Flashback Friday: Where The Streets Have No Name

Welcome to a special Saturday edition of Flashback Friday, courtesy of Google Blogger, where we bring readers in the present up to speed on the favorite Christian Bands of the Past, though sometimes they are still around. This week we once again have a Crossover from the mainstream.

I was introduced to this band in College. I must confess, I never had heard of them. They come from Ireland. Their first album was called Boy. If you haven't guessed by now, they are Adam Clayton (Bass), Larry Mullen, Jr (Drums), The Edge (Guitar) and Bono, collectively known as U2.


U2's transformation came after their debut release, when Bono, The Edge and Mullen got saved. When there are only four people in the band and three become Christians, the direction is set. Good for us they played rock and roll, because that consigned it to the evening hours, when the administration offices were closed. Therefore fights with the college brass over playing "secular music" at WENC were avoided.


"I will follow" from Boy was their first ever hit, Talk about Boy, or boys, they were babies in 1980. Like most early releases, nobody would be able to tell these kids were going to make it big.

October came out the next year, and the change would be marked. Gloria went straight to the top of Christian Radio. Even Latin could be cool. The video shows that they may still be kids, but a new found maturity surrounds them. October made #41 of the CCM Magazine 100 Greatest Albums in Christian Music. It is still one of the most covered Rock Worship songs out there. I believe even Delirious may have done one.

Of course it took a War to bring U2 to the top of Christian Charts, and a Sunday, Bloody Sunday, which expertly blended Politics with Easter.

And then on the same album, was 40 (for those not in the know, it's Psalm 40)

Four Years later came the Joshua Tree and super stardom. Island Records was poised to bring the 77's to stardom when that came out. It was kind of a case where one Christian Band kind of upstaged another. U2 rose to the top and the 77's maintained their cult status in Christian alternative. Two bad Island didn't have the wherewithal to push both of them. This is Still Haven't Found What I'm looking For. The Joshua Tree is #6 on the CCM Magazine List.

The most successful bunch of Christian Musicians ever. Probably the most successful Crossover artists ever. Rock on. This has been a special edition of Flashback Friday. I am Awaiting Your Reply..