namkcuR
ONE love, blood, life
I often find the Middle 8 to be the most intriguing part of a song structure....in my mind, a good Middle 8 is one that takes the listener on a little side journey in the middle of a song that, when completed, makes you appreciate the song as a whole even more, and one whose transitions from and back into the rest of the song are smooth. There can be vocals or it can be instrumental, it doesn't matter. I think a Middle 8 can sometimes be a gauge as to the quality of the rest of the song. A great middle 8 probably makes its home in a great song.
So, what are favorite U2 Middle 8's? I think they've made some great ones?
Here are mine, in no particular oder:
1. Song: Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses
Middle 8: From 'Ah, the deeper I spin' to 'Come on now love, don't you look back'
Comment: This is quite possibly my favorite middle 8 ever. I think it's just gorgeous. It's different from the rest of the song but it transitions very smoothly and makes the song 1000 times better than it would have been without it. This middle 8 alone would be a great, great song.
2. Song: Numb
Middle 8: The instrumental segment between 'Have another grape' and 'Don't plead' - the spot in the video where Edge is offscreen.
Comment: This is one of the most other-worldly moments in the entire U2 catalog. It literally makes me feel like I'm in another world sometimes. It really brings out the brilliance of the whole song.
3. Song: Beautiful Day
Middle 8: From 'See the world in green and blue' to 'after the flood all the colours came out'.
Comment: This is just fun to sing. It's unique, it's fresh. It's this kind of thing that separates a great song like this from a song like Miracle Drug.
4. Song: Walk On
Middle 8: The solo and the 'Home' verses.
Comment: I have always thought that the 'Home' verses were home(pun intended) to one of the prettiest melodies U2 have written, and they take the song to another level. It is the absence of these verses that, imo, makes the single mix inferior. One of the brightest moments on ATYCLB.
5. Song: Gone
Middle 8: From 'Cause I'm already gone' to 'I didn't want it that much anyway'(and really the verse following it even though it isn't technically part of the middle 8).
Comment: It's short, but this middle 8 makes up for what misses in length with it's depth. With many layers of instrumentation as well as haunting background vocals from Edge, this is one of the most chill-inducing moments on Pop.
6. Song: New Year's Day
Middle 8: The keyboard solo followed by the guitar solo, between the second chorus and the fade out chorus(on the best of and live versions).
Comments: Does this really need an explanation? It's legendary, one of Edge's finest moments EVER!
7. Song: Until The End Of The World
Middle 8: The guitar solo between the second and third verses, followed by Bono's 'no no no, no no, no no no no'.
Comment: The hight point of UTEOTW for me, and that's saying something since the whole song is amazing. Just sonic bliss.
8. Song: The Unforgettable Fire
Middle 8: The instrumentation between 'Come on take me home, home again' and 'And if the mountains should crumble'.
Comment: This is absolutely brilliant. Some of the most mature instrumental sections in all of U2's catalog. Totally un-pop, totally unconcerned about being on the radio. Going smoothly from rustic rhythmic POW to beautiful harmony and back again and back again. It's just pure art. It's a mindfuck. One of the best.
9. Song: I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
Middle 8: The instrumentation between the second and third verses.
Comment: This has a sort of subtle brilliance to it - it falls into that category Bono once described - it sounds normal to you but only because you've heard it so many times - it didn't sound normal in 1987. It's just a couple guitar parts playing together, but it's great.
10.Song: Gloria
Middle 8: Larry, Edge, and Adam taking turns playing short solos between the second chorus and the fade out chorus.
Comment: Second best Middle 8 of the first three records, second only to NYD. It builds up to the explosion of the final chorus very nicely and is especially effective live.
11. Song: When I Look At The World
Middle 8: The guitar solo after the second chorus, and Bono's 'I can't wait any longer/I can't wait 'till I'm stronger' lines.
Comment: Edge's best and most creative guitar solo of this decade so far mixed with this particlar Bono vocal create perhaps the most chill-inducing 50 seconds on ATYCLB, and perhaps of anything U2 have done this decade so far(ok I know many will disagree with that). I just love it. It's beautiful.
12. Song: Lemon
Middle 8: The 'Midnight is where the day begins' verse(s).
Comments: One of the coolest single lines of lyrics Bono has ever put to a record combined with one of the most other worldly musical tracks U2 have ever put to record makes one hell of a middle 8.
13. Song: The Fly
Middle 8: The awe-inducing, chill-inducing Edge solo between the second and third choruses.
Comment: Seriously, do I need to say anything? Anything at all? That's what I thought.
14. Song: Mysterious Ways
Middle 8: The solo of pure funk after the second chorus, and the 'One day you'll look back' to 'Follow this feeling' verse that follows it.
Comment: This just gets your heart racing, and is the highlight of any live performance of this song. Bono's vocal delivery is perfect and plays of Edge and Adam PERFECTLY. It just sounds effortless. The kind of innovative and fresh experimentation with 'sound' that the band should get back to.
15. Song: Discotheque
Middle 8: The instrumentation accompanied by Bono's trademark howls after the first and second choruses.
Comment: I just always thought this a really cool combination of sounds, and a classic example of U2 applying a totally fresh twist to a classic U2 sound.
16. Song: I Will Follow
Middle 8: The 'Your eyes make a circle' verse after the second chorus.
