Songs of Experience 36 - Now with 20% fewer acronyms

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gvox said:
It is unfinished. And sounds rather pasted together.


Still, it’s far better than Mercy.


Crystal Ballroom and Invisible are far bigger head scratchers as to why they were left off
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Yeah, you guys are getting at what I feel about the song. I really like it, but it misses out on greatness because it feels like they played around with it a bit, but never went back and really worked to get it just right.
I just am a sucker for that last minute or so which is just pure old 80’s U2 spirit/free-form that we don’t get anymore.
 
trainmaniac said:
The only song I pass is American Soul.
The Best Thing and Get Out are solid pop-rock songs, I like their vibe.
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I’ve come to this conclusion as well.

Also this Billboard interview is great btw.

https://www.billboard.com/amp/articles/news/magazine-feature/8070415/u2-songs-of-experience-billboard-cover-story-2017?__twitter_impression=true
 
I agree. I took a week or so off from the 3 “singles” and came back fresh. They sound great, especially The Best Thing.
I kinda think Get Out... is just a little TOO U2 for me. I like it. Finely crafted song. All the pieces are there. But it underwhelms me a bit. I had the same feeling about Invisible, although I like Get Out more.

Does no one else have a problem with The Showman? I just... don’t like it. Seems so out of place and I guess feel that it would have been sort of a cool bonus song.
 
I am liking TBT more and more as time goes on! It no longer sounds cluttered or too busy for me, and the lyrics are wonderfully multidimensional, especially in the context of the album!

And I heard it on the radio for the first time here in Indianapolis!
 
gvox said:
It is unfinished. And sounds rather pasted together.


Still, it’s far better than Mercy.


Crystal Ballroom and Invisible are far bigger head scratchers as to why they were left off
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Agreed. I like Mercy though. [emoji6]

My 13 song version of SOI is:

Miracle
Invisible
Every Breaking Wave
California
Song For Someone
Iris
Volcano
Raised By Wolves
Cedarwood Road
Sleep Like A Baby Tonight
Crystal Ballroom
This Is Where You Can Reach Around
The Troubles
 
womanfish said:
Does no one else have a problem with The Showman? I just... don’t like it. Seems so out of place and I guess feel that it would have been sort of a cool bonus song.
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I felt the same way the first four or five times I heard the song. I wondered why Noel Gallagher was so impressed with this song, even going so far as to call it one of U2's best ever songs. And then...everything clicked! This song is fun and catchy, but it is also an excellent composition that is perfectly placed in the tracklist. The song's placement helps me to appreciate it and the album's themes even more.

The Showman is the playful, confident Bono who is seemingly having the time of his life and flaunting it before the audience. On the other hand, as The Showman ends, Bono reveals that he is not as self-assured as he lets on. Despite all the advantages his seemingly amazing life offers him, he is still human and suffers from self-doubt and maybe even bouts of depression. The once confident singer is now covered in fear and reduced to tears in The Little Things.
 
AtomicHorizon said:
I felt the same way the first four or five times I heard the song. I wondered why Noel Gallagher was so impressed with this song, even going so far as to call it one of U2's best ever songs. And then...everything clicked! This song is fun and catchy, but it is also an excellent composition that is perfectly placed in the tracklist. The song's placement helps me to appreciate it and the album's themes even more.

The Showman is the playful, confident Bono who is seemingly having the time of his life and flaunting it before the audience. On the other hand, as The Showman ends, Bono reveals that he is not as self-assured as he lets on. Despite all the advantages his seemingly amazing life offers him, he is still human and suffers from self-doubt and maybe even bouts of depression. The once confident singer is now covered in fear and reduced to tears in The Little Things.
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I wasn't sure about the Showman at first, but now I love it! It's become one of my favorite songs on the album. It's fun and clever and *funny.* We all know the guys have a good sense of humor but I'm not sure it's ever showed up in a song before. Not like this. The more I listen, the more I feel the whole tone is something new for them -- and for a band that's been around over 40 years that's amazing.
 
Yeah I love The Showman. Probably my second favorite on the album. It's a throwback to both 60s sound and late 70s UK pub rock. Awesome vibe to it.
 
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Luzita said:
I wasn't sure about the Showman at first, but now I love it! It's become one of my favorite songs on the album. It's fun and clever and *funny.* We all know the guys have a good sense of humor but I'm not sure it's ever showed up in a song before. Not like this. The more I listen, the more I feel the whole tone is something new for them -- and for a band that's been around over 40 years that's amazing.
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Same here! I was kind of taken aback by it at first, but I thought if the band aren’t going to be so uptight about their music, then maybe I shouldn’t, either, and just enjoy it.

U2 have had lighthearted songs before, but it’s been a while, and not all of them have gone over very well (Miami, SUC). The Refugee was kind of a silly song, and I’ve always thought of Trip Through Your Wires that way, but to a lesser degree.
 
