God, This Is Why I Love This Band...

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Michael Griffiths

Rock n' Roll Doggie
Joined
Jun 10, 2000
Messages
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Playa Del Carmen, Mexico
Listening to 'Hands' right now (that's what it should have been called ;)), and, yes, it's abundantly clear: this is the same band that wrote 'Heartland', 'October', 'Running To Stand Still', and 'The Unforgettable Fire' all those many, many years ago. This is why I love this band. They still have the ability to reach so deep down that you realize that they can't really go there all the time. If they did, you would implode! (That's got to be the worst thing I've ever written.)

Seriously, just listen to the intro of this new, beautiful, EPIC, song. Can Bono sound any more like Bono than he does here? The chord arrangement is classic, in the true sense of the word - meaning it is classic not because it reminds you of classic U2, but because it is classic U2. It's something we haven't heard before, but we can immediately feel something other-wordly, something that only U2 has really tapped into (for me). It's very distinct to U2 and, here, with 'Hands', they've done it again.

This is the best U2 song since 'Miss Sarajevo' - and it might actually be better. Could it be the best U2 song since 'Stay'? It might just be.

This will go down with 'Miss Sarajevo', 'Running To Stand Still', and 'The Unforgettable Fire' as one of the most evocative and serious pieces of music the band has ever created. And to think so many of us thought the band didn't have it in them anymore. I love it when U2 proves us wrong. They are full of surprises, lots of surprises...
 
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Sorry Michael dont agree.
Its an ok song at best to me.
Miss Sarajevo
Heartland
UF
are
much much better songs.. :|

But thats ok my opinion is mine and yours is different from mine- thats ok too..:)

DB9
:dance:

EStorm is much much better..
 
diamond said:
Sorry Michael dont agree.
Its an ok song at best to me.
Miss Sarajevo
Heartland
UF
are
much much better songs.. :|

But thats ok my opinion is mine and yours is different from mine- thats ok too..:)

DB9
:dance:

EStorm is much much better..
Well, keep in mind that both of our opinions are unfair. We've only heard 'Hands' a few times (at least in my case), where as (I'm sure we can speak for the both of us here) we've heard the afformentioned songs hundreds and hundreds of times - over a number of years. That's hardly a fair playing field.

Who knows, maybe I'll absolutely detest 'Hands' after a few months. And who knows, after a few years ;), maybe you'll love it.

I hated 'One' the first time I heard it. Now it's my favourite U2 song of all time. I had a similar response with 'Bad' (now in my top 5). I loved 'Elevation' when I first heard it (it was my favourite on the album). Now, it's the only track on ATYCLB that I skip. Time can make or break a song.
 
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I?m with you Michael. Hands is so beautiful, full of imagery...it?s getting better and better...each time I listen. I?m really moved by this song, the intro brings tears to my eyes. Bono sounds so passionate, awesome. Only U2 could write a song like this.
 
I've just listened to Hands about 6 times, and while I was one of the ones who dismissed it back over the summer (from that small 10 second clip) I really like it now. I listened to it and ES back to back at one point to figure out which I liked more, and this one came out on top.

I think the songs you mentioned are way better than this, Michael, but it's a great song all the same.
 
Michael Griffiths said:
Listening to 'Hands' right now (that's what it should have been called ;)), and, yes, it's abundantly clear: this is the same band that wrote 'Heartland', 'October', 'Running To Stand Still', and 'The Unforgettable Fire' all those many, many years ago. This is why I love this band. They still have the ability to reach so deep down that you realize that they can't really go there all the time. If they did, you would implode! (That's got to be the worst thing I've ever written.)

Seriously, just listen to the intro of this new, beautiful, EPIC, song. Can Bono sound any more like Bono than he does here? The chord arrangement is classic, in the true sense of the word - meaning it is classic not because it reminds you of classic U2, but because it is classic U2. It's something we haven't heard before, but we can immediately feel something other-wordly, something that only U2 has really tapped into (for me). It's very distinct to U2 and, here, with 'Hands', they've done it again.

This is the best U2 song since 'Miss Sarajevo' - and it might actually be better. Could it be the best U2 song since 'Stay'? It might just be.

This will go down with 'Miss Sarajevo', 'Running To Stand Still', and 'The Unforgettable Fire' as one of the most evocative and serious pieces of music the band has ever created. And to think so many of us thought the band didn't have it in them anymore. I love it when U2 proves us wrong. They are full of surprises, lots of surprises...

Well put and I 100% agree. Huzzah. :yes:
 
For those that know.. does the intro (piano) remind you of Captive Soundtrack (either Rowena's theme or the Sinead song - can't remember which).

oh, and yeah, another U2 jewel for me to wear inside my heart. (awwwww)

:D
 
I haven't listened to Hands yet. Except for the clip from months ago, which I thought was :yawn:.

I don't care for ES:| and I'm afraid that I won't like Hands. If I don't like two new songs in a row, well then I might actually have to gripe about U2.
;):no: :mac: :censored: :help:
 
See its a decent song..
Thats about it..:)

Michael what is your fav version of ES?
Mine =Orbit remix:up:

DB9
 
Where are you guys getting this mp3 of "The Hands That Built America"....

*Angel wants to listen too!!! :hyper:
 
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Opening night at the box office across the continent, Gangs of New York sends floods of people into the streets after the automatic sprinkler systems were turned on! Apparently, when U2's Hands... began during the movie, crowds of people could not resist standing up to sway with lighters raised high in the air! One person in New York put it perfectly, "It was like being at a U2 concert!"

