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Peter

Peter

War Child
Joined
Jul 31, 2000
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I'm rediscovering New York for some days now and I think it's one of the best songs of the whole ATYCLB-album. The lyrics really let us feel the spirit of the big apple. It summarizes the whole city into one beautiful song. And it has a great Edge riff during the chorus.

Any thoughts about this song?
 
The live version is so good. Edge just add loads of guitar bits, and a solo to die for. Bono hams it up in classic fashion, and the tune becomes a real stormer of a track.
 
I really like it on the Boston DVD. I like the way it's shot in B&W and the energy the song gets when played live. I think I like the album version more because of that! Having never been to New York I can only imagine if it's relevant to the city.
 
jonnytakeawalk said:
Definately the worst song off ATYCLB! Lyrics are awful!
Click to expand...

I don't know.. I think it's one of the songs off ATYCLB where the lyrics are actually good! Just like Peace On Earth.

Voices on the cell phone
Voices from home
Voices of the hard sell
Voices down a stairwell
In New York, just got a place in New York

Irish, Italians, Jews and Hispanics
Religious nuts, political fanatics in the stew,
Living happily not like me and you
That's where I lost you... New York

:heart:
 
Zootlesque said:


I don't know.. I think it's one of the songs off ATYCLB where the lyrics are actually good! Just like Peace On Earth.

Voices on the cell phone
Voices from home
Voices of the hard sell
Voices down a stairwell
In New York, just got a place in New York

Irish, Italians, Jews and Hispanics
Religious nuts, political fanatics in the stew,
Living happily not like me and you
That's where I lost you... New York

:heart:
Click to expand...


I think those lyrics are pretty bad actually:reject:
 
:D :D

I loooooooove :heart: NY !





:wink:

Actually I really DO love New York.

I hadn't heard anything played on the radio... ...probably because i was listening to "talkradio" { in the days before :hug: Air America Radio :hug: } & NPR/WNYC and not tuning in that much.

So I finally got to record store ...I'd heard a bit, but wanted to hear more before i bought it........I was pretty darn sure I WAS gonna but it, it's just thaT i was short on money those weeks in particular.}

WHen I got 5to NY there I was listening to the sparish music abnd soft singing when ###WHAM#### the audio dynamics jump like ? 1000 + fold!!!with that great WHOMPFFFF of a sound betwen edges buzzing gutair and such deep Bass notes :drool: !!! besides liking the song in general.

and it's actually one of the few U2 songs I prefer on the album - and I AM a Live!Concert "freak". I just don't think the dynamic range difference is acheived in shopw abnd that's one of the most amaing IMHO things about that particular song.

and as a born & bred NYC'r I was very moved whern they altered the lyrics for the Letterman show post 9-11 to relfect the situation. :hug: U2
 
the rockin edge said:
good live :up:

the studio version doesn't do anything for me.
Click to expand...

I agree.

It's nothing really special on the album, live it has some teeth.

I still think When I Look at The World could have done the same thing and really come alive in concert.
 
New York is a bit of a U2 anomoly for me. It really doesn't fit in with anything they've done in the 2000s, and maybe that's why I like it. The best thing I could compare it to would be saying that New York is to ATYCLB as Velvet Dress was to Pop.

It's definetly a track that takes the first-time listener off-guard on the album's second side. The way the song builds up from a whisper to a scream in the vocal department is very Bowie-esque. Bono displays some much needed tact in his vocals, and the lyrics are quite good.

The song seems like a kind of escape, a trip away from the ordinary, leaving domestic problems away for the rhythm of the city. The little bit of synth in the right channel near the end of the song seals the deal for me.

It's not an extraordinary track, by any means, but for 2000s U2 it's pretty fucking good and deviant.

Of course it's not to be confused with any other New York, such as New York Telephone Conversation - which is a much better song.
 
The 'heavy part' with the guitar riffs on the album version is kinda lame imo. Like they thought "hmm, this song is boring, let's add some guitar".

