The album with the best lyrics

[SweetOnU2]

YOU keep saying that EVERYONE has the RIGHT to LIKE what they WANT YET, your still blabbing away on how POP sucks cause this and that and how you cannot put it on the list....

Your like preaching to us on our taste, your tell us is OK to to like POP cause its our RIGHT but that we are WRONG because YOU.. (really it comes down to how YOU FEEL not the stupid stastics your talking bout)... don't like it! GIVE ME A BREAK!

Football and music are totally different! I don't care if you used as an example!

This was never meant to be a poll of what we like, but what is honestly U2's best work lyrically. All you have to do is read the lyrics sheets and compare.

Ok, so you said this was never meant to be a poll and that if we put POP ahead is ridiculous cause it sucks! Well, tell me HOW DOES ONE DERTERMINE WHAT LYRICS SUCK AND WHICH DO NOT???? Just because YOU say they suck! Is this the mentality that your going by?

I believe someone mention earlier that what is good or bad is soley based on OPINIONS! And that is true if we are talking about LYRICS! Really WHO is wrong and who is right on saying that this album has the best lyrics or not? If we like the lyrics of POP we are not wrong! If you hate the lyrics, your not wrong! Its an OPINNION! The question that was asked IS NOT ONE BASED ON FACTS but OPINIONS!

Which one of these albums is your favorite when it comes to lyrics? I personally would pick

That is my whole point that you are so blind to see.

Ok, I'm running late! Later! I should stay out of this! YIKES!!

I do wish everyone a good day whether you hate me or not! I'm in a good mood today!

------------------
But you take what you can get
'Cause it's all that you can find
Oh, you know there's something more
But tonight, tonight, tonight


(??.?(?*?.? ?.?*?)?.??)
?.???. *Monica*.???.?
(?.??(?.??* *??.?)??.)




[This message has been edited by SweetOnU2 (edited 11-14-2001).]

 

[icelady]

Originally posted by SweetOnU2:
YOU keep saying that EVERYONE has the RIGHT to LIKE what they WANT YET, your still blabbing away on how POP sucks cause this and that and how you cannot put it on the list....

Your like preaching to us on our taste, your tell us is OK to to like POP cause its our RIGHT but that we are WRONG because YOU.. (really it comes down to how YOU FEEL not the stupid stastics your talking bout)... don't like it! GIVE ME A BREAK!

Football and music are totally different! I don't care if you used as an example!

Can I just say this is all a bunch of hooey(not sure how to spell it) I haven't been around much but what I have seen is lots of battle lines drawn. I think the reason U2K is so outspoken about her thoughts is because she's been bashed so many times in other threads for what she likes. You know it's a double edged sword. If someone gets bashed, they'll bash back.

What I see are alot of angry people around here. Regardless of how it got there, it is just THERE. Speak how you will about everyone having rights to like what they like, dislike what they dislike - but it comes down to this -- most everyone speaks with forked tongues and comments can be taken very personally. Has nothing to do with being overly sensitive. Just that some start out well-meaning and end up getting bashed for liking/disliking and end up imploding in the process.

I apologize if this comes across as PREACHING and I'll go back to my lair.

 

[icelady]

Originally posted by SweetOnU2:
Scary, I tell yeah some people scare me!

Maybe Sheek is right, I should throw away my POP CD and all the singles with it! Its such an INFERIOR album! I have been so wrong! NYSYNC could have definitely written Discotheque OMG! (Now that is an insult and slap in the face!

) What is wrong with me!

*throws away her POP CD, singels, and POP poster, and POP T-shirts and junk away!*

*leaves totally and completely frighten!*

Just had to add this to my thread to illustrate the point I was trying to make. You say the BOTTOM line is, everyone has opinions right?

Then why must you throw in all the needless sarcasm which to me looks aimed at a certain individual rather than at an opinion.

Do you expect people to not see your sarcasm? Although I don't think you've ever aimed it at me or my views before I don't understand why it must be aimed at all.

I really don't get it. Don't hate me for my words, but respect that I have a right to speak them.

