Overall: 9.0

Top Tracks: "Angel of Harlem", "God Part II", "All I Want is You"

Pompous as all hell, but with U2 that's not a valid criticism, kinda just goes with the territory. It's as underrated as it is pretentious, but it's also one of their best collections of songs up to this point.

Dunno why this album gets so much hate (especially from the critics) I think this is a great collection of some of U2's best work.

I think it is a underrated album, maybe not their most creative album. Lyrical the songs are very good, possible would have prefer studio tracks one side, and the live tracks on the other side. Still good listen.

Would of liked a full live set but this holds well together, can't fault any of the hits on here either a great insight to their tour of America, I like it anyway,wether you class this as a studio album is another matter.

I'm not really fans of the live versions. But the studio songs I love!

Long compilation of live songs, covers, and studio tracks. They all blend together quite well and I find this a great listen. Favorites include Desire and Angel of Harlem.

My favorite songs :Van dieman's land ....I still haven't found what i'm looking for.....When love comes to town....All I want is you.....Angel of harlem

Rattle and hum, is U2 taking us on a journey of the history of rock. There's covers of The Beatles and Dylan, Hendrix appears on the record, and the band record a handful of songs at sun studios where Elvis recorded his earliest songs. Elsewhere, there's songs about Billie Holiday, references to John Coltrane, Miles Davis and a dedication to John Lennon. It's as if U2 are inducting themselves into the rock and roll hall of fame, as if they are saying, hey, we belong here too. As for the music itself, it's really a two part album, live songs and new studio tracks. Off the studio jobs, desire, Angel of Harlem, and, all I want is you, are the best of 'em, van diemens land is a good protest number, the others so-so. Off the live tracks, included is an absolutely dreadful version of Dylan's, all along the watchtower, did the band know the song? Does the edge know what key they're in? Oh well, I still haven't found what I'm looking for, is enjoyable, but by the time we get to, silver and gold? Yes, Bono, you are starting to bug me. Rattle and hum, is hubristic, pompous and overblown, but some of it's okay, it would have been better and more dignified if they had just released an e.p of new songs. Having said all that, it can be an enjoyable listen.

So... in the past few months I've been kind of dogging on this album without even hearing it (recently, I grew up on it)... Damn is it 10 times better than any album ranked near it. It is currently at 144th of the 80s chart of this site. I will agree though I'm still not crazy about the covers, but when you watch the movie... it makes sense. Kinda wish it would have been a 10 song LP or 5 song EP and then I think this thing would have been at least in the top 50.

How does an album with great songs like these get ranked so low? Bias much?

I can think of SOO many albums from the top 50 to 100 of the 80s that don't have this many good songs on it:

Desire
Silver And Gold
Angel Of Harlem
Love Rescue Me
God Part II
All I Want Is You

I love this album the way it is interspersed with live & studio work. I used to listen to it on Sunday evenings - helped me forget that Monday was looming. It is what it is, it captures that moment in time when U2 could do no wrong.