If this song doesn't move you, then you are obviously to heavy to be moved. ;)
 
Michael Griffiths said:

This will go down with 'Miss Sarajevo', 'Running To Stand Still', and 'The Unforgettable Fire' as one of the most evocative and serious pieces of music the band has ever created. And to think so many of us thought the band didn't have it in them anymore. I love it when U2 proves us wrong. They are full of surprises, lots of surprises...

Obviously you don't have any good taste in talking about U2's music. I think everyone else will not pick those as the top three most evocative and serious U2 pieces of music. Funny how you omit POP which I think was a serious albums and where most tracks are more serious than the three you mentioned. Hands That Built is just proof what a good vocalist Bono is and what a bad keyboardist the Edge is. Edge should just go back to guitars, after all - he redefined the guitar. I don't see Edge redefining keyboard playing anything soon. It's like the Lakers letting Shaq play point guard when he redefined the center position.

Cheers,

J
The King Of POP
 
Re: Re: God, This Is Why I Love This Band...

jick said:


Obviously you don't have any good taste in talking about U2's music. I think everyone else will not pick those as the top three most evocative and serious U2 pieces of music. Funny how you omit POP which I think was a serious albums and where most tracks are more serious than the three you mentioned...
I'm tempted to say, "Shut up J," and leave it that, but I'll be nice and fall into your little "trap". First, I'm sure you know as well as I do, that I didn't use the word "evocative" for nothing. A song can be serious without necessarily being evocative, which is why the songs on Pop, while many of them serious ones, don't have to be classified as some of the most evocative songs U2 has *ever* created. Now, to be honest, there are a couple serious and evocative songs on Pop, such as 'Please' and 'Velvet Dress', but for the most part, Pop hits pretty hard, and is less intent on atmospheric molding than most of U2's work with Brian Eno. Pop is more about beats and strong, aggressive sound. It also happens to be some of the most serious work U2 have ever created (wouldn't you know?).
 
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Well goodness me.... tis a good song, but things are really crappy in the world when U2 start repeating themselves. Can we say *cough* Miss Sarajevo *cough*
 
Hands That Built America is amazing!

After hearing ES, I didn't think I could love Hands as much, but, if possible, I love it more. Hurray for new U2!!!
 
Michael
G.-

Im changing my tune on this song.:up:
You were right,this song grows on you..:)

U2 songs usually work 1 of 2 ways-
The airborne songs-
-NYD
-The Fly
-NY
-Pride
-I Will Follow

or..

The introspective songs-
-WOWY
-One
-LCT
-Blue Room
-October
-WILATW

"Hands" is one of these.

Diamond

ps-
Michael G, please never change your first name to "Kenny"

thank u-
DB9
 
Oh, yeah - I haven't listened to 'Hands' in quite some time now. I don't think it's near as good as 'Miss Sarajevo' but is a valient effort for an Oscor. I think U2 went a little too over the top in production. I think a stripped down version would be much more powerful. (Think of the acoustic version of 'Stuck' for example.)

It's funny how we've both changed our tunes, but in opposite ways! I kind of predicted that might happen in one of the earlier posts in this thread.
 
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I too changed my opioiion on this song. I changed it because i was sitting with about 10 guys having a party. We were all pretty loaded and i put in the cd and this song came on and since we are all Irish i gave them the brief story behind it and we all became quite and listened to it. We all agreed that the part where bono says "from diggin in our pockets for a reason not to say good-bye" now i remember Ireland everytime i hear this song.
 
Michael Griffiths said:
Listening to 'Hands' right now (that's what it should have been called ;)), and, yes, it's abundantly clear: this is the same band that wrote 'Heartland', 'October', 'Running To Stand Still', and 'The Unforgettable Fire' all those many, many years ago. This is why I love this band. They still have the ability to reach so deep down that you realize that they can't really go there all the time. If they did, you would implode! (That's got to be the worst thing I've ever written.)

Seriously, just listen to the intro of this new, beautiful, EPIC, song. Can Bono sound any more like Bono than he does here? The chord arrangement is classic, in the true sense of the word - meaning it is classic not because it reminds you of classic U2, but because it is classic U2. It's something we haven't heard before, but we can immediately feel something other-wordly, something that only U2 has really tapped into (for me). It's very distinct to U2 and, here, with 'Hands', they've done it again.

This is the best U2 song since 'Miss Sarajevo' - and it might actually be better. Could it be the best U2 song since 'Stay'? It might just be.

This will go down with 'Miss Sarajevo', 'Running To Stand Still', and 'The Unforgettable Fire' as one of the most evocative and serious pieces of music the band has ever created. And to think so many of us thought the band didn't have it in them anymore. I love it when U2 proves us wrong. They are full of surprises, lots of surprises...

Agree with you completely (heh, I had this song running through my head today).

I think this is a beautiful song. I love the music in it-the strings, the piano, the imagery is great (makes me think of New York City during the fall)...it's just all around cool (you described it a lot better). Some people in this thread are saying that this song's grown on them with repeated listenings...me, personally, I liked this song the moment I heard it (first time I heard it was on the best of CD in headphones, I was just like, "Wow...this is cool.").

At the mention of "Electrical Storm"-I love that song, too-I agree with diamond, the Orbit mix is the best version of the song (although I like the other versions, too). I like the way the opening music sounds in that version. It's pretty.

Angela
 
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