And that really is all I have to say and on that note I'm leaving(shutting the door behind me).

 

[SweetOnU2]

Originally posted by icelady:
I think the reason U2K is so outspoken about her thoughts is because she's been bashed so many times in other threads for what she likes.

I apologize if this comes across as PREACHING and I'll go back to my lair.

You obviously haven't "been" here long enough! People are going to be outspoken if they feel something is just BLAH! I have been bashed sooooooo many times in the past for just stating that I like something! Like EH!

Oh on the preaching thing, I know that was meant to me.... sometimes some people come of as preaching if we don't agree with that they like. I only argue the point that is our opinion! Questions that our soley on opinion.. is kinda eh.. to go on and say that they are wrong for their opinion! I don't go around telling people that they SHOULDN'T/OR SHOULD like the UF/ZOOTV/ZOOROPA/JT/WHATEVER days because of whatever... they like it/hate it fine... Yah know, whatever! Blah!


About people scaring me! Its my OPINION! I'm not being sarcastic, some people do scare me or at least make me wonder! Sorry if you take that the wrong way! In a a way I'm using humour, sue for not being SERIOUS all the time! But PEOPLE DO SCARE ME!

And ok, I'm staying out of this thread! I stated my opinions... people will still have opinions and rant to infinity.. and that is ok too! I guess, I think.... Blah!

(I really like that smilie!!

)And

At my class for being cancel! ARGH!

------------------
But you take what you can get
'Cause it's all that you can find
Oh, you know there's something more
But tonight, tonight, tonight


(??.?(?*?.? ?.?*?)?.??)
?.???. *Monica*.???.?
(?.??(?.??* *??.?)??.)

 

[Not George Lucas]

So, I think we've established a few things here.

1. AB, ATYCLB, and Pop all have great lyrics.

2. Most people really like UF

3. U2Kitten didn't get and can't appreciate Pop for what it is.

------------------
<A HREF="http://"http://www.iusb.edu/~preimers/monkey.jpg"" TARGET=_blank>It's a monkey!</A>

 

[U2Kitten]

George Lucas, now you have reduced this back to the old 'didn't get it' thing. That is so stupid and I am tired of people writing it off as 'didn't get it.'

GET A CLUE- I DID NOT LIKE IT. I think most of it sounded terrible and I don't want to listen to it. I got it all right, okay they were trying to be ironic and trying to make a statement about commercialism, merchandising and selling themselves as a product and how bad and decendant the world had become and so on and so on but guess what? I DIDN'T LIKE IT!

Can't you just accept that without excuses? Everyone who doesn't like Pop is sick and tired of the 'didn't get it' bullshit!! You don't have to 'get' something to like it, and you don't have to like everything you 'get'. That is the one big cop out all Pop advocates use when they simply cannot accept some people did not think it was an enjoyable album. I got it all right, like a bad disease that thankfully is now cured by ATYCLB.

[This message has been edited by U2Kitten (edited 11-14-2001).]

 

[zoomerang II]

The topic was about the best lyrics. So why not go to the lyrics archive, print all of U2's lyrics out (actually, not a bad idea) and then you will see that there are truly great lyrics in pop, and a valid choice in my opinion for one of the top 3 albums.
This has been validated by most people here.

Pop was no disaster or flop in the world beyond america, maybe it was just appreciated more...and certainly by this little black duck

 

[Seconds]

Originally posted by Not George Lucas:

3. U2Kitten didn't get and can't appreciate Pop for what it is.

What it is, is a waste of U2's talent. How can it be that U2 themselves have admitted this, and I'm not talking only about Larry, but yet you have a hard time accepting it?

If you like the album, that's fine, but stop pretending that it is one of their top albums. I love R&H, but that's my personal taste. I realize that in reality, it is not a classic like achtung and JT.

Some of you claim that people didn't "get" POP. And that is the reason they don't like the album. That means the world "got" AB and JT and ATYCLB, but somehow they forgot to "get" POP.

I know I will get flamed for this. But I'm ready. Bring it on

 

[scatteroflight]

Ouch to half of the above...

I'm sorry for getting involved in one of these threads yet again...

