45 RPM: U2’s “Another Day” [Irish 7″]

Here’s your ticket to some of the best (or, perhaps, most infamous) 7″ singles ever released! No adapter is required, although in my opinion the device pictured below is right up there with Jolt Cola as one of the best inventions of the 20th century.

U2 surprised everyone with the announcement of a new record yesterday. Even more surprising was the fact the Songs Of Innocence was already available on iTunes. And the biggest surprise? It’s free. To anyone. In the entire world.

U2 finally woke up and realized that they are never again going to sell ten million copies of an album. The market just doesn’t work that way any longer, and it was pointless for the band to continue living in the past. It has been five long years since the release of No Line On The Horizon, a good album that didn’t sell particularly well. The band seemed to take the sales numbers personally, even though they were playing to sold out stadiums around the world (and raking in millions) in support of it. A follow-up record has been in the works for years, but the band kept scrapping releases. Even die-hard U2 fans were starting to get really pissed off.

And then yesterday, there it was. Out of nowhere. I’ve listened to Songs Of Innocence three times now, and I really like it a lot. It’s no Achtung Baby, but how could it be? That album was released almost 23 years ago, and U2 have been living in its shadow ever since. Yesterday, they stepped into the light. No more worries about album sales– this one is free! Take it, world. It’s yours. Half a billion people around the world use iTunes, and all of them can now own Songs Of Innocence without paying a cent. Many will love it, and many will say it sucks– but at least they’ll be listening to new U2 music, and that’s why this is an absolutely brilliant move by the band.

Since Songs Of Innocence is essentially a concept album about the band’s teenage years in Dublin, I thought I’d feature an artifact from that era in today’s 45 RPM blog. “Another Day” was U2’s first 7″ single release, and it was only available in Ireland. The b-side was “Twilight,” a song that U2 would re-record later that year for inclusion on their debut album Boy. Listen to this rare 45, and then go pick up your own (again, FREE!) copy of Songs Of Innocence on iTunes. I think you’ll hear the connection. And if you don’t, U2 doesn’t really seem to care. At least you’re listening, and that is a very good thing.

U2: Another Day [Irish 7″]

CBS Records, 1980

A-side: “Another Day” (U2)

Another Day

B-side: “Twilight” [Original Version] (U2)

Twilight

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Bonus Tracks!

The first rule of The Analog Kid blog is that if you write about a song on the Analog Kid blog, you share the song on the Analog Kid blog.

U2: “”Raised By Wolves” (U2)

From the album Songs Of Innocence

i-Tunes Exclusive, 2014

Raised By Wolves

U2: “Twilight” (U2)

From the album Boy

Island Records, 1980

Twilight

U2: “Magnificent” (U2)

From the album No Line On The Horizon

Interscope Records, 2009

Magnificent