Who's gonna ride your wild horses ruins actung

[Hoodlem]

WGRYWH is definately the weakest link in the Achtung Baby chain. It is in no way a bad song however. In fact it's a great song. As others have mentioned, that middle eight is one of the best things they ever did...ever.

Oh, the deeper I spin
Oh oh, the hunter will sin
For your ivory skin

Took a drive in the dirty rain
To a place where the wind calls your name
Under the trees
The river laughing at you and me

Hallelujah
Heaven's white rose
The doors you open
I just can't close

Don't turn around...

 

[last unicorn]

Nice bridge, but overall mediocre song. Doesn't "ruin" the album, though. Ultraviolet and So Cruel are probably my least favourite songs on the album and an of my least favourite U2 songs in general, Wild Horses is among these weaker songs. However, AB has some amazing songs as well, but for me it's not the flawless album many people are talking about. I love the album anyway, no matter what.

 

[SecretFly]

It fits in well with the other songs on the album IMO. Great song...very underrated.

 

[asr]

The only thing I like about WGRYWH is Edge's guitar intro, which sounds like a video game sound effect (i.e. the sound of 'Game Over'). So I guess it is consistent with the rest of the album, but only in that respect.

 

[Rob33]

I couldn't possibly disagree more...This is one of U2's best songs for me...and one of the strongest on the album...

 

[Purplereign]

It fits in well with the other songs on the album IMO. Great song...very underrated.

its an absolute cracker

 

[roy]

the song is mediocre and just simply doesnt fit with the rest of the album. i understand they were trying to put a single on the album but the song is just week compaired to the rest of the material. It is amazing however despite the week song actung baby is still their best album as the other material is so strong

I couldn't agree more. WGRYWH is woeful.

 

[Rob33]

actually I think WGRYWH is possibly the most underrated U2 song

 

[schnumi]

Well i love the Vertigo tour amsterdam version of this song, great performance there.

 

[U2girl]

I think it fits nicely within AB, always liked it. From that album, it's The Fly I could never warm up to.

 

[Salome]

I dont feel it doesn't fit on the album
well
then again I've always felt that as it is Achtung has just about no flow whatsoever
so they could stick just about anything in there
(which they proved with Trying to throw ...)

bit of a frustrating song
some guitar work that sounds magnificent live
and indeed a great bridge

the bridge is actually so good that the "dont turn around" but feels like a bit of a letdown to me
the entire intro (including opening line) is a bit mediocre
and indeed the "baby can we still be friends" line is so bad that it makes "a mole digging in a hole" look really good in comparison

 

[Purplereign]

and indeed the "baby can we still be friends" line is so bad that it makes "a mole digging in a hole" look really good in comparison

yep - it's pretty cheesy, no denying it, but isn't it the feeling / emotion that the music evokes what makes U2 stand apart anyway and makes their songs so special?

 

[Peterrrrr]

Im just waiting for some WGRYWH disliker who will write about the story that the band didnt like the song when they recorded AB...

But they seem to like it because they have played it after ZooTV

 

[Ellay]

If you listen to the salome outakes, It's clear WGRYWH is an intrinsic part of Achtung Baby.


As for it being put on the record as a 'single' - well your argument is dead in the water.

In the UK, The Fly was the single that was released first and made it to number one.

One, Even Better than the Real Thing (twice) & Mysterious Ways were also released as singles, - all of which charted higher than WGRYWH, which only reached number 14.

 

[ahittle]

If you listen to the salome outakes, It's clear WGRYWH is an intrinsic part of Achtung Baby.


As for it being put on the record as a 'single' - well your argument is dead in the water.

In the UK, The Fly was the single that was released first and made it to number one.

One, Even Better than the Real Thing (twice) & Mysterious Ways were also released as singles, - all of which charted higher than WGRYWH, which only reached number 14.

Good points all around. There are a million versions of the song on those outtakes. It was definitely a struggle pulling the thing together.

 

[last unicorn]

I think it fits nicely within AB, always liked it. From that album, it's The Fly I could never warm up to.

Strangely, I've liked the Fly on the album from the beginning but the live versions had to grow on me. I think I really started to like the Fly live when I saw U2:3D - and then mostly because of the visual effects, not so much because of the song. I always had my reservations because I felt Bono wasn't really singing in this song, only mumbling.

