As I have stated over and over, The Joshua Tree means the world to me. It is the album that got me into U2 in 1987 and is still my favorite 30 years later. Below are 17 reasons why I love The Joshua Tree. In order from favorite to least favorite, here is how I rank the songs (including b sides) of The Joshua Tree:

1. I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For
2. Luminous Times
3. Red Hill Mining Town
4. Walk to the Water
5. Running to Stand Still
6. Deep in the Heart
7. Trip Through Your Wires
8. Silver and Gold
9. Exit
10. In God’s Country
11. Spanish Eyes
12. One Tree Hill
13. With or Without You
14. Where the Streets Have No Name
15. Bullet the Blue Sky
16. Sweetest Thing
17. Mothers of the Disappeared

I am guessing some of these songs (except for the top five – they’ll never change) will change position after finally hearing them live this summer. On Facebook Live last week, Bono and Edge commented on songs they wish had made it onto the actual Joshua Tree album. Bono said he wished my favorites “Luminous Times” and “Walk to the Water” would have made it on (as well as “Sweetest Thing”). I have always included the b sides with The Joshua Tree as if they were on the album because I like them more than most of the songs actually on the album. Edge said he wished “Heartland” (one of my top five fave U2 songs) was finished in time to be included on The Joshua Tree. I have always said Rattle and Hum was Joshua Tree part 2. I consider them the same album and even get their b sides mixed up. I have always felt weird about Achtung Baby being my third favorite U2 album when really it is my second because Joshua Tree / Rattle and Hum is my first.