LP13: Oh well Oh Well Oh Well Oh Well....Tell Me More!

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mikal said:
You mean you guys don't like the song Stand Up Comedy?


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dun dun DAH d-dun DAH dundundundahDUN dunDAHduh dundundahDUN

793e256931_Edge__U2.jpg





ab1e3b5bb3b2bbf0f06e5efd26416fb5_400x400.jpeg
 
Come on ye people! Stand back and don't shove.

shove! shove! shove!

Ah.....if only I could remember what thread that was.


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prbiker15 said:
:lmao:
I don't find the song to be terrible, but it's my second to least favorite track on NLOTH. The lyrics...that's another story.
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That's about how I feel about it. Certainly listenable, but far from great and enough with the lyrical themes along the lines of "Take a stand, change the world, our music is going to save the world" already. I'm over the Crumbs/Beautiful/Crazy Tonight/Stand Up/Original/Yahweh/Sometimes lyrical song arc non-evolution that's happened over the last 14 years.
 
If we get an album at any point in 2014, I will be very happy. September would be amazing.

...And that concludes this month's visit to a New Album thread. See you next time! :wave:
 
Rich79 said:
That's about how I feel about it. Certainly listenable, but far from great and enough with the lyrical themes along the lines of "Take a stand, change the world, our music is going to save the world" already. I'm over the Crumbs/Beautiful/Crazy Tonight/Stand Up/Original/Yahweh/Sometimes lyrical song arc non-evolution that's happened over the last 14 years.
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This, in a big way.

I was already over it when I heard Beautiful Day, though. That was like what a computer would spit out if you asked it to create an uplifting U2 anthem. :shrug: It's not a bad song by any means, but when I heard it I wasn't like "THEY'RE BACK!" but more resigned they were conceding to revisit past glories.

There's a looseness in Crumbs that I like (e.g. Bono's shouted "Hey!" after one of the choruses), and at least it's more specific lyrically, namely poverty in Africa as opposed to the more general bromides. The ending is over the top, though.

The same goes for Original Of The Species (if we're to believe the Edge's daughter story), and it's a pleasurable melody with some great electric guitar on there. Unfortunately the production is just too much and it sounds canned rather than organic.

I'm not religious at all, but I find Yahweh strangely moving because of its conviction. And it sounds so much like One Tree Hill at the beginning that I can't hate it. Beautiful guitar work throughout, if nothing new.

Sometimes is obviously a very personal song but it's one of the most uninteresting from a musical perspective they've ever written, and that bridge is too Coldplay for my tastes. A powerful Bono vocal but that just ain't enough.

I'm not even going to dignify Stand Up Comedy and Crazy Tonight with criticism. They're both embarrassments.
 
lazarus said:
This, in a big way.



I was already over it when I heard Beautiful Day, though. That was like what a computer would spit out if you asked it to create an uplifting U2 anthem. :shrug: It's not a bad song by any means, but when I heard it I wasn't like "THEY'RE BACK!" but more resigned they were conceding to revisit past glories.



There's a looseness in Crumbs that I like (e.g. Bono's shouted "Hey!" after one of the choruses), and at least it's more specific lyrically, namely poverty in Africa as opposed to the more general bromides. The ending is over the top, though.



The same goes for Original Of The Species (if we're to believe the Edge's daughter story), and it's a pleasurable melody with some great electric guitar on there. Unfortunately the production is just too much and it sounds canned rather than organic.



I'm not religious at all, but I find Yahweh strangely moving because of its conviction. And it sounds so much like One Tree Hill at the beginning that I can't hate it. Beautiful guitar work throughout, if nothing new.



Sometimes is obviously a very personal song but it's one of the most uninteresting from a musical perspective they've ever written, and that bridge is too Coldplay for my tastes. A powerful Bono vocal but that just ain't enough.



I'm not even going to dignify Stand Up Comedy and Crazy Tonight with criticism. They're both embarrassments.
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It's these kind of comments that make me remember how much of a gem Fez-Being Porn is. It's truly one if the few moments in the last 15 years where the band just let a song breathe on its own.


