Which new song made you smile more? Electrical Storm or The Hand That Built America?

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Which of the new songs made you smile more?

  • Electrical Storm

    Votes: 23 41.8%
  • The Hands That Built America

    Votes: 23 41.8%
  • It's all the same to me

    Votes: 9 16.4%

  • Total voters
    55

voxson

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Which new song made you smile more? Electrical Storm or The Hands That Built America?

Well, it's still kind of early. But many times you know you really LOVE a song even when you listen to it for the first time. A song can also grow on you, but it's not the same. So, which one made you smile more?
 
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Hands!!!! Really beautiful song!! And it is a lot better than Electrical storm in my opinion, altough I really like ES too.
 
Hands...hands down (pun intended :wink: )

I thought ES was fantastic, and then I heard THTBA for the first time and went through one of those incredibly special "Shit-Your-Pants" moments that every so often you get when you hear an absolutely un-fucking-believable song for the very first time...

The Hands That Built America = :drool:
 
'Electrical Storm', to me, is full of artifice, where as this, despite the obvious use of trickery, comes from a much more organic place. This seems much more real to me than E-Storm. The emotional impact is much greater. The depth of feeling is much greater. The lyrics are much better. Put it this way, for a title as lame as 'The Hands That Built Amercia' to actually come off sounding good in lyric form - and for that same title to actually sound not only less lame, but good because of it - you know the song has to be damn good. Of course, that's just me.
 
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You asked, "Which new song made you smile more?" Well, two answers:

My first response was ES, mainly because the first time that I heard it, it had an incredible rock sound (back when Radio 1 leaked it). So naturally, I grinned from ear to ear.

But at a second look, I'm probably happier with THTBA because of the change of pace (i.e. Edge on piano again, Adam's strong base lines, and Bono on guitar).

On a side note, I've been dreaming of what this song would look like if it were performed live. Two visions: 1) with full orchestra and Pavoroti back on vocals, 2) a stripped down acoustic, with Larry on bongos, Bono and Adam on acoustic, and Edge on a grand piano. If either one of these situations actually happened in my presence, I just might crap myself. :ohmy:
 
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I go for sound, music, that's what I like. I dont get all deep down about lyrics. I never care much for slow songs, U2 or any other band. I'm not saying I dont like them or I dont like hands.. I just prefer harder songs with catchy chorus's and beats.
 
Sicy said:
I go for sound, music, that's what I like. I dont get all deep down about lyrics. I never care much for slow songs, U2 or any other band. I'm not saying I dont like them or I dont like hands.. I just prefer harder songs with catchy chorus's and beats.
I also go for sound and music. That's why I think 'Hands' is such a GREAT song: beautiful sound, beautiful music. As for not going for slower songs, what do you think of 'One'? (I'm not being sarcastic; I genuinly want to know what you think of that particular slow song.)
 
I think William Orbit Mix of Electrical Storm is pretty exceptional.Its a rock song whose one part has dreamy U2 essence and the other half transcends dream into hard punk rock inspired reality.Its abpve average and I think it can click live and then people would go banans about it.

I have a personal weakness for slow meadering U2 songs.So I am more than gratified by THTBA.I think its truly about 4 men in a room, its very heart warning to see U2 can generate an atmosphere without Eno.I mean I like the great man, but it would be fun to see U2 at this stage of their career doing something without him.

On a side note, doesnt the intro reminds of Ito Okashi from The Passengers? The other interesting thing would be to have views from Ignoreland who obviously heard the unifnished version regarding how much the song has evolved.

The Edge is as good a kyboards player as a guitar player. A complete musician
 
I prefer ES. I like THTBA, especially the producton. It does seem perfectly suited to what the upcoming film is about. It definitely is a "soundtrack" song IMO. Something that is evocative of the film. It sounds like a modern folk song to my ears.
 
Hawkmoon1021 said:
I prefer ES. I like THTBA, especially the producton. It does seem perfectly suited to what the upcoming film is about. It definitely is a "soundtrack" song IMO. Something that is evocative of the film. It sounds like a modern folk song to my ears.
Well, U2 is a modern folk band (that usually plugs in), so that makes sense. :)
 
ishkash said:
...I mean I like the great man, but it would be fun to see U2 at this stage of their career doing something without him...
I don't know why, but your "I mean, I like the great man, but..." comment just leaves me in fits of laughter! The "great man". haha! You're too much, Ishkash, too much! (I still don't know why I find it so amusing, but I do!)

But, seriously (if I can stop laughing for a second), I think the track does sound very Eno-esque. I guess Edge and the boys have picked up a few tricks along the way.
 
The Wanderer said:
I think these songs are examples of U2 at their best, at both ends of the spectrum.
Wanderer, do you really think at their best? And can you tell me more about the spectrum you are talking about?

About, 'Hands' Wanderer: what do you think of the lyrics? I love these lines:

* "I saw your face in a war coloured sky"

* "You gotta live with your dreams / don't make them so hard"

* "Innocence, dragged across a yellow line" (I especially like this one)

This song is so well choreographed, so meticulously put together. The vocals are so well laid down. Hands down, Bono is the man. I don't think he's penned a better lyric in quite some time.
 
