Moment Of Surrender is overrated thread

[fullautoreverse]

magnificent would be a good song if it werent for the word magnificent

I really like the song, one of the fav's so far, but, agree 'magnificent', as a word, in the song, is slightly naff.

If anything, IMO the word 'magnificent' distracts from the high point's of the song which are the 'only love' parts...

Trash the 'magnificent' and call it 'only love'.

Back on track, MOS along with WAS are the two low points personally.
The rest cranks pretty hard
FEZ/BB - COL 10/10

 

[razredge]

I really like the song, one of the fav's so far, but, agree 'magnificent', as a word, in the song, is slightly naff.

If anything, IMO the word 'magnificent' distracts from the high point's of the song which are the 'only love' parts...

Trash the 'magnificent' and call it 'only love'.

Back on track, MOS along with WAS are the two low points personally.
The rest cranks pretty hard
FEZ/BB - COL 10/10

I agree that Magnificent is a bit cheesy, (but I like the way he screams it out, just before that 'justified, you and I will make a fire part).

And White as Snow, I didn't know what to make of it at first (though I am a fan of the Wanderer and VDL etc), but it's its very much it's own song.
It's not presumptious like MoS, just a quiet, simple folk song that is not going to build up to anything. And once you accept that you might start to like it.
It certainly has grown on me, after a couple of listens. I like it a bit more than CoL now, which has a few iffy lyrics.

 

[johnb137]

MOS is one of the best song u2 has done

what i think is a bit overrated is magnificent... but i guess everyone has their own fav u2 song, which explains u2's diversity and appeal to many

 

[shart1780]

I agree that Magnificent is a bit cheesy, (but I like the way he screams it out, just before that 'testify, you and I will make a fire part).

I thought it was "Justified till we die, you and I will magnify."

 

[razredge]

Ok, Magnificent is also overrated, but MoS is more.

People are putting MoS next to (or even over) One, not nearly as many are putting Magnificent up with Streets.

 

[shart1780]

Likewise, I tend to find it immature though.

Being immature is fun.

And I was actually thinking about saying "your mom" instead. Oh well.

 

[razredge]

I thought it was "Justified till we die, you and I will magnify."

I thought it was 'justified' originally, but somewhere I was reading some post that claimed it was 'testify' saying it was a Christian lyric or something. So got confused.

But you are correct, checked the official lyrics it is indeed 'Justified'

 

[Axver]

I'm not here to either defend or bash MOS, but this is one of the most ridiculous posts I have ever read on Interference:

Another point I would like to make, is that many people who love the song, may be non native English speakers (and indeed many native speakers as well), who may not necessarily understand the subtleties of the English language and what sets apart a great lyric from a simply great sounding one.

For instance I remember one guy who didn't like One, because he claimed the lyrics were 'mean'.

Oh, and who are you to claim supreme comprehension of the subtleties of English? Who made you some sort of arbiter? You just sound completely full of your own linguistic prowess (despite your incorrect use of commas). How dare people disagree with your subjective musical opinion! How dare they interpret and connect with lyrics in a manner different to you! They must have less of a grasp on English than you. Yeah, what a great way to stimulate discussion.

Why do you want to tell people what taste they should have? You sound like you're fifteen years old.

 

[zwervers2]

One is overrated.

MOS is an amazing song.

hahaha.

 

[razredge]

I'm not here to either defend or bash MOS, but this is one of the most ridiculous posts I have ever read on Interference:



Oh, and who are you to claim supreme comprehension of the subtleties of English? Who made you some sort of arbiter? You just sound completely full of your own linguistic prowess (despite your incorrect use of commas). How dare people disagree with your subjective musical opinion! How dare they interpret and connect with lyrics in a manner different to you! They must have less of a grasp on English than you. Yeah, what a great way to stimulate discussion.

Why do you want to tell people what taste they should have? You sound like you're fifteen years old.

Well, I'm not the arbiter here, but I guess you are.

And certainly, I'll be the first to admit my punctuation leaves much to be desired.

But I do have a point, while people are free to interpret a lyric anyway they choose.
Going with this way of thinking, tends to remove any objective reasoning behind what is a good or bad lyric and so would not bode well for this discussion.

Certainly by that token, someone could argue that Elevation is lyrical genius and should be taught in high school.

And note that I simply brought up the fact that lingual/cultural differences can be a factor in people's perception of songs, i'm not trying to call anyone stupid.

