As you probably know by now, The Analog Kid lives for b-sides and non-album cuts. In this continuing series, I will share some of my favorite EPs and 12″ singles from over the years in their entirety. And since it’s digital, you don’t have to worry about correctly setting the turntable speed to or 33⅓ or 45!

Record Store Day is this Saturday, and as always there are a number of unique releases that the Analog Kid will feel compelled to add to his collection. I have a local store that I usually have tremendous luck at, so hopefully I won’t have any problems getting my hands on the new Bruce Springsteen EP (and a few other choice nuggets, of course). If I fail, though, that means eBay. And damn, do I hate dealing with money-grubbing record scalpers on eBay! Back in 2010, I had to pay over $50 for one of the 5000 copies of U2’s Record Store Day exclusive Wide Awake In Europe EP. In the end, it will likely prove to be a wise investment as U2 have never released two of the three songs in any other format– in other words, Wide Awake In Europe is one rare-ass U2 release!

Of course, the EP’s title (and artwork) is an ode to the band’s 1985 classic Wide Awake In America. I bought that record on the way home from my high school graduation (I’ll let you figure out the symbolism there), and it remains one of my favorite U2 releases. The 2010 Wide Awake… EP opens with “Mercy,” a fantastic new song that was played live a few times on the European leg of the U2360 tour. No studio version was ever recorded, so this EP is the only place you can hear the track. Wide Awake In Europe also includes two live staples from the U2360 tour: the dance version of “I’ll Go Crazy If I Don’t Go Crazy Tonight” (love the Frankie Goes To Hollwood excerpts!), and the show-closing “Moment Of Surrender.” If only all Record Store Day releases were this good…

Since only 5000 copies of Wide Awake In Europe were printed and it isn’t even available for download, I’m doing something I rarely do here on the Analog Kid blog: I am adding a download link for each song. I’m sure many fans around the world would love to hear these songs, and hopefully U2 won’t sue me for making them available (especially since you can’t buy them legitimately even if you wanted to!). I hope you enjoy the music, and happy hunting on Saturday!

U2: Wide Awake In Europe

Interscope Records, 2010

New 320 kbps rip courtesy of The Analog Kid (uploaded 12/24/2015)

1. “Mercy” [Live From Brussels] (U2)

Listen:

Download (right-click and save link as):

Mercy [Live From Brussels]

2. “I’ll Go Crazy If I Don’t Go Crazy Tonight” [Live U2360 Remix] (U2/Eno/Lanois)

Listen:

Download:

I’ll Go Crazy If I Don’t Go Crazy Tonight [Live U2360 Remix]

3. “Moment Of Surrender” [Live From Paris] (U2)

Listen:

Download:

Moment Of Surrender [Live From Paris]

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Bonus Tracks!

The first rule of The Analog Kid blog is that if you write about a song on the Analog Kid blog, you share the song on the Analog Kid blog.

U2: “Bad” [Live] (U2)

From the EP Wide Awake In America

Island Records, 1985

Bad