Deep: Written by U2. Produced by U2 and St. Frances Xavier. Engineered by Kevin Maloney. A Room at the Heartbreak Hotel: Written by U2. Produced by Jimmy Iovine and U2. Recorded by David Tickle. Brass arrangement by Paul Barrett. Backing vocals by Edna Wright, Maxine Waters, Julia Waters. Mixed by Paul Barrett. Trash, Trampoline and the Party Girl: Written by U2. Produced by Steve Lillywhite.
Additional Information:
Bono: Vocals and guitar. The Edge: Guitar, keyboards and vocals. Adam Clayton: Bass guitar. Larry Mullen: Drums and percussion. Paul McGuinness: Manager. Principle Management Dublin and New York. Sheila Roche and Candida Bottaci, Album Production Managers. All tracks have been digitally remastered from original master tapes where possible by Arnie Acosta at The Mastering Lab, Los Angeles. Audio post production manager and Technical Guru: Cheryl Engels at Partial Productions Inc. Designed at ABA Dublin. Cover photography by Ian Finlay. Back Cover photography by Anton Corbijn. Inside photography by Anton Corbijn, Colm Henry, Hugo McGuinness and Robert Kythe Kortekaas.
Track List:
- Pride (In the Name of Love) (3:48)
- New Year's Day (4:17)
- With Or Without You (4:55)
- I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For (4:38)
- Sunday Bloody Sunday (4:40)
- Bad (5:50)
- Where The Streets Have No Name (4:35)
- I Will Follow (3:36)
- The Unforgettable Fire (4:53)
- Sweetest Thing (The Single Mix) (3:00)
- Desire (2:59)
- When Love Comes To Town (4:17)
- Angel Of Harlem (3:49)
- All I Want Is You (6:31)
- October (2:20) (Hidden Track)
Track List (The B-Sides):
- The Three Sunrises (3:52)
- Spanish Eyes (3:14)
- Sweetest Thing (3:03)
- Love Comes Tumbling (4:40)
- Bass Trap (Instrumental) (3:31)
- Dancing Barefoot (4:45)
- Everlasting Love (3:20)
- Unchained Melody (4:52)
- Walk To The Water (4:49)
- Luminous Times (Hold On To Love) (4:35)
- Hallelujah Here She Comes (4:00)
- Silver And Gold (4:37)
- Endless Deep (2:57)
- A Room At The Heartbreak Hotel (4:32)
- Trash, Trampoline And The Party Girl (2:33)
Catalog:
- Argentina: Island 524 613-2, Island 524 612-2
- Australia: Island 524 613-2, Island 524 613-4, Island 524 612-2
- Brazil: Island 524 613-2, Island 524 612-2
- Canada: Island 314 524 613-2, Island 314 524 613-4, Island 314 572 612-2
- China: Island CIDDU 211 / 524 612-2
- Colombia: Island 314524613-2
- Europe: Island CIDU211 / 524 613-2, Island UC211 / 524 613-2, Island CIDDU211 / 524 612-2
- Indonesia: Island CIDU 211
- Israel: Island / ABCD CIDU211
- Japan: Island PHCR-1885, Island UICY-2554, Island PHCR 90715/6, Island UICY-9242/3
- Malaysia: Island CIDU 211
- Netherlands: Island UC211
- Singapore: Island CIDU211 / 524 613-2
- South Africa: Island SSTARCD6429, Island SSTARC6429
- Taiwan: Island / Universal 524 613-2
- UK: Island CIDU211 / 524 613-2, Island UC211 / 524 613-4, Island U211 / 524 613-1, Island CIDDU211 / 524 612-2
- USA: Island 314-524 613-2, Island 314-524 613-4, Island 314-524 612-2, Island PRCD 7962-2 (Promo)
Media Review:
Review: The Best of 1980-1990
4 1/2 stars (out of 5)
By Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
As one of the most popular bands of the '80s, U2 didn't quite fit into any particular category. They were a post-punk band that quickly found acceptance from a hard rock audience, a group that made fully formed albums but often made their best statements on individual songs, especially during the '80s. Consequently, they're a very hard band to anthologize. Since they were most effective on single songs, it seems that throwing all of them together on one disc would work. The problem is, each of the albums, from Boy to Rattle and Hum, has a distinctive flavor that doesn't necessarily blend when combined, especially in the nonchronological form of The Best of 1980-1990. There's little quibbling with the featured tracks on U2's first compilation -- a few important songs, such as "Gloria," "I Fall Down," "Seconds," and "Two Hearts Beat as One," may be missing, but everything else deserves to be here ("Pride," "New Year's Day," "With or Without You," "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For," "Sunday Bloody Sunday," "Bad," "Desire," etc.). Even though the song selection is strong, the album winds up as less than the sum of its parts -- each song is pretty great of its own accord (even the single mix of the B-side "Sweetest Thing," which is, in truth, not much different at all), but the overall effect is a little underwhelming. On one hand, it may be a good choice for casual fans or nostalgia mongers, since it does contain everything they need to hear, but anyone who has more than a passing interest in the band will be better suited with individual albums.