The Hands That Built America - Worst Song Ever!

[Zoots]

Okay, time for a 'negative' post. It's been a while. Hands is soooooo boring and on the lines of My Heart Will Go On by Celine Dion. To add fuel to fire, they put it on the 90s best of!!!

 

[Axver]

I think it's a beautiful song and I don't understand why so many people here hate it.

 

[starsgoblue]

I totally agree with Axver...it is a beautiful song.

 

[trevster2k]

I like it too.

Pieces of me sung by Ashlee Simpson is worst song ever.

 

[namkcuR]

I agree with Axver and Starsgoblue.

 

[beatlesboy]

I like it.

 

[TheBrazilianFly]

At first I thought it was the most boring song on earth and I could not understand why they would put this song on a best of. I didn't liked the lyrics, the melody seemed too cliche, the piano sounded a bit cheesy, it was embarrasing. Than after a while, as it happens with a few U2 songs, I just started to get into it and now I love it. The little opera moment Bono has in the middle of the song is one of the most beautiful U2 moments I think. Really cool. I much prefer the soundtrack version with the violin on the beggining and the clssic Irish drumming in the end. Very good. I would love to see the boys playing an acoustic version of this song during the tour!

 

[RademR]

i think saying it is the worst song ever is a little bit of an overstatement, but I do agree that it is my least favorite song done by u2 in the last 15 years or so.

It has constant battles with "Peace on Earth", and sometimes beats it out. Only two songs in u2's recent history I can actually say I dislike.

 

[RademR]

reading this thread has made me think about the rehearsals going on right now and how this song is not on the list so far.

WHOOOOOOO!!!!

 

[miss becky]

I think it's a beautiful song. I like the version on the 1990-2000 DVD better than the one on the CD, however.

 

[one4u2]

I think it's a beautiful song and I don't understand why so many people here hate it.

 

[Axver]

reading this thread has made me think about the rehearsals going on right now and how this song is not on the list so far.

WHOOOOOOO!!!!

However, they don't need to rehearse it and it was played during the HTDAAB promo tour. Sorry to all the haters, but I'm fairly confident this will appear in the acoustic set.

 

[tiny dancer]

I agree with Axver and Starsgoblue.

DITTO!

 

[RademR]

NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!! Was it really played on the promo tour? It was played at that thing for Clinton, which is an obvious choice because they performed in front of a bunch of US government politicians. Makes sense. Two members of the band weren't there, so I dont think it should be an official promo of the tour.

Has it been played on another promo? Even if I dont like the song, I wouldnt mind it that much if they played it live, maybe the live version will make the song grow on me.

 

[Zoots]

Don't get me wrong. I really liked some of the lyrics like this one...

You gotta live in your dreams
Don't make them so hard

It's just that the melody seems so sweeping and cliche soundtrackish, reminds me of the Titanic song... I don't know, so un-U2. I do prefer the version on the DVD set rather than the best of CD one. And by worst, I meant U2's worst which really means 'alright' in the overall sense.

 

[Westport]

I agree that the song is real crap. The first to make Edge's crap list.

I especially agreed when I heard it at the opening of the Clinton Library. Blah.

If they play it during the tour...I'll be out checking out the t-shirts.

 

[namkcuR]

However, they don't need to rehearse it and it was played during the HTDAAB promo tour. Sorry to all the haters, but I'm fairly confident this will appear in the acoustic set.

What makes you so confident? I think Electrical Storm is more likely to be played on tour than Hands. I like Hands, like I said, but I wouldn't want to hear it live. There are too many other better songs that could take its place.

 

[Axver]

NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!! Was it really played on the promo tour? It was played at that thing for Clinton, which is an obvious choice because they performed in front of a bunch of US government politicians. Makes sense. Two members of the band weren't there, so I dont think it should be an official promo of the tour.

Has it been played on another promo? Even if I dont like the song, I wouldnt mind it that much if they played it live, maybe the live version will make the song grow on me.

Yeah, the Clinton show is what I meant, which I do count as part of the promo tour as it fell smack in the middle of the thing. They also did it before HTDAAB was made on a few TV shows and whatnot. I think it's fairly certain to make setlists on the tour at some point. I'm starting to suspect THTBA for some US shows and Electrical Storm for some European shows.