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it's interesting Michael, I certainly respect your evaluation of lyrics, and I was speaking to someone about this song last night before and after hearing it (someone I think you have a lot of respect for actually), anyway, we were both so pleased with what we heard, I think the anticipation was that they wouldn't pull this thing off -- and by that I mean that this was a song that only a handful of bands in the history of rock could write. I get the impression that this was a song Bono wanted to write (lyrically) for a very VERY long time, and when the time was right, he was ready. I've read some people comparing it to Madonna or such nonsense, this is not a pop song, I'm not sure as many people will appreciate it as I would like to see, but that's ok, that's what U2 have always been about to me, writing great songs and not worrying about whether the mainstream appreciates it as much as the new Aerosmith or Britney Spears tune. It's layered, it's got depth and meaning, it's beautiful. Pop singers don't write, or even sing songs like this.

As for "Electrical Storm," it's a extremely well-crafted; it has the dynamics of a memorable, lasting song -- strong lyrics and vocals, the light and shade, meaning the song has build-up and great seguays from one section to another

what I mean by "both ends of the spectrum," it's U2 being a killer rock band whether they have their amps turned off or turned up, it shows U2 being sincere and honest, the lyrics are where they *should* be for Bono, I know some will disagree, and I don't think the lyrics were in any way "bad" on All That You Can't Leave Behind, but they didn't carry as much weight with me as songs from previous albums, even though it was supposed to be a more serious and straight-forward album, if you advertise it as being such, you better deliver lyrically, and though the spirit was definitely there on All That You Can't Leave Behind, the compelling lyrical statements were simply not there for me. And people can say all they want about Pop and even Zooropa being shallow or transient, but I never understood this, maybe a couple of songs, but the majority of those songs are as heavy as anything U2 has ever recorded, and yet at the same time there is still a layer of sexiness and humour, which still blows me the fuck away, to this day. I know of no other band that can pull off so many things at once.

Now I've drifted a bit off topic, or have I?
 
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Michael Griffiths said:
what do you think of 'One'?

I like One. I really dont know how to describe why I like it compared to Hands, just something about the flow of it, the music, the strength in Bono's voice.... its different.
 
The Wanderer said:
Now I've drifted a bit off topic, or have I?
Now you're beginning to sound like me! But seriously, that was very well put (okay, so you aren't sounding like me then). Anyway, what really impresses me about this song (lyrically as well as musically) is that it doesn't sound trite. You are right: no other band (or very few) could have ever pulled off a song such as this. Could you imagine the catastrophe if, say, Celine Dionne was given the opportunity? The fact that the title no longer sounds as cheesy as it should speaks volumes about this song. The fact that the chorus - despite sounding so cheesy out of context - sounds so dead on within context, speaks volumes for this song. It's really a master work, and I can't really explain why.

I think you are right, also, that Bono has been waiting to write this song for a very, very long time. This song, I think, will really canonize U2 in America (I'm not saying that's a good thing or bad thing - it's just a statement I'm making). The lyrics, as well as the delivery are so precise, the words chosen so carefully, so delicately. The subject matter demands it, and Bono really came through. I don't think U2 would have released a song like this any other way, because, ya' know, it's a big song, concerning such an integral part of Irish American history. It needs to be sensitive to that, and oh - is it sensitive: "...from diggin' in our pockets...for a reason, to say goodbye..." Yeah, the effort has been made to dig deep, really feel the dirt, the texture of the subject. It's not superficial. It's not generic.

I'm still blown away, actually. (Can you tell? ;))

As for the lyrics of Zooropa and Pop, I completely agree with you. You can literally feel the universe exploding in a thousand directions when listening to those albums. I could never understand how even people who don't like Pop, musically, could not hear the incredible vision inside of the lyrics. Like Bono once said, Pop is really a dialogue of many converstations - some his, but mostly overheard conversations. I think that sheds such a light on the album, and I wish people could see it in that light.

Zooropa has such a sense of optimism, and hope within the words, within the music. One of my favourite moments - "It's cold outside, but brightly lit / skip the subway, let's go overground" Such a liberating view, and one that always gave me such empowerment. U2 never really changed in that respect, and I wonder how many people understand that.

By the way, say hi to the person I so very much respect. I think I know who you are talking about. I should send an e-mail that direction soon...

Thanks for sharing.
 
Sicy said:


I like One. I really dont know how to describe why I like it compared to Hands, just something about the flow of it, the music, the strength in Bono's voice.... its different.
Ah, so you do like some slow songs then. Can I deduce, then, that the reason you don't like 'Hands' that much isn't necessarily because it is slow?
 
Michael Griffiths said:
Ah, so you do like some slow songs then. Can I deduce, then, that the reason you don't like 'Hands' that much isn't necessarily because it is slow?

Well I never said I didnt like slow songs, I said I preferred harder songs. This one is just toooo slow.. I dont know it doesnt grab me. Maybe it will after more listens.
 
Sicy said:


Well I never said I didnt like slow songs, I said I preferred harder songs. This one is just toooo slow.. I dont know it doesnt grab me. Maybe it will after more listens.
It's okay if it doesn't! I'm just being really, really absurd tonight. Okay, time to go (sleepy time).

By the way, Sicy, there are ways that you can speed up the song. Have you ever heard Alvin and the Chipmunks? Their version of 'Hands' is quite good, actually (in a chipmunk sort of way - meaning a little whiny, but it's good times nonetheless).
 
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