SOE 31: Yes, we have no bananas

[david]

BOL.com probably made a mistake. I doubt that that title of track 16 is correct.

I'd go with the tracklisting that u2.com has.

Yeah, and the iTunes and Apple Music have the correct track listing too. BOL is on crack.

 

[The Slow Loris]

The biggest mistake of NLOTH is it didn't have 'Winter' instead of the abonomal travesty of 'Stand Up Comedy'. 'Winter' is the most beautuful and most classic Eno/Lanois U2 song out of those recording sessions. It could have fit on The Joshua Tree or The Unforgettable Fire. Poor Brian Eno. I feel bad for him that U2 left off such a gorgeous gem in favour of the aforementioned drivel that is SUC. What a pity.

 

[Gonna Run 2 U]

Leak you son of a bitch!

 

[Miringeltje]

That random website

Not a random website entirely.
If you preorder the SOE album on the BOL.com website you will get a code to participate in the yet to be announced Europe/Dutch tour dates.

 

[redhill]

I can still hear the band that made Bad in there.

+1...and Breathe isn't given enough credit. Less clunky lyrics in places and it would be one of their best songs in the last twenty years IMO.

 

[redhill]

The biggest mistake of NLOTH is it didn't have 'Winter' instead of the abonomal travesty of 'Stand Up Comedy'. 'Winter' is the most beautuful and most classic Eno/Lanois U2 song out of those recording sessions. It could have fit on The Joshua Tree or The Unforgettable Fire. Poor Brian Eno. I feel bad for him that U2 left off such a gorgeous gem in favour of the aforementioned drivel that is SUC. What a pity.

Yes, and Mercy in its original form. I know this thread already exists, but I wish they had put the schmaltz on an EP or something and saved the bolder material for the album.

 

[DeVaul]

NLOTH is definitely compromised but I think an EP of its best songs blows away a similar whittle-down of SOI.

SLABT or The Troubles don't really fit SOI's theme, either.

 

[redhill]

SLABT or The Troubles don't really fit SOI's theme, either.

Musically or thematically...

 

[Axver]

I don't really disagree with any of this specifically. NLOTH is a mess, and it is compromised in the middle, and it is a pity that they wussed out, as you said. But at least it sounded like U2 was still trying. I can still hear the band that made Bad in there.

Cedarwood and The Troubles (along with Iris IMO) are highlights on SOI. But that's relatively speaking. I don't think they're anywhere near good as NLOTH or MOS or Fez/BB.

I know I'm in a minority in that I just don't rate MOS. But the other two you named are the two I was thinking of as the songs Cedarwood Road and The Troubles can stand alongside—and, in the case of NLOTH, probably ahead of. I agree that NLOTH feels more ambitious, but on the other hand I don't feel that SOI has a vision so compromised that it undermines the entire album.

The biggest mistake of NLOTH is it didn't have 'Winter' instead of the abonomal travesty of 'Stand Up Comedy'. 'Winter' is the most beautuful and most classic Eno/Lanois U2 song out of those recording sessions. It could have fit on The Joshua Tree or The Unforgettable Fire. Poor Brian Eno. I feel bad for him that U2 left off such a gorgeous gem in favour of the aforementioned drivel that is SUC. What a pity.

Winter is legit right down there with SUC as one of U2's worst songs. Butter on toast, my god. Protecting the ones.

Musically or thematically...

Except that they describe the two biggest public issues of that period in the band members' lives, sure.

 

[redhill]

Except that they describe the two biggest public issues of that period in the band members' lives, sure.

What did I miss? I can sort of see Troubles but SLABT?

 

[dan_smee]

What did I miss? I can sort of see Troubles but SLABT?

SLABT is about a priest raping young boys... literally stealing innocence

 

[redhill]

Winter is legit right down there with SUC as one of U2's worst songs. Butter on toast, my god. Protecting the ones.

Apart from that lyric, I don't see how you could hate Winter...I thought you liked their songs that are evocative of a landscape or season?

 

[redhill]

SLABT is about a priest raping young boys... literally stealing innocence

I get that but it didn't work for me....and sounds more like a Zooropa track. I do like that song though.

 

[jakehu]

Genius record one of their best tunes off SOI.

 

[dan_smee]

I get that but it didn't work for me....and sounds more like a Zooropa track. I do like that song though.

But you said you don’t get how it fits thematically... it would have been a hot button issue in Ireland in the 70s. I also imagine they have some degree of insight into how it affected people they knew etc. it is PERFECT thematically for songs of innocence

 

[CosmoKramer]

+1...and Breathe isn't given enough credit. Less clunky lyrics in places and it would be one of their best songs in the last twenty years IMO.

I️ don’t focus on the lyrics as much as others around here I️ suppose. An odd lyric here or there doesn’t bug me as long as the music and chorus can win me over. Breathe is a great example as is Elevation( I️ LOVE Elevation and consider it one of their coolest songs). Breathe is a really really good song and the breakdown at the end (walk out into the streets) is one of their best moments in the last 40 years not just 20.

