Window In The Skies on HTDAAB or ATYCLB?

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U2Soar

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How often do we listen to U2 Greatest Hits packages? I’d imagine that for most of us here – very rarely. Shouldn’t Window In The Skies belong on something that we actually listen to?

Would you place Window In The Skies on Atomic Bomb or Leave Behind and whereabouts?

Or would you add it to a 00s B-Side Collection (along with Electrical Storm, etc.)?
 
So many people burn their own mix CDs and/or have MP3 players that it really isn't going to be an issue for many, I would think.
 
ATYCLB is a more joyous sounding album, more uplifting and hopeful, with songs like "Beautiful Day", "Elevation", "Stuck...", "Kite, and "Walk On". These songs have a common theme - one that even in times of despair, there is hope.

HTDAAB starts exploring more serious issues again - issues of being lost, trying to find one's self, issues of loss, of war. So even though some of the sounds are similar, the lyrics and themes are almost at polar opposites.

WITS is a light-hearted love song. It discusses that even though a relationship was severely damaged, there is hope, and that love provides that promise. As such, this song easily belongs on ATYCLB. Musically, it may arguably flow on HTDAAB, but thematically it fits on ATYCLB. One could even argue that if not for the very pop-sound, it could even be on AB, which is an album that really explores all aspects of love.

However, as it's on "U218", I'm not disappointed. I think of this as a bit of a throw-away song. It's cute, it's light, it's a love song - it's perfect for a greatest hits type of package.

Also, I agree with BonoChick - thanks to iPods (iTunes), CD-R's and tapes (what are those?), people will create their own special U2 songs mix, which may or may not feature WITS. So it really doesn't matter much.
 
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doctorwho said:
ATYCLB is a more joyous sounding album, more uplifting and hopeful, with songs like "Beautiful Day", "Elevation", "Stuck...", "Kite, and "Walk On". These songs have a common theme - one that even in times of despair, there is hope.

HTDAAB starts exploring more serious issues again - issues of being lost, trying to find one's self, issues of loss, of war. So even though some of the sounds are similar, the lyrics and themes are almost at polar opposites.

WITS is a light-hearted love song. It discusses that even though a relationship was severely damaged, there is hope, and that love provides that promise. As such, this song easily belongs on ATYCLB. Musically, it may arguably flow on HTDAAB, but thematically it fits on ATYCLB. One could even argue that if not for the very pop-sound, it could even be on AB, which is an album that really explores all aspects of love.

However, as it's on "U218", I'm not disappointed. I think of this as a bit of a throw-away song. It's cute, it's light, it's a love song - it's perfect for a greatest hits type of package.

Also, I agree with BonoChick - thanks to iPods (iTunes), CD-R's and tapes (what are those?), people will create their own special U2 songs mix, which may or may not feature WITS. So it really doesn't matter much.

I haven't heard this song yet, (well the version from the beach), but I had hoped that this how the reaction to it would be; it is good song and it should stand alone.
 
ATYCLB would be the better of the two for it, but really, neither would be a truly good option for the song.
 
Hi Bonochick and Doctorwho, let me rephrase it – on which mix cd-r or itune playlist of Atomic Bomb or Leave Behind would you place it and where in the track order? Whether it is simply adding it or possibly replacing an existing track.

Or on some other kind of collection?

Very good and succinct summations of the 2 albums, Doctorwho. On the darker Atomic Bomb, maybe if Crumbs and One Step Closer were moved to the front half and Window was in the already brighter second half? Let’s take a look:

Side A

Love And Peace
Crumbs
Vertigo
Electrical Storm
Smile
Miracle Drug
Sometimes

Side B

Mercy
Window In The Skies
Blinding Lights
Man And Woman
Original Species
All Because Of You
Yahweh

Got carried away there a little bit with a few extra tacks!

I’ll have to think about it with regards to Leave Behind.

Hi Swan269, I think that you are going to enjoy the new song. An infectious and catchy tune. Additionally, and because of that, I believe that it has the potential to do well on the radio. Thereby, it can help the success of U2:18 Collection just as the Sweetest Thing did for the Best Of 80s. Also, it captures this current era of U2 (last 2 albums) focusing in on crafting pop songs and exploring the different dimensions of joy (self awareness, faith, family, friends, spouse). And in the U.S. for example the last 2 albums have been more popular than the previous 2 albums (I haven’t looked at Doctorwho’s stats lately but I’d guess about nearly triple the album sales). So, I can see why U2 leaned towards creating this type of song and its particular spirit of jubilation = ride the wave that you’re on.

A “stand alone” song? I guess for me if it’s a song that I enjoy then I inherently place it with other songs. Maybe to enhance an existing album or possibly on a themed compilation. I generally listen to music on a cd player and with headphones. In one sense, from a practical point of view, it would be a pain in the ass to be fiddling with jewel cases and the cd remote when let’s say I want to listen to AB and an AB B-Sides compilation or a combination of both into a double album. For instance, Night And Day (Red Hot + Blue Version) with its similar AB music and vocals and with its reinterpretation from an obsessive stalker-like perspective, I think it goes well in between the betrayal of Until The End Of The World and the bitterness of Wild Horses. Though Billy Boola is a Bono side project song, I find that it shares a lot in common with Salome – just pure sexy and fun songs.

I see some others have responded with a consensus of leaving it on U2:18. Okay, fair enough, but I guess I’m surprised as I would be if I read that a sizeable number people here listen to the Best Of 90s.
 
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If it had to be on one it would definitely fit better on ATYCLB as overall it's a lighter album than HTDAAB.
 
Wow this has really been over analysed :wink: I don't have the attention span to read so much detail about where the song should be.
 
sniggirb said:
Wow this has really been over analysed :wink: I don't have the attention span to read so much detail about where the song should be.

I only wrote 11 paragraphs, so I'm sure you have the attention span to... oh look - dust! :cute:

Originally posted by U2Soar Hi Bonochick and Doctorwho, let me rephrase it – on which mix cd-r or itune playlist of Atomic Bomb or Leave Behind would you place it and where in the track order? Whether it is simply adding it or possibly replacing an existing track.

In this sense, I agree with Sniggirb - it's way too much analysis. :sexywink:

Seriously, I think the lighter, more pop aspects of WITS would make it flow better on ATYCLB. And given that the more pop-sounding songs on ATYCLB are on the first half of the CD, WITS would probably flow with those songs more.

But really, I'm not into rearranging tracklists like some fans are. The album is the way it is because U2 chose to make it that way. So I leave the album orders alone. I can have fun with compilations all I want, but I tend to listen to the albums the way U2 released them (even if I do think a slightly different order would be better).
 
U2Soar said:
Hi Bonochick and Doctorwho, let me rephrase it – on which mix cd-r or itune playlist of Atomic Bomb or Leave Behind would you place it and where in the track order? Whether it is simply adding it or possibly replacing an existing track.

I can't answer that because I haven't heard it yet.
 
Here's a playlist I've made and have been istening to:

1. Beautiful Day
2. Stuck In A Moment
3. Window In The Skies
4. Original Of The Species
5. Sweetest Thing
6. Wild Honey
7. Flower Child
8. Electrical Storm (William Orbit Remix)
9. Angel Of Harlem
10. Yahweh

Sounds really, really good and flows really well (specially the first four songs). The idea was to take U2's poppier songs and put them together, I prefer the normal ES but the Orbit remix fits better here. Try it. It's the perfect U2 pop record. :drool:
 
MrPryck2U said:
In my opinion, Windows In The Sky is just an ok song. I would regard it as a B-side at best.

:yes: I was thinking the exact thing after listening to it on my way to work this morning
 
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