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Rich79 said:
That's about how I feel about it. Certainly listenable, but far from great and enough with the lyrical themes along the lines of "Take a stand, change the world, our music is going to save the world" already. I'm over the Crumbs/Beautiful/Crazy Tonight/Stand Up/Original/Yahweh/Sometimes lyrical song arc non-evolution that's happened over the last 14 years.
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I think you're oversimplifying/missing the message of the song a bit.

After doing some reading of a Christian theology book last night that kind of put U2 in a negative light for more or less being too soft in their beliefs/professions of Christian faith, I kind of gained a newfound appreciation for the song (and kind of remembered that I had loved the song back when it came out because I had sort of seen it through the lens of this issue to begin with, but had forgotten about it)...to me, the song is about a reconciliation between new agey, emergent, liberal believers (and maybe even atheists and agnostics) and fundamentalist Christians. Bono is kind of poking fun at himself ("Josephine, be careful of small men with big ideas") and at the same time defending himself and pointing out where he thinks fundamentalists err...they make God into this small person that they think depends on them ("stop helping God across the road like a little old lady")

I think it's actually a rather brilliant answer to common criticisms of U2 from the world of Chrisitianity...combine this with the fact that the title has double meanings ("stand up comedy" in the typical sense of the phrase as well as "standing up" for your beliefs and yet being reconciled as in a story that's a comedy, as opposed to a tragedy) and that I feel like I can imagine some of the lyrics actually being parts of real jokes and punchlines ("stop helping God across the road..." is a good one)...I kind of find myself thinking, wow...this is actually a very clever song.

I'm sure many who are less inclined to religious or spiritual discussions will probably dismiss my thoughts...but seriously, if you get a chance, give "Stand Up Comedy" another listen with an open mind!
 
pocketmerlin said:
I think you're oversimplifying/missing the message of the song a bit.



After doing some reading of a Christian theology book last night that kind of put U2 in a negative light for more or less being too soft in their beliefs/professions of Christian faith, I kind of gained a newfound appreciation for the song (and kind of remembered that I had loved the song back when it came out because I had sort of seen it through the lens of this issue to begin with, but had forgotten about it)...to me, the song is about a reconciliation between new agey, emergent, liberal believers (and maybe even atheists and agnostics) and fundamentalist Christians. Bono is kind of poking fun at himself ("Josephine, be careful of small men with big ideas") and at the same time defending himself and pointing out where he thinks fundamentalists err...they make God into this small person that they think depends on them ("stop helping God across the road like a little old lady")



I think it's actually a rather brilliant answer to common criticisms of U2 from the world of Chrisitianity...combine this with the fact that the title has double meanings ("stand up comedy" in the typical sense of the phrase as well as "standing up" for your beliefs and yet being reconciled as in a story that's a comedy, as opposed to a tragedy) and that I feel like I can imagine some of the lyrics actually being parts of real jokes and punchlines ("stop helping God across the road..." is a good one)...I kind of find myself thinking, wow...this is actually a very clever song.



I'm sure many who are less inclined to religious or spiritual discussions will probably dismiss my thoughts...but seriously, if you get a chance, give "Stand Up Comedy" another listen with an open mind!
Click to expand...


Hadn't really considered this before, so thanks for that. And to your last paragraph - I am a devout atheist. I also think that fundamentalist Christians over emphasise the importance of Christianity on u2s music. They are a rock band of believers who sometimes let that belief shine through. They are not Creed. Fuck Creed.


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mikal said:
It's these kind of comments that make me remember how much of a gem Fez-Being Porn is.
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I can't tell if this was a typo or if you were trying to 'cockify the title.

pocketmerlin said:
After doing some reading of a Christian theology book last night that kind of put U2 in a negative light for more or less being too soft in their beliefs/professions of Christian faith
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Well that's definitely something to be thankful for. This is the kind of shit that really pisses me off, but I'm going to practice some restraint and simply say that if U2 had been full-on Christian Warriors their music never would have reached the same number of people from so many different backgrounds.

And I think their more general thematic messages of peace, equality, and respect for the environment (in their lyrics as well as their public activism) has done far more good than any didactic proselytizing would have.

dan_smee said:
Hadn't really considered this before, so thanks for that. And to your last paragraph - I am a devout atheist. I also think that fundamentalist Christians over emphasise the importance of Christianity on u2s music. They are a rock band of believers who sometimes let that belief shine through. They are not Creed. Fuck Creed.
Click to expand...

