'Window In The Skies' -- The "Eternal Song"

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Here Slow Loris, this is the post that Lancemc was talking about. It is one of the more brilliant posts I've read here.

"But my real point here is about the new album's direction. I've already stated I want a more coherent, clear production, with a more consice sound. To me, HTDAAB sounds more like a fan compilation than a studio produced album like The Joshua Tree or ATYCLB. Also though, while I'd like to see the band take a more progressive rock direction like most of you wish, I'd be just as satisfied with a true pop album. I'd love to see the band make the album that ATYCLB was hinting at. Songs like Stuck in a Moment, Beautiful Day, and Wild Honey showed a new side of U2, a "pop song" side. I think these three songs are nearly perfect pop songs, the likes of which The Beatles perfected in the first half of their career.

Now, I know this is probably one of the least popular opinions around these boards, but the perfect pop album is truely a thing to behold. Look at Rubber Soul for example. To me, it's The Beatles' greatest achievement, and it's driven by expertly crafted pop masterpieces (In My Life, Nowhere Man, Drive My Car, Think For Yourself) with melodies, harmonies, and lyrics for the decade. It wasn't a rock album, but it wasn't bland cooky-cutter radio fluff either. When People talk about pop music (in it's genre meaning, not it's true definition) most of you groan. Good pop music is beautiful though. The Beach Boys, The Beatles, Elton John...all magnificent pop artists.

My point is, if U2 doesn't take the next big step to the real rock album we all know is still in them, I want to see the band make their true pop album. ATYCLB is almost perfect to me, a case example of the quintessential pop/rock album. Let's see what they can really do when they try."
 
Ah, yes....yes, I remember that! I agree completely with every single letter of every single word of every single sentence of those 3 paragraphs. It would be a great thing to see U2 put out a classic pop album -- "pop" in the traditional sense. It's not the U2 we remember, but it's the U2 that they've hinted at. If they ever make another truly great album, this is the album they'd want to make at this point in their career.
 
"With soaring strings and a haunting piano melody. The tune is remarkably different to the stadium rock sound of their recent smash hit album, How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb." -- Kathy McCabe article

"It is huge but in a very different way and for a very different reason; Bono is learning to play piano." -- Kathy McCabe article

"I think that is going to be our biggest song in a long time. It’s a psychedelic pop song with 6/8 timing. You never hear that, it’s very, very rare" -- Bono

"“It’s a song that every generation has to sing, it’s the eternal song. It’s about what’s possible and still everything is possible.” -- Bono

except for the psychedelic pop song stuff, it almost sounds like he could be describing "hands that built america", and that is not a bad thing necessarily. the only thing I know for sure is that the beginning of "streets" is in 6/8 time.... I look forward to this song.
 
400 is in 4/4.
so is 404
i don't think you can really just shift a song into a different time signature.. it forms the basis of the rhythm for the melody and all that
so.. none of those eh?
 
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It's a proven fact no new U2 song can be their greatest ever. I am sure when people first heard One they must have thought, it's OK but not as great as Bad etc, etc.

A song to become great needs to stand test of time. Bono obviously has idea about his songs for a while before it comes out for the masses. But to be honest in this day and age if you wanna kill something, just hype it.
 
Screwtape2 said:
Here Slow Loris, this is the post that Lancemc was talking about. It is one of the more brilliant posts I've read here.

"But my real point here is about the new album's direction. I've already stated I want a more coherent, clear production, with a more consice sound. To me, HTDAAB sounds more like a fan compilation than a studio produced album like The Joshua Tree or ATYCLB. Also though, while I'd like to see the band take a more progressive rock direction like most of you wish, I'd be just as satisfied with a true pop album. I'd love to see the band make the album that ATYCLB was hinting at. Songs like Stuck in a Moment, Beautiful Day, and Wild Honey showed a new side of U2, a "pop song" side. I think these three songs are nearly perfect pop songs, the likes of which The Beatles perfected in the first half of their career.

Now, I know this is probably one of the least popular opinions around these boards, but the perfect pop album is truely a thing to behold. Look at Rubber Soul for example. To me, it's The Beatles' greatest achievement, and it's driven by expertly crafted pop masterpieces (In My Life, Nowhere Man, Drive My Car, Think For Yourself) with melodies, harmonies, and lyrics for the decade. It wasn't a rock album, but it wasn't bland cooky-cutter radio fluff either. When People talk about pop music (in it's genre meaning, not it's true definition) most of you groan. Good pop music is beautiful though. The Beach Boys, The Beatles, Elton John...all magnificent pop artists.

My point is, if U2 doesn't take the next big step to the real rock album we all know is still in them, I want to see the band make their true pop album. ATYCLB is almost perfect to me, a case example of the quintessential pop/rock album. Let's see what they can really do when they try."
Click to expand...

