Rank Your Favorite Songs on the Album Part 4: No Line On The Horizon

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1. moment of surrender
2. unknown caller
3. breath
4. crazy tonight
5. boots
6.magnificent
7.wihite as snow
8. no line on the horizon
9. stand up comedy
10. cedars of lebbanon
11.Fez-being born
 
1. Magnificent - This song has many of the factors which made me fall in love with U2 back in 85, one of their best songs of the decade.
2. Cedars of lebanon - cool, moody and beautiful, their best closer to an album since WUDM(not counting TGBHF)
3. FEZ- being born- my only criticism of this song is that the trippy Dub FEZ part of the song should last much longer, more of this please!! The rest of the track continues the rush from the opening salvo of NLOTH, this song really makes you feel like you're moving, and moving fast!
4.No Line On The Horizon - Very good way to start the album, I get a real rush every time I hear it, should be the song they open 360 with.
5. Moment Of Surrender - Beautiful song, most of it done in one take, this should tell U2 something…don't think it's the right song to end the show with evey night though and I'm still not a fan of the wo -oh-ooohs.
6. Breathe - Great sounding drums, decent lyrics, top marks for the cello! I'd love to hear the version of it that Eno was raving about. Should have been a single.
7. White As Snow - maybe I should have ranked this one higher on reflection, very haunting, understated tune, nice lyrics, more of this please U2!
So, I am more than happy with these 7 tracks, goes down hill after this though.
8. Get On Your Boots - I do like this song, great riff and I really like the fast pace, but ultimately there's just too much studio gimickery and too much going on and the point of the song gets lost. The Let Me In The Sound part sounds like it was crowbarred in during post production and doesn't really fit the rest of the song.
9. Unknown Caller - beautiful start, Moroccan birds singing, you can almost see the sun rising, everything going well until that bloody Walk On guitar part comes in, followed by more damned wo-oh-ooohs! I think that the verses are very good, not so much the choruses, it's just a bit disjointed as a song, sounds like Yes, and not in a good way. The outro is excellent though and has some really great work from The Edge.
10. IGCIIDGCT - If this had ben a one off soundtrack single then I wouldn't really have a problem with it, but to my ears it just doesn't fit the mood of the album. A bit too sweet for my taste but I am not a hater. The live remix version would score much higher for me.


10000000000000000000000000011. SUC. Worst song they have ever released.
 
BRILLIANT/WELCOME BACK U2/MORE PLEASE
Moment of Surrender
Cedars of Lebanon
Fez-Being Born
No Line on the Horizon

GREAT
Breathe
White as Snow

YOU CAN REACH/BUT YOU CAN’T GRAB IT
Unknown Caller – it appears the unknown caller dialled the wrong number, which might be why he is unrecognised to those on the other end of the line, but the caller was close, only a digit or two wrong. Bit of a shame as the overall mood and feel (and the chanting - I do actually like it) are really good. Ending is great. The samey-ness of the Edge part and the two or three incredible dead spots in the lyrics drag it down.

NEITHER HERE NOR THERE
Magnificent – can’t really point to anything I specifically dislike about it, but it’s super U2-eyness and simplicity would work better as a simple penultimate moment in this journey that about 1/3 of the album is going on (and I assume, at one point, all of the album was going on), not in such an overt spot as track 2, where it sits a little flat and obvious, IMO. If MoS is a kind of rock bottom, UC is a kind of awakening, Magnificent works really well straight after. Try it.

HELLO, HELLO, WHERE AT A PLACE CALLED 2000-2004
Get on Your Boots - I quite like you, but you've stumbled onto the wrong album. Both you and the Unknown Caller should pay more attention to instructions.
Crazy Tonight - About as boring as U2 could possibly be, I hope.

STEP INTO MY OFFICE/WHY?/BECAUSE YOU’RE FUCKING FIRED
Stand Up Comedy

ALBUM INCREASES TENFOLD IF...
Middle three removed.
Soon/EBW/Winter + another on theme track or two are added.
Tracklist is shuffled.
 
1. White As Snow
2. Magnificent

3. Fez - Being Born
4. No Line On The Horizon
5. Cedars of Lebanon
6. Moment of Surrender
7. Unknown Caller
8. Breathe

9. I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight
10. Get On Your Boots
11. Stand Up Comedy

Most of the songs work much better for me in the context on the album, because looking at them individually, I'd class all of 3-8 songs as just good. 9-11 really disrupt the flow of the album and SUC is easily one of the worst songs U2 wrote.
 
it's too early for an anecdote... but the first time i heard this album i was playing cricket that day... and i listened to the whole album and was late to cricket.

Moment of Surrender
Fez-Being Born

No Line on the Horizon (would be the best track if it had a good chorus)
Cedars of Lebanon



Crazy Tonight
White as Snow
Unknown Caller
Sexy Boots
Breathe
Magnificent
Stand Up Comedy



6. Cock Crazy
that one really landed, i think.
 
I'm an outcast and proud of it. Slow songs bore me and put me to sleep. /minority.

Nothing wrong with that :). There's many people out there who aren't big on slow stuff. I personally have no problem with slow songs, but to each their own.

