Iris (Hold Me Close) - Song Discussion

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This is definitely my favourite song of Songs Of Innocence. And it's funny. I keep on bitching about how U2 has entered a stagnation mode in terms of creativity, some sotr of self-revival mode. However, my favourite song of the album is the biggest pastiche of the whole record. There's no other song that has so much U2-by-the-number factor than "Iris".
But, as much as sonically it evoques to me "Streets", "Magnificent", "City Of Blinding Lights", "ASort Of Homecoming" (most The Unforgettable Fire to be honest) I can't really dislike this song. I can't. And most of that because of Bono. Despite being of my least favourite albums for now, I have to say that Songs Of Innocence has some of Bono's best lyrical moments and cohesion in ages and ages. And "Iris" is a great example of it.
The lyrics seem to be quite simple, with simple imagetics, with Bono bringing his mother's death theme for the umpteenth time (but many of Bono's best lyrics are related with this theme) and using the also simple technique of linking it with a love affair (I assume it's Ali) and with the "spirituality vs universe/cosmos" theme. But it really works. And images like imagining a young Bono wishing his dead mother to "hold him close" again or imagining the spirit of his mother talking to him, it's really haunting but in a comforting way. I really like it.
And then thinking that the album was unveiled in the 40th anniversary of Iris... I was missing for a long time this kind of mystique around U2.
Honorable mention to Adam which is playing really in this track.

I think maybe the reason this song connects is because Bono's actually singing in that lovely way that he used to, no annoying talk-singing, or quasi-rap or overly wordy talking points. And the "Iris...Iris..." chorus is wonderfully restrained. I love restraint.
 
I think maybe the reason this song connects is because Bono's actually singing in that lovely way that he used to, no annoying talk-singing, or quasi-rap or overly wordy talking points. And the "Iris...Iris..." chorus is wonderfully restrained. I love restraint.

Indeed. Bono could've fill the chorus with "Ooooh"'s and other stadium lyrical clichés with forced oversinging. Instead he deliveres these pearly (to me, haunted) "Iiiiris".
 
I don't think Bono wrote this song about himself...and his loss. He wrote that song long ago. I think this song is about our loss. Many of U2's fans are at the age where we are having to face the prospect of losing our mother or father. I think Bono wrote this song for me/us. My mom had a stroke 2 years ago and everyday she suffers yet from aphasia and right side paralysis. Everyday I think about how hard it will be to lose her. But this song reminds me it's just temporary. Her name is not Iris, but she has a name.
 
I think maybe the reason this song connects is because Bono's actually singing in that lovely way that he used to, no annoying talk-singing, or quasi-rap or overly wordy talking points. And the "Iris...Iris..." chorus is wonderfully restrained. I love restraint.


The restraint in the chorus is what makes this song great. It's so haunting and it adds so much emotion to the song.


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I don't think Bono wrote this song about himself...and his loss. He wrote that song long ago. I think this song is about our loss. Many of U2's fans are at the age where we are having to face the prospect of losing our mother or father. I think Bono wrote this song for me/us. My mom had a stroke 2 years ago and everyday she suffers yet from aphasia and right side paralysis. Everyday I think about how hard it will be to lose her. But this song reminds me it's just temporary. Her name is not Iris, but she has a name.


I lost my grandfather this summer and this song really hit home when I first heard it. I love the buildup to the chorus and the lyric "I got your light inside of me." It's a reminder that he'll always be with me.


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I lost my grandfather this summer and this song really hit home when I first heard it. I love the buildup to the chorus and the lyric "I got your light inside of me." It's a reminder that he'll always be with me.


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It also reminds me of how many more times I still get to hold my mom close than Bono got.
 
I lost my grandfather this summer and this song really hit home when I first heard it. I love the buildup to the chorus and the lyric "I got your light inside of me." It's a reminder that he'll always be with me.


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Any that are cynical about this song I do not want to know. Ever. I lost my grampa when I was 6 years old...but he and my grandma took care of me while my mom mom worked so I was close to him. Touching his hand in the casket was my first experience with death. I went home after visitation and hid behind the couch...and fell asleep. There is no end to grief so that's how I know that there is no end to love.
 
For some reason I fear they won't play this live


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My opinion: 99.9% chance they do play it live. Vocally it shouldn't be challenging or strain Bono's voice and musically, that bass and those drums echoing off of arena walks would be spectacular.

If it's not played....that would be a bigger travesty than leaving TCB off the album.


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I hope they do. The way he sings "Iris" makes me envision him on stage during UF with his mullet bobbing back and forth.


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Emotionally, this song just destroys me, especially the last bit (Iris standing in the hall) and in particular that final line.

To me, there’s two ways to look at this line, very similar but tonally slight different. The literal interpretation is the adult Bono recalling that, in almost ironic fashion, though is mother said he’d be the death of her, it actually was something else that did the killing.

Powerful stuff. But children often blame themselves, irrationally of course, after the death of a parent, and the way I hear it is the boy inside the man finally recognising that he’s not responsible for his mother’s death and letting go of the pain and guilt he carried around because of that. In other words, “It was not me”, is another way of saying “It wasn’t my fault”.

