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It's a damn brilliant song but I don't understand how they could possibly release this as a single. I don't think it has any commercial appeal at all. Can you really picture this song tearing up the charts and being played on the radio amongst eminem and all the other bullshit? I sure as hell can't :|
It's very sad really.
 
I believe they thought that when WOWY came out. Look what happened then.
I beleive this song is the best written lyric and songwriting since One. Hands down. Simple and direct with some of the best guitar licks and singing from bono in ages.
 
I love how this song is introduced, with the tick tick tocking of a clock. It offers a sense of seriousness to start the track. Then, that heavy bass line coupled with The Edge's tweedling guitar. Sets the mood beautifully. Then, in comes Bono with tough.

Love one word opening lines!
 
Do you guys think this is Bono's most personal song?

It's so his. No one else can sing that song and feel somewhat related to its entirety.

That part where he says "You're the reason the opera is in me" he says it with an almost shyness to his voice that I can't help but think it is too deeply his.
 
BrownEyedBoy said:
Do you guys think this is Bono's most personal song?

It's so his. No one else can sing that song and feel somewhat related to its entirety.

That part where he says "You're the reason the opera is in me" he says it with an almost shyness to his voice that I can't help but think it is too deeply his.
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Definitely. That's why for me the verdict is still out that The Edge is doing the falsettos. I can't see Bono making that decision for such a Bono song.

For the same reason, I also think this song cannot really be compared to One. Content-wise, this is more personal but One is still at another level emotionally and musically.
 
ADecentMelody said:
That's why for me the verdict is still out that The Edge is doing the falsettos. I can't see Bono making that decision for such a Bono song.
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Yes, but if I remember correctly, both Bono & Edge sang this at the funeral.

I think it's Edge doing the falsettos.

I wonder how this sounded at that Uk performance?
 
I love this song more everytime I hear it...the line that hits it most for me is "A house doesn't make a home/Don't leave me here alone." It's like he almost chokes on "alone"... and I tear up EVERYTIME I hear it.

I can definatley hear this song being played on mainstream radio - it's a ballad, like She Will Be Loved and The Reason, but instead of a sugarcoated formulistic piece of shite, it's a truely personal, emotional heartwrencher. It could have huge success... that's what worries me. Really, have you HEARD kids mangle songs like "She Will Be Loved" by Maroon 5? I mean, they can BARELY sing that, and while the "wiiiiiiiiiill" part is pretty high... um...well, people are going to have difficulty singing along to a falsetto chorus. I will cry inside as I hear dumbass kids sing it horribly.

Anyway...thanks for sharing personal stories, guys. Stars, I know how you feel - I'm very close to my mother as well and she's the one that introduced me to U2, and we've been through a lot together, especially within the last couple years...

Mary, that...well, that put my life into perspective a bit. I'm not the praying kind, but...you'll be in my thoughts, if that counts as anything.
 
All of you who heard the whole song need to reassure me... I tried to download the song a few times, but it always cuts off about halfway through the second verse. I don't have high-speed internet so I sort of decided not to try to get the whole thing until the album comes out.

BUT, I must say, I don't like what I heard so far all that much. I understand everyone is really touched by the lyrics, but it seems to me that the melody is fairly poor, and the music kind of boring. Like they just found music to put around the lyrics, and not the other way around.

But then again many of you have said that the song picks up after 3 min. or so, and I haven't heard that part. Do you guys think it's possible I'll really like the song after I hear the whole thing?
 
This was one of the songs that hit me after 3 or 4 listens. I think I had ranked it in my bottom 2 on my first couple of listens. Then bang, it hit me, now I can't stop listening to it.
 
I really didn't care for the song on my first listen. It doesn't have an uber impressive climax, and it does seem sort of boring at first. That said, this song really grows on you. I can't get it out of my head now. I also think that when they play this on tour it's going to have a huge climax and it's going to tremendous.
 
No, I loved it right away. I'm a huge falsetto fan so I loved it.

It bothers me because Edge is doing them. I wish Bono would. You can tell because Edge's falsetto voice is sharper where as Bono's doesn't seem like that (listen to the end of man and a woman).

ADecentMelody, what did you mean by no imagining Bono making the choice?
 
BEB, I just meant that if it were me singing about my dad and his death, I would like to sing the most important lines (i.e., the falsettos) myself. I would have the most emotional attachment to deliver those grand lyrics. That's just my opinion, of course, and it's tough to tell for me who's doing the falsettos at this point. Did anybody bear witness to their live performance of this song last month? Maybe they can shed some light.

As far as reassuring Oceane, I can vouch for you. I wasn't that impressed with this song on first listen. I guess I had such high expectations that I over-expected. I liked the intro up to tought but I selfishly had the melody going a totally different direction in my mind. It seemed it would have been better.

After about a half dozen listens, this song is steadily taking its place among the top. Again, this is how I digest U2 songs. They grow on me and then they clamp permanently.

