song of the day 11/4: The Fly

[isabelle_guns]

Low Voice Gospel Voice
(Oh, baby child)


It's no secret that the stars are falling from the sky
It's no secret that our world is in darkness tonight
They say the sun is sometimes eclipsed by a moon
You know I don't see you when she walks in the room


It's no secret that a friend is someone who lets you help
It's no secret that a liar won't believe anyone else
They say a secret is something you tell one other person
So I'm telling you...child


A man will beg
A man will crawl
On the sheer face of love
Like a fly on a wall
It's no secret at all

Love...we shine like a
burning star
We're falling from
the sky...tonight


It's no secret that a conscience can sometimes be a pest
It's no secret ambition bites the nails of success
Every artist is a cannibal, every poet is a thief
All kill their inspiration and sing about their grief
Oh love...


A man will rise
A man will fall
From the sheer face of love
Like a fly from a wall
It's no secret at all

Love...we shine like a
burning star
We're falling from
the sky...tonight


(Achtung Baby)

(Love...we shine like a burning star)
(We're falling from the sky...tonight)


A man will rise
A man will fall
From the sheer face of love
Like a fly from a wall
It's no secret at all

Love...we shine like a
burning star
We're falling from
the sky...tonight


It's no secret that the stars are falling from the sky
The universe exploded 'cause of one man's lie
Look, I gotta go, yeah I'm running outta change
There's a lot of things, if I could I'd rearrange

 

[starsgoblue]

I love this song and I loved Bono's alter-persona as The Fly. I wish more people understood the incredibly deep message he was sending at the time with this song and character. I've analyzed this character in a thread talking bout The Screwtape Letters, where Bono was inspired greatly from....here's the link cause I'm too lazy to retype all that: http://forum.interference.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=95921&perpage=15&pagenumber=2

I also love the update Bono did on the song by adding a new intro at the Boston concert...the intro itself seems to be a rueful look back at the splendor The Fly was and the new intro almost seems like a progression of that character in the sense that he (The Fly) almost seems to realize that he's hit the point of no return and he is slowly morphing into MacPhisto.

If you're completely scratching your head at that, here's a link for the Boston version:
http://s5.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=4E52B86A2AFAFBA16EE6A085A3AF5714


Probably way more than you wanted to hear, but I've done a lot of thinking bout this song!

 

[UnforgettableLemon]

I think the song is one of the most lyirically profound pieces of work the boys have ever done.

 

[Rafiennes]

I remember when that song first hit MTV and I set up my VCR to record it and I ran it through my tape player and recorded a version of it. I listened to that over and over until the CD single came out and then I taped that and listened to it over and over.

What a great song and actually the start of a whole new time in my life. ah, sniff sniff...memories...

 

[ZeroDude]

One of the best sounding, best looking?, funkiest, grooviest and best guitar work recorded songs ever with excellent lyrics plus it's cool.

 

[AtomicBono]

The Fly is one of U2's greatest songs. Ever. Rockin' riff, great bass and drums, sexy vocals high and low, thought-provoking lyrics, and a sexy image to go with it... not to mention it was the first single off of Achtung Baby, making it an everlasting symbol of U2's transition from the 80's to the 90's (why it wasn't on the Best Of CD beats me ).

...and I agree with everything stars said 'cause she's a frickin genius

 

[explorer]

I think the song is one of the most lyirically profound pieces of work the boys have ever done.

damn skippy

 

[OpperGoeroe]

I love the Boston version, listened to it a million times

 

[Numb1075]

Quite possibly my favorite song ever. It is sooooo far ahead of it's time.

U2 came out of left field on this one. people expected to hear another "Pride" or WOWY" as the first single from AB - They got bitch slapped

A whole new groove, a whole new image, a whole new vibe. Unfortunately, it alienated lots of fans who couldn't see it for what it was. Cheers for U2 to do The Fly and make it their first single.

A brave song sonically, some ofthe coolest lyrics to date. The verses are sung very seductively...Not much more I can say about The Fly except:

 

[ZeroDude]

come on has to be some of the greatest guitar ever, it's

 

[trevgreg]

One of the band's best songs... definitely in my top 3 or so. Play that guitar Edge!

