I hate Yahweh... who's with me?

[ImOuttaControl]

Musically they are both downbeat, in a minor key. Downers.

Minor key has nothing to do with a song being a downer...a few examples:

Sunday Bloody Sunday (Bm)
Spanish Eyes (Dm)
Do You Feel Loved (Em)
Dancing Barefoot (Em)
New Year's Day (Am)


I will agree that Love is Blindness, MOTD, Wake Up Dead man are all downers--that's the point of the songs, but the fact is that U2 have ended more albums with a glimmer of hope than the complete desolation in these songs.
40, Grace, Wanderer, Yahweh, Is That All, Shadows and Tall Trees, and I'd even say MLK are all more positive--some may be a little dark but there is light shining through. (MLK is a positive, "may your dreams be realized" is a pretty hopeful lyric in my opinion).

 

[typhoon]

Total balls.

 

[jacobus]

for me Yahweh is the best song on the BOMB. i am not religious in a traditional way , but this song is the first song of U2 since a long time that really touches me. this song is about tolerance among the different cultures. the lyrics in some way seem to be naive and full of wishful thinking, but as i said this song touches me, 'cause it has the special bit (je ne sais quoi).
surely many reasons for the liking or disliking of songs (in my case!) have to do with the personal circumstances i was at the times of the first few listenings.
i'm still a big fan of both Yahweh versions. the alternate version i really love because it has that unique optimistic-melancholic mood. btw my alltime-fave song Acrobat has the same mood.
both are gems and both (imo) are uplifting. amen

ps: please sign the Acrobat online petition:
http://www.petitiononline.com/qv3d4382/petition.html

 

[Hoodlem]

I worry about U2 fans who cant appreciate a song like Yahweh.

I just feel so sad for these people.

 

[Aardvark747]

Great song, great album closer.
(tho I still would've prefered One Step Closer)

 

[ZeroDude]

It's an ok song so I guess I don't care about the topic being discussed in this thread, so why am I here?

 

[Axver]

Great song, great album closer.
(tho I still would've prefered One Step Closer)

At this point in time, I have a hard time imagining anything coming after One Step Closer apart from Original Of The Species. Definitely doesn't feel like it should be the closer to me.

 

[boystupidboy]

yahweh is a superb tune,i love it

 

[Aardvark747]

I'm sorry, but these are already reserved.

 

[ZeroDude]

Yes if anyone had any claim of ownership of a smilie is definitely Aardvark's although it's usually like this AMAAW

 

[Aardvark747]

 

[zooroper]

To me it's just noise. I love the term "U2" on autopilot, because it doesn't seem to have a climax, it just goes on, the chorus is so weak and the lyrics seem so naive.

Am I alone?

I'm with you!

 

[Flying FuManchu]

Oh dear God!!! Those are the worst lyrics in an otherwise good song. I just love how it starts and kicks into gear... much much much much much better than Grace.

I actually like those lyrics... Maybe b/c I like the sentiment behind them.

 

[U2girl]

I'm not religious either, but this song is in the upper half in terms of amount of listening. Like the melody and the double voice.

I love the part "the sun is coming up...the sun is coming up on the ocean, this love is like a drop in the ocean, this love is like a drop in the ocean...ooooooooohh" and Edge's guitar coming in. The hope and optimism just beams out in that part.

 

[LeafsNation]

That song makes me want fo out an spread the Good News like an Evangelical Christian...even though I'm a Papist....

 

[Pero]

I don't hate it but i don't know what's all the fuss with it.
c'mon people, it's not so good

 

[80sU2isBest]

Musically they are both downbeat, in a minor key. Downers.

And "40" - 'How long, to sing this song, how long, how long...' - that's a joyous lyric? I think not. It is a longing lyric.

And "longing" is a downer? The longing for the Lord is an integral part of faith. And the lyrics "I waited paitiently for the Lord, he inclined and heard my cry - he brought me up of the pit, out of the mirey clay - I will sing, sing a new song", don't tell me those aren't joyous lyrics. By the way, 40 is in the key of B major.

Also, Grace has joyous lyrics. It is also a major, not minor key - A flat Major.

 

[Party Boy]

I love Yahweh - its sounds like a mature U2 coming out of a ten mile long dark tunnel with renewed faith and joy.

It was the one song on the album that hit me last - at first i didnt appreciate at all. Now its the one I listen to most.

 

[Aardvark747]

It was the one song on the album that hit me last - at first i didnt appreciate at all. Now its the one I listen to most.

ditto

 

[Roland of Gilead]

Yahweh is brilliant! From the first moment I heard it on my crap comp speakers to this morning when it blasted on my ipod during my coffee break. Yes, it is is U2 doing U2. Did I say U2 doing U2? And U2 doing U2 would be what exactly? What a F'n genius idea is "what exactly!!!"

 

[Catman]

It's one of the worst songs U2 have ever made. HTDAAB is in my Top 3 U2 albums, but that song is just BLEH I was hoping for so much more with a title like "Yahweh"...perhaps a soft, reflective work that challenges the listener musically and lyrically. It failed on both accounts, IMO.

 

[LeafsNation]

If I could choose any song I could have played at my funeral mass...U2's "Yahweh" would be the one.

 

[RademR]

I love Yahweh but it's probably my least favorite on the new record (which says how much I like the bomb).

It's a great tune, I don't know how people are bashing the chorus, "why the dark before the dawn?" is great line.

The first half of the song doesnt do THAT much for me, but damn....from 2:28 to the finish is two minutes of perfection. Amazing breakdown.

"this love is like a drop in the ocean"

 

[1stepcloser]

i don't understand the fuss over this song, i really don't.

the only poor song on a great album. weak melody and one of the worst chorus's i've heard on a U2 song for a long, long time

 

[James U2]

i don't care for it. i put it and "one step closer" as the two weakest tracks on the record. it's not necessarily bad, just nothing special... in my opinion.

james

 

[Zoots]

And "longing" is a downer? The longing for the Lord is an integral part of faith. And the lyrics "I waited paitiently for the Lord, he inclined and heard my cry - he brought me up of the pit, out of the mirey clay - I will sing, sing a new song", don't tell me those aren't joyous lyrics. By the way, 40 is in the key of B major.

Also, Grace has joyous lyrics. It is also a major, not minor key - A flat Major.

Okay, stop arguing! I'm sure namkcuR meant 'mellow' when he said 'downer'. Isn't that right Mr. Ruckman?

 

[Zoots]

As to which song should end the album, I'm very tempted to go with One Step Closer because it is mellow. But on the other hand, the line 'the sun is coming up on the ocean' begs for the song to be placed at the end, in my opinion. A glimmer of hope.

 

[ponkine]

The songs I most dislike are 'Sometimes You Can´t Make it', 'Original Of The Species', ' A man And A Woman' and 'One Step Closer'.

 

[Sleep Over Jack]

What does that have to do with the thread?

 

[Zoomerang96]

it's an absolute travesty for a group like u2 who's made great songs.

do i mind them being religious? of course not. but the lyrics are weak, and most importantly, the music is SOMEHOW WORSE. the chorus is unreal, it's that bad.