The Joshua Tree

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com essential recording
Having nearly exhausted their capacity for pop-song politics on War and The Unforgettable Fire, U2 turned toward themes of personal identity and complex relationships on The Joshua Tree. Not that the group was willing to come down off the barricades entirely: "Mothers of the Disappeared" and "Bullet the Blue Sky" turned a jaundiced eye toward Central America and the United States' role there. But the predominant mood here is one of self-discovery and the hunger for something more on tracks like the pulsating "Where the Streets Have No Name" and the gospel-ish "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For." The album's masterstroke, however, is "With or Without You," a nasty love song dressed up as an ode of devotion and care. It ranks with the Police's "Every Breath You Take" as the most misread smash hit of the '80s. --Daniel Durchholz --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

Amazon.com
U2 have made a lot of grand music, but 1987's graceful, powerful Joshua Tree stands as their masterwork. It is by turns moving, inspiring, and exhilarating. Each member contributes his best work, and each song shines. Would that all rock records were made with the same care, the same passion and invention. The ubiquitous opening salvo of "Where the Streets Have No Name," "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" and the tense "With or Without You" may define this... read more --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

Album Details
Same as USA Version. --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

The Joshua Tree

The Joshua Tree
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • "I see seven towers, but I only see one way out."
  • U2 at their best
  • U2 Need To Have This Classic CD
  • A great cd
  • A Beckoning Towards Redemption and the Promised Land
 The Joshua Tree
U2
Manufacturer: Island
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:
  1. Achtung Baby
  2. War
  3. The Unforgettable Fire
  4. Rattle and Hum
  5. All That You Can't Leave Behind

ASIN: B000001FS3
Release Date: 1990-06-15

Tracks:

  1. Where The Streets Have No Name
  2. I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
  3. With Or Without You
  4. Bullet The Blue Sky
  5. Running To Stand Still
  6. Red Hill Mining Town
  7. In God's Country
  8. Trip Through Your Wires
  9. One Tree Hill
  10. Exit
  11. Mothers Of The Disappeared

Amazon.com essential recording

Having nearly exhausted their capacity for pop-song politics on War and The Unforgettable Fire, U2 turned toward themes of personal identity and complex relationships on The Joshua Tree. Not that the group was willing to come down off the barricades entirely: "Mothers of the Disappeared" and "Bullet the Blue Sky" turned a jaundiced eye toward Central America and the United States' role there. But the predominant mood here is one of self-discovery and the hunger for something more on tracks like the pulsating "Where the Streets Have No Name" and the gospel-ish "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For." The album's masterstroke, however, is "With or Without You," a nasty love song dressed up as an ode of devotion and care. It ranks with the Police's "Every Breath You Take" as the most misread smash hit of the '80s. --Daniel Durchholz

Amazon.com

U2's most successful album (their first No. 1 album and the 1987 Grammy award-winner for Album of the Year) is also their most dour. From the stark, black and white cover photography, with U2 looking like missionaries (or at least M*A*S*H extras), to the existential angst at the heart of each track, The Joshua Tree is one long, atmospheric wail at the abyss. Producers Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois turn in an austere production that heightens the drama substantially. --Rob O'Connor

Album Details

Same as USA Version.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars "I see seven towers, but I only see one way out.".......2007-06-13

'Running to Stand Still' is essentially, THE archetypal Joshua Tree track in that it is imbued with an American sound, but a meaning far removed. The song deals with a girl struggling with heroin addiction, with the "seven towers" being a reference to the Ballymun Seven Towers area of Dublin, an area with a notorious heroin problem. Just as on The Unforgettable Fire's 'Bad', Bono tries to bring somebody back from the brink, a person so consumed by their addiction that they have already misguidedly accepted that there is only one escape. Suicide.

In certain respects, U2 can be said to be one of rock's most underrated bands, a contention almost laughable when considering their stratospheric success. Yet amid the hits and the bombast and the zeal, the intricacies and idiosyncrasies that have endeared them to the discerning listener have often been lost. Whereas (two of U2's other triumphs) 1993's Zooropa was something of a parody to Achtung Baby!'s (1991) pastiche, The Joshua Tree offers an earnest counterpoint to their oft-laconic 90s forays into electronica.

First and foremost the album is a startling artistic achievement; a master class in onomatopoeia, through artwork and aesthetic, subject matter and performance The Joshua Tree is expansive, invigorating and consummately cohesive.

