Real Hands That Build America mp3 now available

[elevation]

full mp3

Anybody knows where to find a full version of the song which is NOT on a ftp-server or on Newmedia??!

Thanks in advance

 

[Mr_LeMon]

HERE

 

[Saracene]

Wow, that was a gorgeous, touching song! I love it!

 

[Am I Zoo]

First of all, what a beautiful song! U2 are masters at these sultry, yearning ballads (think of "Stateless, "Blue Room," "Velvet Dress," etc.). The fact that this doesn't rise up to some anthemic pitch is a plus, if you ask me, not a drawback.

More than anything, this music reminds me of the work of Ennio Morriconne -- I don't mean his crackpot "The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly" theme but rather his score to "Once Upon America," to name one.

 

[UltravioletU2]

Sad and haunting.

Very good soundtrack material. To me it definitely sounds like a soundtrack.

It makes me sad when I hear it.

 

[karl]

I listened to the song several times. For some reason the Hands that Built America reminds me of Heartland. Maybe, its because both songs are about America, but both also have somewhat of a meandering pace. It also does feel similar to Miss Sarajevo, although Miss Sarajevo is much stonger.

The song is basically forgettable. It doesn't fit on the Best of, and it won't be released. It may work well in the context of the movie, we'll see. I think Hands would have fit well on Passengers.

Well, I am looking forward to the new album.

karl

 

[follower]

BTW, does anyone else think that the operatic vocal might actually be a distorted Bono?

I don?t know Michael...my guess is that could be Alessandro Safina, the tenor that sang in some songs of Moulin Rouge soundtrack, check it out, it?s really similar IMO.

 

[bonosloveslave]

OMG, I love this!!!
The piano and violins are absolutely beautiful, can never get enough of those in any U2 songs........

Has anyone been able to make out any of the kind of whispered words that pop up in the choruses, I know there was a vote in there for "chinese chicken" at 2:31??? Also, any thoughts on what the "halle, ole" means?

 

[Peter]

Am I the only one who noticed that but from 0:01 to 0:24 and from 3:10 to 3:33 it's almost like Moby did the song.
Tony

It sounds like Pavarotti to me

 

[Roland of Gilead]

A truly atmospheric piece that very few bands (let alone rock bands) could pull off. If the piano does not hook you in at the start, then there is definetly something wrong with you. When I first heard it I could not help but envision U2 on the Oscar stage playing it. The song was not even over yet and I was already thinking Oscars.

Now with this song, ES, and the Pop remixes I feel that the band went out of their way to make sure the new Best Of was going to be "new" for everybody.

 

[ahsan316]

dissapointing song
i was very eager to listen to this song when i first heard about it as U2 are pretty good at these "atmospheric" soft soundtrack songs. the highlight for me in any U2 song has always been bono's voice. i was really surprised when i heard Electrical Storm cause bono was actually able to sing without cracking his voice (minus the lets see colours part). that was a much needed boost for me as ATYCLB had left me in serious doubts about his voice which had actually originated by POP.
but here sadly my worst fears have been rekindled. there's no doubt now , bono cant sing the way he used to. the singing in this particular song is plainly speaking quite hopeless. he cant stretch his voice without cracking. there is a complete lack of a clear voice and he ends the song lines with a choked and cracked voice.i cant even beleive that Electrical Storm and this song are sung by the same singer.

 

[Michael Griffiths]

dissapointing song
i was very eager to listen to this song when i first heard about it as U2 are pretty good at these "atmospheric" soft soundtrack songs. the highlight for me in any U2 song has always been bono's voice. i was really surprised when i heard Electrical Storm cause bono was actually able to sing without cracking his voice (minus the lets see colours part). that was a much needed boost for me as ATYCLB had left me in serious doubts about his voice which had actually originated by POP.
but here sadly my worst fears have been rekindled. there's no doubt now , bono cant sing the way he used to. the singing in this particular song is plainly speaking quite hopeless. he cant stretch his voice without cracking. there is a complete lack of a clear voice and he ends the song lines with a choked and cracked voice.i cant even beleive that Electrical Storm and this song are sung by the same singer.

Wow, I'm surprised to hear someone say this, as I think his vocals are phenomenal in 'Hands'. You do realize that the song demands Bono to sing with a "cracked" voice, right? It's the same reason why Bono sang 'In A Little While' after a hang-over. It conveys the desired emotional impact that much better. It's supposed to sound rough. His voice becomes one of the metaphores for the subject matter, just as the Irish sounding instrumentals do. It's supposed to get down and dirty. That's why Celine Dionne could never sing this song and convey the message as well as it is conveyed here. Her voice is too "perfect" for it.

By the way, some of Bono's best work in the 80s uses the "cracked vocal" approach:

* Pride: the word sky in "...a shot rings out in the Memphis skyyy.."

