Rate Boots!

[walkon274]

My thoughts haven't changed at all. I still give it a 1. This is the third time I've reconsidered. In fact, the song went from terrible to downright annoying for me. I love how all the people who are in love with this song are saying that the people who hate it aren't giving reasons why. Yet, out of the other side of their mouths, they say that music is subjective (i.e. all the haters' opinions and reasons don't matter anyway). So which one is it? Mark my words, this song will come and go on the radio.

All of the following, IMHO, are not reasons why a song is good:

1. "I love how so many people are divided over it, therefore it must be good."
False. Just because a song or a piece of artwork is controversial doesn't make it good.

2. "It's totally different than anything U2 has done, therefore it is good."
False. See Pop.

3. "The song is disjointed, it sounds like nothing at all, therefore it is good."
False. That means the song has no direction and perhaps U2 were lost in what to come up with.

4. "If you listen to the song at a certain bass and treble on your headphones or while you are walking or moving really fast in a city it is a good song."
Sounds like you are coming up with an excuse to like the song.

5. "The lyrics can be interpreted 1,000's of ways."
Anyone who honestly tries to argue that "I got a submarine, you got gasoline" is a milestone breaking lyric, or has serious philosophical implications in its meaning is out of their mind.

 

[coolian2]

My thoughts haven't changed at all. I still give it a 1. This is the third time I've reconsidered. In fact, the song went from terrible to downright annoying for me. I love how all the people who are in love with this song are saying that the people who hate it aren't giving reasons why. Yet, out of the other side of their mouths, they say that music is subjective (i.e. all the haters' opinions and reasons don't matter anyway). So which one is it? Mark my words, this song will come and go on the radio.

All of the following, IMHO, are not reasons why a song is good:

1. "I love how so many people are divided over it, therefore it must be good."
False. Just because a song or a piece of artwork is controversial doesn't make it good.

2. "It's totally different than anything U2 has done, therefore it is good."
False. See Pop.

3. "The song is disjointed, it sounds like nothing at all, therefore it is good."
False. That means the song has no direction and perhaps U2 were lost in what to come up with.

4. "If you listen to the song at a certain bass and treble on your headphones or while you are walking or moving really fast in a city it is a good song."
Sounds like you are coming up with an excuse to like the song.

5. "The lyrics can be interpreted 1,000's of ways."
Anyone who honestly tries to argue that "I got a submarine, you got gasoline" is a milestone breaking lyric, or has serious philosophical implications in its meaning is out of their mind.

music is subjective?

 

[LemonMelon]

2. "It's totally different than anything U2 has done, therefore it is good."
False. See Pop.

I'm sure this is going to go over well.

 

[digitize]

5. "The lyrics can be interpreted 1,000's of ways."
Anyone who honestly tries to argue that "I got a submarine, you got gasoline" is a milestone breaking lyric, or has serious philosophical implications in its meaning is out of their mind.

Just like all of AB's "crappy" lyrics (see: "empty as a vacant lot", "your love was a lightbulb", "like a fish needs a bicycle", "it's alright, it's alright, it's alright"), if taken at face value. Which they shouldn't be. The four aforementioned AB lyrics all sound poppy at the surface, but we know that they add up to something much deeper.

But it's impossible for Bono to write that way anymore, of course. The album will be filled with throwaway pop songs, according to this board.

If WGRYWH was released today, half of us would be marching upon Dublin to protest.

 

[Mountain Dew Ma]

music is subjective?

no, you can't like the song.

 

[coolian2]

no, you can't like the song.

damn.

 

[Mountain Dew Ma]

 

[walkon274]

Just like all of AB's "crappy" lyrics (see: "empty as a vacant lot", "your love was a lightbulb", "like a fish needs a bicycle", "it's alright, it's alright, it's alright"), if taken at face value. Which they shouldn't be. The four aforementioned AB lyrics all sound poppy at the surface, but we know that they add up to something much deeper.

But it's impossible for Bono to write that way anymore, of course. The album will be filled with throwaway pop songs, according to this board.

If WGRYWH was released today, half of us would be marching upon Dublin to protest.

Actually every one of the songs you just mentioned have lyrics that are much more substantive together as a whole.

"You're dangerous 'cause you're honest, you're dangerous, you don't know what you want, well you left my heart, as empty as a vacant lot, for any spirit to haunt." - give me one line from GOYB that has something that thoughtprevoking or poignant.

"I remember, when we could sleep on stones, now we lie together in whispers and in moans." Again, give me something that deep on GYOB.

"Like a fish needs a bicycle" actually had social implications - that's a famous women's lib phrase coined long before Bono, the phrase makes sense in that song.