America's arid south-west - the Nevada desert in particular - is the record's heartland. Desolate and unforgiving, yet numinous and majestic, the region's historically blurred demarcation between frontier and wilderness is perfectly articulated by the music through the band's enchantment at their surroundings. Where the ode 'One Tree Hill' and the exhalant 'In God's Country' and 'Trip Through Your Wires' bore witness to the stimuli of the landscape lyrically and musically, the real success of The Joshua Tree lies in its amalgamation of typically cherished American modes, particularly folk, blues, rock n roll and country, and heterogeneous humanist concerns. Indeed such aesthetic syntheses often leads to an intriguing incongruity upon closer inspection, for the specificity of Bono's lyricism is often dialectical in relation to The Edge's evocative America-infused guitar work. A notable example of this is 'Red Hill Mining Town' whereby his lyric "through hand of steel and heart of stone" alludes to the closure of England's northern coal mines by NCB chairman Ian McGregor and the disastrous free market economic policies of PM Margaret Thatcher, yet the instrumental pays homage to the classically American folk and blues genres.

Faith and religion also constitute a large part of The Joshua Tree's lyrical canon, but it is another area rife with contradistinction. Bono seems at ease with Christianity ('Where the Streets Have No Name'), despite its many innate paradoxes ('I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For'), yet simultaneously at odds with fundamentalism.

The Joshua Tree also calls on America's more unseemly secular traits to convey the band's antinomy toward the Land of the Free. 'Exit' deals with a violent death, yet whether it is murder or suicide is indecipherable, while 'Bullet the Blue Sky' is the album's most flagrant example of antipathy with reference to then-US president Ronald Reagan ("His face red like a rose on a thorn bush...peelin' off those dollar bills, slappin' 'em down"), the economic blockade and civil war supported by the US in Nicaragua, and the US-backed campaign of murder and oppression in El Salvador. The album closes with 'Mothers of the Disappeared' a lament to the mothers and wives of student opposition and dissidents under both the Argentinean military juntas and Augusto Pinochet's brutal regime in Chile following his US-backed coup in 1973.

Massively successful, The Joshua Tree, by virtue of its three mega-hits ('Where the Streets Have No Name', 'I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For' and the claustrophobic, masochistic ballad 'With or Without You') served to propel U2 to the position they had appeared destined for after stealing the show at Live Aid in 1985, that of the world's biggest band, a position they have held unopposed for nigh-on twenty years.

5 out of 5 stars U2 at their best.......2007-06-13

What can I say, for me this is one of those CDs that you love most or all of the songs on, and in my humble opinion that is a rare thing. This is a must have for anyone who loves the band and/or 1980's music.

5 out of 5 stars U2 Need To Have This Classic CD.......2007-06-11

There are defining moments in a music groups career, and music in general. The Joshua Tree, by U2, is one of those moments. From radio hits to impressive, reflective, and profound songs, this CD has it all. I was fortunate enough to see U2 in concert in San Fracisco for this tour. It was an incredible experience. If there are any people out there who have not heard this album/CD, this is a must have, and I envy you the joy of discovering this masterpiece.

The best songs on this CD were never released as singles. Three of my favorites and worthy of the purchase price alone are:

Bullet The Blue Sky
Running To Stand Still
and Red Hill Mining Town, my personal favorite.

This is a 5 star excellent CD, treat yourself to this one. If you haven't heard it, or are new to U2, this is one to run out and buy. If you have been a fan like me - for years - this CD version is a must have!

5 out of 5 stars A great cd.......2007-06-08

Whether it was the Beatles or the Stones who sang these songs they would have been great.However, with the strong guitar leads of the Edge and the impassioned vocals of Bono, this album becomes magnificent! There is a reason this is one of best selling cds ever and one of the top 20 rock albums ever, find out why.

5 out of 5 stars A Beckoning Towards Redemption and the Promised Land.......2007-04-23

