Rate the Song: Unknown Caller

[digitize]

It is hard to believe, but we are now moving onto the first round of voting for U2's latest album, No Line on the Horizon.

Please rate Unknown Caller on a scale from 0 to 10, using whatever criteria you feel allows you to best evaluate the song as a whole. I will not set criteria for people to based on, but if you feel like your best evaluation of the merits of a song comes from voting only based on, say, the studio version, go right ahead and vote that way. Full information on the Rate The Song series may be found in this thread.

Have fun! This poll will close in 96 hours.

 

[The Panther]

And here we have the "let's get back to the UF sound" track of NLOTH. Of course, that's a great sound... but this song doesn't quite live up to its sound-alike predecessors. Not bad, though, and very pretty (some dodgy lyrics).

 

[RioRhodes]

8. U2 trying to make an anthem. Succeeding fairly well but not moving me particularly. Don't love the lyrics.

 

[Nick66]

Sometimes, U2 albums are remarkably uneven, like ATYCLB...same tracks are great, some are pretty weak. NLOTH has that, but also manages to be uneven within some of the tracks themselves.

Parts of this song I love...the UF ambience of it, the beginning of it, Bono's vocals, and the over all feel of the thing. The first and third verse are lyrically OK, But then it slips into the "Press play/reboot yourself/password/enter here" musical and lyrical train wreck that seems completely out of place with the rest of the song.

So I really can't decide between a 7 or 8 on this one, but because the overall impression I come away with after listening, despite its problems, today it gets an 8.

 

[LadySpinHead]

The lyrics kill this one for me, although musically it's grown on me a bit. 6

 

[trevgreg]

Musically, I like it. And overall it has grown on me a bit since it came out. I can't get past the ATM lyrics on the chorus though. And the intro might be a tad long. Still has its moments in the song though, especially the "oh oh oh oh"s during it. Gets a 7 from me.

 

[nielsgov]

The lyrics in the chorus are clunky. They don't ruin the song for me however, and I think the lyrics in the verses are really good. The solo and the intro make up for a lot as well. 8

 

[Nick66]

I can't get past the ATM lyrics on the chorus though. And the intro might be a tad long.

Wrong tune.

 

[corianderstem]

I frickin' love this song. I totally get why some have an issue with the lyrics, but they work for me.

Love it.

 

[Galeongirl]

Dat solo.

 

[gvox]

I frickin' love this song. I totally get why some have an issue with the lyrics, but they work for me.

Love it.

Dat solo.

 

[super fly guy]

Love it,was instantly one of my fave U2 songs after i heard it. 9 from me.

 

[lemonfly]

Some great music, but let down by hokey verses. The oh-oh-oh-oh chorus doesn't work for me either. 6

 

[coolian2]

10, without a shadow of a doubt imo.

 

[mama cass]

just really REALLY bizarre... sorry...

 

[prbiker15]

Did not work good live, but the studio version is just incredible. I love Edge's solo, don't like the vocals that much - but I love Bono's vocals. 8.

 

[BlueSilkenSky]

7. I never really got into it, but the guitar solo and the French horn are really pretty. And I like the buzzing sounds/bird chirping at the beginning. Sets the mood well.

 

[flybabe]

The lyrics are a bit laughable, but this song is all kinds of awesome. It makes you feel good, and I love songs that can do that to a person. 10.

 

[prbiker15]

Did not work good live, but the studio version is just incredible. I love Edge's solo, don't like the vocals that much - but I love Bono's vocals. 8.

What I meant to say was LYRICS.

 

[theedgeu2]

I remember when I first listened to this I really loved the "Sunshine, sunshine" bit Edge sings at the beginning and the whole ambiance of the beginning. Btw this has to be one of Edge's nicest solos in his repetuer (I'm sure that's not spelled right but who gives a damn). An 8.

 

[digitize]

I'm actually not a huge fan of Edge's solo. I suppose I'm not a big fan of guitar solos in general, and they have to really grab me for me to like them (I love, for instance, Edge's ZooTV solo on BTBS, and The Fly's solo is classic). UC's solo just doesn't strike me as anything special.

That said, I really do still like the song. Not as much as I used to, but it's a solid 7 for me, and I may change my vote to an 8 later.

 

[BlueSilkenSky]

I remember when I first listened to this I really loved the "Sunshine, sunshine" bit Edge sings at the beginning and the whole ambiance of the beginning. Btw this has to be one of Edge's nicest solos in his repetuer (I'm sure that's not spelled right but who gives a damn). An 8.

Repetoire?

It is a very nice solo! But I wouldn't go that far.

 

[theedgeu2]

Repetoire?

Yes that's the word I was looking for! Thanks.

 

[silkensky]

This song has had such a long gestation period for growing on me, and even then I still have to be in the mood for it. Awkward, quirky, disjointed, but there's still something I love about it. The organ, French horns, and Edge's solo toward the end are very uplifting. Will give it an 8 for that alone.

 

[cobl04]

Not too bad musically. I like the intro, and the verses are pretty good too.

Edge's solo sounds good, but it doesn't hit me anywhere near as much as his other myriad great solos (WOWY, NYD, Love is Blindness, The Fly, UTEOTW off the top of my head).

But the thing that ruins the song most is the god-awful lyrics. What's it meant to be about? A guy who is thinking of committing suicide until he gets an automated text from his iPhone telling him not to or something?

 

[Scorpionac]

A guy who is thinking of committing suicide until he gets an automated text from his iPhone telling him not to or something?

If this has never happened to you, you've never really been suicidal.

 

[An Cat Gav]

Great that they tried something so different. The first minute or so is brilliant, sublime, but then they go and ruin it with those damned "walk On" chimes!!
Aside from that, like a lot of people I don't think the computer speak lyrics work and this spoils the song for me, they're embarassing and makes the rest of the song hard for me to listen to.
However the solo is indeed blistering and the bizareness of the song is a great thing!
Sounds like Yes, but in a good way.
7

 

[coolian2]

But the thing that ruins the song most is the god-awful lyrics. What's it meant to be about? A guy who is thinking of committing suicide until he gets an automated text from his iPhone telling him not to or something?

get drunk. be the character. listen.

 

[mama cass]

get drunk. be the character. listen.

i'm going to try. that.

 

[cobl04]

It's worse than anything Chris Martin has ever written. There's a guy who gets slagged off much more than he should.