Rest of U2 Survivor: Passengers - Round 7

[Varitek]

I just listened to Levitate myself because i thought it might have been a case of Bonos fucking appalling enunciation, but it's definitely "maybe".

Also, I just listened to Levitate and that's definitely "maybe we can taste it". I'd bet a newborn baby's head on it.

Yeah, I just don't trust any site for U2 lyrics other than U2Wanderer.

When freedom comes, freedom has a scent
It's like the top of a newborn baby's head
Baby we can taste it, you and I

I have before this minute refused to use the word pwned, but I would just like to say,

PWNED

 

[Varitek]

I actually gave the remaining songs a listen last night. First time in ages. I can def say I still enjoy ..Native more than United Colours and Always Forever Now. I really liked hearing Slug again and Beach Sequence is just a lovely piece of music.

This is really off topic. Does anyone know what he's talking about?

 

[Axver]

OK, U2Wanderer.org are human. That is DEFINITELY 'maybe'. Seriously, put on headphones, play it really loud, and get back to me. It's an 'm'. No ifs or buts about it.

I really liked hearing Slug again and Beach Sequence is just a lovely piece of music.

Beach Sequence is without a doubt one of the most beautiful songs in the U2 catalogue.

 

[Axver]

OK, One Step Closer is officially a good song. It's pretty much the only one on HTDAAB with any sense of subtlety, some of the lyrics are gorgeous, and it's just ... great. You know, I think it might actually be my favourite on the album.

Also, it's interesting to rediscover some U2 songs I haven't played in months upon months. Do You Feel Loved is surprising me right now.

 

[coolian2]

This is really off topic. Does anyone know what he's talking about?

No fucking idea!

Hey buddy, fuck off to a U2 forum if you want to discuss music.

 

[coolian2]

I have before this minute refused to use the word pwned, but I would just like to say,

PWNED

I refuse to accept this

 

[Aardvark747]

 

[Aardvark747]

PWNED

Can I just ask...what does this mean?

 

[Axver]

Hey buddy, fuck off to a U2 forum if you want to discuss music.

Yeah, what's this bullshit poll at the top of the thread?

 

[Varitek]

Yeah, I'm an agnostic, so I know what you mean. Also, "Yahweh/You're waiting" at one point is just ... terribly, agonisingly lame.

Though there isn't actually much room to manoeuvre with something like Gloria and I still adore that song. I guess it's simply done right.

Gloria is a rockin' song and half the lyrics are in Latin anyway so I tend to ignore what it says for the sake of enjoying the music. But I don't like it as much as I might with different lyrics, and I felt really awkward singing it at the first few concerts. What Ax and Ian said is right - it's done well, so you can go a long way towards ignoring it.

I actually used U2 in a debate over author's intent and how people selectively ignore it. The examples were people writing slash fiction about clearly straight characters, and me ignoring religious stuff in songs like Gloria or others claiming stuff like MW is about God and there's nothign sexual about it. Then I said something like "to sum up, there's slash fiction and me and U2."

 

[Axver]

Can I just ask...what does this mean?

You just pwnd yourself with your ignorance towards pwnage.

It's a deliberate typo of 'owned'.

 

[Varitek]

Yeah, what's this bullshit poll at the top of the thread?

Something about Passengers, whatever that is, so really, this has nothing to do with u2 anyway.

 

[Axver]

I'm going to pretend nobody said anything about slash fiction so that this thread may avoid suffering a sad death.

How about ... the new mix of Gone, eh?

 

[Varitek]

OK, U2Wanderer.org are human. That is DEFINITELY 'maybe'. Seriously, put on headphones, play it really loud, and get back to me. It's an 'm'. No ifs or buts about it.

It's Baby. Like it's Violins. Obviously. The meaning is clear: baby, we can taste freedom, which has a scent like the top of a newborn baby's head. Even if it's "maybe," it's obvious that "it" is not referring to tasting the newborn's head but to freedom. I guess here English could benefit from declensions or more clear clauses or something.

But I do want to thank you for making me put on headphones - damn my laptop speakers suck (actually the whole laptop is basically a pile of junk at this point). Levitate is a totally rockin' song that makes me want to dance, what a great job from Larry and Adam, this clearly came out of Pop. Why the hell do I use speakers, ever?