Yes, I'm back. You must excuse the lapse. I have been busy setting up shelters (a Seer's work), for the chronically wayward or the chronologically confused. It really doesn't matter. It helps people. It's a good cause. Donations are gladly accepted, (and forms for tax write-offs are at the door). Yes, I know it's selfless work. And I have taken a Seer's oath for the good of humanity and I can't back out. Rats. I can't make exceptions but so what? Pure intent is hard to come by these days. They never warned me-whoever "they" are.
That being said, I have come here to review an exceptional, exceptional work by U2. These guys never cease to amaze me, and little did I know when they first arrived into my conciousness. I thought at the beginning "how nice, another typical 80's band", for I really wasn't impressed by them. The Edge's guitar grated on me and I couldn't adjust to the sound. But, glad to say, U2 were not to be deprived of their just place in the hierarchy of rock. They have built a tabernacle of considerable and reflective music over time. And, I must say, the quality and workmanship and thought and care that go into their profferings are nothing less than astounding. They care deeply about the music they make and present it to us in a way that many do not. It is this diligency towards excellence that comes to the forefront each and every time.
Admittedly, I do not know alot about their history or how they came into being. I don't think that it matters in the least with music this good. Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton, and Larry Mullen Jnr. have created their own unique sound, their own unique journey towards salvation and universal concerns. With "The Joshua Tree", they reveal their search, achingly, to God and to all heavenly powers. They reveal their weaknesses, their human frailties, and take us on a voyage of discovery and enlightenment. They take us on a journey of strength. And these are just a few of the things that set them apart from most.
To begin with, the Edge's guitar work is outerworldy, and I cannot attempt to explain it to anybody. It can be subtle and sweet and then turn into virile, powerful excursions somewhere that defy description. Whatever he uses (is it a synthesizer?) to make it sound this way-he has definitely created his own unique sound that nobody can copy. You can hear pure emotion in his playing- and this is just one component to U2.
Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen provide the considerable skeletal backbone which gives their sound such heft. They provide the balance to the sound. There is no grandstanding here-but essential stability that compliment The Edge in every single way. Professional and clear, they weave the tapestry, the contour that great edifices are built upon.
And what of Bono? Perhaps the glue that ties it all together. He is probably the most known member of this band, and alot of the reason may lie in his poetry and delivery. He sings from his soul- and he puts the full range of human emotion into his delivery. He doesn't hold back and it shows in songs like "With Or Without You" or ""Red Hill Mining Town" with the urgency and compassion of the line "I'm still waiting-I'm hanging on- You're all that's left to hang on to". These vocals are so impassioned that they send shivers out. Yes, he's that good.
But what of the songs here and their meaning? It seems that Mr. Bono has thoughts of sheer martydom running throughout many of these tunes. Plus, many of the poetic inferences harken back to Christianity or spiritual uplifting in some way. He wants to break free and evolve to a place where "The Streets Have No Name". Could this be heaven? Or, a place where things are not categorized? And after speaking with Angels and holding the hand of the devil- he is in-between and "Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For". The eternal search of salvation and redemption. "With or Without You" is just pure genius. Allusions to Christ with "See the STONE set in your eyes, see the THORN twist in your side". But, not only that, but, "On a bed of NAILS, she makes me wait". And, furthermore, "my hands are tied-my body bruised". It seems that the relationship in this song has made Bono a martyr of sorts. And, in a strange way, Christ can't live with or without you either. So entirely remarkable. So many biblical terminology throughout- the drout conveyed with the lines "the rivers run, but soon run dry" in "In God's Country". "Thunder, thunder in the mountain, there's a rain cloud in the desert sky" in "Trip Through Your Wires". There are many more examples. The need for human relief, and elevation, whether it be from a bruised relationship or inner spiritual need, is foremost and deeply embedded within the poetry. Many discoveries await here. Many gems to mine. All yours for the asking.
In closing- a superb achievement for a group relatively new into their career. The landscapes are a wonder and the music on a higher and grandiose level that satisfys so fully in the pop/rock genre. I cannot say enough.
And now, I think I finally have gotten the courage to ask Bono for a donation to my shelters. That is, if I can even get his public relations agent on the phone. But regardless, I can always play this c.d. for my clients. Get it. It's a classic.

Refreshingly subtle and amazingly devout--your own, Metamorpho
Christmas with the Academy
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Uneven, though heavenly sound
  • An Outstanding Holiday Recording
  • I love it
  • Magnificent
  • few compare
 Christmas with the Academy

Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:
  1. O Come All Ye Faithful: Christmas Carols at King's College, Cambridge
  2. Carols from Trinity
  3. Christmas Night: Carols of the Nativity
  4. The Holly and the Ivy: Carols from Clare College
  5. A Festival of Carols in Brass

ASIN: B00000418V
Release Date: 1994-11-15

Tracks:

  1. Church Bells: Past Three A Clock
  2. O Come, All Ye Faithful
  3. Ding Dong! Merrily On High
  4. In The Bleak Midwinter
  5. Christmas Oratorio: Sinfonia
  6. Once In Royal David's City
  7. Sussex Carol
  8. Quelle Est Cette Odeur Agreable?
  9. Il Est Ne Le Divin Enfant
  10. L'enfance Du Christ: L'adieu Des Bergers A La Sainte Famille
  11. L'enfance Du Christ: Le Repos De La Sainte Famille
  12. Es Ist Ein Ros Entsprungen
  13. Stille Nacht
  14. Still, Still, Still
  15. Singt Und Klingt
  16. The Holly And The Ivy
  17. The Three Kings
  18. Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day
  19. Away In A Manger
  20. Christmas Song (Personent Hodie)
  21. In Dulci Jubilo
  22. Jesus Christ The Apple Tree
  23. Hark! The Herald-Angels Sing: Church Bells

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Uneven, though heavenly sound.......2005-12-22

I am enjoying this CD, however I must continually adjust the sound level. Some selections are recorded quite low and some are quite loud. I am constantly reaching for the volume.

