Is it unfair to expect another truly great U2 album?

[U2girl]

Okay, without even trying to bash Vertigo... that (^) is one of the dumbest things I've ever read on this forum! Numb is repetitive for a reason. Numb is not like other songs. It's not meant to be like other songs. The theme is exactly what you mentioned, feeling numb due to sensory overload and people shooting instructions at you, "don't do this, don't do that". How is that dull? It's making a statement, isn't it? To each their own I guess. I think Numb (along with the fantastic video) is one of the greatest things U2 ever did.

It is dull because it goes on for the entire song! We got the message after the first verse already, and yet Edge bombards us with the list of "don't ____" throughout the song, in exactly the same quasi rap-style. The only redeeming feature of that song is the riff (and maybe the backing vocals).
And stuff like this got picked over, say, something like Hold me, thrill me, kiss me, kill me. Video is good, yes.

Next time, try to disagree without getting personal.

 

[ZOOTVTOURist]

Unlikely i'd say, hope and history won't rhyme in here either!

You were right, I fear ...

 

[ozeeko]

It is dull because it goes on for the entire song! We got the message after the first verse already, and yet Edge bombards us with the list of "don't ____" throughout the song, in exactly the same quasi rap-style. The only redeeming feature of that song is the riff (and maybe the backing vocals).
And stuff like this got picked over, say, something like Hold me, thrill me, kiss me, kill me. Video is good, yes.

Next time, try to disagree without getting personal.

The reason Numb was picked over Hold me, Thrill Me, is because they made a conscious decision to cut all the "rock" songs, the ones that didn't exactly go with the futuristic, techno vibe of Zooropa. If anything, Hold me, Thrill Me would've went on POP...that is if they didn't already use it for the Batman soundtrack.

 

[the tourist]

The reason Numb was picked over Hold me, Thrill Me, is because they made a conscious decision to cut all the "rock" songs, the ones that didn't exactly go with the futuristic, techno vibe of Zooropa.

Oh. The techno vibe songs. Like "For The First Time" and "Stay."

 

[ozeeko]

Oh. The techno vibe songs. Like "For The First Time" and "Stay."

They are two exceptions. Although I wouldn't really classify them as rock songs. "Stay" is a love song/ballad and "The First Time" is almost gospel. They didn't even want "The First Time" on there, but Eno convinced them.

If you don't believe me about them cutting the rock songs, then check out the book "U2: At The End Of The World". That is the reason why certain songs, such as Hold Me, Thrill Me were cut from the list, because they were too rocking, and they wanted the album to sound futuristic.

 

[Earnie Shavers]

No matter how you classify each song, Hold Me doesn't fit on Zooropa. They made the right choice, but it is a shame it's not on any album anywhere.

 

[ZOOTVTOURist]

They made the right choice

Of course they did, because this is what they felt at the moment, what ZOOROPA should sound like. It is their album in the first place, not ours. And it is their decision as artists and commerce-men, what they put on. Not ours.
ZOOROPA was a great U2 album then – and still is now, including "Numb". The video was mindblowing as the disturbing sound of the tune and its flood of questions, fitting perfecttly the ZOO TV moral of our world, U2 presented on album and stage.
By the way: I really hope, we get some new stuff to listen to rather soon – threads like these really show, even as a forum community we need to walk on. Otherwise it gets really tiring to read & to moderate the outbreaks of people, obvioulsy not agreeing with each other (*smile*) ...

 

[U2girl]

The reason Numb was picked over Hold me, Thrill Me, is because they made a conscious decision to cut all the "rock" songs, the ones that didn't exactly go with the futuristic, techno vibe of Zooropa. If anything, Hold me, Thrill Me would've went on POP...that is if they didn't already use it for the Batman soundtrack.

Then what is Zooropa or Dirty day or Stay doing on that album - plenty of guitar there. In fact there's guitars on pretty much every song (techno sounds on Zooropa?), and Hold me thrill me... would fit perfectly on the album - it's probably the birth of Macphisto.
Biggest mistake of their career.

 

[the tourist]

and Hold me thrill me... would fit perfectly on the album - it's probably the birth of Macphisto.

Actually, wasn't that song the death of MacPhisto? However, that album WAS MacPhisto. It would've been fitting to have him die at the end.

 

[ozeeko]

Then what is Zooropa or Dirty day or Stay doing on that album - plenty of guitar there. In fact there's guitars on pretty much every song (techno sounds on Zooropa?), and Hold me thrill me... would fit perfectly on the album - it's probably the birth of Macphisto.
Biggest mistake of their career.

All I can say is, take it up with the band.

Passage from U2: At The End Of The World: p. 230

"They finally make a decision that confers an unexpected unity on the whole project: They throw off all the rock songs, all the guitar-based tracks like "Wake Up Dead Man" and "If God Will Send His Angels" and make Zooropa entirely an album of disjointed, experimental pop. Now the whole enterprise is of one piece."

"Realizing, 'Oh, this is not a rock album', is a big relief," Bono says. "The world is sick of macho, sick of grunge. We need to get a female perspective in."



How is them leaving off Hold Me, Thrill Me, the biggest mistake of their career? It's not like you don't have access to it. Personally, I think the song (while being awesome) would sound out of place on Zooropa. It's a bit too rocking and glammy, doesn't have that otherworldly quality that the other songs possess.

 

[the tourist]

All I can say is, take it up with the band.

Me too. About your hatred of Vertigo, though.

 

[ozeeko]

Me too. About your hatred of Vertigo, though.

Wanna fight?

Come on, the conversation switched to Zooropa, a much more interesting topic. Do we have to talk about Vertigo again?

No! No! No! No! No! No! No!...( No! repeated ten more times)

 

[the tourist]

No! No! No! No! No! No! No!...( No! repeated ten more times)

I could only hope that happens on the next album.

 

[coolian2]

But no-one tells me no

 

[MrBrau1]

If you don't notice a trend in the majority of popular latter-day artists to write less cutting-edge material as they age, you're full of shit, frankly

Good.

When ever I hear someone say an artist is "cutting edge" I cringe. BS meter goes off the charts.

"cutting edge" WTF.

 

[Winger26]

I'm too a enormous bono's voice fan...and i'm new here by the way

Hello everybody, i mean i'm like Peterr, i lovwe just to know things about his voice

About the topic, i think we can expect anything from U2, i just hope i'm here to hear them again because they are the very best...