Unknown Caller appreciation thread

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purpleoscar said:
It's an uplifting song. I guess if you think of it as God communicating to you through your phone/computer and sending you in the proper direction away from despair it helps.
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Yeah.. Once again, I think I may have to listen a few more times...
 
Alright. Someone help me out. When I first heard the album this was one of my top tracks because I do love the "sound of it", the guitar work and the "ohh ohh ohh" chanting. I just am really struggling with the lyrics. They don't make a lot of sense to me, they don't really flow well at all, and they don't seem to fit the music. MOS, IGCIIDGCT, NLOTH, and GOYB are all passing this song on my list! QUICK! Someone help me appreciate the lyrics! :wink:
 
Speaking for myself, UC is one of my favorite songs for it's meaning, not so much any lyrical perfection. Although I've settled into the lyrics and the chanting, I must admit they are not my favorite. However, I love the sounds of this song from start to finish - and the entire concept of the communication with God in the context of our modern technology. Musically, the song builds to a climax of praise, using the notes of the chorus of a wonderful hymn (played first with horns, then guitar.)

So, my advice for appreciating UC is don't get bogged down digging for meaning in the lyrics. Dwell on the theme and the story told by the sounds.
 
UAME said:
Speaking for myself, UC is one of my favorite songs for it's meaning, not so much any lyrical perfection. Although I've settled into the lyrics and the chanting, I must admit they are not my favorite. However, I love the sounds of this song from start to finish - and the entire concept of the communication with God in the context of our modern technology. Musically, the song builds to a climax of praise, using the notes of the chorus of a wonderful hymn (played first with horns, then guitar.)

So, my advice for appreciating UC is don't get bogged down digging for meaning in the lyrics. Dwell on the theme and the story told by the sounds.
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:up:
 
Greatest song on the album...and this going to be freakin' amazing live...I can just hear everyone now chanting "Go...shout it out...rise up...oh, oh, oh,...."
 
UAME said:
Speaking for myself, UC is one of my favorite songs for it's meaning, not so much any lyrical perfection. Although I've settled into the lyrics and the chanting, I must admit they are not my favorite. However, I love the sounds of this song from start to finish - and the entire concept of the communication with God in the context of our modern technology. Musically, the song builds to a climax of praise, using the notes of the chorus of a wonderful hymn (played first with horns, then guitar.)

So, my advice for appreciating UC is don't get bogged down digging for meaning in the lyrics. Dwell on the theme and the story told by the sounds.
Click to expand...
this is a bit like I feel about the entire album
:up:
 
I appreciate this song. Whenever I hear it, though, I can't help but think of those chirping birds pooping on Larry's drums.
 
cjboog said:
Alright. Someone help me out. When I first heard the album this was one of my top tracks because I do love the "sound of it", the guitar work and the "ohh ohh ohh" chanting. I just am really struggling with the lyrics. They don't make a lot of sense to me, they don't really flow well at all, and they don't seem to fit the music. MOS, IGCIIDGCT, NLOTH, and GOYB are all passing this song on my list! QUICK! Someone help me appreciate the lyrics! :wink:
Click to expand...

I don't mind the lyrics, but I totally agree about them not flowing with the music. It's fine on the parts that are more chorus-like, but the verses are just a mess of words with no melody. And it's not like the beat-poetry feel of Breathe. I like the rest of the song, but the verses really sour it for me. I feel that in the past, U2 had no problem with Bono's lyrics flowing with the song. These days it's more of a problem, like with OOTS, the "some things you shouldn't get to good at" bit. Bono just shoves a bunch of words in with no connection to the music underneath. I mean, there's no way you can sing along to
"I was right there at the top of the bottom
On the edge of the known universe where I wanted to be
I had driven to the scene of the accident
And I sat there waiting for me "

I feel like the mess of lyrics even hurts the band trying to play something that goes along with it. It makes the music kind of muddy.