I think there should be an embargo against discussing Pop...

Funny, the most heated discussions always seem to be about Pop. Zooropa is actually my least favourite. I find it interesting that some people who like Zooropa think Pop stinks.

Give me kudos, I think I at least tried to be moderate in my posts to this thread...and I should just leave the thread and not come back...but I doubt that will happen.


------------------
You've got to cry without weeping
Talk without speaking
Scream without raising your voice

[This message has been edited by scatteroflight (edited 11-14-2001).]

 

[Salome]

I love Zooropa

I think Pop is okay

I don't like this thread

------------------
Salome
Shake it, shake it, shake it

 

[scatteroflight]

Salome! Right on for having the guts to put October in your top three! I just noticed.

Of course, everyone always forgets that October, not Pop, is in fact U2's most underrated album.



------------------
You've got to cry without weeping
Talk without speaking
Scream without raising your voice

 

[Salome]

well, lyrics like "Rejoice", "I Threw a Brick ..." and "Fire" can only come from one band

they are truely unique and show great soul

------------------
Salome
Shake it, shake it, shake it

 

[follower]

I feel like paraphrasing another U2 song here...

"I?m sick of all of this
Hanging around..."

This thread ended up being another POP lovers/haters discussion...this is going nowhere people, come on! Now I say, go figure. Some love Pop, some hate Pop, so what? Hello? What is the big deal? I think that Seconds asked a direct question: "Which one of the albums is your favorite when it comes to lyrics?" And the he/she added "I personally would pick..." That?s it, your choice. One can base his/her choice on personal taste or even in statistics, even so you have to respect each others choices, that is what democracy is all about.

So I?ll answer Second?s question now. Once more, it?s about lyrics, right? So I would take:

1. Achtung Baby (perfect)
2. Pop (almost perfect)
3. The Joshua Tree (almost perfect as well)

Honourable mentions: UF and ATYCLB

Btw, I love Pop. Now live with that.

------------------
Seu pa?s ? lindo. Seu povo ? lindo. Suas vozes s?o lindas. N?o esqueceremos voc?s. - Bono - S?o Paulo - 01/31/1998

 

[SweetOnU2]

Originally posted by follower:
I feel like paraphrasing another U2 song here...

"I?m sick of all of this
Hanging around..."

This thread ended up being another POP lovers/haters discussion...this is going nowhere people, come on! Now I say, go figure. Some love Pop, some hate Pop, so what? Hello? What is the big deal? I think that Seconds asked a direct question: "Which one of the albums is your favorite when it comes to lyrics?" And the he/she added "I personally would pick..." That?s it, your choice. One can base his/her choice on personal taste or even in statistics, even so you have to respect each others choices, that is what democracy is all about.

So I?ll answer Second?s question now. Once more, it?s about lyrics, right? So I would take:

1. Achtung Baby (perfect)
2. Pop (almost perfect)
3. The Joshua Tree (almost perfect as well)

Honourable mentions: UF and ATYCLB

Btw, I love Pop. Now live with that.

I wasn't gonna reply but Follower said it so nicely.

That is the whole point I was trying to make!

I hate it that we cannot discuss ANYTHING on POP without people freakin' out! *sigh* And also Michael is right about.... if we are talking about Lyrics those polls are pointless!

BTW- I LOVE ZOOROPA! It would probably be my 4th favorite! Even if it has Johnny Cash singing!

LOL. I like some of the lyrics of October but overall the album FOR ME isn't very strong lyrically and musically! I honestly like BOY better than October!

I guess to some I'm mental!

I'm still in a good mood! WOHOOO U2 tomorrow in Oak-town! Oops sorry too excited! LOL


------------------
But you take what you can get
'Cause it's all that you can find
Oh, you know there's something more
But tonight, tonight, tonight


(??.?(?*?.? ?.?*?)?.??)
?.???. *Monica*.???.?
(?.??(?.??* *??.?)??.)

 

[Badyouken]

OK

1? There is no such thing as a real U2 fan. You like it, good for you. You don't, that's alright.