 

[phommel]

moment of surrender is a fantastic song! one of my favourites on the album.

But I will never believe "this is the best song ever from U2" and "maybe we wrote or best album ever" or any similar quotes out of the mouths of U2-members or producers.
However, still a great song

 

[zwervers2]

only the last 1,5 minute or so interest me. the words 'even on our weddingday' give me the creeps for some reason and I hate the fact the Bono is straining the hell out of his voice without sounding good. it is a interesting song and I like it that they tried to do something different than your usual in your face rock n roll but to compare this to a classic like wowy or one is ridicoulous. this will never make a top100 of all time list wherever in the world.the fact that this will problably will not come accros too good live doenst help either. right now it is almost my least favourite song of the record with the exception of boots which still remains a suckfest. studio and live.

 

[Axver]

But I do have a point, while people are free to interpret a lyric anyway they choose.
Going with this way of thinking, tends to remove any objective reasoning behind what is a good or bad lyric and so would not bode well for this discussion.

Certainly by that token, someone could argue that Elevation is lyrical genius and should be taught in high school.

We're talking music. If we want to debate the extent to which objectivity can be achieved, then let's take this to FYM and we can talk about objectivity/subjectivity in historiography. I'd love to have that debate, especially as the more I study it, the more I realise I have no definite conclusions. But this is just a song. Lyrics are going to resonate differently with different people based on their taste and life experience and all kinds of other variables. I may be stunned that some people find certain lyrics great, but hey, as long as they aren't making me listen, so what?

Now, I'm somewhat of a hypocrite here; I can acknowledge that. I criticise ATYCLB/HTDAAB for having banal, direct lyrics. Somebody who's lived different experiences to me might actually find they're great because they perfectly describe certain times, places, emotions, and who am I to say that the fact they find it great while I find it banal is due to a poorer grasp of English? That's silliness.

Enjoyment of music is so subjective that honestly I think a quest to find objectives is superfluous to requirements. Just enjoy what you enjoy, you know? There are far bigger things to worry about than whether or not some person on the Internet agrees that MOS's lyrics are balls.

And note that I simply brought up the fact that lingual/cultural differences can be a factor in people's perception of songs, i'm not trying to call anyone stupid.

It just seemed to me that you phrased that in a rather condescending way.

 

[mama cass]

i don't think this is a "One" at this stage in time

but i do think it's a beautiful and soulful song... to me, it has a little bit of a Stuck in a moment kind of vibe (one of my fave songs off All that you can't leave behind)

subjective as always...

 

[annj]

I don't get the problem with the verse where he is singing about being the atm machine and seeing his reflection

my take on it is he has captured someone who is doing some everyday thing then finds himself looking at his reflection and suddenly he stops and realises he doesnt recognise who he is anymore, or what he has become, and perhaps it is not something he has ever had time or chance to ponder on till that moment.. so I think in that context of the song it is fitting because as we get older we do stop and ask ourselves what we have done with our lives, and has it turned out the way we expected it too

well thats where I think the lyrics are coming from anyway, and maybe thats because I am in the same age bracket as Bono and I have had some really angsty self searching moments once my kids started to become teenagers and I realised I was getting over the hill a bit

 

[bram]

For those suggesting Magnificent may be overrated--this isn't really a possibility because this was actually one of the least-talked about songs coming out of the U2 camp during recording, production, etc. Maybe in comparison to the majority opinion on the boards you can think of it as overrated. MoS on the other hand was talked up a bit too much (as was Breathe--"greatest song I've done with U2"). I really like the song (MoS), but I have to agree with Sicy--it may not even be in the my top half on the album right now. Mostly that's just a sign of how great the album is. Songs I'd easily put ahead of MoS right now: NLOTH, Magnificent, Unknown Caller, Fez-Being Born, Breathe...and probably WAS and COL as well. The bluesy/gospely thing is something I can respect, but it's going to take me a good deal longer to get into.

 

[major_panic]

Another point I would like to make, is that many people who love the song, may be non native English speakers (and indeed many native speakers as well), who may not necessarily understand the subtleties of the English language and what sets apart a great lyric from a simply great sounding one.

For instance I remember one guy who didn't like One, because he claimed the lyrics were 'mean'.