All of this. Every word.
 
Curiouser and curiouser.

On one hand, given the lack of any confirmation I don't want to get carried away. On the other, this level of security, cost, and secrecy would NOT be given to an 'up and coming' band. Unless U2 have renamed themselves 'Summer Nights' (and furthermore, it mirrors EXACTLY the security described on the KNOWN U2 shoot in Nice).

All this 'up and coming' talk has me leaning again toward the theory that this video is a representation of the themes Bono has talked about in the past - that the album is about their start in the business, and the themes of this video could very much deal with them being an 'up and coming' band. Or, in typical U2 fashion, it could have flipped a bit, and no longer be about THEM breaking out of Ireland, but more a fictional band set in the here-and-now, but based on their story.

The complexity of this filming project also leads me to think that this is more what Linear should have been. It was described in that article as a 'musical backdrop'. It could be that they are filming an accompanying piece to the album, or indeed that the album is a soundtrack to the story that flows through the songs? I think in 48 hours we've gone from 99% not U2 to about 50-50 again, but the fact that no-one has denied it makes me wonder...
 
dan_smee said:
Curiouser and curiouser.

On one hand, given the lack of any confirmation I don't want to get carried away. On the other, this level of security, cost, and secrecy would NOT be given to an 'up and coming' band. Unless U2 have renamed themselves 'Summer Nights' (and furthermore, it mirrors EXACTLY the security described on the KNOWN U2 shoot in Nice).

All this 'up and coming' talk has me leaning again toward the theory that this video is a representation of the themes Bono has talked about in the past - that the album is about their start in the business, and the themes of this video could very much deal with them being an 'up and coming' band. Or, in typical U2 fashion, it could have flipped a bit, and no longer be about THEM breaking out of Ireland, but more a fictional band set in the here-and-now, but based on their story.

The complexity of this filming project also leads me to think that this is more what Linear should have been. It was described in that article as a 'musical backdrop'. It could be that they are filming an accompanying piece to the album, or indeed that the album is a soundtrack to the story that flows through the songs? I think in 48 hours we've gone from 99% not U2 to about 50-50 again, but the fact that no-one has denied it makes me wonder...
Click to expand...

This.
 
dan_smee said:
Curiouser and curiouser.

On one hand, given the lack of any confirmation I don't want to get carried away. On the other, this level of security, cost, and secrecy would NOT be given to an 'up and coming' band. Unless U2 have renamed themselves 'Summer Nights' (and furthermore, it mirrors EXACTLY the security described on the KNOWN U2 shoot in Nice).

All this 'up and coming' talk has me leaning again toward the theory that this video is a representation of the themes Bono has talked about in the past - that the album is about their start in the business, and the themes of this video could very much deal with them being an 'up and coming' band. Or, in typical U2 fashion, it could have flipped a bit, and no longer be about THEM breaking out of Ireland, but more a fictional band set in the here-and-now, but based on their story.

The complexity of this filming project also leads me to think that this is more what Linear should have been. It was described in that article as a 'musical backdrop'. It could be that they are filming an accompanying piece to the album, or indeed that the album is a soundtrack to the story that flows through the songs? I think in 48 hours we've gone from 99% not U2 to about 50-50 again, but the fact that no-one has denied it makes me wonder...
Click to expand...
:yes: We'll just have to wait and see.
 
I want to know which member of the band shot the cat with the screw....my money is on Larry....he seems JUST angry enough to do something like that...:D
 
pocketmerlin said:
I think you're oversimplifying/missing the message of the song a bit.

