Am I the only one who doesn't really like Staring at the Sun?

[martha]

While WOWY is #3 for me, Staring at the Sun has been icky in my book since it first came out. I've never liked it in any version.

 

[Miricale_Drug]

the gorillazs have a version. any chance of a YSI?

 

[roy]

the gorillazs have a version. any chance of a YSI?

so true... I love the SATS.

 

[frozenmuze04]

I think the lyrics are hit/miss - I feel the same way as the initial poster - I can't put my finger on why the song gets boring for me, because all the elements are in place - good melody, good guitar, good structure, love the bass line. I don't know. I get tired of it easily.

The Monster Truck Mix is a mofo, though.

 

[kosull]

The Monster Truck Mix is a mofo, though.

I agree, but the Sad Bastards mix is just brilliant. The mental synth bit at the end is excellent and the bass line hypnotic.

 

[VertigoGal]

I really like the song, but the second verse lyrics (particulary "breaking on your back like a beach"- what the hell is that?) come pretty close to ruining it. But not quite.

 

[lazarus]

Definitely the least-interesting song on POP, simply because it's so...generic. The lyrics are awkward at times, but in my opinion the song is saved by the middle section. The words are great, the groove is more inventive than the rest of the entire song. It keeps me from writing the thing off. The live acoustic version is only better because Bono's spanish guitar playing is more experimental than anything on the studio version!

The chorus is aiming for BIG but it just isn't that catchy when you sing it for some reason.

The worst crime of all with this song was the total CRAP video that was released. Just cool photography but totally conceptless. It helped the song bomb on the charts.

In my opinion U2 shouldn't have followed Discotheque with this. Last Night On Earth would have shown listeners that the band still knew how to rock. SATS would have been a better mid-to-late summer release.

 

[angelordevil]

Maybe cos it's a ballad. Have you heard the Popmart Mexico City version? It's awesome, maybe even better than the album version!

My favourite version is from the Sarajevo Popmart concert. Bono's voice is shot and gravelly, and Edge picks up the slack for him in the chorus. It's really powerful and passionate. After it's over, Bono thanks Edge, and comments on his 'great voice.'

Anyone else notice how the studio version of this song is slowed down a bit on the greatest hits? I've noticed this when Bono sings the 'insect in your ear' lines...I wonder if it's deliberately slowed to make the lyrics clearer?

 

[AtomicBono]

it's all about the Monster Truck Mix!!

The Monster Truck Mix is baller!! I wonder how people's perceptions of the song would have changed if that had been the version on Pop... it's about as techno as Mofo and not really a ballad, and damn does it showcase that bassline probably one of the best remixes U2 has ever done. I don't think it could take the place of the song I grew up with in my heart, but I do love it. I also love the acoustic version of the song.

I'd say SATS is one of the weaker tracks on Pop, but coming from me, that's like Axver talking about a subpar Lovetown performance

 

[Zoots]

I love Staring At The Sun. In fact I'll go listen to it now.

Intransigence is all around
Military still in town
Armour plated suits and ties
Daddy just won't say goodbye
Referee won't blow the whistle
God is good but will He listen
I'm nearly great
But there's something missing...

 

[cleazer]

Never been a big fan of this song. It really brought down the whole Pop era.

 

[U2girl]

For me, the best song on Pop next to Please and Gone.

Live version is the best though...

 

[longingforBono]

I think it is a good enough song. My fave off Pop is still "If God Will Send His Angels"- for personal reasons more than anything else.

 

[Badyouken]

Wow I never thought I'd have to defend Staring at the Sun one day...

It's one of my favourite songs. It's the song that got me into U2.

The melody, the lyrics and, especially, that electric guitar

The acoustic version is nice too.

But I've never heard the live electric version. I can't find it anywhere

 

[Hallucination]

This is probably one of U2's least appealing songs to me. Not because it's not good... it really is and I can't say anything negative about it... it just got boring so fast to me. I can't really put my finger on why.

Same thing with WoWY.

The first song I ever liked by U2 was WGRYWH. The first song that made me want to buy a U2 cd was Starring at the Sun. Now having said that WGRYWH seems to continue to grow on me and has become one of my top ten U2 songs where as Starring at the Sun is an average U2 song to me. Strange how that worked out.

 

[Hallucination]

the gorillazs have a version. any chance of a YSI?

They're only joking. Gorillaz never covered this song. Though the melody durring the slow part of Feel Good Inc. sounds extremely similar to Starring at the Sun

 

[XHendrix24]

Feel Good Inc. >>>>>> Staring at the Sun

 

[Cask]

But I've never heard the live electric version. I can't find it anywhere

Send me an email to casco69@hotmail.com and I will reply with a link to staring at the sun from vegas opener. It is the first version ever, and they fuck it up the first time, and the second time comes ok. I really like how edge's guitar sounds of this. If they had kept playing it for more time it could have been a really great full band live song.

 

[Badyouken]

Done.

 

[MacPhistoPT]

This song, for me, it's just a standard U2 song. Cool melody and good lines but it lacks something.

and btw the Gorillaz suck