It's a shame, the rest of the song is really growing on me. :angry:
 
drt4 said:
I don't mind the lyrics, but I totally agree about them not flowing with the music. It's fine on the parts that are more chorus-like, but the verses are just a mess of words with no melody. And it's not like the beat-poetry feel of Breathe. I like the rest of the song, but the verses really sour it for me. I feel that in the past, U2 had no problem with Bono's lyrics flowing with the song. These days it's more of a problem, like with OOTS, the "some things you shouldn't get to good at" bit. Bono just shoves a bunch of words in with no connection to the music underneath. I mean, there's no way you can sing along to
"I was right there at the top of the bottom
On the edge of the known universe where I wanted to be
I had driven to the scene of the accident
And I sat there waiting for me "

I feel like the mess of lyrics even hurts the band trying to play something that goes along with it. It makes the music kind of muddy.

It's a shame, the rest of the song is really growing on me. :angry:
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the verses have a beautiful melancholy feel to them...i think they are some of the best lyrics on the album. who says you have to sing along to everything? everybody is so used to being spoon fed simple melodies and catchy choruses
 
U2FloridaFan said:
Greatest song on the album...and this going to be freakin' amazing live...I can just hear everyone now chanting "Go...shout it out...rise up...oh, oh, oh,...."
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Definitely agree. This is one of the most emotional, beautiful songs in the album. Bono just mentioned on the 3 nights U2 show something like he hopes the crowd will shout out the instructions when they do the song live. :drool:
 
i really anticipated this song being great since fez, but igotta say, i think they overdid it with the ever present loudassed guitar. In the fez clip the song was light and sorta magical. Also i get douchechills of the highest order when i hear grown men use the word shuush
 
jecofficial said:
i mean fuck, do we all have to be closet gays mr billy bolla?
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This part of the post is probably not cool, right? I mean, this clown is a regular Mr. Sunshine here on interference, and I hate to let one derogatory comment distract people from a slew of negative/trollish comments, but still.
 
jecofficial said:
i really anticipated this song being great since fez, but igotta say, i think they overdid it with the ever present loudassed guitar. In the fez clip the song was light and sorta magical. Also i get douchechills of the highest order when i hear grown men use the word shuush, i mean fuck, do we all have to be closet gays mr billy bolla?
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i have no problem admitting that i just reported your post.

please grow up.
 
jecofficial said:
i really anticipated this song being great since fez, but igotta say, i think they overdid it with the ever present loudassed guitar. In the fez clip the song was light and sorta magical. Also i get douchechills of the highest order when i hear grown men use the word shuush
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i must have misunderstood you when you said you'd tone it down.






on topic, i still love this song. top three on the album for me, imo. maybe four.
 
Unknown Caller is the best song they've done since Peace On earth back on ATYCLB. That fuc#er rocked!
 
purpleblackeye said:
the verses have a beautiful melancholy feel to them...i think they are some of the best lyrics on the album. who says you have to sing along to everything? everybody is so used to being spoon fed simple melodies and catchy choruses
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True, but I still don't think the verses work very well. For me, it's an ineffective approach. I mean, I wouldn't describe songs like Mofo or Exit as having spoon fed simple melodies, but they don't come across as awkward. I still feel like Unknown Caller, and some other songs like OOTS are a bit awkward and clunky (parts of them - not all).

But clearly you find verses in UC effective. Maybe I'll get used to them.
 
Im going to put myself on the line here and say UC might be one of the best u2 songs of all time.

:reject:
 
Two things about this song are great -

1. The chorus. The style is a departure for U2.

2. Edge going over the top at the end. Even though it does remind me a lot of the ending to UTEOTW it is nice to see them take it over the top in the studio. It will obviously be a monumental live song. There won't be any need for Edge to invent an overly aggressive ending to the live performances of this song ala some other songs. It is all there on the album.
 
Minus the techno-speak in the chorus, great song. The verses are fine, the solo's great and that might be my favourite U2 intro in a song.
 
U2girl said:
Minus the techno-speak in the chorus, great song. The verses are fine, the solo's great and that might be my favourite U2 intro in a song.
Click to expand...

Yeah, the lyrics are a bit naff. But everything else about the song is so great it doesn't matter. Almost every other U2 song has choruses that are sung higher / greater than the verses. I do like it UC how the singing in the choruses actually goes down a notch.
 
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