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U2 - One Tree Hill
 Album:
The Joshua Tree (1987)
  1. We have various topics about best live versions, etc, but nothing about this song in general.


    This song is widely regarded as one of the bests in The Joshua Tree album. It was a single only in NZ and hence its popularity there, but fans all around the world love this song. I myself love it, and I've found myself listening to the "Ooooh greeaaat oceaan" refrain in repeat mode more than one time.


    Sad song that speaks about Greg Carrol (Bono's personal assistant and close friend) after he died in a motorbike crash, and about Victor Jara too. It has a great background music that, together with Bono's passionate vocals, make this song a true gem.

    Speaking about Bono's vocals, I didn't know this was recorded in just one take, but it seems so according to Wikipedia (although there's no quote):
    The song was written in memory of Bono's personal assistant and close friend, Greg Carroll (to whom The Joshua Tree was dedicated), a native of New Zealand, who died in a 1986 motorcycle crash in Dublin while delivering Bono's motorcycle in the rain.The lyrics also reference Chilean folk singer Victor Jara, a protest singer assassinated by orders of general Pinochet in the Chiles Stadium,after the military coup in 1973. Bono felt he could perform this only once, and did just one take in the studio.[citation needed]

    Does anybody know if this is true? Makes the song even greater in my eyes, something like the story about the song "The Show Must Go On" by Queen...

    Share your love and post your thoughts about One Tree Hill in this topic
  2. Don't know if this story is true, but it doesn't matter, in my opinion. One Tree Hill is one of their best songs in my opinion (it's in my top-10), and I think it's an underated song in the band's tates, otherwise they would play it more times.

    Melody, lycrics, Bono's singing and Edge's chords are just perfect, and the song can transmit us a great energy in live perfomances. The reason of teh song existence is also a thing to be loved, and it's a reason of Bono's passion singing, in my opinion.

    I would love to see it more often during the tours, and it fits so well after I Still Haven't Found...

  3. It's just another reason why the Joshua Tree is as legendary as it is. That album has taken on an almost mythical property for me, and One Tree Hill is a major contributor towards that feeling.

    The lyrics in my opinion are some of Bono's best. Sure, the first 3 songs on JT are the hits, and have the most widely known lyrics and melodies, and the lyrics probably are the best, but the lyrics in One Tree Hill are just so poetic and beautiful, probably more poetic than any of the world-wide hits from that album. Two favourite lines: "The sun so bright it leaves no shadows, only scars carved into stone on the face of earth" AND "I'll see you again when the stars fall from the sky, and the moon turns red over one tree hill". Amazing.

    And the chords, the melodies, the bass and drums, Bono's vocal performance, Edge's solo, the outro, all amazing. I prefer the intro from the live tours back in 87, when it would just be the synth and Bono, and then Edge would come in with that big "sliding down the fretboard" note. Great.
  4. It's simply one of the greatest songs of U2.
    I am sure a lot fans feel this song
  5. I'm with Aidan. This song is a brilliant piece of work, and that's not me just being bias because I'm a Kiwi
    The vocals and melodies are beautiful and its just a song I can put on repeat and listen to over and over. And it still hasn't lost its magic when performed live, it really should be played more often, even though I do love how it is specifically played in NZ, let the rest of the world enjoy the magic too
  6. Actually my favourite with So Cruel. Special feelings for both songs. Goosebumps every time I hear them and never get bored with them.
  7. I did a musicology assignment on this song.

  8. One Tree Hill is a fantastic Song!
    I love the Version of 12- 20-87 in Tempe!
    The Story iI dont know ?
  9. Originally posted by tui:I'm with Aidan. This song is a brilliant piece of work, and that's not me just being bias because I'm a Kiwi
    The vocals and melodies are beautiful and its just a song I can put on repeat and listen to over and over. And it still hasn't lost its magic when performed live, it really should be played more often, even though I do love how it is specifically played in NZ, let the rest of the world enjoy the magic too


    I agree. It would be nice if the band played the second side of JT more often.
  10. Last year I've had this ring made for myself, this is how much I love this song with its beautiful lyrics...

  12. One Tree Hill is a great song just like the whole Joshua Tree album