 

[Zoots]

However, they don't need to rehearse it and it was played during the HTDAAB promo tour. Sorry to all the haters, but I'm fairly confident this will appear in the acoustic set.

Axver, you always have to use that word 'haters'. I never said I hate the song, just that it's boring.

 

[RademR]

so in the States we get lucky and get arenas instead of stadiums and more dates, but the fans in Europe get Killers and Franz Ferdinand and no HTBA....staring to even out

(/joke)

 

[Pearl]

I like the song. I think when Bono starts singing opera is the best part.

 

[Axver]

What makes you so confident? I think Electrical Storm is more likely to be played on tour than Hands. I like Hands, like I said, but I wouldn't want to hear it live. There are too many other better songs that could take its place.

It has already been played at promotional gigs, thus the band will play it on the upcoming tour. Songs played before JT made to to the JT Tour; songs played before Lovetown made it to the Lovetown Tour; songs played before Elevation made it to the Elevation Tour. They've already done it, it's in their repertoire, and it's doubtful they need to rehearse it. It's a convenient acoustic set song. Electrical Storm, however, hasn't been played or rehearsed. I am confident it will be played in Europe where it was mildly successful as a single, but it still surprises me that it hasn't yet been rehearsed.

 

[RademR]

me too, it was a single so you'd think they'd play it once in awhile

 

[namkcuR]

It has already been played at promotional gigs, thus the band will play it on the upcoming tour. Songs played before JT made to to the JT Tour; songs played before Lovetown made it to the Lovetown Tour; songs played before Elevation made it to the Elevation Tour. They've already done it, it's in their repertoire, and it's doubtful they need to rehearse it. It's a convenient acoustic set song. Electrical Storm, however, hasn't been played or rehearsed. I am confident it will be played in Europe where it was mildly successful as a single, but it still surprises me that it hasn't yet been rehearsed.

So if they've played a song multiple times recently, they don't need to rehearse it? Is that why 'Vertigo', 'Sometimes', and other HTDAAB songs that have been played many times recently have been in every rehearsal report in the Setlists section?

 

[Axver]

So if they've played a song multiple times recently, they don't need to rehearse it? Is that why 'Vertigo', 'Sometimes', and other HTDAAB songs that have been played many times recently have been in every rehearsal report in the Setlists section?

They clearly know it well enough to be able to just pull out an acoustic version for the Clinton ceremony without anyone mentioning it had been rehearsed.

They didn't need to rehearse Desire. They haven't rehearsed She's A Mystery To Me even though it was done twice on the promo tour. They haven't rehearsed UTEOTW even though it was played at the Rock Hall.

Fact is, the band (at least Bono and Edge) know THTBA and can pull out an easy acoustic version that they could slot into setlists some nights if they continue the acoustic set where Bono and Edge do a song solo. I am 100% confident the band will pull it out on the tour.

If any song should be worried about, it's Electrical Storm as it is yet to be played or even rehearsed to our knowledge, but as U2 have always played their singles, I think it will appear at some point on tour. I think it may be saved for Europe as it didn't do all too badly in some European countries.

 

[Aygo]

The Titanic song??? What commom things do you see in these songs? The down-tempo melody? Nor the lyrics, the instrumental or something else is identical...

I really liked the Clinton Presidential performance. Only the voice and the piano, very beautiful

 

[Nube Gris]

i think its a great song.....i like it a lot
i really hope it can make a setlist

 

[yimou]

They clearly know it well enough to be able to just pull out an acoustic version for the Clinton ceremony without anyone mentioning it had been rehearsed.

They didn't need to rehearse Desire. They haven't rehearsed She's A Mystery To Me even though it was done twice on the promo tour. They haven't rehearsed UTEOTW even though it was played at the Rock Hall.

How can you be so sure that they didn´t rehearse any of those songs ?. I know that you have your info from the setlist area, but only a fool believes that a fan is present at every U2 rehearsal.

 

[Zoots]

The Titanic song??? What commom things do you see in these songs?

Cmon.. both are sweeping soundtrack cliches pulling at your heartstrings. I need to be in a different mood for that kind of stuff.

 

[Bono's shades]

I like the song, but the production on the recorded version is kind of cheesy. It was much better stripped down at the Clinton library ceremony.