Comment: A highlight of the Boy album, and the third best Middle 8 of the first three albums, behind NYD and Gloria. Establishes a middle-of-song sound that they would use many times, most recently in Vertigo. Except that this is better than Vertigo imo.
That's all for now.
Your turn!
So, what are favorite U2 Middle 8's? I think they've made some great ones?
Here are mine, in no particular oder:
1. Song: Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses
Middle 8: From 'Ah, the deeper I spin' to 'Come on now love, don't you look back'
Comment: This is quite possibly my favorite middle 8 ever. I think it's just gorgeous. It's different from the rest of the song but it transitions very smoothly and makes the song 1000 times better than it would have been without it. This middle 8 alone would be a great, great song.
2. Song: Numb
Middle 8: The instrumental segment between 'Have another grape' and 'Don't plead' - the spot in the video where Edge is offscreen.
Comment: This is one of the most other-worldly moments in the entire U2 catalog. It literally makes me feel like I'm in another world sometimes. It really brings out the brilliance of the whole song.
3. Song: Beautiful Day
Middle 8: From 'See the world in green and blue' to 'after the flood all the colours came out'.
Comment: This is just fun to sing. It's unique, it's fresh. It's this kind of thing that separates a great song like this from a song like Miracle Drug.
4. Song: Walk On
Middle 8: The solo and the 'Home' verses.
Comment: I have always thought that the 'Home' verses were home(pun intended) to one of the prettiest melodies U2 have written, and they take the song to another level. It is the absence of these verses that, imo, makes the single mix inferior. One of the brightest moments on ATYCLB.
5. Song: Gone
Middle 8: From 'Cause I'm already gone' to 'I didn't want it that much anyway'(and really the verse following it even though it isn't technically part of the middle 8).
Comment: It's short, but this middle 8 makes up for what misses in length with it's depth. With many layers of instrumentation as well as haunting background vocals from Edge, this is one of the most chill-inducing moments on Pop.
6. Song: New Year's Day
Middle 8: The keyboard solo followed by the guitar solo, between the second chorus and the fade out chorus(on the best of and live versions).
Comments: Does this really need an explanation? It's legendary, one of Edge's finest moments EVER!
7. Song: Until The End Of The World
Middle 8: The guitar solo between the second and third verses, followed by Bono's 'no no no, no no, no no no no'.
Comment: The hight point of UTEOTW for me, and that's saying something since the whole song is amazing. Just sonic bliss.
8. Song: The Unforgettable Fire
Middle 8: The instrumentation between 'Come on take me home, home again' and 'And if the mountains should crumble'.
Comment: This is absolutely brilliant. Some of the most mature instrumental sections in all of U2's catalog. Totally un-pop, totally unconcerned about being on the radio. Going smoothly from rustic rhythmic POW to beautiful harmony and back again and back again. It's just pure art. It's a mindfuck. One of the best.
9. Song: I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
Middle 8: The instrumentation between the second and third verses.
Comment: This has a sort of subtle brilliance to it - it falls into that category Bono once described - it sounds normal to you but only because you've heard it so many times - it didn't sound normal in 1987. It's just a couple guitar parts playing together, but it's great.
10.Song: Gloria
Middle 8: Larry, Edge, and Adam taking turns playing short solos between the second chorus and the fade out chorus.
Comment: Second best Middle 8 of the first three records, second only to NYD. It builds up to the explosion of the final chorus very nicely and is especially effective live.
11. Song: When I Look At The World
Middle 8: The guitar solo after the second chorus, and Bono's 'I can't wait any longer/I can't wait 'till I'm stronger' lines.
Comment: Edge's best and most creative guitar solo of this decade so far mixed with this particlar Bono vocal create perhaps the most chill-inducing 50 seconds on ATYCLB, and perhaps of anything U2 have done this decade so far(ok I know many will disagree with that). I just love it. It's beautiful.
12. Song: Lemon
Middle 8: The 'Midnight is where the day begins' verse(s).
Comments: One of the coolest single lines of lyrics Bono has ever put to a record combined with one of the most other worldly musical tracks U2 have ever put to record makes one hell of a middle 8.
13. Song: The Fly
Middle 8: The awe-inducing, chill-inducing Edge solo between the second and third choruses.
Comment: Seriously, do I need to say anything? Anything at all? That's what I thought.
14. Song: Mysterious Ways
Middle 8: The solo of pure funk after the second chorus, and the 'One day you'll look back' to 'Follow this feeling' verse that follows it.
Comment: This just gets your heart racing, and is the highlight of any live performance of this song. Bono's vocal delivery is perfect and plays of Edge and Adam PERFECTLY. It just sounds effortless. The kind of innovative and fresh experimentation with 'sound' that the band should get back to.
15. Song: Discotheque
Middle 8: The instrumentation accompanied by Bono's trademark howls after the first and second choruses.
Comment: I just always thought this a really cool combination of sounds, and a classic example of U2 applying a totally fresh twist to a classic U2 sound.
16. Song: I Will Follow
Middle 8: The 'Your eyes make a circle' verse after the second chorus.
Comment: A highlight of the Boy album, and the third best Middle 8 of the first three albums, behind NYD and Gloria. Establishes a middle-of-song sound that they would use many times, most recently in Vertigo. Except that this is better than Vertigo imo.
That's all for now.
Your turn!
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