5 out of 5 stars An Outstanding Holiday Recording.......2005-11-19

In 1994 I worked at a music store where I was considered "the classical music expert." How did I earn this distinguished honor you may ask? Well, I had music lessons as a child, had a somewhat good knowledge of classical music as a hobbyist (I am a die hard opera buff and love the symphonic repertoire too), and I was the oldest sales person in the store. I was in my early thirties but most of the other employees were either in or recent graduates of high school. Since I could answer a few basic questions, I was the expert. I was also the jazz expert, movie sound track expert, easy listening expert, and vocals expert. If my life depended on my expertise of these areas, I wouldn't be writing this review right now, but that's another story.

The manager asked me to select some Christmas CD's for the store and in the catalogue, I saw that there would be a new release by The Academy of St. Martin in the Fields under Sir Neville Marriner's direction. I had not heard the disc and we did not have a sample, but I had a hunch it would be well received and since the store catered to customers who loved good music, I figured that the recording would be well received. I remember when it arrived and we put it on the store stereo. From the church bells at the beginning to the first simple tunes of the disc, I knew this would be a great collection of holiday music. Customers agreed. It received airtime on the local classical station and we could not keep it in stock.

Since that time CHRISTMAS WITH THE ACADEMY has been a staple in my Christmas collection. It has three major strengths. First, the wonderful orchestra and beautiful chorus of the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields under the direction of founder Sir Neville Marriner. Second, there is a variety of carols and traditional holiday music. We hear tracks we would expect from an English ensemble, but we also hear those wonderful melodies that when performed well add so much to this season. Third would be the overall excellence of this recording. This great ensemble has produced excellent music over the years and this collection is simply another example of its quality.

I loved the recording when it was new, but now it has become a classic. For anyone who loves good holiday music that is performed well and has the spiritual quality that is so much a part of the season, this is a disc you will love.

5 out of 5 stars I love it.......2004-12-15

This is excellent Christmas music. Of the choir Christmas music I have heard, I think this is great because there seems to be such a great balance between the male and female singers. Its exactly how I'd want Christmas carolers to sound. If you like how the music previews sound then you will like this cd.

5 out of 5 stars Magnificent.......2003-11-29

If I could only have one Christmas CD, this would be my choice. The harmonies are exquisite. The instrumentals are beautiful. There are several a cappella sections, which I love. This Christmas concert is a masterpiece. It is one of the few CD's with enough presence to evoke the feeling of "being there". I feel as though I'm sitting in a church, listening to the most wondrous choir.

This 60 minute CD was recorded digitally [DDD], so I had no concern about the quality of remastering. I found the CD audio quality to be very acceptable. I highly recommend this to anyone who loves choral Christmas music.

5 out of 5 stars few compare.......2001-11-23

Few Christmas music CD's can compare to this entry by Neville Marriner and the Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields. As the previous reviewer notes, there is nothing startlingly new or insightful about this program--but its sheer excellence sets it apart.

From the opening bells to the shattering conclusion of "Hark! the Herald Angel Sing," the listener encounters the kind of great music Marriner is known for. This stuff is precise though not dry, clean though not clinical. It is like seeing a beautiful painting in perfect clarity after having had it shrouded in a fog for years.

The soul of these songs are clarified by the interpretations they receive here. The joy they proclaim to the world can be palpably felt by the listener. My personal favorites here are: "Hark! the Herald Angels Sing," "Il Est né, le divin enfant," and "Away in a Manger."

You need look no further if you want some great music to listen to and contemplate during this or any other holiday season. This is a great disc.

I merrily recommend "Christmas with the Academy."
The String Quartet Tribute to U2's Joshua Tree
Average customer rating: Not rated
    		The String Quartet Tribute to U2's Joshua Tree

    Manufacturer: Vitamin Records
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

    GeneralGeneral | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
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    Similar Items:
    1. Still Strung Out on U2: A String Quartet Tribute
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    4. Pickin' on U2: A Bluegrass Tribute
    5. Pickin' on U2, Vol. 2

    ASIN: B00062IENW
    Release Date: 2004-10-26

    Tracks:

    1. Where The Streets Have No Name
    2. I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
    3. With Or Without You
    4. Bullet The Blue Sky
    5. Running To Stand Still
    6. Red Hill Mining Town
    7. In God's Country
    8. Trip Through Your Wires
    9. One Tree Hill
    10. Exit
    11. Mothers Of The Disappeared