I believe it’s by far the most powerful moment on the album and in fact one of the most powerful moments in any U2 song ever. I think stray dog is probably correct that Bono most likely resolved these feelings in himself a long time ago, and this song is more recollection than catharsis. But he managed to take what is an intensely personal experience, so much that there’s name in the title, and make it universal. I very much prefer Bono’s former impressionist lyrics vs. the more straight forward approach he’s taken lately, but in this case he nailed it. The payoff delivers.

I can't say musically it's the "best" song on the record, but it packs the most punch where it counts, which is what I expect a great U2 song to do, and for me that makes it the best.
 
I can't say musically it's the "best" song on the record, but it packs the most punch where it counts, which is what I expect a great U2 song to do, and for me that makes it the best.


This is a statement that I apply to many U2 songs and I found this song wins where others fail(for me of course).

Subject matter, lyrics, sound...ingredients if done right can make a beautiful song and if done wrong can kill a song.

Peace on Earth fails here. Great subject matter, okay lyrics but terrible musically.
Bad succeeds here. Great subject matter, great lyrics and very good musically.
Unknown Caller fails here. Great subject matter, poor lyrics, okay musically.

Iris succeeds here. Great subject matter, great lyrics and good musically. It doesn't have a killer guitar riff, which for some people must exist in order to say a song is a success but instead Iris has a killer bass grove(and drums), which make up for that "missing" riff.

Dare I say that if done right live, Iris has the potential to be as good as Bad......perhaps I'm getting ahead of myself but I think this song will be a highlight live.


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Any that are cynical about this song I do not want to know. Ever. I lost my grampa when I was 6 years old...but he and my grandma took care of me while my mom mom worked so I was close to him. Touching his hand in the casket was my first experience with death. I went home after visitation and hid behind the couch...and fell asleep. There is no end to grief so that's how I know that there is no end to love.


I'm sorry for your loss. I knew my grandfather for 19 years but I live in Oregon and the rest of my family lives in Michigan so we never got to see them. I talked to him on the phone a lot but the last time I saw him was about a year and a half ago. His funeral was beautiful and actually quite funny (he was hilarious so a lot of the funeral was remembering all the funny things he said and did). This was my first experience with death too and it's such a weird thing to call my grandmother and not be able to talk to my Papa. The first time I listened to this song I immediately thought of him. This whole album really connects with me because it's about U2 when they were around my age.


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This is a statement that I apply to many U2 songs and I found this song wins where others fail(for me of course).

Subject matter, lyrics, sound...ingredients if done right can make a beautiful song and if done wrong can kill a song.

Peace on Earth fails here. Great subject matter, okay lyrics but terrible musically.
Bad succeeds here. Great subject matter, great lyrics and very good musically.
Unknown Caller fails here. Great subject matter, poor lyrics, okay musically.

Iris succeeds here. Great subject matter, great lyrics and good musically. It doesn't have a killer guitar riff, which for some people must exist in order to say a song is a success but instead Iris has a killer bass grove(and drums), which make up for that "missing" riff.

Dare I say that if done right live, Iris has the potential to be as good as Bad......perhaps I'm getting ahead of myself but I think this song will be a highlight live.

I agree with you that Irish has amazing potential live, and they could really make it something special.

Poor Peace on Earth...such a pretty little song that gets no love here. It's actually one my favourites on that record (and I love that record).
 
That cover band is bloody awesome, with that Chile cover band the best I´ve heard so far


Is the one in Chile called Lemon? Saw some clips on YouTube and they are amazing. This Iris clip is really good too.


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Poor Peace on Earth...such a pretty little song that gets no love here. It's actually one my favourites on that record (and I love that record).
Same here. To me that song delivers on just about every level.
 
Althought i love U2, it is my favorite band since 1993 and the new album I find the best since Achtung Baby, I´m not gonna write only about positive things. I generally love it and I expressed it here many times, if you didn´t note it. But if I come across on something annoying I don´t hesitate to mention it. I always try to explain my reasons for the opinion. But unfortunately some others cannot give proper arguments and only produce personal attacks. This is something that leads nowhere and it is pointless. :|
 
Your habit of repeating your contrary opinion on every new page of threads is fucking annoying. You said to mention it. There is no "proper argument" to be given, it's just your unshared opinion that noone can or should feel need to convince you otherwise.

Why not give more ink to the songs you like (and, by extension, are actually listening to most?) and give us a break in the threads for songs you don't like so much. I mean, I'm assuming you're actually listening to these songs less, unless you like torturing yourself..


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Again pointless personal attacks...not gonna respond to this.

Please take a note I also praised a lot of things and songs about new album in many threads. I don´t get this selective blindness...
 
Again pointless personal attacks...not gonna respond to this.

Please take a note I also praised a lot of things and songs about new album in many threads. I don´t get this selective blindness...

I'm also not going to respond to this pointless personal attack!

I'm going to show all the world that I am not going to respond to this in my response... to this.

So take that, haters!

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Please take a note I also praised a lot of things and songs about new album in many threads. I don´t get this selective blindness...

Therein lies the great misunderstanding I believe. I think you are thinking that people are firing up at you because they think you don't like the new album. No offence, but I don't give two fucks whether you like it or not. What people are taking exception to is ridiculously repetitive claims that Edge is done, the TCB solo is boring and 70s. You're making foie gras - you're the farmer, we're the geese. Take the tube out of our mouths, and stop force-feeding us your repetitive, unhealthy, fattening nonsense.
 
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