The most interesting U2 song musically

[Bono's shades]

I should also mention the obvious (though necessary) Streets. It's so amazingly multilayered - almost like a composition. A traditional masterpiece.

I agree. In the Classic Albums DVD for The Joshua Tree, they talked a lot about how technically difficult the opening of that song was to create, yet when you hear it, it sounds so beautiful and natural, like it wrote itself.

 

[GibsonGirl]

Zooropa, by far.

 

[Addicted To Bad]

BAD





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IF I COULD THROUGH MYSELF
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[flybabe]

Last Night on Earth does it.
It just doesn`t seem like their expert type of music,yet they pull it off profoundly. It is almost a 'get up and shake your ass,but listen closely to the musical details' type deal.

 

[UberBeaver]

Did Acrobat win? That's an interesting song.

 

[digitize]

Lemon, perhaps?

 

[Galeongirl]

I agree. In the Classic Albums DVD for The Joshua Tree, they talked a lot about how technically difficult the opening of that song was to create, yet when you hear it, it sounds so beautiful and natural, like it wrote itself.

Agreed. It's such a simple intro, yet when you try to recreate it it's very complex! I've yet to hear one cover band that nails it!

second place for me is With or Without you. Several infinite guitars in one track, great thing!

 

[Earl-Of-IMDb]

I immediately thought of "Please".

The drums and bass are almost jazz, the guitar is understated but profound. Definitely one of their most interesting musical moments.

yeah I agree. Its he interesting lyrics of this song that get me, most stuff on atchung baby as well

 

[Pero]

an cat dubh/into the heart - guitar is amazing
please - see above, the wah wah riff is great
stuck in a moment - so many notes out of rhytm
streets - THE RIFF, and the hunting bass, when he slides to the 15th fret i believe, just before bono starts singing

 

[U2DMfan]

Zooropa, by far.

No question about it.

Yummy, GG. You know it.

 

[Rosebud]

It had better, because that's my choice.

 

[RavenBlue]

Of late, I've been increasingly impressed by I Threw A Brick Through A Window. Larry's drumming there is great.

I'll echo everyone else's choices thus far.

Oh yea.

Ultraviolet

Gone

Electric Co

A Sort of Homecoming


... so many.

 

[Dr. Lemonseed]

Please.
Rejoice.
LNOE is some kickass bass.
I actually really like the reworked discotecque... lots of cool guitar parts.

 

[Salome]

stuck in a moment - so many notes out of rhytm

this one would be my choice
most interesting interaction between vocals, melody and rhythm imo

 

[JCOSTER]

Yep. Agreed. These people have had some enormously sophisticated songs over the years, but I agree with you on this one. With or Without You is easy to overlook because it had so much success and has been heard over and over and over again. However, that should never take away from the fact that, in March 1987, when most of the world heard this song for the first time, there was nothing like it. It was really unusual and actually took some getting used to (if you can believe that). It's a rock & roll "Bolero" as I've heard it put once. It starts out simple and slow, and methodically builds to a triumphant grand exit. This song made its mark for sure. Famous and successful shouldn't erase unique and sophisticated.

Your right the first time I heard it I was like WHAT? It was so different, I listened to it over and over and then said now that was awesome! I think its very deep, seductive, painful, and lovely all at the same time.

 

[GibsonGirl]

Did Acrobat win? That's an interesting song.

Yeah, it's interesting, but not as interesting as Zooropa.

I still can't figure out why so many people are mentioning Bad. Could it be that these people have never picked up an instrument in their lives and are therefore unfamiliar with the sheer monotony of playing that song? It does build up to a wonderful crescendo in the end, but musically speaking, it's about as interesting as dryer lint. There's a reason why the rest of the band lost their shit with Bono after Live Aid. While he was faffing around with that girl, they were playing the same riff over and over and over and over and over and over [...] and over again. I'm actually surprised Adam didn't lose consciousness, because he was LITERALLY only playing two notes during that lengthy section of the performance.

 

[Diemen]

I think Miami's got some really cool musical bits. The rhythmic interplay between Larry and Adam is pretty damn interesting to me.

 

[Gonna Run 2 U]

Like A Song is definitely up there..it really sums up the time of their rugged political sound.

 

[digitize]

Also, Lady with the Spinning Head owns.

 

[Hole]

I still can't figure out why so many people are mentioning Bad...

OK, musically Bad isn´t very interesting live (though it´s very good live!) - but if you listen to Larry´s drumming on the album version - that´s interesting!

However, I Still Haven´t Found What I´m Looking For(album version) gets my vote. Again, Larry´s drumming is awesome, awkward and so totally different to the simplicity of the classical chord pattern in the song - it almost sounds like it´s the drumming from another song pasted into this one. And Adam´s bass of course has a special groove here, but what interests me is the end of the song, where the chord pattern should make him change the D to a G (or whatever the key they play it in), but he keeps on without changing, which creates a tension between the bass and the guitars. Exciting! And the guitars, the guitars... From the strange drum/guitar intro (have you ever heard a song start like that?) to the layers and layers of suonds, or should we say colours?
The song is so simple you can play it at a camp fire - and yet the album version is so complex not even U2 has managed to make it an interesting song live.
Now, that is what I call interesting!

