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The Best of 1990-2000 is a greatest hits compilation released by Irish rock band U2 in November 2002 (see 2002 in music). It takes a decidedly revisionist approach and includes various remixed and re-recorded tracks and two entirely new songs. In December of the same year, a companion DVD (featuring music videos and live footage) was released.

A limited edition version containing a special B-sides disc and a bonus DVD was released on the same date as the single-disc version. At the time of release, the official word was that the 2-disc album would be available the first week the album went on sale, then pulled from the stores. As with The Best of 1980-1990, this threat did not materialize.

It includes two new songs. "Electrical Storm" was released as a single. "The Hands That Built America" appeared on the soundtrack to Martin Scorsese's Gangs of New York film (with a different, more traditional arrangement than the one here).

It is also the first full U2 release to include "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me", a 1995 single originally contributed to the Batman Forever soundtrack, and "Miss Sarajevo", another 1995 single originally released on Original Soundtracks No. 1 as "Passengers".

The DVD edition is remarkably extensive and often includes multiple videos of each song, director's commentary, several songs completely unavailable on the CD editions, and three short documentary pieces.

Track listings

Best Of

1. "Even Better Than the Real Thing" (3:39)
2. "Mysterious Ways" (alternate version) (4:02)
3. "Beautiful Day" (4:05)
4. "Electrical Storm" (William Orbit Mix) (4:37)
5. "One" (4:35)
6. "Miss Sarajevo" (edit) (4:30)
7. "Stay (Faraway, So Close!)" (4:58)
8. "Stuck in a Moment You Can't Get Out Of" (4:31)
9. "Gone" (New Mix) (4:32)
10. "Until the End of the World" (4:38)
11. "The Hands That Built America" (4:57)
12. "Discothèque" (New Mix) (4:40)
13. "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me" (4:44)
14. "Staring at the Sun" (New Mix) (4:48)
15. "Numb" (New Mix) (4:21)
16. "The First Time" (3:44)

"Electrical Storm" was released as a single. Interestingly, the version included here is the William Orbit Mix, and the standard version is only available on the single and the B-sides disc.

The versions of "Gone", "Discothèque", "Staring at the Sun", and "Numb" are remixes made especially for this compilation (mixed by Mike Hedges) and include some newly recorded bits. Curiously, the version of "Mysterious Ways" here has one line different from the original (but is otherwise identical), likely an artifact of the remastering. All songs are written by U2, except for "Miss Sarajevo" which was written with Brian Eno.

In the UK and Japan, "The Fly" (4:29) is available as a bonus track after "The First Time".

"Miss Sarajevo", featuring Luciano Pavarotti, was originally released by the band under the alias "The Passengers".

B-sides

1. "Lady With the Spinning Head" (Extended Dance Mix) (6:06)
2. "Dirty Day" (Junk Day Mix) (4:40)
3. "Summer Rain" (4:07)
4. "Electrical Storm" (4:26)
5. "North and South of the River" (4:36)
6. "Your Blue Room" (5:26)
7. "Happiness is a Warm Gun" (The Gun Mix) (4:45)
8. "Salomé" (Zooromancer Remix Edit) (5:51)
9. "Even Better Than the Real Thing" (The Perfecto Mix) (6:38)
10. "Numb" (Gimme Some More Dignity Edit) (5:50)
11. "Mysterious Ways" (Solar Plexus Club Mix) (4:08)
12. "If God Will Send His Angels" (Big Yam Mix) (5:42)
13. "Lemon" (Jeep Mix) (5:29)
14. "Discothèque" (Hexidecimal Edit) (5:45)

"North and South of the River" was written with Christy Moore. "Happiness Is A Warm Gun" was written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney. "Your Blue Room" was written with Brian Eno.

"Your Blue Room" was originally released by U2 under the alias "The Passengers".

The misspelling in "Hexidecimal Edit" is deliberate.

Bonus DVD

1. "The History Mix" (7:40)
2. Best Of DVD Promo (2:27)
3. "Please" (live) (5:00)
4. "Beautiful Day" (EZE Version) (4:04)

The "History Mix" is a video montage anthologizing the band's nineties albums and tours. It includes snippets of interviews, promotional videos, and so forth.

The version of "Please" is live from Helsinki, Finland at Olympic Stadium on August 9, 1997.

Video

1. "Even Better Than the Real Thing"
   • Godley Video
   • Godley Commentary
   • Smyth Dance Version
2. "Mysterious Ways"
   • Stéphane Sednaoui Video
   • Sednaoui Commentary
3. "Beautiful Day"
   • Akerlund Video
   • Akerlund Commentary
4. "Electrical Storm"
   • Director's Version (Corbijn) Video
   • Corbijn Commentary
   • "U2 Sur Mer" Documentary
5. "One"
   • Corbijn Version
   • Corbijn Commentary
   • Joanou Version
   • Joanou Commentary
   • "A Story of One" Documentary
6. "Miss Sarajevo"
   • Linnane Version
   • Linnane Commentary
   • "Missing Sarajevo" Documentary
7. "Stay (Faraway, So Close!)"
   • Wenders Version
   • Wenders Commentary
8. "Stuck In A Moment You Can't Get Out Of"
   • Kahn Version
   • Kahn Commentary
   • Godley Version
   • Godley Commentary
9. "Gone"
   • Live from PopMart Tour Version
10. "Until the End of the World"
    • Godley Version (live from Zoo TV Tour)
11. "The Hands That Built America"
    • Studio Version
12. "Discothèque"
    • Stéphane Sednaoui Version
    • Sednaoui Commentary
13. "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me"
    • Godley/Linanne Version
    • Godley/Linanne Commentary
14. "Staring at the Sun"
    • Scott Version
    • Scott Commentary
    • Steinberg Version
15. "Numb"
    • Godley Version
    • Godley Commentary
    • Video Remix (EBN Version)
16. "The Fly"
    • Smith/Klein Version (Lounge Lizard Mix)
    • Commentary
17. "Please"
    • Corbijn Version
    • Corbijn Commentary
18. "If God Will Send His Angels"
    • Joanou Version
    • Joanou Commentary
19. "Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses"
    • Joanou Version
    • Joanou Commentary
20. "Lemon"
    • Neale Version
    • Neale Commentary
21. "Last Night On Earth"
    • Smythe Un-Subtitled Version
    • Smythe Commentary
22. "Mofo"
    • Linnane Version (Phunk Phorce Mix)
23. "The Ground Beneath Her Feet"
    • Wenders Version
    • Wenders Commentary

The lyrics to "The Ground Beneath Her Feet" were written by Salman Rushdie. The song features Daniel Lanois on pedal steel guitar.

Music and words by U2, except where otherwise noted.

All tracks have been remastered for these releases.

Personnel

• Bono--lead vocals
• The Edge--guitar, keyboards, vocals
• Adam Clayton--bass guitar
• Larry Mullen, Jr.--drums

See also

• U2 discography

External links

• Standard edition discography entry at U2 Wanderer--Comprehensive details on various editions, cover scans, lyrics, and more. For the Best Of alone.
• B-sides edition discography entry at U2 Wanderer--Similarly comprehensive entry for the limited edition version with the B-sides disc and bonus DVD.
• Videography entry at U2 Wanderer--Similarly comprehensive entry for the video release.

• U2 albums
• 2002 albums
• Greatest hits albums
• Compilation albums
• Island Records albums
• Australian number one albums