 

[unclejosh]

Man I love this song. One of my faves of all time. For me, the weakest songs are So Cruel and Acrobat. Still good songs, but they don't have that "connection" to me that the others do.

 

[Jdelbove]

personaly maybe its the hey hey sha la la part that I realy cant take - it just doesnt seem like bono to me also the song id frustrating as some one already poited out as the song needs the edges solo from the vertigo tour - as for bs vocals i cant complain

 

[alanah]

Honestly, I love this song! One of my favourite U2 songs and oh, there is not bad song on this album in my opinion.

 

[asr]

U2 themselves have stated that they regret ever writing, recording and releasing this song. They stated this while promoting the 90's Greatest Hits compilation. Even though they have played it live quite a few times, they are still embarassed by it.

 

[AngelofHarlem01]

Honestly, I love this song! One of my favourite U2 songs and oh, there is not bad song on this album in my opinion.

I agree. It's definitely my favorite song on Achtung!

 

[lazarus]

U2 themselves have stated that they regret ever writing, recording and releasing this song. They stated this while promoting the 90's Greatest Hits compilation. Even though they have played it live quite a few times, they are still embarassed by it.

Let's see the quote. Those are pretty harsh words, and no band would say that and then continue to play it live.

 

[Bonochick]

I don't think it's weak. Actually, it's my favorite U2 song...favorite song in general actually.

 

[Jeannieco]

Hearing this song live in Hawaii during the last show for Vertigo tour made me love it even more! Plus he pulled up a fan on stage to play the keyboards and it sounded great! It was such a rush to hear the entire stadium sing out.... "COME ON NOW LOVE..... DON'T CHA LOOK BACK!!....."
Ahh memories.

Check this out!! Go Mike!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKgJa7HnyLk&feature=related

 

[waynetravis]

Grand song

 

[DoctorMacPhisto]

Honestly, I love this song! One of my favourite U2 songs and oh, there is not bad song on this album in my opinion.

Achtung Baby is probably their most flawless album.

WGRYWH is beautiful, and I have to disagree with the band on their belief that the acoustic single version is superior to the album version. the album version just has so much more spirit and atmosphere.

 

[schnumi]

electric by a mile, just listen to the amsterdam version and tell me that isnt great.

 

[65980]

To be honest, I've always felt that this song is mere inches away from Bon Jovi-style cheese. "Baby can we still be friends" line almost bridges that gap altogether.

Not that I have anything against Bon Jovi, and there are other U2 songs I love despite their flirtations with cheese. It's probably more that to me this particular song sticks out like a sore thumb compared to the rest of AB, and it's a pretty average song as well.

I do have something against Bon Jovi -- they're the worst band of all time, in my objective critical opinion!

You make a good point about the "Baby, can we still be friends" line, but I've always thought that Achtung has several cheesy lines mixed in with the more poetic and darker stuff, and I've concluded that the cheesy stuff was intentional. I take some of the pop-art poetry on HTDAAB the same way -- lyrics can sometimes say more with simplicity and what they are, rather than what they say. If Bono is using obvious cliche lyrics, I'm pretty sure he's aware of it. Remember, this is the guy who refused to use the word "baby" for 15 years, then threw it all over Achtung just for a laugh.

Some examples of Achtung's cheesier lyrics:

Let me be your lover tonight

Oh, love... to stay with you I'd be a fool
Oh... sweetheart... you're so cruel

And a woman needs a man
Like a fish needs a bicycle (the ultimate cliche!)

Oh sugar, don't you cry
Oh child, wipe the tears from your eye

Your love was a light bulb
Hanging over my bed (that's pretty cheesy!)

Take the money
Honey


These are all minor and fairly isolated examples, but there are enough of such "cliche" lyrics thrown in with the heavy stuff to make me think that Bono did this intentionally as part of their "lightening up" in this period. But, I don't know, maybe he just sang some cheese unintentionally.

 

[pepokiss]

I loved this

by aayers007 on 11-23-2004 @ 10:44:52 AM

I read in U2s book INTO THE HEART the salt water kiss means kissing the girl after she has performed sexual favors. thats straight from the band, no lie.

 

[corianderstem]

Every time I look at the thread title I think it says "WGRYWH ruins acting, and it really confuses me. I think, "What ... because of the video? I thought Bono was good in it."

Typos - don't you just love them?