Breathe, Magnificent and MOS are great songs but the low points for me are too many to consider it a good album(it’s not a bad album either)

 

[redhill]

But you said you don’t get how it fits thematically... it would have been a hot button issue in Ireland in the 70s. I also imagine they have some degree of insight into how it affected people they knew etc. it is PERFECT thematically for songs of innocence

I don't think so at all. Every other song on the album feels personal and a clear link can be made as to why or how the subject matter hits close to home (for the band). SLABT seems more disconnected from their inner circle.

 

[dabiggestu2fan]

I️ don’t focus on the lyrics as much as others around here I️ suppose. An odd lyric here or there doesn’t bug me as long as the music and chorus can win me over. Breathe is a great example as is Elevation( I️ LOVE Elevation and consider it one of their coolest songs). Breathe is a really really good song and the breakdown at the end (walk out into the streets) is one of their best moments in the last 40 years not just 20.

Breathe, Magnificent and MOS are great songs but the low points for me are too many to consider it a good album(it’s not a bad album either)

I am happy that I am like you in the sense that lyrics is not the most important thing for me. If it were I am sure I would not be enjoying u2-2000 as much as 90's or 80's. I know bono's lyrics haven't been great for years but luckily I enjoy the intrumenta in a song much more than lyrics. This is probably why I enjoy American soul more than others here (apart from the obvious volcano sampling which honestly I think it's done better here than on volcano. If the instruments are good especially great drums and guitar work, the lyrics could be very crappy and it will not bother me much.

Ps: with that said for me NOTHING beats u2-90's! And no matter what they release I doubt they will ever get to that level again for me, but I am totally cool with that as long as I am still enjoying their music (which I am). I hope they don't become like Coldplay which I actually used to love but now are just garbage.

 

[Axver]

What did I miss? I can sort of see Troubles but SLABT?

The Catholic Chiurch was the dominant institution in Ireland at the time, so of course its relevant to a record about the Ireland in which U2 grew up.

Apart from that lyric, I don't see how you could hate Winter...I thought you liked their songs that are evocative of a landscape or season?

Those are just two examples of unbelievably cumbersome lyrics in a clunky song that is entirely lacking in atmosphere. I'm loathe to make Coldplay comparisons but Winter really is a Coldplay b-side.

 

[Airseven]

I could like Breathe if it had a chorus.

 

[Gonna Run 2 U]

Oh and for anyone complaining about the refujesus line or any new lines for that matter just remember Bono once sang “I wasn’t gonna just buy anyone’s cockatoo”!

His voice sounded like shit on Breathe btw. Was he notably having voice problems during this album? Can’t remember.

 

[Axver]

Breathe is another lyrical train wreck, and the fast delivery of the verses is awful too. Never understood why it gets a pass here while there's such a pile-in on the middle of NLOTH.

 

[hasin73]

Yeah I'm more or less 99.9% certain there were various reports quoting half a million. Then it did 4.5 - 5 million copies sold

1I Dreamed a Dream Susan Boyle
2The E.N.D.The Black Eyed Peas
3This Is ItMichael Jackson
4FearlessTaylor Swift
5The FameLady Gaga
6Crazy LoveMichael Bublé
7No Line on the HorizonU2
8ThrillerMichael Jackson
9Number OnesMichael Jackson
10My Christmas Andrea Bocelli

7th top selling album that year and biggest for a band, whether you class the black eyed peas as a band is up to yourselves

B.E.P. is an abbreviation...... not a band.

 

[Haywa1979]

Breathe is a fantastic song. Amazing musical landscape they created with song, and it has an incredible driving energy. The second half of the song is among their best work in any decade. Not a bug fan of some of the lyrics early on, but that’s kind of picking nits on such a beast of a sing. I think the delivery is a great example of U2 not being afraid to try something different. It works, even if the lyrics themselves are a little silly.

As for Winter, it definitely should have been on the album, and would have fit in perfectly. Not sure how this particular song could be compared to Coldplay. Coldplay still dreams of trying to write songs as good as Winter.

 

[Axver]

The start of Winter quite clearly resembles Viva La Vida. I remember people on here in 2009 losing their shit about that (and blaming Eno for it).

 

[Haywa1979]

Fine, for 10 seconds it vaguely resembles a Coldplay song of the same time period. The other 95% of the song sounds nothing like it.

 

[ImOuttaControl]

I can't fault u2 for having a song that has a similar synth/string town as Eno was working with both U2 and Coldplay at the time. Takes away nothing from the song IMO. My only issue is that the linear version seems more like a demo, and the piano version is pretty but lacks the magic of the demo.

 

[dan_smee]

The start of Winter quite clearly resembles Viva La Vida. I remember people on here in 2009 losing their shit about that (and blaming Eno for it).

Lol - that was hilarious.

“Fucking Eno stole it! He worked on both albums - U2 wrote it first, but Coldplay released theirs first! What a prick!!!”

 

[kiwilad]

Fine, for 10 seconds it vaguely resembles a Coldplay song of the same time period. The other 95% of the song sounds nothing like it.

The chorus is a rip of Neil Diamond's Play Me. True story.

 

[BVS]

The chorus is a rip of Neil Diamond's Play Me. True story.

I’m guessing you’re playing us?