All right. Let's see here...

1. White As Snow (I really just love this song to bits. It's so preeeeeetty)
2. Magnificent
3. Moment Of Surrender (Vivid imagery which I've mentioned before. I love songs that allow me to conjure up detailed pictures)
4. Cedars Of Lebanon (The lyrics to this one...man. I wish more people could understand the horror and heartache wrapped up in this song)
5. Breathe (I greatly enjoy singing along to this one. Killer chorus)
6. I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight (I like this one. Sorry. I love the lyrics, "Every generation gets a chance to change the world/Pity the nation that will listen to you boys and girls". I'd be happy to be part of one of those aforementioned generations. The song's just got this bright, upbeat feel to it that makes me happy when I listen to it)
7. Unknown Caller (For some reason, this reminds me a lot of "Lemon". Maybe it's the deadpan multi-vocals in the chorus or the weird, quirky musical style or something, I dunno. But it's like a sister song to "Lemon". I quite like this song, myself, I think it's great)
8. Get On Your Boots (First time I heard this it was like Franz Ferdinand met up with Elvis Costello and they did "Pump It Up" '60s style. And given that I enjoy all of that stuff separately, a jumble of them is even more fun. And I love the "Let me in the sound" bit)
9. No Line On The Horizon
10. Fez-Being Born (Like this one, too, kinda forget about how cool it is until I listen to it)
11. Stand-Up Comedy (Again, enjoy the song. Just really do not like that title)

As for "anecdotes"-well, I'd been sheltered heavily from new U2 news for a long time there-lack of Internet at the time, and not really much announcement on TV that I saw for the longest time. It was my dad who brought this album to my attention, first through a little press release he'd fond online at work announcing the band finishing up the making of the album. Then he managed to get a copy of "Get On Your Boots" when it was released onto a CD for me and brought it home for me to listen to. He'd already heard/played it on the radio and was really excited and curious to hear my reaction.

Then I saw U2's week-long stint on "Letterman" and got to hear more of the new songs that way. I remember getting really excited, 'cause I liked what I heard, and a few days later, my dad brought home the album for me :). It took a few listens for me to absorb the songs, but with each listen I liked the album more and more. At first I thought the version of "Magnificent" performed on "Letterman" was a bit better than the studio version, but since then I've come to love the studio version just as much.

So, um, yeah. I associate this album with my dad. Which makes it all the more special for me.

Angela
 
Because I like lists and ratings (and because I love this effing incredible album):

Timeless U2 masterpieces, 10/10, perfect, best four U2 songs in the last 15 years:
1. No Line On The Horizon
2. Moment of Surrender
3. Magnificent
4. Unknown Caller
Very good U2 songs:
5. FEZ/Being Born
6. Get On Your Boots
Good U2 songs:
7. Breathe
8. I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight
9. Cedars of Lebanon
Average U2 song:
10. White As Snow
Kinda crap:
11. Stand Up Comedy


for reference, this is the list I made the day it leaked:
Timeless U2 masterpieces:
1. Magnificent
2. Breathe
3. No Line On The Horizon
4. FEZ/Being Born
Very good U2 songs:
5. Unknown Caller
6. White As Snow
7. Get On Your Boots
8. Cedars of Lebanon
Good U2 songs:
9. Moment of Surrender
10. I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight
Average U2 song:
11. Stand Up Comedy

As with everyone I think, Moment of Surrender has grown on me like nothing ever has.

Also, people who prefer NLOTHII to the real NLOTH are weirdos. Seriously, I don't even...
 
1. MOS
2. Magnificent
3. No line on the horizon
4. Breathe

5. Unknown caller (would be higher without the techno-lingo in the chorus and rehash Walk on notes in the chorus)


6. Cedars
7. Was
8. FEZ

9. SUC
10. Crazy






11. Vertigo re-write wannabe
 
Interesting, but how is that even possible? It's like saying, "I only like days; I hate nights!". Just seems too extreme.

Anything is possible. That's not a very good comparison though, as I actually know people who like days and hate nights or vice versa. I just have to be in a rare mood to want to listen to slow songs. With any band, not just U2. I like to get pumped up. I like fast, high energy songs. Why do you think everyone take bathroom breaks on slow songs? :wink:
 
Do you guys like these "Rank your favorite songs" threads that I've been doing?

Should I keep it up till we go through all 12 albums? :lol:
 
I think you should tally all the rankings and see, overall, what the average rankings of songs from NLOTH is (according to us Interference folk).
 
Okey dokey!! I'll keep this up till we get through all the albums! Maybe I'll think about compiling the rankings and see which ones are the most popular songs from each album or something
 
1 - Moment of Surrender
2 - Magnificent
3 - Crazy Tonight
4 - Unkown Caller
5 - No Line on the Horizon
6 - Get on your boots
7 - Breathe
8 - Stand up Comedy
9 - White as Snow
10 - Fez
11 - Cedars of Lebanon
 
Gosh, this is hard. But anyway, from the top of my head:

1. Moment Of Surrender
2. Cedars Of Lebanon
3. Unknown Caller
4. No Line On The Horizon
5. Breathe
6. Crazy Tonight
7. Magnificent
8. FEZ-Being Born
9. White As Snow
10. Stand Up Comedy
11. Get On Your Boots
 
As with everyone I think, Moment of Surrender has grown on me like nothing ever has.