"Mysterious ways," the lyrics front to back along with the music speak entirely to something pretty deep. "She moves in mysterious ways" is Bono referring to God as a woman and how such a spirit moves in us. Again, this phrase alone and the thought it provokes is ten times deeper than anything in GOYB.

Instead we get ice cream, gasoline, and "let me in the sound" 1,000 times throughout the song.

 

[LemonMelon]

Instead we get ice cream, gasoline, and "let me in the sound" 1,000 times throughout the song.

Is it entirely possible that those lyrics could be something more than throwaway? Why not bash the theme of the song itself instead of the seemingly frivolous imagery used to convey it?

In any case, "let me in the sound" kicks ass.

 

[Vlad n U 2]

He just keeps coming back for more doesn't he.

 

[coolian2]

he's entitled to his opinion, if only he felt the same way about our opinions.

 

[digitize]

Actually every one of the songs you just mentioned have lyrics that are much more substantive together as a whole.

"You're dangerous 'cause you're honest, you're dangerous, you don't know what you want, well you left my heart, as empty as a vacant lot, for any spirit to haunt." - give me one line from GOYB that has something that thoughtprevoking or poignant.

"I remember, when we could sleep on stones, now we lie together in whispers and in moans." Again, give me something that deep on GYOB.

"Like a fish needs a bicycle" actually had social implications - that's a famous women's lib phrase coined long before Bono, the phrase makes sense in that song.

"Mysterious ways," the lyrics front to back along with the music speak entirely to something pretty deep. "She moves in mysterious ways" is Bono referring to God as a woman and how such a spirit moves in us. Again, this phrase alone and the thought it provokes is ten times deeper than anything in GOYB.

Instead we get ice cream, gasoline, and "let me in the sound" 1,000 times throughout the song.

I'm not criticising AB's lyrics. That is by far my favourite album, and one of my two or three favourites lyrically. But on the surface, its lyrics are certainly no more "thought provoking" then "Satan loves a bomb scare, but it won't scare you".

The thing is... you gotta look deeper than the surface. You don't seem to have a problem doing that for AB, which is good, but you're kinda saying "OMG SUBMARINE GASOLINE BONO SUCKZORS" based on a very surface-level interpretation of the song.

 

[walkon274]

he's entitled to his opinion, if only he felt the same way about our opinions.

I have not bashed one person directly or said anything more than in my opinion I don't agree with what some said. Note I started my last post with "IMHO". Instead of saying "I'm back for more", why don't you have an honest discussion about why you disagree with what I just posted. Someone just noted that perhaps gasoline and ice cream have something more to them. I respect that opinion b/c it very well could be true. Personally, I think....

"I got a submarine you got gasoline I don't wanna talk about wars between nations"

...totally is a reference to sex. Bono has a dinger, the girl he's singing to has the fuel (i.e. sex appeal) he's not too interested in politics at this juncture.

My point though is, these lyrics aren't deep or poetic like almost all of U2's stuff. When you consider that along with the fact they said they needed to push the album back to work on stuff, you'd think you'd get something better, deeper, and more meaningful than this.

 

[coolian2]

I have not bashed one person directly or said anything more than in my opinion I don't agree with what some said. Note I started my last post with "IMHO". Instead of saying "I'm back for more, why don't you have an honest discussion about why you disagree with what I just posted. Someone just noted that perhaps gasoline and ice cream have something more to them. I respect that opinion b/c it very well could be true. Personally, I think....

"I got a submarine you got gasoline I don't wanna talk about wars between nations"

...totally is a reference to sex. Bono has a dinger, the girl he's singing to has the fuel (i.e. sex appeal) he's not too interested in politics at this juncture.

My point though is, these lyrics aren't deep or poetic like almost all of U2's stuff. When you consider that along with the fact they said they needed to push the album back to work on stuff, you'd think you'd get something better, deeper, and more meaningful than this.

oh, the submarine line is definitely about sex. no two ways about it.

 

[digitize]

Elevation is a reference to sex. Submarine/gasoline... methinks not.

 

[Scorpionac]

Too bad the bit you quoted (submarine/gasoline bit) are the silliest lines in the song. No, GOYB is not heart wrenching, but something doesn't have to be overwrought to have meaning. Some songs are supposed to change your mood, some your mind. This one has two goals: get you to smile/dance/whatever, and make you think about the human potential wasted by war and living in fear (if you'd like to ).

"I remember, when we could sleep on stones, now we lie together in whispers and in moans." Again, give me something that deep on GYOB.

It sounds pretty, sure...on a surface inspection it sounds deep; but does it mean anything? Seriously, what does that line mean to you? I could never make up my mind.

 

[walkon274]

Elevation is a reference to sex. Submarine/gasoline... methinks not.