* Angel of Harlem: pretty much throughout the entire song

* Everlasting Love: pretty much throughout as well

* All I Want Is You: in a few places, but notably at the end when he really starts belting it out.

And from the 90s:

* One: again, pretty much throughout.

* most of Achtung Baby actually

There are many more examples. The point is, it's intentional, and it only adds colour and dimension, in my opinion. Listening to 'Hands' I LOVED it when I first heard the stretches in the vocals. I love how Bono says certain lines, such as, "...of all of the dreams, is this one still ouuuuut of reach..." (the way he cracks his voice on "out" is just perfectly done in my opinion). To me, another incredible day in the studio for Bono.

 

[ultraviolet353]

I really like THTBA a lot but I have to say that the operatic vocal takes me out of the song a little bit (I keep thinking it is a nod to Bono's father). I really wish it was full voice. Also, I think that the DVD that will be released in December has the full clip of the studio performance that U2.com previewed...I wonder if this will be a slightly different version?

 

[Michael Griffiths]

I really like THTBA a lot but I have to say that the operatic vocal takes me out of the song a little bit (I keep thinking it is a nod to Bono's father). I really wish it was full voice. Also, I think that the DVD that will be released in December has the full clip of the studio performance that U2.com previewed...I wonder if this will be a slightly different version?

I somewhat agree about the operatic vocal. If it were done by Pavarratti, I think it would have sounded great. As it stands, it's a bit one dimensional. I would have LOVED to hear Bono really open up at that point, instead of the contrived operatics, as well. And I really think he could have pulled it off with an E-Storm type wail, too. Yes, I also wonder what the previous version sounds like.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Where hath the drums gone? I appologize if someone already brought this up, there was no way I was reading all 7 pages of responses! I was a little late pickin' up the .mp3... damned internet was down all weekend. I knew that Hands would be made available seeing as I had no way to access it, just my luck. Anyhoo... I think it's fitting that this song is on an album of hits from the 90's, 'cause I hear a tad bit of Pop like overproduction. Don't get me wrong, I'm feeling the song and I think it'll be a mild hit once connected with the movie via video. But I think they crossed over the line... the line that seperates a song from being one that us U2 nuts will always love with only mild mainstreem appreciation, to a song that will be a surefire smash. For the first 1:30 or so, I'm thinking this song is an instant classic. But then all of a sudden I can't hear the beautiful piano, accoustic guitar, and drums that opened the song. Now there's some kind of chopped off sounding bass line, like all of a sudden this song got funky or something. And they bring in the synth orchestra in an awkward spot too. I like the choppy orchestra sounds in the "Of all of the promises / Is this one we can keep? / Of all of the dreams / Is this one still out of reach?" section, but I think it's out of place in the second verse. There's really only one other spot that I think could be better... the little "opera" section where Bono shows off his tennor a little... I think if they quieted Bono for that stretch, and made Edge's guitar louder, it would have worked better.
I still don't know about this song. 75% of it I think is absolutely
great. But it's those small parts where I think they tried to work too hard to get perfect, when it would have been perfect if they had left it alone... i.e. North and South of the River, Staring at the Sun, and Stuck In A Moment... all three of whom I think would have been huge hits if the accoustic versions were released rather than the heavily produced versons... but hey, that's just me, I could be wrong.

 

[U2SJ]

I wanna hear this SO bad! I just tried to download this and it said 14 hours remaining! After 6 minutes it went to 17 hours? argggghhh! My computer sucks!
I am gonna try Mr Lemons now, or is it just my computer!??
I gotta hear new U2 now!!! It sounds amazing!!

 

[Zoots]

Beautiful...very nice...aptly soundtrackish!! love it!

 

[jick]

Message To Edge...

Drop the keyboards and go back to the guitar.

Cheers,

J
The King Of POP

 

[instant sealife]

HERE

Thank you for making it so simple! This is exactly what I needed.

 

[instant sealife]

I hate to say it, but i really hate the xylophones. And i'm not too sure about the rest of it. The opera bit is 'too much' for my taste. I am (initially) disappointed.
This is a sad day for new U2 music.

 

[Whats The Story?]

This is a sad day for new U2 music.

Ridiculous!

 

[Zoocifer]

I've been waiting a few days to post about this tune. I've listened to it plenty of times now at many different times of the day (morning, afternoon, dusk, etc.). Here's my overall opinion of the song.

It is a beautiful song, indeed. The lyrics are done well. Bono's voice sounds great and the production through out it is very good. The strings are wonderful and that beginning piano is very U2 (which I like). U2 doesn't use much piano - but when they do it always works. For example: "So Cruel", "Always Forever Now", "October", "New Year's Day".

In one way this song makes me think of U2's first 3 albums. A simple, yet complex, design. Almost as if they mixed "tomorrow" and "miss sarajevo". I love the operatic sample in the middle-8. Really shows that U2's found out how to use technology in the studio without having it crowd everything else.