    Product Description

    1. Where The Streets Have No Name
    2. I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
    3. With Or Without You
    4. Bullet The Blue Sky
    5. Running To Stand Still
    6. Red Hill Mining Town
    7. In God's Country
    8. Trip Through Your Wires
    9. One Tree Hill
    10. Exit
    11. Mothers Of The Disappeared

    Format: CD
    The Joshua Tree
    Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
    • "I see seven towers, but I only see one way out."
    • U2 at their best
    • U2 Need To Have This Classic CD
    • A great cd
    • A Beckoning Towards Redemption and the Promised Land
    		 The Joshua Tree
    U2
    Manufacturer: Mobile Fidelity
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

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    1. Achtung Baby
    2. War
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    4. Rattle and Hum
    5. All That You Can't Leave Behind

    ASIN: B000000IUK
    Release Date: 1996-11-12

    Tracks:

    1. Where The Streets Have No Name
    2. I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
    3. With Or Without You
    4. Bullet The Blue Sky
    5. Running To Stand Still
    6. Red Hill Mining Town
    7. In God's COuntry
    8. Trip Through Your Wires
    9. One Tree Hill
    10. Exit
    11. Mothers Of The Disappeared

    Amazon.com essential recording

    Having nearly exhausted their capacity for pop-song politics on War and The Unforgettable Fire, U2 turned toward themes of personal identity and complex relationships on The Joshua Tree. Not that the group was willing to come down off the barricades entirely: "Mothers of the Disappeared" and "Bullet the Blue Sky" turned a jaundiced eye toward Central America and the United States' role there. But the predominant mood here is one of self-discovery and the hunger for something more on tracks like the pulsating "Where the Streets Have No Name" and the gospel-ish "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For." The album's masterstroke, however, is "With or Without You," a nasty love song dressed up as an ode of devotion and care. It ranks with the Police's "Every Breath You Take" as the most misread smash hit of the '80s. --Daniel Durchholz

    Amazon.com

    U2 have made a lot of grand music, but 1987's graceful, powerful Joshua Tree stands as their masterwork. It is by turns moving, inspiring, and exhilarating. Each member contributes his best work, and each song shines. Would that all rock records were made with the same care, the same passion and invention. The ubiquitous opening salvo of "Where the Streets Have No Name," "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" and the tense "With or Without You" may define this album to many, but its real strengths lie in the brilliant second half: "Red Hill Mining Town," "Trip Through Your Wires," and the surging "One Tree Hill" (the latter being one of rock's--hell, all music's--truly finest moments). --Michael Ruby

    Album Details

    Same as USA Version.

    Customer Reviews:

    5 out of 5 stars "I see seven towers, but I only see one way out.".......2007-06-13

    'Running to Stand Still' is essentially, THE archetypal Joshua Tree track in that it is imbued with an American sound, but a meaning far removed. The song deals with a girl struggling with heroin addiction, with the "seven towers" being a reference to the Ballymun Seven Towers area of Dublin, an area with a notorious heroin problem. Just as on The Unforgettable Fire's 'Bad', Bono tries to bring somebody back from the brink, a person so consumed by their addiction that they have already misguidedly accepted that there is only one escape. Suicide.

    In certain respects, U2 can be said to be one of rock's most underrated bands, a contention almost laughable when considering their stratospheric success. Yet amid the hits and the bombast and the zeal, the intricacies and idiosyncrasies that have endeared them to the discerning listener have often been lost. Whereas (two of U2's other triumphs) 1993's Zooropa was something of a parody to Achtung Baby!'s (1991) pastiche, The Joshua Tree offers an earnest counterpoint to their oft-laconic 90s forays into electronica.

    First and foremost the album is a startling artistic achievement; a master class in onomatopoeia, through artwork and aesthetic, subject matter and performance The Joshua Tree is expansive, invigorating and consummately cohesive.

    America's arid south-west - the Nevada desert in particular - is the record's heartland. Desolate and unforgiving, yet numinous and majestic, the region's historically blurred demarcation between frontier and wilderness is perfectly articulated by the music through the band's enchantment at their surroundings. Where the ode 'One Tree Hill' and the exhalant 'In God's Country' and 'Trip Through Your Wires' bore witness to the stimuli of the landscape lyrically and musically, the real success of The Joshua Tree lies in its amalgamation of typically cherished American modes, particularly folk, blues, rock n roll and country, and heterogeneous humanist concerns. Indeed such aesthetic syntheses often leads to an intriguing incongruity upon closer inspection, for the specificity of Bono's lyricism is often dialectical in relation to The Edge's evocative America-infused guitar work. A notable example of this is 'Red Hill Mining Town' whereby his lyric "through hand of steel and heart of stone" alludes to the closure of England's northern coal mines by NCB chairman Ian McGregor and the disastrous free market economic policies of PM Margaret Thatcher, yet the instrumental pays homage to the classically American folk and blues genres.

