The Joshua Tree’s powerful impact
Celebrating the 20th anniversary of the release of The Joshua Tree, Andrew Collins looks back on the album and its powerful impact.
“But for an instance, U2 had the world in the palm of their hand. None of the irony that would dog them in the 90s, less of the piety that still puts people off them, and more of the wonder. They had such a profound, moving, mobilising, even politicising effect on the young, grant-assisted, long-haired me, I will probably always love them, like the old Stones fans love the Stones.”
Read the full review and enjoy more of BBC 6 Music’s trip down the memory lane.
Where were you when you heard it first?
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I was 24 years old and living in Philadelphia, PA. I remember going to Tower Records and purchasing the record (vinyl) on the day of release. I took the record home and played it over and over. I couldn’t get enough of side 1. I also remember first being struck deeply by Bullet The Blue Sky and Trip Through Your Wires. At different moments in time in past 20 years I “got into” almost all the songs on the record. For example, I revisited Running To Stand Still after the being next to the b-stage on the Achtung Baby tour. In God’s Country seems perfect for any road trip. With or Without You has had several interpretations depending on the status of a particular relationship. Exit always provides a sobering, chilling feeling. Mothers of the Disappeared has it’s moment during the PopMart Tour. I could go on and on. I then saw the JT Tour come to Philly later that year in September with 90,000 other fans along with Bruce Springsteen. Amazing memories!
I was 24 years old and living in Philadelphia, PA. I remember going to Tower Records and purchasing the record (vinyl) on the day of release. I took the record home and played it over and over. I couldn’t get enough of side 1. I also remember first being struck deeply by Bullet The Blue Sky and Trip Through Your Wires. At different moments in time in past 20 years I “got into” almost all the songs on the record. For example, I revisited Running To Stand Still after the being next to the b-stage on the Achtung Baby tour. In God’s Country seems perfect for any road trip. With or Without You has had several interpretations depending on the status of a particular relationship. Exit always provides a sobering, chilling feeling. Mothers of the Disappeared has it’s moment during the PopMart Tour. I could go on and on. I then saw the JT Tour come to Philly later that year in September with 90,000 other fans along with Bruce Springsteen. Amazing memories!
I first heard The Joshua Tree in the local mall parking lot, while sitting in the back of my friend’s VW Scirocco, on the day of JT’s release. My friends, knowing what a big U2 fan I was, let me put in my tape first. They laughed at “Streets”, ejected the tape and put in their favorite, the Beastie Boys’ Licensed to Ill. Bastards!
I first heard The Joshua Tree in the local mall parking lot, while sitting in the back of my friend’s VW Scirocco, on the day of JT’s release. My friends, knowing what a big U2 fan I was, let me put in my tape first. They laughed at “Streets”, ejected the tape and put in their favorite, the Beastie Boys’ Licensed to Ill. Bastards!
I first heard The Joshua Tree in the local mall parking lot, while sitting in the back of my friend’s VW Scirocco, on the day of JT’s release. My friends, knowing what a big U2 fan I was, let me put in my tape first. They laughed at “Streets”, ejected the tape and put in their favorite, the Beastie Boys’ Licensed to Ill. Bastards!
I first heard The Joshua Tree in the local mall parking lot, while sitting in the back of my friend’s VW Scirocco, on the day of JT’s release. My friends, knowing what a big U2 fan I was, let me put in my tape first. They laughed at “Streets”, ejected the tape and put in their favorite, the Beastie Boys’ Licensed to Ill. Bastards!
I kept hearing that U2 had a new album out and it was amazing. I first heard With Or Without You on MTV. I went to get the album with my best friend at Tower right after it came out.(it was the last vinyl recording I ever bought!)We got a bottle of wine and went to my apt. to play it. I especially remember the powerful impact of Bullet in the Blue Sky — it wasn’t my favorite song, but it wasn’t like anything we had ever heard before. I was also moved by “I still haven’t found what I’m looking for,” because my friends and I still hadn’t found what we were looking for (and might still be looking.) That song was always special to us, because if an amazing band like U2 was still searching, then it was all right to be uncertain about life and love and God. I think we saw the JT Tour every night every time it came to our town (I think that means about 8 times.) I have a special place in my heart for this album. It may have changed my life.
I kept hearing that U2 had a new album out and it was amazing. I first heard With Or Without You on MTV. I went to get the album with my best friend at Tower right after it came out.(it was the last vinyl recording I ever bought!)We got a bottle of wine and went to my apt. to play it. I especially remember the powerful impact of Bullet in the Blue Sky — it wasn’t my favorite song, but it wasn’t like anything we had ever heard before. I was also moved by “I still haven’t found what I’m looking for,” because my friends and I still hadn’t found what we were looking for (and might still be looking.) That song was always special to us, because if an amazing band like U2 was still searching, then it was all right to be uncertain about life and love and God. I think we saw the JT Tour every night every time it came to our town (I think that means about 8 times.) I have a special place in my heart for this album. It may have changed my life.
First thing i heard was about a minute and a half of Running to Stand Still, played to me over the phone as my mate had taped it off the radio as Janice Long played it on her show. This was before I’d heard With or Without You and it still remains one of the most lasting and moving memories I have. They were still rather mythical to me in those days and to hear the beauty of that clip secured my love for the band.
First thing i heard was about a minute and a half of Running to Stand Still, played to me over the phone as my mate had taped it off the radio as Janice Long played it on her show. This was before I’d heard With or Without You and it still remains one of the most lasting and moving memories I have. They were still rather mythical to me in those days and to hear the beauty of that clip secured my love for the band.