I am pretty sure Bono has been quoted as saying Elevation is about spiritual awakening. Yeah, I know the whole "a mole diggin in a hole" is infamous for being a nod to oral sex. Again though, the whole line is "a mole, diggin in a hole, diggin up my SOUL now going down excavation, I and I in the sky you make me feel like I can fly Elevation.....LOVE, LIFT ME UP OUT OF THESE BLUES...I believe in you. This song is like ironically Christian.

 

[walkon274]

Too bad the bit you quoted (submarine/gasoline bit) are the silliest lines in the song. No, GOYB is not heart wrenching, but something doesn't have to be overwrought to have meaning. Some songs are supposed to change your mood, some your mind. This one has two goals: get you to smile/dance/whatever, and make you think about the human potential wasted by war and living in fear (if you'd like to ).



It sounds pretty, sure...on a surface inspection it sounds deep; but does it mean anything? Seriously, what does that line mean to you? I could never make up my mind.

Absolutely it means something. Achtung Baby as an album was dark and dealt with personal fears connected to the falling apart of relationships. At the time of recording, U2's relationships with each other were at an all-time high tensionwise. Edge was going through a divorce. The theme totally is about betrayal and the ending of relationships. One, Whose Gonna Ride your Wild Horses, etc.

That line for Ultraviolet is - There was a time our relationship was perfect no matter what came our way, now it's shite. Only Bono doesn't say it that way. He says there was time we were so good we could fall asleep together on hard stones, but now we lie together with only whispers and moans. Again, nothing about GOYB evokes poeticism like this or a discussion like this.

 

[coolian2]

Absolutely it means something. Achtung Baby as an album was dark and dealt with personal fears connected to the falling apart of relationships.

you're judging it on the context of the album, which you can't yet do with no line.

 

[Mountain Dew Ma]

you're judging it on the context of the album, which you can't yet do with no line.

Ouch, using opponents logic against them FTW.

 

[walkon274]

you're judging it on the context of the album, which you can't yet do with no line.

You raise a valid point. However, I still say if you compare the lyricism of Ultraviolet to GOYB there's no question which has more substance.

 

[Vlad n U 2]

Is it GOYB?

 

[walkon274]

Is it GOYB?

Of course mate: Let me in the sound, Let me in the sound, Let me in the sound, Let me in the sound, Let me in the sound, Let me in the sound, Let me in the sound, Let me in the sound, Let me in the sound, ICE CREAM, Let me in the sound, Let me in the sound, Let me in the sound, Let me in the sound, GASOLINE, Let me in the sound, Let me in the sound, Let me in the sound.

There's just too much intellectual prowess involved in that right there. Good night all, I gotta hit it.

 

[Vlad n U 2]

The "let me hear the sound..." part is awesome imo, but I do agree that in your comparison Ultraviolet wins. But GOYB is still awesome.

 

[BVS]

My thoughts haven't changed at all. I still give it a 1. This is the third time I've reconsidered. In fact, the song went from terrible to downright annoying for me. I love how all the people who are in love with this song are saying that the people who hate it aren't giving reasons why. Yet, out of the other side of their mouths, they say that music is subjective (i.e. all the haters' opinions and reasons don't matter anyway). So which one is it? Mark my words, this song will come and go on the radio.

All of the following, IMHO, are not reasons why a song is good:

1. "I love how so many people are divided over it, therefore it must be good."
False. Just because a song or a piece of artwork is controversial doesn't make it good.

2. "It's totally different than anything U2 has done, therefore it is good."
False. See Pop.

3. "The song is disjointed, it sounds like nothing at all, therefore it is good."
False. That means the song has no direction and perhaps U2 were lost in what to come up with.

4. "If you listen to the song at a certain bass and treble on your headphones or while you are walking or moving really fast in a city it is a good song."
Sounds like you are coming up with an excuse to like the song.

5. "The lyrics can be interpreted 1,000's of ways."
Anyone who honestly tries to argue that "I got a submarine, you got gasoline" is a milestone breaking lyric, or has serious philosophical implications in its meaning is out of their mind.

I don't expect someone who misunderstood so many quotes to understand the lyrics...

 

[bonoz]

I bet the "let me in the sound..." part would've been the best part to dance to.

I'm betting on this to be the concert opener.

It's too "layered" to be a good opener. Requires a bit of 'breaking-in'. Maybe as a second song.

 

[AEKU2]

I got a submarine = The US has plenty of weapeons
You got gasoline = Iraq (or middle east) has oil.

 

[buzzkill27]

I got a submarine = The US has plenty of weapeons
You got gasoline = Iraq (or middle east) has oil.

Exactly...well done in pointing that out to some people who take lyrics a little too literally

 

[Vlad n U 2]

It's too "layered" to be a good opener. Requires a bit of 'breaking-in'. Maybe as a second song.

Then I guess the track NLOTH would work since it is the opener of the album.

 

[Moser]

Average Score is 7.20!