 

[Axver]

Gloria is a rockin' song and half the lyrics are in Latin anyway so I tend to ignore what it says for the sake of enjoying the music. But I don't like it as much as I might with different lyrics, and I felt really awkward singing it at the first few concerts. What Ax and Ian said is right - it's done well, so you can go a long way towards ignoring it.

It's funny how most of the people I know who really love Gloria are actually atheists or agnostics. And you better believe I belted it out when I heard it on 2005-05-26. Definitely one of the songs I wish they hadn't ditched for the Aussie leg.

I suppose one other thing about Gloria is that it doesn't feel pushy or in your face or anything. It's just an expression, and you can appreciate and respect it for that. It's like "here's how we feel, take it or leave it" rather than "here's Jeebus!!" or anything like that. And the sort of celebratory, anthemic feeling can be translated to secular contexts too. Gloria's the kind of song you want to belt from the mountaintops in one of those moments when everything seems right in the world. The same cannot even remotely be said for Yahweh.

 

[Varitek]

I love during Smile when Bono gets so angry that he really kicks the shit out of "don't" with his voice. over headphones.

OK, I'll go listen to the rest of Passengers with headphones now, given that I have no idea of the order of my 2-4 and I'm not even totally sure that Always Forever Now is 5.

 

[Axver]

Even if it's "maybe," it's obvious that "it" is not referring to tasting the newborn's head but to freedom. I guess here English could benefit from declensions or more clear clauses or something.

Oh, I know that. But it just sounds so wrong and it's piss-poor phrasing.

I also don't really think so highly of Levitate. It kinda drags if you ask me, and Bono's vocals feel a bit thin at points.

Why the hell do I use speakers, ever?

This is a very good question you should ask yourself more often.

I only ever use my speakers when my headphone cable won't reach, i.e. when I'm doing the dishes.

 

[Varitek]

OK, One Step Closer is officially a good song. It's pretty much the only one on HTDAAB with any sense of subtlety, some of the lyrics are gorgeous, and it's just ... great. You know, I think it might actually be my favourite on the album.

Also, it's interesting to rediscover some U2 songs I haven't played in months upon months. Do You Feel Loved is surprising me right now.

DYFL kicks ass. I'd especially expect you to like it as a lover of the atmospheric.

I really like Pop actually, though it took me a while, especially because I had the general (wrong) popular impression that it was U2's biggest dud. I like Zooropa way less. You should also listen to SATS, which didn't really hit home for me until I listened to the Tel Aviv 1997-9-30 boot (while in Jerusalem so that I didn't have to hear a Birthright rally that creepily resembled a certain nationalist youth movement's rallies crossed with a Megachurch service). So I recommend that version, Bono's speechifying is pretty amazing during that whole concert.

 

[Aardvark747]

It's funny how most of the people I know who really love Gloria are actually atheists or agnostics. And you better believe I belted it out when I heard it on 2005-05-26. Definitely one of the songs I wish they hadn't ditched for the Aussie leg.

I suppose one other thing about Gloria is that it doesn't feel pushy or in your face or anything. It's just an expression, and you can appreciate and respect it for that. It's like "here's how we feel, take it or leave it" rather than "here's Jeebus!!" or anything like that. And the sort of celebratory, anthemic feeling can be translated to secular contexts too. Gloria's the kind of song you want to belt from the mountaintops in one of those moments when everything seems right in the world. The same cannot even remotely be said for Yahweh.

I think the same about Gloria. It's one of those I turn up loud always and can sing along to

 

[Axver]

As far as SATS goes, I'm fairly neutral on the album version but I really love the few live versions that are electric and don't fall apart. Edge's guitar tone is great there.

And on Popmart, Bono knew how to make a good speech. He was usually short and to the point, and would use just a couple of very well chosen and effective sentences. I wish that nowadays, he would grasp the fact that a long ramble loses people, even people like me who genuinely care about the issues. People would pay a lot more attention if he could just very quickly make a point rather than wasting enough time for one more song to be added to the setlist.

