Rate the Song: Fez – Being Born

[digitize]

Believe it or not, today we begin voting on our last round of album tracks, from the second half of No Line on the Horizon!

Please rate Fez – Being Born on a scale from 0 to 10, using whatever criteria you feel allows you to best evaluate the song as a whole. I will not set criteria for people to based on, but if you feel like your best evaluation of the merits of a song comes from voting only based on, say, the studio version, go right ahead and vote that way. Full information on the Rate The Song series may be found in this thread.

Have fun! This poll will close in 96 hours.

 

[mikal]

10. To think a song this experimental comes only 3 slots after a clunker like "Crazy Tonight" shows the potential this album really had.

This is probably my favorite song on the album.

 

[corianderstem]

It's pretty damned awesome.

Love the chord change at the end after "then heart sets sail." (I think the chord change happens previously in the song as well, but I love it after that line - the narrator has arrived, time for the real journey to start.)

 

[trevgreg]

I gave it a listen a few months ago for the first time in awhile, and I didn't end up hating it. There's definitely some interesting instrumentation there, maybe courtesy of Eno's production. Still not one of my favorites though. 5.

 

[nielsgov]

This song, and the title track, encapsulate the sound that should have been all over NLOTH. It's soaring with great, passionate vocals from Bono and impressionistic lyrics. The best song on the album together with MOS. 10

 

[flybabe]

My favorite song from the album. I like the experimentation and mysterious tones this song has. 10. And the lyrics describing coming into this world, genius.

 

[Nick66]

Gorgeous track. Fez evokes for me evokes the time I spent in Fes just after 9/11. I love the distant echo of "let me in the sound", the rhythm of far away voices, like prayers reaching to a North African heaven. And all that signature Eno. Being Born is spiritually spacious, and manages the not so easy trick of taking flight yet being grounded earthy Moroccan tones. Bono doesn't sing these lyrics, he prays them.

U2 has never made a song like this before, and it's a glimpse of what NLOTH might have been had they kept more of those influences in it, and if this song is lacking anything, it's more of that. As it stands, it's one of the three best tracks on this record, and actually among U2's best, and most unique, of any era.

Those who constantly wish U2 made songs without caring whether they get on the radio should take another listen to this one.

I fear for the immortal soul of anyone who rates this song poorly.

9.

 

[An Cat Gav]

Gorgeous track. Fez evokes for me evokes the time I spent in Fes just after 9/11. I love the distant echo of "let me in the sound", the rhythm of far away voices, like prayers reaching to an African heaven. And all that signature Eno. Being Born is spiritually spacious, which manages the not so each trick of taking flight yet being grounded earthy Moroccan tones. Bono doesn't sing these lyrics, he prays them.

U2 has never made a song like this before, and it's a glimpse of what NLOTH might have been had they kept more of those influences in it, and if this song is lacking anything, it's more of that. As it stands, it's one of the three best tracks on this record, and actually among U2's best of any era.

I fear for the immortal soul of anyone who rates this song poorly.

9.

agreed. Maybe this could have been the first song on the album, what a start that would have been!
My only thing is that if the dubby opening section had been a little longer it would be an easy easy 10 from me.
9

 

[GirlsAloudFan]

Some more moody poetry from Bono and the band. I've always liked the lyric, and the image it creates.

And I've also always thought that this song and White As Snow and Cedars form a bit of a trilogy. Thematically, tonally, everything.

They seem to be three peas in a pod. And I think all three pieces are good, and well crafted, but none of them are even close to a favorite of mine, and none of them give me that thrill that I get out of so many other U2 songs. Just...yeahhh.

This is a 6 for me.

 

[Nick66]

agreed. Maybe this could have been the first song on the album, what a start that would have been!
My only thing is that if the dubby opening section had been a little longer it would be an easy easy 10 from me.
9

Absolutely. I would have loved for the record to have started like this. That would have taken a LOT of guts. In fact, I think I'm going to change my iTunes playlist for this record to do just that. I also agree about the "Fez" part of the track...I always want it go longer, and it's almost like they're afraid to completely commit to the idea.

Again, a glimpse of what might have been.

 

[Galeongirl]

Oh man.