So - I like the song. Yes, it's soft, but I think that's where U2's been for a while now. Yeah. I'm hoping that U2 fucks up the mainstream with the next album - but who knows?

-[z]-

 

[Michael Griffiths]

Re: Message To Edge...

Drop the keyboards and go back to the guitar.

Cheers,

J
The King Of POP

You keep saying that Edge is such a better guitar player than a keyboard player, but some of U2's best work uses keyboards! Think of 'October' and 'New Year's Day'. Think of 'Beautiful Day' and the intro to 'I Fall Down'. Think of the live version of 'North and South of the River'. All these songs are set a flight only because of the piano/keyboards! Do you honestly think Edge doesn't do an amazing job on 'October'? Have you really ever listened to that song?

 

[CrashedCarDriver]

another fine example of rock-pop

though this song will not penetrate the market anywhere as much as Electrical Storm

and it would be lucky to even make an impression on the records Beautiful Day did back in 2000

 

[ultraviolet353]

It won't make any headway on radio, but IMO it is a shoe- in tp be nominated for an Oscar which would be great because the we could see them perform it live.

 

[OzAurora]

hmmm- its an alright song, maybe it will grow on me a bit more, I personally like Storm better

 

[jick]

Re: Re: Message To Edge...

You keep saying that Edge is such a better guitar player than a keyboard player, but some of U2's best work uses keyboards! Think of 'October' and 'New Year's Day'. Think of 'Beautiful Day' and the intro to 'I Fall Down'. Think of the live version of 'North and South of the River'. All these songs are set a flight only because of the piano/keyboards! Do you honestly think Edge doesn't do an amazing job on 'October'? Have you really ever listened to that song?

The intro to Beautiful Day is a sequencer - no evidence Edge was the one who came up with that. Edge did not play the piano in the one single live version of North and South Of The River - nor was it mentioned he made up that melody (which was just repeating 5 different notes - nothing hard really).

Sorry to burst your bubble, but when Edge is long dead, he'll be more remembered for his riffs in I Will Follow, Pride, Mysterious Ways, and Sunday Bloody Sunday more than his piano cameos in October and New Year's Day. I don't think any keyboardist will end up raving at the Hands That Built America as a keyboardist's work of genius anyway. As I said, it's like Shaq playing point guard.

Cheers,

J
The King Of POP

 

[Foxxern]

another fine example of rock-pop

though this song will not penetrate the market anywhere as much as Electrical Storm

and it would be lucky to even make an impression on the records Beautiful Day did back in 2000

Well, I don't know if its even being released as a single, is it?

 

[Michael Griffiths]

Re: Re: Re: Message To Edge...

The intro to Beautiful Day is a sequencer - no evidence Edge was the one who came up with that. Edge did not play the piano in the one single live version of North and South Of The River - nor was it mentioned he made up that melody (which was just repeating 5 different notes - nothing hard really).

Sorry to burst your bubble, but when Edge is long dead, he'll be more remembered for his riffs in I Will Follow, Pride, Mysterious Ways, and Sunday Bloody Sunday more than his piano cameos in October and New Year's Day. I don't think any keyboardist will end up raving at the Hands That Built America as a keyboardist's work of genius anyway. As I said, it's like Shaq playing point guard.

Cheers,

J
The King Of POP

Obviously you can't appreciate Zooropa, then. Half the album uses keyboards - and only serves to make the album extaordinary. I was just listening to 'Lemon' and the intro to 'Zooropa' and what dimension it adds!

I think you are completely missing my point about Edge's keyboard playing (which doesn't surprise me). I never said he'd be remembered for his keyboard talents (and no, I had no bubble to begin with, but even if I did, it surely wasn't burst), I simply meant that the basic yet, genius keyboarding on songs such as 'October' take those songs places that guitar could never have. And by the way, Edge will never be remembered as a technically good guitar player. Innovative, yes, but that's about it. (And thank God for that!)

Also, I would bet you anything Edge/Bono came up with the piano melody for North And South. It is, afterall, the only melody of the song. What are you suggesting? That the no name guy who played the piano during the live performance is the one who came up with the melody? hahaha! I hope your not. If anyone, it would have been Edge, Bono, or perhaps, Christi Moore (who they co-wrote the song with).

Anyway...

By the way, is their any evidence Edge came up with any instrumental, on any U2 album, EVER? Not in the liner notes. I'd say you'd have to catch him in an interview to really find any of that stuff out...

 

[U2SJ1]

HERE

Thanks Mr Lemon!!! After 2 days of trying with my crappy ass computer at home I just tried your site here from work and it WORKED for me and I agree that this is a very beautiful song! It is definite Oscar material!
God I love how Bono sais "America"! I have chills!