 

[Varitek]

It's funny how most of the people I know who really love Gloria are actually atheists or agnostics. And you better believe I belted it out when I heard it on 2005-05-26. Definitely one of the songs I wish they hadn't ditched for the Aussie leg.

I suppose one other thing about Gloria is that it doesn't feel pushy or in your face or anything. It's just an expression, and you can appreciate and respect it for that. It's like "here's how we feel, take it or leave it" rather than "here's Jeebus!!" or anything like that. And the sort of celebratory, anthemic feeling can be translated to secular contexts too. Gloria's the kind of song you want to belt from the mountaintops in one of those moments when everything seems right in the world. The same cannot even remotely be said for Yahweh.

I did love belting it out - I agree, it's not in your face b ut just a pure expression of a feeling, and that feeling doesn't have to be limited to God, nor does the way the song makes me feel live have anything to do with God. The other pure worship song live, that just sends me into a transcendent state that has nothing to do with God, is ISHFWILF.

Yahweh's just flat, awkward, and twangy at the wrong moments.

 

[coolian2]

I suppose one other thing about Gloria is that it doesn't feel pushy or in your face or anything. It's just an expression, and you can appreciate and respect it for that. It's like "here's how we feel, take it or leave it" rather than "here's Jeebus!!" or anything like that. And the sort of celebratory, anthemic feeling can be translated to secular contexts too. Gloria's the kind of song you want to belt from the mountaintops in one of those moments when everything seems right in the world. The same cannot even remotely be said for Yahweh.

Brilliant, i have nothing more to add.

 

[Axver]

I used to love ISHFWILF. You know, it's part of the U2 "holy trinity" at the start of JT. It's anthemic, it is universal, it's got some great lines, and you can really enjoy it in concert.

Then I didn't listen to much U2 at all for ages. I probably hadn't heard ISHFWILF since the 11/2006 gigs when I put on the JT remaster on Christmas Day.

And all I could think was "this song is really shit". I'm completely bored by it now.

I don't even get what happened there.

 

[coolian2]

Funny, i used to not be able to stand ISHFWILF, and it clicked sometime late last year.

I don't love it, but i enjoy more than i did.

 

[coolian2]

And now i'm going to take my headphones, listen to Passengers and then go to sleep

 

[Varitek]

What versions of SATS live electric do you really like?

ISHFWILF rarely does it for me in the album version anymore. For me, the live version was so transcendent that that was IT - I'd experienced the platonic ideal of the song and all else was just shadows.

This is a very good question you should ask yourself more often.

I only ever use my speakers when my headphone cable won't reach, i.e. when I'm doing the dishes.

I should, but if I'm wandering around my room the headphones don't stretch. I should try using the extension chord from my last pair of these stacked with the current one...hmmmmmmm.

In the meantime, I will not be using headphones while I watch the season finale of prison break that just finally downloaded, but I might be using them while I write my paper that's due at 11:30 (but I have class at 10:30). (it's 6:30.)

So, I bid this thread goodbye and hope not to post in it again because it better be mercy ruled and locked by the time I get back from class this afternoon. Actually, I might not see the next thead for a while, because if I'm not falling asleep I hope to go to the Constitution Center for an event...last time I was there I saw Bono

 

[Axver]

Aw, you're both leaving at once! Ah well, I suppose I need time to write a blog entry for the day. These threads are stupidly fun and I hope we have another soon. Have a good one, both of you.

And Varitek, I am seriously starting to wonder if you ever sleep.

What versions of SATS live electric do you really like?

I can't think off the top of my head which ones worked and which didn't, but they're around early to mid May 1997.

 

[phillyfan26]

Baseball

 

[Axver]

Baseball

Dude, you're about 150 posts too late for that flame war.

 

[Varitek]

Aw, you're both leaving at once! Ah well, I suppose I need time to write a blog entry for the day. These threads are stupidly fun and I hope we have another soon. Have a good one, both of you.

And Varitek, I am seriously starting to wonder if you ever sleep.

During the day for the past week+. I was literally nocturnal. I'm gonna pull a 36 hour+ thing now and get straightened out. That's the plan at least.