 

[Addicted To Bad]

Yeah, it's interesting, but not as interesting as Zooropa.

I still can't figure out why so many people are mentioning Bad.

well....just a matter of taste....


I can´t stand "Viva La Vida".., so...



_______________________________
SHE WORE LEMON
TO COLOR IN THE COLD GREY NIGHT

 

[Galeongirl]

I still can't figure out why so many people are mentioning Bad. Could it be that these people have never picked up an instrument in their lives and are therefore unfamiliar with the sheer monotony of playing that song? It does build up to a wonderful crescendo in the end, but musically speaking, it's about as interesting as dryer lint. There's a reason why the rest of the band lost their shit with Bono after Live Aid. While he was faffing around with that girl, they were playing the same riff over and over and over and over and over and over [...] and over again. I'm actually surprised Adam didn't lose consciousness, because he was LITERALLY only playing two notes during that lengthy section of the performance.

Agreed. That song is musically very boring. The original poster asked for interesting songs in a musician's perspective as far as I know so I don't have a clue why so many people here post about dull and boring songs. (I am NOT saying the songs themselves are boring, just playing them is.)

I wonder how many of the people who posted here actually have a clue what they talk about.

 

[Rafiennes]

I know it's not one of the older songs but Original Of The Species is quite interesting in its format

it doesn't follow the format most songs do

verse / chorus / verse / chorus / middle 8 / chorus

it kind of is verse / kind of a chorus / kind of a pre chorus / kind of a different chorus

then it does it all over again
then the spirit of George Harrison plays a solo

it's a wonderful 'little' song

 

[paulrg]

I think "Bad" is interesting in a musical sense in that it illustrates that chord changes are not the only way to make a song dynamic. It's possible to write a captivating song that doesn't have verses and choruses.

Interesting one this. Bad is so musically simplistic but devastatingly effective. Its the track that I look forward to hearing live no matter which tour its played on. It is a really transcendant piece that on the right night can lift the roof even more than Streets. Its a soulful piece alright. It's almost like binary code - on the surface so simple just 1s and 0s but can be used to convey so much.

 

[Addicted To Bad]

I wonder how many of the people who posted here actually have a clue what they talk about.

Don´t you think it depends on what exactly the word "musically" means to everyone?... I think what comes to your ears can be processed in many different ways "Bad" is musically perfect for MY ears... although I´know it´s a boring song for many people....


______________________________
IF I COULD THROUGH MYSELF
SET YOUR SPIRIT FREE

 

[Galeongirl]

Don´t you think it depends on what exactly the word "musically" means to everyone?... I think what comes to your ears can be processed in many different ways "Bad" is musically perfect for MY ears... although I´know it´s a boring song for many people....


______________________________
IF I COULD THROUGH MYSELF
SET YOUR SPIRIT FREE

Not really. The word musically generally means musician wise. Or however you want to call it. It's not about how it's processed, or how it SOUNDS. It's about how it's created, what it exists of. The notes, chords, the complexity of it all.
It has NOTHING to do with personal perception.
Musically is an objective thing, and if you do not understand this, you're obviously one of the people who do not get it.
Pick up an instrument and start learning that, and you'll get it.

 

[Addicted To Bad]

Interesting one this. Bad is so musically simplistic but devastatingly effective. Its the track that I look forward to hearing live no matter which tour its played on. It is a really transcendant piece that on the right night can lift the roof even more than Streets. Its a soulful piece alright. It's almost like binary code - on the surface so simple just 1s and 0s but can be used to convey so much.

I just loved your point of view...
That´s all...that´s all.. !!


______________________
I´M WIDE AWAKE
I´M NOT SLEEPING

 

[Galeongirl]

I just loved your point of view...
That´s all...that´s all.. !!


______________________
I´M WIDE AWAKE
I´M NOT SLEEPING

Thanks for proving exactly my point

 

[Addicted To Bad]

Thanks for proving exactly my point

That´s why I love Interference




______________________________________________
THE MORE YOU SEE THE LESS YOU KNOW

 

[Screwtape2]

Interesting one this. Bad is so musically simplistic but devastatingly effective. Its the track that I look forward to hearing live no matter which tour its played on. It is a really transcendant piece that on the right night can lift the roof even more than Streets. Its a soulful piece alright. It's almost like binary code - on the surface so simple just 1s and 0s but can be used to convey so much.

The thing is, a lot of messing around or simplistic playing can be devastatingly effective. A few notes on a piano can be powerful. A single chord can invoke an emotion. That's great but that doesn't make it interesting. For example, repeating the same thing on a violin can be effective but is it more musically interesting than a symphony or expert solo?

Bad is a great, wonderful song but that doesn't mean it is musically interesting. My favorite song ever, Walk To The Water, is the same way. Very effective but I would never say it was that musically interesting compared to an artist's entire discography.