Of all the songs of SOE...... Showman has grown most on me. And it has got not a single clunker word in its whole lyrics.
 
Axver said:
It's painfully boring. And unlike the other two songs that reuse SOI bits and pieces effectively, in a better way than before, this takes a bad bit of SOI and structures the whole song around it. It's just SFS II and we didn't need that.
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Okay... it either grabs you or it doesn't.

It grabbed me by the..... heartstrings
 
womanfish said:
It’s really simple. You totally forget that SFS existed in the first place and just revel in the delicate beauty of 13.
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No, it's just plain boring and uncreative.

And then you realise SFS does exist and 13 just becomes the sleeping pill version of its predecessor.
 
Axver said:
No, it's just plain boring and uncreative.

And then you realise SFS does exist and 13 just becomes the sleeping pill version of its predecessor.
Click to expand...
The verse melody is impressive actually. It's not instantly accessible as it isn't full of repitions - i don't know the terminology but it's a long and winding melody. So it doesn't stick after one (or dare I say four) listens.
But it's the sort of gentle, intricate melody that when your ear eventually learns it, and anticipates its twists and turns, it becomes far more fulfilling than the simple Best Thing-style melodies.

Re the chorus, the There Is A Light part was the best of SFS. The long and drawn out chorus was the worst.
So the chorus of 13 if gorgeous (until it does the soooonnngggggg bit).

Lyrics are good. The lyrical idea is probably stronger than the lyrics themselves, but it is well written, haunting and effective.
 
13 is really the 'One Step Closer' of this album I think lots of hipster U2 fans will hate on it, but it will grow in street cred over time as an understated, beautiful tune.
 
13 is the BJ Watling of SOE. Not flashy but a product of immense experience, utterly effective and one of the first picks.
 
I wish I loved it. I can't stop skipping it. I like the callbacks to SOI in theory but they didn't work for me musically. So ending the album proper with one long one was a disappointment. Maybe I'll find some fondness for it.

Always liked SFS.
 
It occurs to me that between that BBC clip and his quote in the Billboard interview, is this the first that Larry has been part of the promo tour whatsoever? I know he's by far the least talkative/public of the four, but I literally haven't heard a word about his take on SOE. Though one can assume he's on board!
 
PopFly said:
It occurs to me that between that BBC clip and his quote in the Billboard interview, is this the first that Larry has been part of the promo tour whatsoever? I know he's by far the least talkative/public of the four, but I literally haven't heard a word about his take on SOE. Though one can assume he's on board!
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It appears as if he's often bored...yet on board?
 
I find the One Step Closer/ 13 comparison being brought up here interesting. Sonically One Step Closer is very very similar to The First Time. I wouldn’t call it a retread. I feel the same about 13/ SFS. 13 builds ambiently off of SFS.

Lyrically on the other hand, totally different comparison. If you get a little deeper I think Bono felt the need to express maturity and spiritual growth from the youth of SOI to the age of SOE & 13 is one of those direct bridges. Like writing the same song at different ages. Longing for someone else’s love (need for affection & comfort - ‘comfort me?!?!!!’ Versus longing to find oneself- i.e. I can figure this out, I know the answers are inside. Bono turning a song written for the love of his life (SFS) & transforming into into an introspective song feels unique for the U2 catalog. I’m not turned off by it.
 
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kabigon said:
Larry's the chairman of the board
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He really is on the board!

https://www.sprivail.org/about-us/board-of-directors

Larry Mullen, Jr.
Founder, Partner, U2, Dublin, Ireland

https://www.businesswire.com/news/h...-Pediatrix-Announces-Director-Nominees-Annual

"We're pleased to have Larry Mullen as a nominee to our Board. With his extensive experience in the healthcare industry and his knowledge of Pediatrix, our Board of Directors will continue to provide the strategic direction and important corporate oversight that our shareholders have come to expect."

https://www.samhealthplans.org/about-samaritan-health-plans/our-leadership

Larry A. Mullins, DHA
President and CEO, Samaritan Health Services
Chairman of the Board of Directors, Samaritan Health Plans, Inc.

I bet he's serving in those second two roles and just changed his name slightly to avoid the limelight.
 
kiwilad said:
The verse melody is impressive actually. It's not instantly accessible as it isn't full of repitions - i don't know the terminology but it's a long and winding melody. So it doesn't stick after one (or dare I say four) listens.
But it's the sort of gentle, intricate melody that when your ear eventually learns it, and anticipates its twists and turns, it becomes far more fulfilling than the simple Best Thing-style melodies.

Re the chorus, the There Is A Light part was the best of SFS. The long and drawn out chorus was the worst.
So the chorus of 13 if gorgeous (until it does the soooonnngggggg bit).

Lyrics are good. The lyrical idea is probably stronger than the lyrics themselves, but it is well written, haunting and effective.
Click to expand...

Well said and my thoughts exactly.
 
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