    Faith and religion also constitute a large part of The Joshua Tree's lyrical canon, but it is another area rife with contradistinction. Bono seems at ease with Christianity ('Where the Streets Have No Name'), despite its many innate paradoxes ('I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For'), yet simultaneously at odds with fundamentalism.

    The Joshua Tree also calls on America's more unseemly secular traits to convey the band's antinomy toward the Land of the Free. 'Exit' deals with a violent death, yet whether it is murder or suicide is indecipherable, while 'Bullet the Blue Sky' is the album's most flagrant example of antipathy with reference to then-US president Ronald Reagan ("His face red like a rose on a thorn bush...peelin' off those dollar bills, slappin' 'em down"), the economic blockade and civil war supported by the US in Nicaragua, and the US-backed campaign of murder and oppression in El Salvador. The album closes with 'Mothers of the Disappeared' a lament to the mothers and wives of student opposition and dissidents under both the Argentinean military juntas and Augusto Pinochet's brutal regime in Chile following his US-backed coup in 1973.

    Massively successful, The Joshua Tree, by virtue of its three mega-hits ('Where the Streets Have No Name', 'I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For' and the claustrophobic, masochistic ballad 'With or Without You') served to propel U2 to the position they had appeared destined for after stealing the show at Live Aid in 1985, that of the world's biggest band, a position they have held unopposed for nigh-on twenty years.

    5 out of 5 stars U2 at their best.......2007-06-13

    What can I say, for me this is one of those CDs that you love most or all of the songs on, and in my humble opinion that is a rare thing. This is a must have for anyone who loves the band and/or 1980's music.

    5 out of 5 stars U2 Need To Have This Classic CD.......2007-06-11

    There are defining moments in a music groups career, and music in general. The Joshua Tree, by U2, is one of those moments. From radio hits to impressive, reflective, and profound songs, this CD has it all. I was fortunate enough to see U2 in concert in San Fracisco for this tour. It was an incredible experience. If there are any people out there who have not heard this album/CD, this is a must have, and I envy you the joy of discovering this masterpiece.

    The best songs on this CD were never released as singles. Three of my favorites and worthy of the purchase price alone are:

    Bullet The Blue Sky
    Running To Stand Still
    and Red Hill Mining Town, my personal favorite.

    This is a 5 star excellent CD, treat yourself to this one. If you haven't heard it, or are new to U2, this is one to run out and buy. If you have been a fan like me - for years - this CD version is a must have!

    5 out of 5 stars A great cd.......2007-06-08

    Whether it was the Beatles or the Stones who sang these songs they would have been great.However, with the strong guitar leads of the Edge and the impassioned vocals of Bono, this album becomes magnificent! There is a reason this is one of best selling cds ever and one of the top 20 rock albums ever, find out why.

    5 out of 5 stars A Beckoning Towards Redemption and the Promised Land.......2007-04-23