After doing some reading of a Christian theology book last night that kind of put U2 in a negative light for more or less being too soft in their beliefs/professions of Christian faith, I kind of gained a newfound appreciation for the song (and kind of remembered that I had loved the song back when it came out because I had sort of seen it through the lens of this issue to begin with, but had forgotten about it)...to me, the song is about a reconciliation between new agey, emergent, liberal believers (and maybe even atheists and agnostics) and fundamentalist Christians. Bono is kind of poking fun at himself ("Josephine, be careful of small men with big ideas") and at the same time defending himself and pointing out where he thinks fundamentalists err...they make God into this small person that they think depends on them ("stop helping God across the road like a little old lady")

I think it's actually a rather brilliant answer to common criticisms of U2 from the world of Chrisitianity...combine this with the fact that the title has double meanings ("stand up comedy" in the typical sense of the phrase as well as "standing up" for your beliefs and yet being reconciled as in a story that's a comedy, as opposed to a tragedy) and that I feel like I can imagine some of the lyrics actually being parts of real jokes and punchlines ("stop helping God across the road..." is a good one)...I kind of find myself thinking, wow...this is actually a very clever song.

I'm sure many who are less inclined to religious or spiritual discussions will probably dismiss my thoughts...but seriously, if you get a chance, give "Stand Up Comedy" another listen with an open mind!
Click to expand...

That's all well and good (and a fine defense of that crap song, maybe the best I've seen) but a song is not an article in a newspaper, an entry on a blog, it's not a poem, it's not a short story. A song is a musical. It's cleverness is relative to how it functions as a piece of music, both words and music. If it doesn't fit together it doesn't matter. I'm not accusing Stand Up Comedy of not fitting together, I'm illustrating how this interpretation, accurate or not, doesn't have to mean anything at all.

The song is sluggish. Musically, it sounds like U2 performing a cover version of an obscure Aerosmith song from 1978 nobody has ever heard. That's fine for some bands but nothing at all about what made U2 magical to begin with.

Lyrically, we can say what we want about what it's supposed to mean but in the end it's trite and full of hamfisted sloganeering. So much of 21st Century Bono suffers from this, like classic pop and country songwriting. Working from the bumper-sticker slogan backwards...and be damned if it's a little clumsy off the tongue, it's a clever line! No. That's not what makes for great music.

Bono was better off singing random nonsense phonetics, his Bonogolese, until something just...arrived. I sense he doesn't do much of that any more and he gets a little too eager to shoehorn 'Freedom Is The Scent..." in two different songs because, well, he's a little too high on his own cleverness just to let the song, the music, the feel, the mood dictate what the words should be saying. Doesn't even matter what its saying really, specifically, as long as it's sincere and you can feel that it's sincere. I just resent music that feels like someone came up with a T-shirt slogan for the title and went from there. So much of U2 since Beautiful Day has been just this.

Lastly, on that song specifically, I am sick. to. death. of the self-effacing stuff, the owning up to being a 'hypocritical rock star'. We get it. Tell us something from your soul and try to sing it like you stumbled into it, not like it was a phrase you randomly jotted down in a notebook on an airplane and then shoved it somewhere inside one of your newest songs where it seemed to be least awkward.

Truthfully, I am not much of a lyrical critic. Lyrics do matter and they matter to me, but this isn't storytelling. This is music, rock music in particular. There is a harmony between music and lyrics that must exist. Music is an auditory medium like film is a visual medium. The script matters...but it's only one component of the overall piece. And not even the most important if we care about art as much as or more than being a popcorn thriller. Pop music listeners often pay far too much mind to lyrics. Lyrics should never wreck a song if the song is worthy in the first place. Think about how many times any of us have sung along to La-La-La or Oh-Oh-Oh. If you're reading this, I know you're 100% guilty. It's music folks. I Am The Walrus basically means nothing and so what? It's perfection.

So really I don't begrudge anything written in say, Miami because it all fits perfectly. I don't analyze anything in Elvis Presley and America. I don't get too carried away looking at any of those early lyrics and scrutinizing how banal some were. It was all so very sincere, I appreciated it because of that. U2 were the greatest band at being magically accidental, at not truly knowing what they were doing. When they were at their best, they weren't clever at all, they weren't even good - as Bono likes to say - they were just great. I don't think U2 can be great with this method of operations from Bono and his lyric writing. He's not that kind of writer and he never was. He's not a cerebral lyricist IMO. He's always been emotional and it always worked until he decided he wasn't that guy anymore. No song is more indicative of the worst of all of this than Stand Up Comedy. But I'm glad at least you like it.
 
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