So you're saying that basically, if ur englandz is lamez0r, ur there4 an unabashed apologist for the essentially scintillating genius that is Moment of Surrender, the seven-and-a-half minute long creation that cries out to the heavens and rends its clothing, beating its chest. Right?

Oh, and by the way, I'm ethnically Chinese and spent my childhood in Malaysia, which is definitely not an English-speaking country in the pure sense of the word. So clearly I don't understand the subtleties of the English language and can't distinguish between lyrical genius and "yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah".

 

[andyuk]

Moment of Surrender is the best song on the album

 

[U2opra]

I don't like the chorus, but it's not a bad. I don't think it's anywhere near as good as One or WOWY.

 

[mama cass]

what was the hype like around One when it came out, out of interest?

was it talked up much??

 

[thug]

Unbelievable.

MoS is getting bashed for it's lyrics and in the same post people say how great Magnificent is?

By comparison, the lyrics for magnificent sound broken and forced. And "Magnificent" sounds stupid on the song. The lyrics ruined the music for me - which happens to be EXCELLENT. "I was born... I was born to sing for you, lift you up, sing whatever song you wanted me to" CRINGE. There may be a deeper meaning... but it 'sounds' shit.

MoS uses beautiful words which are delivered beautifully. By FAR the best song on the album.

It would be a tragedy if this is not released as a single, beacause the world NEEDS to hear it.

 

[ponkine]

Long, boring, unexciting. Plus Bono sings like s***, with no voice and sounding quite like a drunk

It's not even in the top 5 of the album. Absolutely overrated

Cedars Of Levanon is by far the greatest

 

[ClaytonsKitten]

Songs I'd easily put ahead of MoS right now: NLOTH, Magnificent, Unknown Caller, Fez-Being Born, Breathe...and probably WAS and COL as well. The bluesy/gospely thing is something I can respect, but it's going to take me a good deal longer to get into.

*nods in agreement* Breathe just earned S**TLOADS of new love from me after seeing it live. And yeah, MoS being more bluesy-gospel, it's gonna have to grow on me. (Sorta hard, given that MoS and WAS didn't even make it to my nano...)

 

[herci]

there's a video on u2.com where eno says it's his favourite and he wanted it to be released as the single...to make a statement
to be honest, the first time I heard I had shivers...right now I'm repeating it over and over again and I don't get tired of it...this takes you to heaven
I let some friends listen to it (who are no u2 fans) and they all say they like it a lot.
I work in a record store, I own more than a thousand cd's from all different artists and this song is one of the best songs I've heard ever.

It rarely happens that I can listen to a songs 20 times in a row and not getting tired of it.
Everything is perfect about it.

In my opinion...this might be my favourite u2 track ever

 

[Aardvark747]

So does anyone seriously thinks this song is a match for One, WOWY, AIWIY, LIB etc?

QUOTE]

Well it certainly pisses all over AIWIY that's for sure.

 

[bsp77]

Plus Bono sings like s***, with no voice and sounding quite like a drunk

Hi Ponkine, hadn't seen your posts in awhile and this reminds me of why I ignore them.

 

[Chief43]

Razedge,

I will direct this comment to you since you are the original poster of course so we must keep the discussion focused. While I am an over the top basher of One, is it fair to say compare Moment Of Surrender to its old classics when

1. The song's a week old compared to 15/20 years.
2. The song has yet to gain nostalgia with no live performance.


I think its best to have this discussion in six months when the tour has given it a good run to see how this song ranks in the U2 catalogue.

 

[Addicted To Bad]

MOS. is. one. of. the. best. songs. of. NLOTH.!


I said "one of" - not "the"

 

[zwervers2]

Hi Ponkine, hadn't seen your posts in awhile and this reminds me of why I ignore them.

like you are doing now

 

[IndyShade]

"Moment of Surrender", like the rest of the album, is way overrated for what it is.

I actually like the chorus for this song, but not in this context - a slow-moving, way-too-long dirge, built on inorganic keyboard washes and a rhythm track that sounds like it came from a mid-'90s Enigma song. That chorus would be more at home in an alt-country-soul context, like something Jeff Tweedy of Wilco would write.

In light of that, it's funny to me that Wilco have a song from the Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (2002) album called "Ashes Of American Flags," which chronicles the singer's epiphany at an ATM. I would highly recommend tracking down that song - particularly the superior live version from the Kicking Television album, which has one of the greatest improvised guitar solos you'll ever hear.