 

[ZeroDude]

It's the Fly, im running out of superlatives it's arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr, bloody class its bastarding, supurbly yea it pure magical, it's quite possibly my favourite song...........









Watch more TV!

 

[dandy]

the first time i heard this song and saw the video, i thought the boys had lost their minds. once i got my hands on the lyrics, though, they blew my mind.

some of their most profound lyrics ever. and that guitar...

 

[TheBrazilianFly]

Funky heavy metal.

What a riff, what a solo, what a guitar player, what a night, what a show?!?!

My favorite U2 lyrics. Extremely interesting and original! One of the best guitar riffs ever. Funky heavy metal. Heavy ass beat!

One of the best and most brilliant things about U2 songs is that the ending from their big harder/heavier rock songs are always extremely powerful and culminate into one hell of a climax!!!! I cannot start saying how much I love the ending of this song when Edge starts that last solo and Bono ends with "Listen I gotta go, I'm running out of change...." !!! It's not only brilliant because it's good but because those endings make you became a U2 fan!!! Because of them you always come back to those songs, you wanna hear them again and again. I'm always waiting for those huge climatic endings. I guess that's why Bono says that they make songs that we can have sex to.

I rememeber the first time I listened to this song. My mouth was open!! I loved the fact that they had Edge singing the chorus wit the falsetto voice (even though it's Bono's voice on the album version). Even though the Elevation Tour version didn't have Edge singing with the falsetto, that is the best version with Edge playing that riff all the way through the song. And Larry's AWESOME drumming, pushing the song forward and making it EVEN BETTER!! I so much wish that a band like Metallica would do a cover of this song. I have a great idea about how they could play it, merging those two versions together. Someday I'll record this bastard myself!!


THE FLY!

 

[AquariumDrinker]

This song, more than any other, symbolizes what U2 was trying to do in the 90s (and Achtung in particular): on the surface you have this rock song; but dig a little deeper and it comes into focus. The verses: dark and seductive, with challenging lyrics. Then the chorus: the album warps it but really it could come out of any love song.

 

[burns]

The first version of this song i heard was the elevation version. I was amazed. What a song
I was a bit disappointed with the original version, but it has grown on me. I quite like the dark industrial nature of the song

 

[starsgoblue]

...and I agree with everything stars said 'cause she's a frickin genius

Oh, how I love my lil' AtomicBono!

 

[djerdap]

My favorite studio U2 song ever. The vocals. Drums. Bass. THE GUITAR. Everything...just perfect.

 

[MikeSt]

yeah this song...simply put.....is fuckin off the charts man! It sgotten better as its gotten "older"..live that is. Th eguitar is just unbelievable. And Bono definitely took it another places in terms of performance during the Elevation Tour. Might I add, Dallas Schoo soundchecked this fully by himself (I think it was Berlin, Italy, or Switzerland)....INCREDIBLE!!!! all I have to say!

 

[RademR]

one of u2's greatest moment. The lyrics, the vocals, bass and drums, and most of all...Edge's guitar! This is such an incredible song, the guitar solo sounded like nothing I'd ever heard before! It is pure brilliance, I cant express how much I love this song.

 

[ADecentMelody]

I love the Boston version, listened to it a million times

Yes, I love what U2's done to this song during the Elevation tour. I love that he sings that intro spontaneously during the murky guitar introduction.

I think I prefer the Calgary version better than Boston, but it's a tough call. He sings:

You feel like love is gone
Can you not hold out?
Can you not wait awhile?


But, from Boston I also like:

And you could have it all
We could have it all


Guitarplayers, ever tried playing this intro on super delay and echo with phaser on. It's just awesome!

 

[Canadiens1131]

Fantastic lyrics and song, but as of recently it's been falling out of favour with me for some reason.

Hope I get back to liking it soon enough

 

[LMP]

what is there 2 say that hasn't been said, this song f'ing rox.

My alltime favorite song, and now that i found a deeper meaning w/ the Screwtape Letter thread starsgoblue had, I love it even more

thx starsgoblue

what a night, wut a show, I wish zooropa wasn't all over

 

[csimpok]

When I first heard it (about 2 years ago) I hated it but then I began listening to it and enjoyed better and better and now it's obviously in my U2 top 5.