'Corpse (These Chains Are Way Too Long)': The Most Radiohead-esque U2 Song EVER?

[Michael Griffiths]

Not necessarily lyrically, but the way the song sounds, the mood, and also Edge's vocal delivery. Almost Kid A way before its time. Or am I on crack?


Hey, see you soon
Sail through your room
I'll meet you there


Hey, be my friend
Stay 'til the end
Don't walk away
Hey, hey, hey, hey...


Hey, take 'em off
Don't talk that way
Don't feel my lover say
Hey, hey, hey...


Chains move that thing
Chains we can see
My chains way too long
Chains in this
Chains move that thing
Chains we could see
Chains are way too long
And I hear my song
Hear my song

 

[elevatedmole]

It never occurred to me before, but you're right.. it's definitely Radiohead-esque. Maybe we're just both on crack.

 

[Bonochick]

I don't know enough about Radiohead to make such a call, but I do love that song.

 

[Popmartijn]

Hello,

I want to put it in a different way. From OK Computer on Radiohead are making many Passengers-esque songs. Original Soundtracks 1 came out before Radiohead were going into their experimentation phase (OS1: 1995, OK Computer: 1997, Kid A: 2000, etc.).
Don't confuse cause and effect!

C ya!

Marty

 

[Angel]

uhm.... am I on crack? Because I have no feckin clue what you all are talking about?!

Is this a U2 song that sounds like Radiohead? Or a Radiohead song that sounds like U2?

 

[LarryMullen's POPAngel]

It's from Passengers.


And I think he meant that it sounded like "U2"'s attempt at Radiohead, which I kinda see.

I haven't listened to it in a looong time, so I'm not one to say.

 

[Michael Griffiths]

It's from Passengers.


And I think he meant that it sounded like "U2"'s attempt at Radiohead, which I kinda see.

I haven't listened to it in a looong time, so I'm not one to say.

Actually, no I didn't mean it sounds like "U2's attempt at Radiohead." Sorry for the confusion. What I meant is that 'Corpse' is a song that sounds like Radiohead (circa 1997 on...) in some very vital ways. I truly believe that Radiohead have been more influenced by U2 -- and not the other way around -- than by any other band (even Thom Yorke has stated what a HUGE fan he is of U2). Parts of Edge's style are all over the Bends and, later, the U2 experimentalism of Passengers (and even as early as Unforgettable Fire) is drawn upon, and expounded upon, on OK Computer, Kid A and even Amnesiac. Radiohead, though, were able to use the doors that U2 opened for them, and walk up spiral staircases and take that (particular) direction even further. Of course, I may just be on crack.

 

[Angel]

I keep forgetting about Passengers.

 

[LarryMullen's POPAngel]

I keep forgetting about Passengers.

Bad U2 fan!!!



____
i just bought the cd last summer

 

[Zoomerang96]

i have to disagree...i dont think u2 inspired them as much as you say.

in fact i have never read any interview of them where they said they were inspired by u2 other than ed once saying how cool it was to play red rocks cause he remembered seeing the u2 tape of them playing there all the time.

and radiohead did not change cause of the doors u2 opened. radiohead changed cause they hated the songs that were everywhere, even their own. they wanted to do something that didnt sound like a "fridge buzzing."

my 2 cents.

 

[Michael Griffiths]

i have to disagree...i dont think u2 inspired them as much as you say.

in fact i have never read any interview of them where they said they were inspired by u2 other than ed once saying how cool it was to play red rocks cause he remembered seeing the u2 tape of them playing there all the time.

and radiohead did not change cause of the doors u2 opened. radiohead changed cause they hated the songs that were everywhere, even their own. they wanted to do something that didnt sound like a "fridge buzzing."

my 2 cents.

Well, I didn't read the interview -- I saw it! Thom said, on camera, that he has always been a huge fan of U2, and found them very inspirational. Anyway, my 2cents.

 

[Zoomerang96]

ooh, thats cool. really i always look for radiohead to say stuff like that.

was that a relatively recent interview?

 

[Michael Griffiths]

ooh, thats cool. really i always look for radiohead to say stuff like that.

was that a relatively recent interview?

Actually, no. U2 and Radiohead (as well as The Beastie Boys and others) were playing at the Tibetan Freedom Concert in 1997. Thom was interviewed while U2 were on stage, playing 'One'. The Much Music VJ (can't remember her name, but she was the Asian one who doesn't work there anymore) asked Thom something, and he didn't respond. He was so lost in the song ('One'), right there, in the middle of the interview, that he couldn't say anything. I remember thinking I couldn't blame him (talk about having "someone to blame"!), as I was so pissed that they were doing an interview right in the middle of 'One' and not showing the damn performance. Anyway, Thom broke out of his 'One' induced trance for a second to apologize, saying, "Sorry, I'm a really big fan," and then proceeded to go right back into swaying to the music of U2 as though Suk Yin (that's her name!) wasn't even there!! It was classic.

 

[Zoomerang96]

ah yes, ive heard about that many times actually. that is pretty cool.

 

[HeartlandGirl]

I don't think you're on crack at all. Corpse definitely has a Radiohead feel to it...or maybe Radiohead's albums all have a Passengers feel. Either way, I see quite a few similarities between U2 and Radiohead, although they are subtle. Maybe that's why most people I know who like one of the two bands also likes the other. Did that make sense? Now who's on crack?

 

[Michael Griffiths]

I don't think you're on crack at all. Corpse definitely has a Radiohead feel to it...or maybe Radiohead's albums all have a Passengers feel. Either way, I see quite a few similarities between U2 and Radiohead, although they are subtle. Maybe that's why most people I know who like one of the two bands also likes the other. Did that make sense? Now who's on crack?

No, you are NOT on crack, HeartlandGirl, most definitely not on crack. You have hit on something here. There must be a reason why people who like U2, in many, if not most cases, also like Radiohead. There is a commonality, I feel, in the subtle natures of the two bands. I'm not sure what it is, but I would bet almost anything that there is truth to this. Both bands have somehow hit on the very essense of human truth, the human condition -- but done so in a manner that words cannot capture. Hence, I'm not even going to try.