2? Michael Griffiths (once again) is right. We are talking about lyrics, not albums. I think Bono's best lyrics are in a song I don't like musically (The Wanderer). Yes Pop sounded different, unlike anything U2 has done before, but the lyrics still sounded like Bono.

3? This fight is useless.


------------------
In the beginning, the Universe was created.
This has made a lot of people very angry, and been widely regarded as a bad move. --Douglas Adams (The Restaurant at the End of the Universe)

 

[GypsyHeartgirl]

Originally posted by SweetOnU2:


I hate it that we cannot discuss ANYTHING on POP without people freakin' out! *sigh*

I hope that you do not exculde yourself from that statement because you are definitely among those who "freak out"!

------------------
"I've been all over,
and it's been all over me!"



[This message has been edited by GypsyHeartgirl (edited 11-14-2001).]

 

[The Wanderer]

haha!!!! I love that comment about U2 being ashamed of Pop

ok, here goes...

seconds/U2kitten/scatteroflight/salmoe/etc:

if you want to start drudging up this drivel about how the band is "ashamed" of Pop (utter nonsense), then please tell me why they continue to play more songs from Pop during the Elevation Tour then any of their albums from the 1980s

for the record, I've always liked October but personally I find that Bono's lyrics are more ambiguous and layered on both Pop and Zooropa, not to mention alluring and evocative... yet the depth is still there -- the songs can be dizzyingly intense, or dark and gloomy... and yet still address similar themes as those on the early albums, just in a much less overt way; I don't know, just my personal taste, I like the dark ambiguity and atmoshphere in the lyrics of Pop and Zooropa (though I think the latter is slightly better)

my final list:

1. Achtung Baby
2. Joshua Tree
3. Zooropa
4. Pop
5. Unforgettable Fire
6. All That You Can't Leave Behind
7. Rattle & Hum
8. October
9. War
10. Boy



[This message has been edited by The Wanderer (edited 11-14-2001).]

 

[Autumn454]

My list:

The Joshua Tree-Everything is great!
Rattle and Hum- Heartland, All I Want Is You,
very creative
UF- Beautiful! Emotional!
AB-Artistic, eloquent
ATYLCB-strong and touching
War-passionate
October-spiritual
Boy-innocent but heartfelt
Zooropa- interesting
POP- it's last- SO SUE ME!!!!!

Please note one thing POP fans: remember that WUDM and IGWSHA were written and recorded during the AB/Zooropa era and shelved, so they should really not be included with the other songs on POP which ws written when they were in a downward funk.


------------------
~We need new dreams tonight~

 

[The Wanderer]

no Autumn, they were ideas for songs, not completed songs, so your statement really should not be included in this discussion

 

[Dorian Gray]

Lyrically speaking.... this is my list.

1) Joshua Tree
2) Pop
3) Achtung Baby
4) Rattle & Hum/Zooropa
5) Passengers (does this count?)
6) All That You Can't Leave Behind
7) Unforgettable Fire
8) Boy
9) War
10) October

Musically speaking is another story.

Great lyrics, imo, are those that speak to me... the individual. They can be poetic, straight forward, whatever. They just need to connect with me.
All of U2 albums do this for me. That's why they are my favorite band. However, some do more than others.

Let's take Pop for example.

I think Pop describes someone who has lost their soul. It gets me thinking about that. It says something beyond the whole ironic commercialism consumer message.
Personally, I don't give three shits about what the masses think. It means something to me, thats all that matters.
There. I said it. Now I'll get off my high horse and let others speak.

------------------
And I felt like a star...

[This message has been edited by Dorian Gray (edited 11-14-2001).]

 

[SkeeK]

Quite. The Wake Up Dead Man from the AB outtakes is very very different from that on Pop. The only similarity at all is that they are songs, played by a 4 piece band with the phrase "Wake up dead man" repeated often.

 

[SweetOnU2]

Originally posted by GypsyHeartgirl:
I hope that you do not exculde yourself from that statement because you are definitely among those who "freak out"!