But the live version... :ohmy:

When I first watched NY on the Boston DVD all I could think was 'OMG! This depicts exactly the feel I always get when listening to the song!! :drool:'. I swear I always got that black&white shadowy feel with that song.
 
when i heard the song for the first time... lyrics, overall vibe... all i could think of was a night time taxi ride through chelsea...

ya know, there's really two sides of manhattan... the bright lights of midtown, times square, that's captured in city of blinding lights... and then there's the small neighborhoods within manhattan... the chelseas, soho... away from the hectic, bright lights, touristy part of the city... the real manhattan... and new york just captures the vibe of these areas perfectly.

needless to say neither song really captures the south bronx... but that's ok.
 
needless to say neither song really captures the south bronx... but that's ok. [/B]
Click to expand...

What's there to capture? All they care about are the Yankees. Maybe Bono should've thrown in a Joe D. and Mickey line to appease that constitsuency.
 
BonoVoxSupastar said:


:|

Much needed tact?

Lyrics quite good?

You must have a completely different version than I...
Click to expand...

Vocally, I think I know what Canadiens is getting it.

There are so many songs that Bono sort of goes over the top, a bit overwrought and on New York he sings it pretty straightforward. It almost sounds, dare I say, like a natural voice. In a sense, he does show some tact, too often he gets confused and thinks he's a soul singer.

Lyrically, I can take or leave it.
 
I actually hated the song... until I saw it performed live on the Elevation tour. Now I always smile when I hear it, thinking of B's 'shadow puppet' performance he did in Charlotte where I saw them.

And like Headache said, the song really does capture the feeling of the neighborhoods in Manhattan - the parts that most tourist never see. :yes:
 
Musically, I enjoy the album version. More so than the live version. But everything about the lyrics/vocals - everything - makes me want to cry. I find Bono to be terribly whiny in it.
 
U2DMfan said:


There are so many songs that Bono sort of goes over the top, a bit overwrought and on New York he sings it pretty straightforward. It almost sounds, dare I say, like a natural voice. In a sense, he does show some tact, too often he gets confused and thinks he's a soul singer.
Click to expand...

But that is Bono's voice, it is over the top sometimes...

It always has been. Lemon would have been nothing without the over the top falsetto, WTSHNN wouldn't be as strong, etc.

Just like Vedder would be nothing without his over the top and baritone, Thom Yorke would be nothing without his voice quirks...
 
MrBrau1 said:
The live version is so good. Edge just add loads of guitar bits, and a solo to die for. Bono hams it up in classic fashion, and the tune becomes a real stormer of a track.
Click to expand...

:yes:

I've never understood why so many people seem to hate it, it's always been one of my favourites from ATYCLB :shrug:
 
NY is the only good song on the second half of that album. And live it's awesome... I wish they'd play it on this tour.. with the big video screen they could do awesome stuff.

The reason I think RS was wrong in claiming ATYCLB was "U2's third masterpiece" was because of the weakness of the bottom half of that album. Bomb is the band's real third masterpiece album.. songs like Crumbs and OOTS give that album more strength than the bottom songs of ATYCLB do.
 
cypress said:
Bomb is the band's real third masterpiece album.. songs like Crumbs and OOTS give that album more strength than the bottom songs of ATYCLB do.
Click to expand...
Why do serious threads about ATYCLB always get a reply like this sooner or later? OK, saying ATYCLB is the third masterpiece didn't call for objectivity, but defying that point of view with another subjective statement doesn't make sense.

Yeah I know I brought HTDAAB into that POP thread, but at least I said "I'd rather have POP" and not "POP is the only real masterpiece album".
 
The studio version is great, i like the song the lyrics are just a bit :| . But live its excellent!!:drool:
 
U2DMfan said:
There are so many songs that Bono sort of goes over the top, a bit overwrought and on New York he sings it pretty straightforward. It almost sounds, dare I say, like a natural voice. In a sense, he does show some tact, too often he gets confused and thinks he's a soul singer.
Click to expand...

But surely he IS a soul singer, when he sings from his soul?
 
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