The Fez intro is interesting, using parts of Boots, the machine like noises... reminds me of Zooropa. Then Being Born kicks in, bright guitar, Bono wailing. THIS is the direction I want U2 to take! My god, that's brilliant. I still say this should have opened the 360 tour.

 

[mikal]

I still say this should have opened the 360 tour.

 

[Galeongirl]

Have them walk out while Fez plays, stage dark, everything dark.... Fez rolls on, screen turns on with some fancy visuals.. something purple, they get their gear, Bono walks out... then WHAM, full lights on, band launches in Being Born. It would've worked so easily.

 

[LemonMelon]

Fez/Being Born>NLOTH>Magnificent is my ideal intro.

Oh, and this one gets an 8.

 

[Scorpionac]

100

 

[coolian2]

is there anything on this poll higher than 10?

 

[lemonfly]

Totally floored me on my first listen, and still completely riveting and potent. Anyone who claims U2 should abandon Brian Eno on the next album...this song begs to differ. It is impossible to conceive the 2 could make magic like this again without Eno as their spirit guide. Just breathtaking.

 

[digitize]

I still say this should have opened the 360 tour.

Yes please

 

[prbiker15]

Amazing song all over. Like, seriously. Just love it, has grown on me tremendously. Would have worked great live, just imagine an amazing lightshow. 8.

 

[BlueSilkenSky]

6. It's never really clicked for me. But I love some of the lyrics... A speeding head, a speeding heart. I'm being born, a bleeding start...

 

[waynetravis]

10. What an amazing song

 

[Globo14]

Good, but I never really got the fuss. I can think of 5 or possibly 6 on the album I enjoy more.

I agree with Galeongirl, though. The entire layout and style of the song is Zooropa-esque.

 

[silkensky]

If there was ever a song which truly combined the sounds of The Unforgettable Fire and Zooropa, but was also fresh in its own cool, experimental way, it's this one! What a shame they never gave it a shot live, but this is a brilliant moment on NLOTH, one that I never skip and will frequently seek out. The more I listen to this and MOS, the more convinced I am that they should've fucking listened to Eno.

 

[Aardvark747]

Like this one a lot. 8

 

[cobl04]

This, NLOTH, MoS and Cedars are the only tracks that have stood up for me from NLOTH. A fucking great song but one that also pains me in a way. Because if the band had had more balls, this album could really have been something special. The verses are terrific. The music is relatively unique for the band, the minimalist, abstract lyrics work a treat and are some of my favourites from the decade.

Loses a point for the chorus and Edge's more stereotypical U2 guitar part that comes up twice, and that fucking inexplicable shaver that keeps popping up. 9

Have them walk out while Fez plays, stage dark, everything dark.... Fez rolls on, screen turns on with some fancy visuals.. something purple, they get their gear, Bono walks out... then WHAM, full lights on, band launches in Being Born. It would've worked so easily.

God, yes. Absolutely criminal that the band never tried it.

 

[The Sad Punk]

A few weeks ago I was driving around on a stormy evening by the bay, when this song came up on my iPod. Parked in front of the beach and watched the waves rise up and the last strings of sunlight creep through the clouds. Just perfect, my favourite song on the album and my favourite of the 00s. 10

 

[mama cass]

perfection in poetry

just listened... can i change it to an 8 though please... as lovely as it is, it really really doesn't live up to other songs i've given a 10 to... from about half way thru, musically it's a bit flat actually lol

 

[KhanadaRhodes]

^ don't do it digitize!

 

[digitize]

perfection in poetry

just listened... can i change it to an 8 though please... as lovely as it is, it really really doesn't live up to other songs i've given a 10 to... from about half way thru, musically it's a bit flat actually lol

Sure, no problem.

^ don't do it digitize!

Remember, you always have the power to go in and doctor the fuck out of the polls results...

 

[KhanadaRhodes]

Remember, you always have the power to go in and doctor the fuck out of the polls results...

oh great, now you tell me when we're almost done! i can see it now, everyone's like "whoa, i didn't realise elvis presley and america was so popular!" "holy shit, 30 people gave elvis ate america a 10?" "500 people gave mofo a 10? okay, something's fishy here!"