------------------
But you take what you can get
'Cause it's all that you can find
Oh, you know there's something more
But tonight, tonight, tonight


(??.?(?*?.? ?.?*?)?.??)
?.???. *Monica*.???.?
(?.??(?.??* *??.?)??.)

 

[SweetOnU2]

Originally posted by The Wanderer:
no Autumn, they were ideas for songs, not completed songs, so your statement really should not be included in this discussion

------------------
But you take what you can get
'Cause it's all that you can find
Oh, you know there's something more
But tonight, tonight, tonight


(??.?(?*?.? ?.?*?)?.??)
?.???. *Monica*.???.?
(?.??(?.??* *??.?)??.)

 

[SweetOnU2]

Originally posted by Dorian Gray:



Let's take Pop for example.

I think Pop describes someone who has lost their soul. It gets me thinking about that. It says something beyond the whole ironic commercialism consumer message.
Personally, I don't give three shits about what the masses think. It means something to me, thats all that matters.
There. I said it. Now I'll get off my high horse and let others speak.

Ditto for me too!

Passengers huh? LOL You know, when I first heard this album I was like "Larry is right this album sucks!"

But then one day I go stuck on "Your Blue Room" and just got stuck on the album! I mean "Slug" and "Miss Saravejo" are great songs! So I started to listen to it more and realized "Hey this stuff ain't so bad!!" I can honestly say I like it now!

------------------
But you take what you can get
'Cause it's all that you can find
Oh, you know there's something more
But tonight, tonight, tonight


(??.?(?*?.? ?.?*?)?.??)
?.???. *Monica*.???.?
(?.??(?.??* *??.?)??.)

 

[Dorian Gray]

Originally posted by SweetOnU2:

Passengers huh? LOL You know, when I first heard this album I was like "Larry is right this album sucks!"

But then one day I go stuck on "Your Blue Room" and just got stuck on the album! I mean "Slug" and "Miss Saravejo" are great songs! So I started to listen to it more and realized "Hey this stuff ain't so bad!!" I can honestly say I like it now!

It's great stuff! Corpse in my favorite.. really funny lyrics.

------------------
And I felt like a star...

 

[scatteroflight]

Originally posted by The Wanderer:


seconds/U2kitten/scatteroflight/salmoe/etc:

if you want to start drudging up this drivel about how the band is "ashamed" of Pop (utter nonsense), then please tell me why they continue to play more songs from Pop during the Elevation Tour then any of their albums from the 1980s

For the record, I didn't make the comment about them being ashamed of Pop. I do know they've said they felt they didn't have time to finish it. Not the same thing, though it does indicate a bit of dissatisfaction with the end product. But...I'm pretty sure they've played more songs off Achtung on the current tour than Pop. Off Pop: Discotheque, Staring, Gone, Please, Wake Up Dead Man--did I miss something? Achtung: Even Better, Until the End, Fly, Mysterious Ways, One.

Wow--we have a tie!! Or did I miss something off Pop?

However, they've played three to five songs off Achtung at every show. Not all shows got even one Pop song.

And off Joshua, they've played Streets, Still Haven't Found, WOWY, Bullet, and Running.

Also, U2 doesn't have a lot of albums from the 90's. Period. They have three (not counting Passengers.) This is one reason I think posterity will treat 80's U2 better than 90's U2: they had one unquestionably great album in the 90's, and the next two are experimental and may not stand the test of time well. My personal opinion is that they won't: others would obviously disagree. Maybe not every 80's album was a masterpiece but at least one was, two or maybe three in my opinion, and there's just a lot more to choose from. Pop is still a recent album, which might have something to do with why they've played several songs off it--though in a very scattered-out way--on this tour. Or maybe it's actually their favourite album and they just made that remark about it being unfinished for kicks?? But I doubt it.

One more thing: whether you like Bono's lyrics from the 80's or the 90's is a matter of taste, I obviously prefer the 80's ones on the whole (though I admire the lyrics of Achtung very much, by and large). A lot of BOno's 90's lyrics are in a style I don't enjoy. I don't know how to describe it but it's like they're more consciously clever, more hip-hop and "I've got soul"--Mofo's lyrics are a good example of that, I don't remember them well but "space junk, slam dunk, looking for baby Jesus under the trash" etc. I just don't care for that. Whereas "your earth moves beneath your own dream landscape" sends me into ecstasies.