:up: Yup, the song has an incredible power to it.

CLASSIC
1. Moment Of Surrender
2. Magnificent

BRILLIANT
3. Cedars of Lebanon
4. Breathe

AVERAGE U2 (WHICH IS STILL HIGH QUALITY MUSIC)
5. No Line On The Horizon
6. Unknown Caller
7. Get On Your Boots
8. Fez - Being Born

OK
9. White As Snow
10. Crazy Tonight

RED LIGHT
11. Stand Up Comedy

Strange album, but an immensely enjoyable listen.
 
I actually like all the songs from NLOTH, they're all really good.

MOST LISTENED
1. I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight
2. Magnificent
3. Moment Of Surrender
4. No Line On The Horizon
5. Unknown Caller
6. Get On Your Boots
7. Stand Up Comedy
8. Breathe
9. Fez - Being Born

LEAST LISTENED (BUT STILL GOOD MUSIC)
10. White As Snow (nice tune)
11. Cedars Of Lebanon
 
1. Breathe
2. Moment of Surrender
3. No Line On the Horizon
4. Magnificent
5. I know I'll Go Crazy
6. Unknown Caller
7. Fez- Being Born
8. Get On Your Boots
9. Stand Up Comedy
10. White As Snow
11. Cedars of Lebanon
 
:heart::heart:
1. I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight
2. Fez-Being Born
3. Magnificent
:applaud::applaud:
4. Unknown Caller
5. Moment Of Surrender
:up::up:
6. No Line on the Horizon
7. Get On Your Boots
:down::down:
8. Stand Up Comedy
9. Cedars of Lebanon
:no::coocoo:
10. Breathe
.
.
.
.
.
:huh:
11. White as Snow
 
1) Magnificent
2) Moment of Surrender
3) No Line On The Horizon
4) FEZ Being Born
5) I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight - To be honest, I prefer the studio version. I know it's generic U2, but the live version omits the "Baby baby baby, I know I'm not alone" part and the "squeeze out sparks of light" part. I just don't get the live version at all (and YES, I do like Pop).
6) White As Snow - Gorgeous song, but I liked it more before I realized the melody ripped off O Come O Come Emmanuel (Even though that is also a beautiful song)
7) Breathe
8) Unknown Caller
9) Cedars Of Lebanon
10) Get On Your Boots - So weird...it's like 4 different songs - The verses, "Get On Your Boots", "You don't know how beautiful you are", and "Let me in the sound." I liked it at first, but now I think it's a bit messy. There are interesting ideas, but it's not coherent as a whole.
11) Stand Up Comedy - This reminds me of a guy in his late 30s/early 40s who has kids and is all settled down, but still thinks he's a rockstar even though he hasn't been in a band since high school. He makes this song to prove to his kids that he's hip and that he's "still got it", but it backfires on him.

Magnificent and MOS are interchangeable - I've probably listened to Magnificent more, but MOS is so beautiful. I don't know which one I like more.

Despite my mocking, I love this album and listen to it start to finish. IMO, it's their best album of the 00s. I'm not sure exactly how I'd rank it among their other albums but it might be in the top 5, maybe 6 or so.
 
Hillers, I agree with you on the Crazy Tonight live version.

The "baby baby baby, I know I'm not alone" part is my favorite part of the studio song. I don't know why in the world they admitted it from the live version. Maybe it had something to do with Ultraviolet coming in later in the show with the "Baby baby baby, light my way" chorus?
 
Adore this album . . . but finding it really difficult to pick the middle order! My standouts and least favourite are easy, but the middle order changes all the time; dependent on my mood I guess . . . but for what it's worth . . .

1. No Line On The Horizon
2. Breathe
3. Moment of Surrender
4. Magnificent
5. Unknown Caller
6. Get On Your Boots
7. Crazy Tonight
8. Cedars Of Lebanon
9. FEZ-Being Born
10. White As Snow
11. Stand Up Comedy

. . .and now that I've done that I wanna take it all back and start again . . . too.damn.hard!
 
1. no line on the horizon
2. fez-being born
3. unknown caller
4. moment of surrender
5. white as snow
6. breathe
7. magnificent
8. cedars of lebanon
9. stand up comedy
10. crazy tonight
11. get on your boots

i know i put the middle three that everyone likes to hate at the bottom, but i still really like them. i agree they're out of place, but whatever.
 
1 - Magnificent - Fond memories of playing on infinite loop when NLOTH was leaked :drool:
2 - No Line On The Horizon - Very strong opener. I prefer NLOTH 2 but NLOTH 1 probably fits the album more.
3 - Fez - Being Born - Play it live!
4 - Unknown Caller
5 - I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight - Live remix version would push this up to the top most likely.
6 - Moment of Surrender - Definitely something you can only start appreciate after multiple listens. Grows on you.
7 - Breathe
8 - Get On Your Boots
9 - White As Snow
10 - Cedars of Lebanon
11 - Stand Up Comedy
 
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