    Yes, I'm back. You must excuse the lapse. I have been busy setting up shelters (a Seer's work), for the chronically wayward or the chronologically confused. It really doesn't matter. It helps people. It's a good cause. Donations are gladly accepted, (and forms for tax write-offs are at the door). Yes, I know it's selfless work. And I have taken a Seer's oath for the good of humanity and I can't back out. Rats. I can't make exceptions but so what? Pure intent is hard to come by these days. They never warned me-whoever "they" are.
    That being said, I have come here to review an exceptional, exceptional work by U2. These guys never cease to amaze me, and little did I know when they first arrived into my conciousness. I thought at the beginning "how nice, another typical 80's band", for I really wasn't impressed by them. The Edge's guitar grated on me and I couldn't adjust to the sound. But, glad to say, U2 were not to be deprived of their just place in the hierarchy of rock. They have built a tabernacle of considerable and reflective music over time. And, I must say, the quality and workmanship and thought and care that go into their profferings are nothing less than astounding. They care deeply about the music they make and present it to us in a way that many do not. It is this diligency towards excellence that comes to the forefront each and every time.
    Admittedly, I do not know alot about their history or how they came into being. I don't think that it matters in the least with music this good. Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton, and Larry Mullen Jnr. have created their own unique sound, their own unique journey towards salvation and universal concerns. With "The Joshua Tree", they reveal their search, achingly, to God and to all heavenly powers. They reveal their weaknesses, their human frailties, and take us on a voyage of discovery and enlightenment. They take us on a journey of strength. And these are just a few of the things that set them apart from most.
    To begin with, the Edge's guitar work is outerworldy, and I cannot attempt to explain it to anybody. It can be subtle and sweet and then turn into virile, powerful excursions somewhere that defy description. Whatever he uses (is it a synthesizer?) to make it sound this way-he has definitely created his own unique sound that nobody can copy. You can hear pure emotion in his playing- and this is just one component to U2.
    Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen provide the considerable skeletal backbone which gives their sound such heft. They provide the balance to the sound. There is no grandstanding here-but essential stability that compliment The Edge in every single way. Professional and clear, they weave the tapestry, the contour that great edifices are built upon.
    And what of Bono? Perhaps the glue that ties it all together. He is probably the most known member of this band, and alot of the reason may lie in his poetry and delivery. He sings from his soul- and he puts the full range of human emotion into his delivery. He doesn't hold back and it shows in songs like "With Or Without You" or ""Red Hill Mining Town" with the urgency and compassion of the line "I'm still waiting-I'm hanging on- You're all that's left to hang on to". These vocals are so impassioned that they send shivers out. Yes, he's that good.
    But what of the songs here and their meaning? It seems that Mr. Bono has thoughts of sheer martydom running throughout many of these tunes. Plus, many of the poetic inferences harken back to Christianity or spiritual uplifting in some way. He wants to break free and evolve to a place where "The Streets Have No Name". Could this be heaven? Or, a place where things are not categorized? And after speaking with Angels and holding the hand of the devil- he is in-between and "Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For". The eternal search of salvation and redemption. "With or Without You" is just pure genius. Allusions to Christ with "See the STONE set in your eyes, see the THORN twist in your side". But, not only that, but, "On a bed of NAILS, she makes me wait". And, furthermore, "my hands are tied-my body bruised". It seems that the relationship in this song has made Bono a martyr of sorts. And, in a strange way, Christ can't live with or without you either. So entirely remarkable. So many biblical terminology throughout- the drout conveyed with the lines "the rivers run, but soon run dry" in "In God's Country". "Thunder, thunder in the mountain, there's a rain cloud in the desert sky" in "Trip Through Your Wires". There are many more examples. The need for human relief, and elevation, whether it be from a bruised relationship or inner spiritual need, is foremost and deeply embedded within the poetry. Many discoveries await here. Many gems to mine. All yours for the asking.
    In closing- a superb achievement for a group relatively new into their career. The landscapes are a wonder and the music on a higher and grandiose level that satisfys so fully in the pop/rock genre. I cannot say enough.
    And now, I think I finally have gotten the courage to ask Bono for a donation to my shelters. That is, if I can even get his public relations agent on the phone. But regardless, I can always play this c.d. for my clients. Get it. It's a classic.

    Refreshingly subtle and amazingly devout--your own, Metamorpho
    Christmas Carols
    Average customer rating: Not rated
      		Christmas Carols
      Sir Henry Walford Davies , Henry John Gauntlett , Franz Xaver Gruber , George Frideric Handel , Gustav Holst , William James Kirkpatrick , Felix Mendelssohn , Christmas Traditional , John Francis Wade , Donald Hunt , Raymond Johnston , Worcester Cathedral Choir , and Robert Stringer
      Manufacturer: Naxos
      ProductGroup: Music
      Binding: Audio CD

      All Works by HandelAll Works by Handel | Handel, George Frideric | ( H ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
      All Works by HolstAll Works by Holst | Holst, Gustav | ( H ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
      All Works by MendelssohnAll Works by Mendelssohn | Mendelssohn, Felix | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
      GeneralGeneral | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
      GeneralGeneral | Classical | Styles | Music
      GeneralGeneral | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
      GeneralGeneral | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
      NoelsNoels | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
      General ChristmasGeneral Christmas | Holiday | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music
      Opera & VocalOpera & Vocal | Holiday | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music
      CDs Under $7CDs Under $7 | Holiday Music | Miscellaneous | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music
      CDs $7 - $10CDs $7 - $10 | Holiday Music | Miscellaneous | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music
      All Bargain TitlesAll Bargain Titles | Holiday Music | Miscellaneous | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music
      General ChristmasGeneral Christmas | Holiday Music | Special Features | Music
      Opera & VocalOpera & Vocal | Holiday Music | Special Features | Music
      $7 - $10$7 - $10 | Today's Deals | Holiday Music | Special Features | Music
      Under $7Under $7 | Today's Deals | Holiday Music | Special Features | Music
      4-for-3 Classical4-for-3 Classical | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music
      4-for-3 All Music4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music
      4-for-3 Opera & Vocal4-for-3 Opera & Vocal | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music
      ASIN: B0000013UG
      Release Date: 1994-02-15

      Tracks:

      1. Joy To The World
      2. Once In Royal David's City
      3. O Little Town of Bethlehem
      4. The Cherry Tree Carol
      5. In The Bleak Midwinter
      6. Sing Aloud
      7. Away In A Manger
      8. Joys Seven
      9. I Wonder as I Wander
      10. Jesus, Jesus, Rest youe Head
      11. In Dulci Jubilo
      12. O Little One Sweet
      13. Rocking
      14. Ding, dong, Merrily On High
      15. O Come, All Ye Faithful
      16. Coventry Carol
      17. As I Outrode
      18. Unto Us Is Born A Son
      19. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
      20. Silent Night
      Joshua Tree
      Average customer rating: Not rated
        		Joshua Tree

        ProductGroup: Music
        Binding: Audio CD

        Pop RockPop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
        ASIN: B000J234QG
        Release Date: 2006-11-14
        U2 the Joshua Tree
        Average customer rating: Not rated
          		U2 the Joshua Tree
          U2
          ProductGroup: Music
          Binding: Audio CD
          ASIN: B000QRN45A

          Product Description

          CD The Joshua Tree by U2. Released 1987 by Iland Records LTD
          The Joshua Tree
          Average customer rating: Not rated
            		The Joshua Tree

            ProductGroup: Music
            Binding: Audio CD

            GeneralGeneral | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
            GeneralGeneral | Rock | Styles | Music
            GeneralGeneral | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music
            GeneralGeneral | Soundtracks | Styles | Music
            Similar Items:
            1. Achtung Baby
            2. Under a blood red sky
            3. Pop
            4. Under a Blood Red Sky
            5. Rattle and Hum

            ASIN: B0006I8LXE
            American Christmas
            Average customer rating: Not rated
              		American Christmas

              Manufacturer: Loft Recordings
              ProductGroup: Music
              Binding: Audio CD

              GeneralGeneral | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
              GeneralGeneral | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
              GeneralGeneral | Classical | Styles | Music
              GeneralGeneral | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
              NoelsNoels | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
              General ChristmasGeneral Christmas | Holiday | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music
              General ChristmasGeneral Christmas | Holiday Music | Special Features | Music
              Similar Items:
              1. Wake Ev'ry Breath - Music of William Billings
              2. American Angels
              3. The Shapenote Album
              4. Rivers of Delight (American Folk Hymns From the Sacred Harp Tradition)
              5. American Christmas

              ASIN: B00009W0WZ
              Release Date: 2003-08-05

              Tracks:

              1. Shepherd's Star
              2. Shiloh
              3. The Cherry Tree
              4. Antioch
              5. Sherburne
              6. Emanuel. For Christmas
              7. Redemption S.M.
              8. Anthem From Luke
              9. Joys Seven
              10. Bethlehem C.M.
              11. Redemption. L.M.
              12. Boston. For Christmas
              13. Bonnie Doon
              14. Star In The East
              15. Oxford
              16. Judea
              17. New Bethlehem
              18. London
              19. I Saw Three Ships
              20. Raymond
              21. Convoy
              22. Distress
              23. Milford

              Album Description

              The Tudor Choir explores Christmas tunes belonging to the American shapenote tradition. Contains an early American version of "Joy to the World."
              Where The Streets Have No Name [Austria]
              Average customer rating: Not rated
                		Where The Streets Have No Name [Austria]
                U2
                Manufacturer: Island Records
                ProductGroup: Music
                Binding: Audio CD
                ASIN: B000OSI9FG

                Product Description

                U2 "Where The Streets Have No Name" - RARE Deleted 1987 Austrian 4-track CD singe featuring Where The Streets Have No Name, Race Against Time, Silver And Gold and, Sweetest Thing - Slim Jewel case w/picture sleeve. Island Records - 664 988

                Music:

                1. The Land of Rape and Honey
                2. Them Niggas Done Went And Said...
                3. Tortoise [Import]
                4. Transmissions from the Satellite Heart
                5. True Wealth
                6. Vacuuming the Forest
                7. Waiting for the Sirens Call
                8. Where You Been
                9. Wide Awake in America [Live]
                10. With You [Live]

                Music

                music

                Music

                Homegrown

                Israel Camerata Jerusalem on Tour

                Kodály: Háry János Suite/Galanta Dances/Marosszék Dances

                Nashville Harmonicas: 30 Classics

                Australian Idol Final 10 Cast Album [Import]

                Liquid Sounds: Era Electronica

                Li'l Abner (1956 Original Broadway Cast) [Original recording remastered]

                Music From Prague, Vol.1

                Living Room [Import]

                Martinu: Piano Concertos Nos. 2, 3 & 4 [Import]

                Mastercuts: The Best of Jazz Funk

                It's a Summer Feeling [Import]

                Latin Club Remixes

                Sit at His Feet & Be Blessed

                Some Other Spring