------------------
You've got to cry without weeping
Talk without speaking
Scream without raising your voice


[This message has been edited by scatteroflight (edited 11-14-2001).]

 

[Salome]

yeah Wanderer,
I also didn't say anything bad about POP you big meany

I just don't like the superior attitude in which some people like to dismiss others who don't think POP is one of U2's best albums
I don't like the attitude showed in this thread either where people are trying to convince others that POP isn't a good album

btw my top 3 list was about lyrics, otherwise neither Joshue Tree nor October would have made it

------------------
Salome
Shake it, shake it, shake it

 

[Michael Griffiths]

U2Kitten and others,

There seems to be a discrepancy between an on-line poll on U2's best albums, and the discussion at hand: U2's best album, lyrically. That distinction needs to be made. This thread isn't about which album is the best; it's about which album has the best lyrics. Therefore, to use polls that are based on favourite albums is rather pointless in this discussion, as it is impossible to say why people pick favourites in each individual case (it could be the melodies; it could be the genre; it could be a lot of things...and definitely not only lyrical content). To base that poll on lyrical hyarchy is rather futile and nonsensical. Just thought the distinction needed to be made, as no one has mentioned it yet.

By the way, I've never been a big fan of Pop, as an album, but I do agree that the lyrics in Pop are, generally, very good (and sometimes stunning). It's not handed to you on a platter, and there is more going on, lyrically, than what's presented on the surface of things...

------------------
The Tempest

[This message has been edited by Michael Griffiths (edited 11-14-2001).]

 

[U2Kitten]

I have one more footnote to my comments, because of something ironic that happend to me last night. I was coming home from my ceramics class and I stopped at the gas station. Well, it was one of those places that sells little cheap toys and trinkets and whatnots, and there on the shelf was a stack of music cassettes reduced to $5.99 bargain price. There amid the country music and the 80's new wave of now defunct bands sat a copy of--------

POP by U2!!!!!!!

I thought I would die laughing my ass off right there in the store, considering all that has transpired with this thread. There was no other really important artist in there, and most certainly nothing else by U2, no JT, AB, or anything else they have ever done except POP. If anyone wants to know what else it was reduced along with I could go back and make a list and if need be I will take a pic and have it scanned and post it, surely it won't be gone soon! I swear, this happened and it was soooo funny.
It proves what I have been trying to say, that despite the avid overzealousness of a few dozen POP advocates on this forum the album was a FLOP with the public as a whole and it is by far U2's most maligned and disliked album by more people without a doubt.

NOW- to those of you who discount my 'survey' results and say you can't trust polls- people always say that when it suits their side. Hey, do you discredit the 'poll' taken here? I do because I know better, but many of you who dissed my internet poll results will likely claim this thread is a viable survey because it suits you! This is by NO means scientific or accurate here. You have to admit that. The poll I mentioned was fair, it questioned U2 fans of all ages all over the entire world.

One more thing- to those of you who are going to say being in the gas station's bargain bin doesn't denote failure- if you claim that cassettes are on the way out and maybe they ended up there for that reason I ask you why was nothing else by U2 there, no Beatles, Pink Floyd, Who, or any other significant band, they made cassettes too you know! Even if the other albums had been there, they SOLD and that's still more than you can say for POP! I don't think they ever were though, not enough empty spaces. This was a fresh batch of 'rejects.'

Ho hum, I guess now I am left with the final one, the old 'didn't get it' argument. I have already been through that so I won't spout again, but I can tell you something- everyone who frequents my local Exxon station 'didn't get it'- because the darn thing is still sitting there!

$5.99! ANY TAKERS??!! ROTFLMAO!!!!!

 

[sulawesigirl4]

Interesting. I found a copy of JT in the bargain bin a few times. By your reasoning, I guess that means it's a crap album and no one likes it or "ought" to like it.

In the words of one of my favorite lyricists Let it go...

-sula