I think ATYCLB was their perfect pop album, they just didn't go all the way. As it is, except put Stuck next to IALW and after song 6 (Stuck) continue with Summer rain, Wild honey, Levitate, Are you gonna wait forever and end with Falling at your feet.

edit: Wow, that is some hype. I'm curious to hear the song now.
 
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I thought 400 was in 4/4 time too. I have no idea why people were saying 6/8 time, I just assumed I was too ignorant to realise it. 400 is therefore ruled out
 
2233 said:
It's a proven fact no new U2 song can be their greatest ever. I am sure when people first heard One they must have thought, it's OK but not as great as Bad etc, etc.

A song to become great needs to stand test of time. Bono obviously has idea about his songs for a while before it comes out for the masses. But to be honest in this day and age if you wanna kill something, just hype it.
Click to expand...

Don't underestimate U2's capacities.
The Beatles still made some of the greatest songs ever in the last 2 albums.
Depeche Mode released an album last year with - IMO - some of their best tunes.
Madonna released last year "Hung Up" and "Sorry", being the first one as successful as "Vogue" or "Like A Prayer".
With U2 the same cn easily happen.
 
Swan269 said:
"With soaring strings and a haunting piano melody. The tune is remarkably different to the stadium rock sound of their recent smash hit album, How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb." -- Kathy McCabe article

"It is huge but in a very different way and for a very different reason; Bono is learning to play piano." -- Kathy McCabe article

"I think that is going to be our biggest song in a long time. It’s a psychedelic pop song with 6/8 timing. You never hear that, it’s very, very rare" -- Bono

"“It’s a song that every generation has to sing, it’s the eternal song. It’s about what’s possible and still everything is possible.” -- Bono
Click to expand...


i need to stop reading bono quotes... the song has to be epic otherwise it just won't live up to his hype.

maybe it will be :hmm:
 
ya, as much smack as i've heard bono talk over the last few years i've been on interference, you still get so hyped up over what he says.

It'll be a good song. If it lives up to the hyrpe or is even a "really strong" song, I can't wait to hear the album. We got Rubin, after all.
 
Getting back to the original point of this thread (which I forgot to state)....do you guys think this song could potentially be a song that will speak to all different generations? Will it become that massive? Do you think this will be the greatest U2 song of the new millenium?

I know this is going to be an amazing song. Don't ask how I know, but I know. It may not be for everybody, but it will be respected by almost everybody (except by some of the usual naysayers on this board, but even some of them will be pleasantly surprised, I feel).

The hard part is not creating the song in your head before you hear it. That's where disappointment begins. The song doesn't disappoint you; it's the expectations that disappoint you. Hype like this can tear a song apart.....but if it's a truly great song, it will come through that with flying colours, much like 'Beautiful Day' did, even though that took a while if you remember.

This could be the "it" song...or it could be another professional sounding song from U2 with a nice arrangment. I believe, this time, it's the former. Bono is Bono, but he's quite the salesman, isn't he? You want to believe everything he says, despite being led down the garden path in the past!


PS. Catman, you just had to be a part of this thread, hey? :wink:
 
You won't really know if it is the "song" until years from now. to me WOWY is a song that speaks for all different generations. People from 14 to 50 love that song. Same with songs like Satsifaction, Hey Jude, etc.
 
"If this song would have been played in the Garden of Eden, things would be different now."
----Bono

"...It will make all of your wildest dreams come true"
----Pedro

"Eh...it's OK."
----Edge

Sounds pretty great to me. :love:
 
More like "Equally Good Versus The Real Thing"


--------------SMALL PRINT-------------
U2 is not affiliated in any way with Bonobole Enterprises(tm).
 
At this point, upon hearing it, I will only be satisfied if it makes me
fall down, weep uncontrollably, and become totally incapacitated
and incoherent for days by its sheer brilliance.
 
a song that my grandma would like doesn't get me all that excited
 
The Slow Loris said:

The hard part is not creating the song in your head before you hear it. That's where disappointment begins. The song doesn't disappoint you; it's the expectations that disappoint you.
Click to expand...

This is the inherent problem of beach clips. Even if the released song is entirely unchanged from what was recorded as a beach clip, it would still be different. No waves, no befuddled lyrics, less mystery. My advice to anyone who likes the beach clips: stop listening to them.


Chizip said:
a song that my grandma would like doesn't get me all that excited
Click to expand...


You both liked the Thong Song, didn't you? :shrug:
 
Aygo said:


Don't underestimate U2's capacities.
The Beatles still made some of the greatest songs ever in the last 2 albums.
Depeche Mode released an album last year with - IMO - some of their best tunes.
Madonna released last year "Hung Up" and "Sorry", being the first one as successful as "Vogue" or "Like A Prayer".
With U2 the same cn easily happen.
Click to expand...

