I first got this idea from a guy whose web page expounded the virtues of a 'Restored' Joshua Tree album (I'll link to him if I ever find his page again).  His theory (also proposed by Dave Bowler & Bryan Dray in their 1993 book 'U2 - A Conspiracy of Hope') was that The Joshua Tree was originally to be a double album, but under pressure from the record company, it became a single album with the discarded songs turning up as B sides to the Joshua Tree singles.  Based on various interviews and interpretations of songs from this era, this guy recreated what the track list of the supposed double album may have been like.  Even if it is not completely accurate, it does allow U2 fans and others to listen to and appreciate the songs of this period in a different way.

I have extended on this idea to aim to capture the full official recorded works of U2 at certain phases: The Unforgettable Fire, Rattle And Hum (Live vs Studio), Achtung Baby, Zooropa/Passengers, Pop and All That You Can't Leave Behind (in addition to the Joshua Tree).  The track listings are based on the order of the original album, with B sides (and other recordings of the era) interspersed between them.  The order of songs is generally of my own invention unless stated otherwise. My original idea of making compilation cassette tapes has been updated as CD-burning technology allows us now to eliminate the idea of the A versus the B side.

While I appreciate each U2 album in its original form as a thing of beauty, and am loath to tamper with the songwriting genius represented by the particular sequence of songs, I nevertheless was tempted to experiment to explore new dimensions in my well-established passion (since 1984) for listening to U2.
 
Observations made through this project lead me to conclude that other logical compilations would be a Best of U2 Live collection (or live tracks grouped into eras) and a remixes compilation.

Your comments, suggestions (eg. ideas for pre-Unforgettable Fire compilations) are welcomed.

The Zooropa period was a relatively barren one in terms of B sides.  We saw instead a continuation of the trend towards having remixes on singles which commenced with the Achtung Baby singles.  An artificial marrying of Zooropa with the preferred songs from U2's next project, Passengers: Original Soundtracks 1 and inclusion of Hold Me Thrill Me Kiss Me Kill Me from the Batman Forever Soundtrack is a convenient way of reflecting U2's 1993-95 period.
 

This compilation is based on that proposed by Joe Keebler and posted to the Wire emailing list on 17 February 1998.  A scarcity of B sides also characterised U2's Pop period.  There could be some debate as to whether Two Shots of Happy should be included as part of this or the Zooropa period.  I have chosen to include it in the appropriate period during which it was officially recorded.  Similarly, Slow Dancing, another of the B sides to If God Will Send His Angels, was originally recorded as a B side for the single One, and so does not belong to the Pop era.