The Hands That Built America - Worst Song Ever!
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lazarus
Blue Crack Supplier
Boooooooooring. Plain and simple.
The fact that a U2 ballad failed to win an Oscar from a mostly geriatric film Academy over a rap song is pretty much all the proof you need that this song ain't a classic. I know that we're not arguing over it being a masterpiece, but the band just dropped the ball on this one. The chorus is completely forgettable (how can anyone argue with this?), the verses awkward at times. And again, the cheap sounding synth strings. Abysmal!
While it may not be the worst U2 song, it has a lack of uniqueness I haven't heard since the early albums when the songs tended to sound more similar. It's just bland, especially compared to something like Miss Sarajevo.
Without a doubt it's the worst song they've contributed to a film, and I'm including Goldeneye.
It's clear to me that people here like the opera part (which admittedly is impressive) so much they forgive the whole song. Plus the fact that it's about Irish immigrants.
The only version of this song I can even sit through is the one in Gangs of New York itself, where the loud electric guitars actually give the song some energy. Wish I could get a mp3 of that.
The band has too many good songs to let this b-side level snoozer make the playlist. And as much as I think Electrical Sound is underwhelming, I'd certainly welcome it over Hands.
laz
The fact that a U2 ballad failed to win an Oscar from a mostly geriatric film Academy over a rap song is pretty much all the proof you need that this song ain't a classic. I know that we're not arguing over it being a masterpiece, but the band just dropped the ball on this one. The chorus is completely forgettable (how can anyone argue with this?), the verses awkward at times. And again, the cheap sounding synth strings. Abysmal!
While it may not be the worst U2 song, it has a lack of uniqueness I haven't heard since the early albums when the songs tended to sound more similar. It's just bland, especially compared to something like Miss Sarajevo.
Without a doubt it's the worst song they've contributed to a film, and I'm including Goldeneye.
It's clear to me that people here like the opera part (which admittedly is impressive) so much they forgive the whole song. Plus the fact that it's about Irish immigrants.
The only version of this song I can even sit through is the one in Gangs of New York itself, where the loud electric guitars actually give the song some energy. Wish I could get a mp3 of that.
The band has too many good songs to let this b-side level snoozer make the playlist. And as much as I think Electrical Sound is underwhelming, I'd certainly welcome it over Hands.
laz
lazarus
Blue Crack Supplier
jick said:
Are people going to tolerate this kind of album assassination? I have my least favorites too but I don't call them pieces of shit. How dare you? Really. Do you have any respect for the band?
J you are a sorry excuse for a U2 fan and from what I've been able to surmise from Wire and Intereference a petty and sorry individual. At least take the attitude out of discussions where it doesn't belong, or get fucked.
laz
Aardvark747
Blue Crack Addict
Love the last post - it brightens up my morning
Aardvark747
Blue Crack Addict
ZeroDude said:How come I miss all the exciting threads
ditto! I come in to work this morning full of hope - and I find that the best thread has happened whilst i've slept - and already closed!!
Pero
Refugee
jick said:
Achtung-true
Zooropa-true
POP-not true, this your typical pop bashing. Pop is by far the most underrated album in the history of the music
Miggy D
War Child
The Hands That Built America should have been dismantled instead of a bomb. What a horrible song. Really, it sucks.
Aardvark747
Blue Crack Addict
Miggy D said:
Miggy D
War Child
Aardvark747 said:
Awww, don't cry buddy.
We're all sad that this horrible song was ever made. But don't get too bent out of shape about it - just because it exists doesn't mean you have to listen to it. Every day I try to forget it exists. Before this thread, I had almost completely blocked it out of my mind. Now I must start the process all over again.
With concentration and dedication, you too may one day forget that THTBA ever came to be. And what a wonderful day that will be!
Aardvark747
Blue Crack Addict
Miggy D said:
Yahweh_OMG
New Yorker
it's a great song, I like it even if it's a slow song..... beautiful melody and voice....
Neenie
War Child
Yahweh_OMG said:it's a great song, I like it even if it's a slow song..... beautiful melody and voice....
*Fully agree* It's a shame it gets judged harshly because it doesn’t "rock"
shaun vox
New Yorker
did some one say ROCK
Neenie
War Child
shaun vox said:did some one say ROCK
I should have said it's no rocker like vertigo, and I know you "love" that song
phommel
Refugee
It's my least favorite U2 single ever.....bleh
Miggy D
War Child
Neenie said:
I don't dislike it because it doesn't *rock.* I dislike it because it sucks.
lazarus
Blue Crack Supplier
let's go through this again:
forgettable chorus. "theeese are the hands...that built America" zzzzzzzzz....
Awkward moments in the verses, usually rushing to squeeze too many syllables into one verse (ex: From digging in our pockets for a reason not to say goodbye), or ending a line with too few syllables (ex: You gotta live with your dreams, don’t make them so hard). It sounds EXTREMELY awkward when Bono sings them.
There's also a couple parts where his voice breaks and sounds out of tune. The vocal melody itself is just really weak aside from a few good moments like the "Of all the promises" section leading into the opera part, which Bono flubs anyway on the word "keep".
Considering how ambitious (some, not I, thought too ambitious) the film Gangs of New York was, this song is a very minor exercise despite Bono's vocal gymnastics in the middle.
I invite anyone to refute any of the claims I have made. Take a fresh, objective listen and you'll see what I'm talking about. Of course anyone's free to like the song, but from a composition standpoint I think most people with musical knowledge would agree.
And once again, it FAILED TO WIN AN OSCAR FROM A VOTING BODY OF MOSTLY OLD HOLLYWOOD VETERANS, and to a rap song, no less. I thought Lose Yourself was a better song too, but how weak is hands to not convince a bunch of 60+ year olds?
laz
forgettable chorus. "theeese are the hands...that built America" zzzzzzzzz....
Awkward moments in the verses, usually rushing to squeeze too many syllables into one verse (ex: From digging in our pockets for a reason not to say goodbye), or ending a line with too few syllables (ex: You gotta live with your dreams, don’t make them so hard). It sounds EXTREMELY awkward when Bono sings them.
There's also a couple parts where his voice breaks and sounds out of tune. The vocal melody itself is just really weak aside from a few good moments like the "Of all the promises" section leading into the opera part, which Bono flubs anyway on the word "keep".
Considering how ambitious (some, not I, thought too ambitious) the film Gangs of New York was, this song is a very minor exercise despite Bono's vocal gymnastics in the middle.
I invite anyone to refute any of the claims I have made. Take a fresh, objective listen and you'll see what I'm talking about. Of course anyone's free to like the song, but from a composition standpoint I think most people with musical knowledge would agree.
And once again, it FAILED TO WIN AN OSCAR FROM A VOTING BODY OF MOSTLY OLD HOLLYWOOD VETERANS, and to a rap song, no less. I thought Lose Yourself was a better song too, but how weak is hands to not convince a bunch of 60+ year olds?
laz
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