Heartland

[Musikwala]

Could this be THE most poetic song in their entire discography?

See the sun rise over her skin
Dawn changes everything

The song takes one on a journey quite literally through its lyrics...

Freeway like a river cuts through this land
Into the side of love
Like a burning spear
And the poison rain
Brings a flood of fear
Through the ghost-ranch hills
Death valley waters
In the towers of steel
Belief goes on and on

There have been other poetic beauties in their cannon like One Tree Hill, Love Is Blindness etc. but I don't think Heartland has been topped up till now.

 

[2861U2]

Could this be THE most poetic song in their entire discography?

No.

I'm aware I'm in the minority, but I've never understood the adulation this song gets. It's my least favorite studio song on R&H, and it's in my bottom 5 of U2 album songs.

 

[Musikwala]

No.

I'm aware I'm in the minority, but I've never understood the adulation this song gets. It's my least favorite studio song on R&H, and it's in my bottom 5 of U2 album songs.

lol. Okay, I could even somehow (with difficulty) see how this song may seem musically boring to some but... I simply cannot fathom how one would not consider these lyrics to be ridiculously poetic! Absolutely gorgeous stuff from Bono!

 

[gvox]

No.

I'm aware I'm in the minority, but I've never understood the adulation this song gets. It's my least favorite studio song on R&H, and it's in my bottom 5 of U2 album songs.

Grrrrr

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

I love this song

 

[Vlaco]

I don't like ranking songs or maybe I should say, it's very hard for me to rank my favourite U2 songs (top10/20), but Heartland is definitely one of my favourites. Amazing song Great lyrics, very peaceful melody/guitar, excellent vocals.

 

[Peterrrrr]

I realy liked the soundcheck live version from ZooTV, sad that they never played it on a show

 

[digitize]

I realy liked the soundcheck live version from ZooTV, sad that they never played it on a show

Wait what this exists?

 

[jeevey]

I'm in the minority here too. I have no animosity towards it or people who like it, but I don't get the love. It all just sounds like meh.

 

[Aleh_Hewson]

I freakin' love Heartland, most because of one night I was thinking about some bad things, and I just took the ipod and let it shuffle. Heartland starts to play, and I was there, in the night, just laying in bed, listening to that song, and it became one of my favourites.

I don't know how to choose any U2 song, and rate it as my favourite, but if I have to choose one, it'll probably be Kite, however, and Heartland follows in my top 20

 

[AndrewCowley]

Love the scenes in the movie when this song is playing. Gorgeous song.

 

[BlueSilkenSky]

I love this song oh so very much... I can never decide if it's my second favorite or simply favorite on Rattle and Hum (it competes with Hawkmoon 269 for the title). Whatever. I agree that it's very poetic and the lyrics are gorgeous.

And they soundchecked it on Zoo TV? I need to hear that.

 

[Rhiannon64]

I love the beautiful imagery of this song. And I love the texture of Bono's voice throughout. At times his voice is like velvet and then at others times, gritty. The melody sits so well in his lower register. And then of course that gorgeous falsetto at the end.

I would love to hear the Zoo soundcheck of the song. Which soundcheck is it from?

 

[RickFly]

For me, I love the song. It's very atmospheric, and takes me to a certain place and time. This is one of those rare songs that I am glad U2 hasn't played live. I really don't know if it would translate well live.

 

[cobl04]

No.

I'm aware I'm in the minority, but I've never understood the adulation this song gets. It's my least favorite studio song on R&H, and it's in my bottom 5 of U2 album songs.

please explain.

 

[2861U2]

please explain.

It's just a little boring to me. I think the intro is pretty, and I like Edge's backing vocals during the verses, but the rest puts me to sleep. I think it goes on a little too long, and some of Bono's "Heartland"s are kind of grating on the ears.

It has nothing to do with the era or anything. Rattle and Hum is actually my favorite 80s album. And I love a good song about America, but I'll take In God's Country, THTBA, and others ahead of Heartland. I'm just not drawn to it.

 

[cobl04]

Oh man. I'd rate Hands That Built America as just about their worst song. To each their own

 

[RickFly]

Oh man. I'd rate Hands That Built America as just about their worst song. To each their own

For me, this award would go to Ground beneath her feet.

 

[cobl04]

For me, this award would go to Ground beneath her feet.

Congratulations, you've just been banned.

 

[RickFly]

Congratulations, you've just been banned.

Sounds good to me.

 

[chork]

I love "Heartland", but it will always remind me of what an idiot I am.

I watched "R&H" for farking years, always hearing, "Yo, throw my lip there, Edge!" instead of "Yo, thumb a lift there, Edge!"

I even had a fanzine in the '80s called "Throw My Lip There, Edge". Also spraypainted it all over Windmill Lane.

Clearly, "thumb a lift" is not a phrase well-known to the average midwestern teen.

 

[RickFly]

I love "Heartland", but it will always remind me of what an idiot I am.

I watched "R&H" for farking years, always hearing, "Yo, throw my lip there, Edge!" instead of "Yo, thumb a lift there, Edge!"

I even had a fanzine in the '80s called "Throw My Lip There, Edge". Also spraypainted it all over Windmill Lane.

Clearly, "thumb a lift" is not a phrase well-known to the average midwestern teen.

I always thought he said "thumb a lip".

 

[YBORCITY]

I realy liked the soundcheck live version from ZooTV, sad that they never played it on a show

Wait...... what? is there audio of this?

Also, one of my all time favs..... as for the poetry part not sure if it is as good as One Tree Hill.

 

[shaun vox]

heartland is one of u2's best songs! gbhf is also a good song now hands that built america is just terrible in every way..

 

[RickFly]

Wait...... what? is there audio of this?

Also, one of my all time favs..... as for the poetry part not sure if it is as good as One Tree Hill.

Heartland played at soundcheck during zoo tv era?

 

[jeevey]

For me, this award would go to Ground beneath her feet.

Wow. Different tastes indeed. The studio version doesn't really get me, but live this song is just a killer. I love it so much.

 

[djerdap]

Heartland played at soundcheck during zoo tv era?

I'm pretty sure he meant Acrobat.

Wow. Different tastes indeed. The studio version doesn't really get me, but live this song is just a killer. I love it so much.

Different tastes indeed. The studio version is one of their best songs since Pop, while the live version is typical for the live "acoustic" side of this band - watered down and stripped of what made the song great in the first place.

 

[Vlaco]

I watched "R&H" for farking years, always hearing, "Yo, throw my lip there, Edge!" instead of "Yo, thumb a lift there, Edge!"

Really? I'm not a native speaker, but I could hear that clearly the first time I watched the movie....Great scene btw.

 

[Rachel D.]

"Heartland" has been one of my favorites since the first time I heard it. Absolutely beautiful.

 

[YBORCITY]

HeartLand evokes landscapes in my mind and takes me to some higher ground like many of the songs from that era, ASOH, Bad, Promenade, TUF, WTSHNN, OTH, MOTD and so on. The music that made me a U2 fan for life and what made U2 different from anyone else is what that song embodies to me.