It won't be a let down. :up:
 
All I have to say is:

"I don’t need… I don’t need to hear you say
That if we weren’t so alike
You’d like me a whole lot more"

FUCK!! I need a tissue.....

Great Song!!!!!
 
Okay after a day, this just went into the olaylist as one of other great songs on the album, of which there are many.

It's now kicked out most of the other songs and is probably top two. Infact right now it's at the top.

I just cant imagine how he ever held it together to sing that song at it's dads funeral. It must have been the most difficult performance of his life.

I think there is a subtle structure to the song, i may just be reading into too much, but A heavy intro and crushing finish would have made this a different song, maybe even a better one but it's like he's saying in a way that he appears ok on the outside, but on the inside he's hurting a lot.

Thats why Intro slow-Heavy-slow - finish

Plus the moment of the song where he sings the line You are the why the opera is in me, Don't leave me alone, wouldn't have hit the same spot if the rest of the song had such points.
 
Sorry if this is a little off-topic but I also posted this in the mp3 forum (which no one hardly checks).

But does anyone here have the mp3 of Bob Hewson's funeral? I'd love to hear Bono's performance of this brilliant song.

Cheers,

J
 
jick said:
Sorry if this is a little off-topic but I also posted this in the mp3 forum (which no one hardly checks).

But does anyone here have the mp3 of Bob Hewson's funeral? I'd love to hear Bono's performance of this brilliant song.

Cheers,

J
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Is nothing SACRED!?
 
jick said:
Sorry if this is a little off-topic but I also posted this in the mp3 forum (which no one hardly checks).

But does anyone here have the mp3 of Bob Hewson's funeral? I'd love to hear Bono's performance of this brilliant song.

Cheers,

J
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Jick, I can't believe that even you would think of something as disgusting as that. That is just vile. If you are seriously looking for this, you should be ashamed. That post made me feel sick to my stomach...
 
starsgoblue said:





Jick, I can't believe that even you would think of something as disgusting as that. That is just vile. If you are seriously looking for this, you should be ashamed. That post made me feel sick to my stomach...
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What makes it disgusting? I think Elton John gave a really moving rendition of Candle In The Wind in Princess Di's funeral. Mp3's and even videos of that exist. Elton did a pretty good version that it just HAD to be released as a single.

Now, Bono and Edge sing in Bob Hewson's funeral. So there is a possibility mp3's of that exist, isn't there? And I would like to believe the version of the song was so moving that it is what inspired them to release the song to the public through HTDAAB. I think the song was so good that it just HAD to make it to the album.

I don't see the disgust in posing this question. Anyway, let us close this topic. It seems mp3's of this don't exist based on the replies I've gotten so far, but if they indeed do then please drop me a private email.

Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own is one of my favorite album tracks.

Cheers,

J
 
Princess Diana was a celebrity. Your logic is just totally messed up.

Bob Hewson was Bono's father. Just because Bono is a rock star does not mean we have an all access pass into his personal and family life! What happened at Bob Hewson's funeral is NONE OF OUR BUSINESS beyond anything that Bono himself chooses to disclose.

Why on earth would you want a recording of one of Bono's most heartwrenching and personally despairing moments for reasons other than your own selfish pleasure?! Can't you hear the pain in Bono's voice clearly enough in the studio version? My God.
 
starsgoblue said:
Princess Diana was a celebrity. Your logic is just totally messed up.

Bob Hewson was Bono's father. Just because Bono is a rock star does not mean we have an all access pass into his personal and family life! What happened at Bob Hewson's funeral is NONE OF OUR BUSINESS beyond anything that Bono himself chooses to disclose.

Why on earth would you want a recording of one of Bono's most heartwrenching and personally despairing moments for reasons other than your own selfish pleasure?! Can't you hear the pain in Bono's voice clearly enough in the studio version? My God.
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I still don't think anything is wrong with innocently asking if mp3's of the performance exists. Similar to the beach clips, that was none of our business - yet people went out to record it. I was just thinking of the possibility.

Anyway, let's end this before this turns out to be a flame war. I never knew such violent reactions would be forthcoming. If any mods are here now, please delete any and all threads to do with this request of mine, including the one in the mp3 forum. Thanks.

Cheers,

J
 
Let's drop the matter re jick's request - I don't know that it even exists, and even if it did, I'd have a hard time believing Bono would be happy that it was out there for the public.

Jick did not appear to be malicious or creepy about this request so please just let it go.
 
Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own

I decided today, that since it started snowing here in Colorado, I would reward myself with another sneak peek at U2's new album, and boy did I pick a humdinger! Is there anyone else here that thinks Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own is one of the most nakedly beautiful songs U2 has ever done?! Great shimmery guitar, great heartfelt lyrics, and utterly heart-wrenching and fantastic falsetto in the chorus. I can't get enough of it right now. And the ending is tremendous!
 
Agree 100% - The rest of the album is great too but this is probably my favorite. It gets to me - :sad: I find it stuck in my head a lot.
 
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