My point is not challenging the idea that U2 can make another classic album.

All I am saying for any song or album to become a classic, it needs to stand the test of time.
 
Utoo said:


This is the inherent problem of beach clips. Even if the released song is entirely unchanged from what was recorded as a beach clip, it would still be different. No waves, no befuddled lyrics, less mystery. My advice to anyone who likes the beach clips: stop listening to them.





You both liked the Thong Song, didn't you? :shrug:
Click to expand...
Thing me a thong, indeed.... :wink:

And spot on with the first part. I remember hearing 'Vertigo' and 'Miracle Drug' as beach clips, and thinking just how other worldly they sounded behind the muffled textures and waves and all around crap recording. It's amazing how good beach clips can be! It's like the genius that lays hidden in the mind fills in all the holes that it can't decipher with something extraordinary, when in reality they are occupied by something quite ordinary. Perhaps U2 should start recording their albums like that! On a related note, I don't think The Unforgettable Fire would sound quite so genius if it had a streamline, crystal clean production....
 
One more thing, Utoo: you raise a good point about "mystery". The beachclips have it in spades, as do many of U2's older albums. With the upfront, clean production available now, I feel there is very little mystery left. It's all there now for us to decipher -- every nuance and variation, every texture, every brush stroke in exquisite detail is there. That's attractive for some, but I do sometimes find myself missing the muddy sounds of Achtung Baby...listening for what's really going on behind the wall of sound, behind the mystery.
 
The Slow Loris said:
One more thing, Utoo: you raise a good point about "mystery". The beachclips have it in spades, as do many of U2's older albums. With the upfront, clean production available now, I feel there is very little mystery left. It's all there now for us to decipher -- every nuance and variation, every texture, every brush stroke in exquisite detail is there. That's attractive for some, but I do sometimes find myself missing the muddy sounds of Achtung Baby...listening for what's really going on behind the wall of sound, behind the mystery.
Click to expand...


Good points. I suppose that there might even be two types of mystery involved with the beach clips....you know, to get all philosophical about it. :wink: One type: the mystery involved in 1) the suprise of getting them, the hidden story behind their birth, etc., and 2) the wonder of what the finished product will sound like. All kinds of possibilities are opened up in your mind. When you get the final version, however, that's it--it's final. Possibilities end & you have one concrete sound.

The other type of mystery, I'd say, is in trying to think of what soundscape the finished song will have. Listening to a beach clip, you're filled with all kinds of images and feelings of the places to which you imagine the finished product might take you. Those places are influenced by the extra sounds of the recordings, the blurriness of the song being taped, and the emotions etc. involved in listening to a leaked beachclip----all expounded upon by the imagination. There become endless possibilities for the places that the new song can potentially take you. But again, when you get the final product, even if it's absolutely amazing.....those possibilities are greatly narrowed.

Now, that's not absolutely, entirely true. As you listen to a new song in the final version, you'll surely discover new things about it, appreciate it or dislike it as time goes on, and perhaps even completely change your mind about it many times. But, to me, there is just something so final about the finished product that makes it very difficult to live up to the potential of a beloved beach clip.




Not that it's keeping me from giggling like a schoolgirl at the thought of this new song.....:wink:
 
Utoo said:



Good points. I suppose that there might even be two types of mystery involved with the beach clips....you know, to get all philosophical about it. :wink: One type: the mystery involved in 1) the suprise of getting them, the hidden story behind their birth, etc., and 2) the wonder of what the finished product will sound like. All kinds of possibilities are opened up in your mind. When you get the final version, however, that's it--it's final. Possibilities end & you have one concrete sound.

The other type of mystery, I'd say, is in trying to think of what soundscape the finished song will have. Listening to a beach clip, you're filled with all kinds of images and feelings of the places to which you imagine the finished product might take you. Those places are influenced by the extra sounds of the recordings, the blurriness of the song being taped, and the emotions etc. involved in listening to a leaked beachclip----all expounded upon by the imagination. There become endless possibilities for the places that the new song can potentially take you. But again, when you get the final product, even if it's absolutely amazing.....those possibilities are greatly narrowed.

Now, that's not absolutely, entirely true. As you listen to a new song in the final version, you'll surely discover new things about it, appreciate it or dislike it as time goes on, and perhaps even completely change your mind about it many times. But, to me, there is just something so final about the finished product that makes it very difficult to live up to the potential of a beloved beach clip.




Not that it's keeping me from giggling like a schoolgirl at the thought of this new song.....:wink:
Click to expand...
Haha!! Exactly, exactly. The imagination can sometimes be even better than the real thing, and life can be like that in a lot of ways. We're always chasing, always chasing....and when we arrive, we're looking for something else. Human beings are interesting, if not completely fascinating creatures. It can be fun being one.

Oh, wait... :wink:
 
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