Lucifer's Hands - Song Discussion

[dudeman]

You know, this isn't a super great song or anything (there's MUCH better songwriting on display on the album proper) bu it's a fine song.

But you really gotta hand it to the band for the PERFORMANCES on this one. That aspect really sells the song for me, so I keep coming back.

Bono in particular is in fine form. He absolutely DESTROYS those choruses. Now THATS the best he's sounded in years.

 

[YBORCITY]

I can't believe how much this song brings me back to AB - era. The chord changes are fantastic. And as dudeman said the performance of the band nails it home.

 

[thavidesco]

I´m afraid they will avoid it, because they cannot play it acoustic

 

[ImNotSleeping]

But it's just sitting there with that long instrumental waiting for some Bongolese to happen live!

 

[YBORCITY]

But it's just sitting there with that long instrumental waiting for some Bongolese to happen live!

Yep agreed. And remembering how fired up the crowd was as they were getting the claw ready for lift off. IT would be a shame not for them to play this.

 

[Max_theHitman]

So,
did anyone find any satanic messages on this song ?
... while playing it backwards?

 

[ImNotSleeping]

So,
did anyone find any satanic messages on this song ?
... while playing it backwards?

Haven't touched my vinyl yet, but playing it at all has some finding just such messages.

 

[YBORCITY]

So,
did anyone find any satanic messages on this song ?
... while playing it backwards?

Yep It whispers of Bono's favorite pizzaria... and how to order pie #5 when Manuel is cooking.

 

[Max_theHitman]

Haven't touched my vinyl yet, but playing it at all has some finding just such messages.

WAIT... wait a minute.
I suggest to you to not do that to your favorite U2 record. Keep your vinyls in a safe place.
Let other crazy people play their records backward and scratch them.

Anyway, there are some crazy folks out there who have decided to play
their records backwards (so as to find any "subliminal messages")
and you can listen to it here --> Listen to U2's Songs of Innocence backwards | New Music | Impose Magazine

 

[ImNotSleeping]

WAIT... wait a minute.
I suggest to you to not do that to your favorite U2 record. Keep your vinyls in a safe place.
Let other crazy people play their records backward and scratch them.

Anyway, there are some crazy folks out there who have decided to play
their records backwards (so as to find any "subliminal messages")
and you can listen to it here --> Listen to U2's Songs of Innocence backwards | New Music | Impose Magazine

I've never done that to any vinyl, so no worries.

I clicked on the play button and nothing? Theonly thing I can see is the stop button. I can't hear anything either!

 

[david]

Hrmm.. In Song For Someone played backwards i thought I heard "take off your shit and hug your cat"

 

[Max_theHitman]

This sort of backwards silliness reminds me of that U2 song...

Forward: " And I wait without you, with or without you..."

Reverse: " We slap you too, we slap youuu."

AAAHAHAHAH

 

[RaisedByWolves]

Lucifer's Hands .......around his junk.

 

[jeevey]

This is one is growing on me a lot. Keep hearing it incidentally while waiting for other tracks and it is damn fun. It reminds me of the Salome outtakes in all the good ways.

 

[thavidesco]

It is very good actually, it suffers from being overshadowed by Ballroom

 

[Moser]

I may be in the minority, but I like this one a lot better than Crystal Ballroom.

 

[bobsaget77]

This should've opened the album. Really dig this song, it suffers from the bandwagon hate that goes on around here. A few people hate it and suddenly everyone hates it.


Sent from my iPhone using U2 Interference

 

[david]

Thematically it fits in nice with the story of the band's/Bono's journey from being inspired by a new wave of sound and becoming a band. I think the problem is the chorus. How does it relate to the verses?

 

[Gonna Run 2 U]

Thematically it fits in nice with the story of the band's/Bono's journey from being inspired by a new wave of sound and becoming a band. I think the problem is the chorus. How does it relate to the verses?

I think it's the theme of music being their savior. "Born again to the latest sound" and such...They found a way to express themselves with Gods gift of music.


Sent from my iPhone using U2 Interference

 

[thavidesco]

I think it's the theme of music being their savior. "Born again to the latest sound" and such...They found a way to express themselves with Gods gift of music.


Sent from my iPhone using U2 Interference

Yep, Bono said himself he would end up badly (in Lucifer´s hands) if music wouldn´t fullfill his life

 

[bobsaget77]

I think it's the theme of music being their savior. "Born again to the latest sound" and such...They found a way to express themselves with Gods gift of music.


Sent from my iPhone using U2 Interference

That's why I think the Rejoice reference was highly intentional. October is the band's most religious album and I think he's bridging the theme of this song with that album.


Sent from my iPhone using U2 Interference

 

[bonoschild2009]

This should've opened the album.

couldn't agree more- fits better as an album opener for me than The Miracle...

 

[david]

Good point on the chorus for Lucifer's Hands.

 

[gareth brown]

B-side material for sure... Not that exciting as a song, but I like the sound of it.

yeah, definitely agree with this - I said this before in some other thread, I think, but this would've made a good B-side to Miracle if it had had a traditional single release. It certainly shouldn't have been allowed anywhere near an album in the form it ended up as.

That said I love the harmonies in the chorus, especially Bono's lead vocal - but as a song, it doesn't really work. It just trails off with that breakdown at the end that just saps the energy out of the song and the chorus can't really bring it back after that.

I'm mostly sad they got rid of the (keyboard? I dunno) parts that underlined the riff in the live version...

it's still in there! just nowhere near as prominent! big waste I reckon...it comes in and out during the second half of the second verse and that's it, i think. I was really disappointed they left it out, I used to love it on Stingray Guitar.

I think this would have made a great opener for the album if they'd just left it mostly instrumental with that keyboard part as it was, (especially the little riff where the song briefly goes into waltz time) then maybe just had the chorus with those harmonies. Nothing too meandering, just a cool little intro. The verses aren't really that great and the final bit just derails the whole track, in my opinion.

 

[thavidesco]

If Lucifer is B-side material, then Miracle is C-side

 

[YBORCITY]

I too wish they left the more prominent keyboards, it kinda drives the melody but with that said, really dig this song. And I agree about this opening the album, I didn't think of this before but what a great opener

 

[U2girl]

Thematically it fits in nice with the story of the band's/Bono's journey from being inspired by a new wave of sound and becoming a band. I think the problem is the chorus. How does it relate to the verses?

A sister song to Reach me now and Miracle for sure. Only with actual mention of the influencing band in the lyric.

 

[dazzledbylight]

I love this song from the start
only heard it last week the first time

and the chorus is great!
loving the heavy bass and the fade out ending is fine by me.

 

[thavidesco]

Imagine the album without Miracle and Cedar and replace it with Invisible and Lucifer...just a perfect album

 

[2233]

Imagine the album without Miracle and Cedar and replace it with Invisible and Lucifer...just a perfect album

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