COL's intro is straight from an Eno ambient track

[Fullonedge3]

When I heard the 30 second clips of the songs, COL instantly reminded me of the atmosphere of one of my favorite Eno ambient tracks, "Against the Sky," which appears on his collaboration with Harold Budd, The Pearl. Awesome album, by the way. One of my favorite ambient albums.

Anyways, the intro to COL isn't just inspired by that track, it's completely lifted from it!

Don't know what I'm talking about? Check it out here: YouTube - Brian Eno & Harold Budd - Against the Sky & Lost in the Humming Air

 

[Flying FuManchu]

Lmao

 

[xaviMF22]

nice find lol

COL

 

[Flying FuManchu]

I guess this was U2's way of giving Eno a "writing" credit on a U2 album.

 

[MrBTH]

Brilliant!! It's actually a loop under the entire song... I assume Eno gets a writing credit on this one, possibly Harold Budd too...!

I think it's wonderful that they were able to take this and create such a beautiful and powerful song...

 

[bathiu]

two notes sampled/looped... meh, no big deal, it's Eno's so it's OK

 

[elevation]

wow, nice find ....

 

[Irishteen]

Sampling Eno on an album Eno co-wrote

I'm fine with that

 

[bono_212]

That's pretty awesome imo.

 

[adypole]

beautiful. but kinda takes a little away.

 

[Flying FuManchu]

Yeah it's not a big deal considering Eno is the one who produced it. Unless Eno is just listening to Cedars for the first time just as we are... Eno listening to Cedars, "Nice intro, wait WTF!"

 

[adypole]

1:25

they even took inspiration from the fan!

 

[BVS]

Oh Noes...

 

[Fullonedge3]

Yeah it's not a big deal considering Eno is the one who produced it. Unless Eno is just listening to Cedars for the first time just as we are... Eno listening to Cedars, "Nice intro, wait WTF!"

lol

Yeah, I'm fine with. I was just completely shocked when it kicked in!

 

[jecofficial]

the ends and the means, fine by me.

 

[Flying FuManchu]

This could be another reason for Eno to sue U2 again.

 

[last unicorn]

I don't care. Eno produced the album and COL is one of my favourite songs on NLOTH.

 

[Reead]

Lol wow.

Though I suppose it's place in the song is like that of a sample. But cmon Eno, you couldn't have given them something new?

 

[santiago]

Great find. I was thinking to myself... it sounds a bit like Harold Budd this intro.

"The Pearl" was also co-produced by Daniel Lanois, so in a sense they are retro-sampling themselves. I'm sure it will be fully credited if it's indeed a sample.

Hopefully this will give a boost to Harold Budd's popularity, he's a great musician.

 

[xtrmx]

This evening when I played it to my father in his car, cedars started and after 2 seconds he said "That's Eno!" (He loves his work)
Was pretty funny that it didn't only sound as eno, it _was_ his tune :x

 

[silverfish]

This could be another reason for Eno to sue U2 again.

Again??? What it happened before?

 

[U2JD]

Eno and Lanois should have been getting writing credits since UF (on those albums they produced). Eno's synth sounds are all over the place and they've had a dramatic influence on U2's sound. No Eno, no synth wash intro to Streets, would be a much different song.

I highly recommend Eno's Music for Films, and Music for Airports. Then check out Here Come The Warm Jets, which is decidedly not ambient.

 

[bwalker016]

Well if Eno is getting writing credits on NLOTH then technically he is part of the band... so he's a recycling hack! If he did it in his producer capacity that would be fine because that's creative but as a member of the band... get some originality. Eno should take himself to court immediately.

...

 

[ozeeko]

I could seriously give a shit about a sample as long as the song is good.

 

[Ladera Heights]

Nice catch. I thought it sounded familiar. Eno and Budd collaborations all kinda sound the same, but sound great nonetheless.

 

[LemonMelon]

This isn't a first for Eno:

http://www.u2interference.com/forums/f189/listening-wind-plot-180-a-188531.html

 

[santiago]

I've read the credits of the album from amazon. They are not detailed (that is, they list the people involved but with no information on their roles).

It appears that Harold Budd is mentioned on the credits of COL and Eno is not (bizarre, as I coudl have sworn he was singing the backing and playing synth throughout). so it could well be Lanois (who co-produced "the Pearl") sampling it.

In any case it is very much an intended sample rather than a recycling of ideas.

I have to say I love the sample and the way it's used within the song. Harold Buddd's pieces are loose and ambient, and to use this loop as the backbone for a rythmic song like COL is a great idea.

I suppose for maximum ambient effect one could edit digitally the two tracks together so that the Harold Budd song was the intro and then at the end COL would start

 

[ClaudeF]

That is hilarious. Actually makes me want to buy the Eno/Budd album, though! I wonder if they'll use this on the tour at all -- as pre-show music, perhaps?

 

[SpaceBoy]

It's not that weird. Especially if it's sampled from music Eno helped write, and Lanois helped produce. The end result is awesome, I love COL. I need to hear The Pearl now.

Also, LemonMelon, I'm so glad that you noticed the similarity between Listening Wind and Plot 180. I've been listening to OS1 a lot lately and I always think that whenever I hear that track.

 

[ybab gnuthca]

Nice find.

A bit sad that U2 is caught recycling stuff though. It also shows how much this album is actually an Eno/Lanois album (as opposed to a U2 album).