Time to be controversial - City of Blinding Lights is CR@P

[-Macphisto-UK]

Well I was just being controversial by saying it was crap, cos I think it's ok, it;s just the fact that it seems so over rated by so many people (or so under rated by me).

To have it compared as Modern Day Streets is laughable, it's not even close. It's not even in the top 5 tracks on the album and certainly not a classic. It sounds good live because the chorus rings out, but as a standa alone track, meh, not so good. And to release it as a single would be a HUGE Mistake. They would have to literally rip off the intro and that would make the start far too weak.

 

[typhoon]

I think there's a great song under the production. I hear Larry even played drums on it.

The keyboard intro is way hokey. So's the chorus, actually. The pre-chorus "hoo hoos" save it, though. Bono's "ti-iiiiiiime..." too.

I love the lyrics about a man looking back on his youth and what he expected from his life, kind of comparing it to what he actually got out of it. It's interesting to hear the yearning of Boy after this. It's like we have this guy's entire life on CD.

Overall, I think the song needs a little work, but it's pretty solid. I think it'll sound much better live without Jacknife Lee sucking the vitality out of it.

 

[Sicy]

This is my favorite song on the album.

 

[Axver]

COBL's not crap. Your opinion is. This is classic U2, the epic nature of Streets meets the anthemic nature of Pride. I say it's U2's fifth best song ever.

 

[RademR]

the mixing of the song is god awful and its a tragedy because its beautiful. Why is Edge's guitar so "behind" everything?

anyway, from the brooklyn bridge audio, this song is going to be amazing live. great tune, great album, goodbye.

 

[lazarus]

You know, if I had only heard Bad on the Unforgettable Fire I wouldn't be too impressed either. The vocal is awkwardly stretched out at times, and a lot of the music sounds canned.

It's now perhaps their greatest live song, right up there with Streets.

So who's to say how much better this song will become in concert. It might not hit the levels of the two previously mentioned classics, but it may very well be the highlight of all the new songs.

And like Sicy, it's also MY favorite song on the album, so I don't even think the recording is weak.


laz

 

[Flying FuManchu]

I like the song a lot and listen to it consistently. However you're entitled to your opinion and sometimes the lyrics seem pretty cheesey to me on some days, awesome in other days. I still hate Bono attempting a falsetto (not the background falsetto) during the middle of the song.

 

[mysticchild]

I have to say that it is one of the best songs on the album and I have a feeling it might be the opener to the concert. then I love LAPOE.

 

[SeattleVertigo]

I love the song -- last time I did my top U2 25, I ranked it as number 3. It has all kinds of passion and beauty.

 

[TheFlyOnTheWall]

I agree with Macphisto-UK. The song isn't what a U2 song used to be. It's no near WTSHNN or Bad or sth else you're mentioning. Face it. It has a great melody and the falsetto line is beautiful, along with the 'time' line. But the way it is made, the production, it's just an ordinary, average U2 song. And it's even worse cause they tried to do something with that piano/guitar intro but it does nothing for me. Sorry.

 

[ZeroDude]

^
Agree it's hasn't got the magic for me, One Step closer is a better song

 

[TheFlyOnTheWall]

^
Agree it's hasn't got the magic for me, One Step closer is a better song

Yeah, I think so, too. And maybe even ABOY, just because they're not trying too hard to do something with it (though ABOY tends to be an Who-like rocking song, I quite like it!).
One Step Closer is a simple, and beautiful song. I don't like it as much as The First Time or October, but what can you do?

 

[boystupidboy]

Well i think its ace,so there

 

[ZeroDude]

Well if you like it fair play but HTDAAB is not great imo just quite good

 

[TheFlyOnTheWall]

Well, we are entitled to our own wrong opinion, you know...

 

[ZeroDude]

Well, we are entitled to our own wrong opinion, you know...

I concur 100 per cent with you on that

 

[Axver]

Well, we are entitled to our own wrong opinion, you know...

Pity, really.

 

[bono_man2002]

COBL is probabely my 2nd or 3rd favourite track on HTDAAB.

Though the album is full of #1's IMO.

 

[Aardvark747]

Well i think its ace,so there

 

[-Macphisto-UK]

rather than saying ace or :thup: ?

can someone please tell me what they like about this song in a bit of construtive manner in the hope that I can pick it up as well, it'd be nice to like it as much as lot of other people seem to.

 

[rjhbonovox]

Well I was just being controversial by saying it was crap, cos I think it's ok, it;s just the fact that it seems so over rated by so many people (or so under rated by me).

To have it compared as Modern Day Streets is laughable, it's not even close. It's not even in the top 5 tracks on the album and certainly not a classic. It sounds good live because the chorus rings out, but as a standa alone track, meh, not so good. And to release it as a single would be a HUGE Mistake. They would have to literally rip off the intro and that would make the start far too weak.

No it aint that good but some would have you belive its the best thing they have ever heard. How they can say that about a song with such a shit mix, that sounds like it's in mono, is beyond me!

 

[rjhbonovox]

You know, if I had only heard Bad on the Unforgettable Fire I wouldn't be too impressed either. The vocal is awkwardly stretched out at times, and a lot of the music sounds canned.


laz

Wowo this is an amazing statement. Bad on the album is a Fuc#ing amazing song! COBL is shit on the album there is nothing to compare. Listen to the mix of Bad on the album, AWESOME, and the mix of COBL.....CRAP!

 

[Numb1075]

COBL is a wonderful song -WONDERFUL. But to put it in the same stratosphere as Streets or Bad is a lie.

I think it's downfall is the production, Edge seems muted as does Larry. Adam can be heard loud and clear though.

 

[typhoon]

Wowo this is an amazing statement. Bad on the album is a Fuc#ing amazing song! COBL is shit on the album there is nothing to compare. Listen to the mix of Bad on the album, AWESOME, and the mix of COBL.....CRAP!

To continue the hijack, I love the album version of "Bad" too (and did long before I heard it live). The drums sound great with brushes, and Bono does the "hoo hoo" thing twice, as God intended.

 

[one4u2]

This is my favorite song on the album.

 

[indra]

and Bono does the "hoo hoo" thing twice, as God intended.

 

[~LadyLemon~]

This is my favorite song on the album.

Ditto.

 

[solar]

COBL=classic song!

 

[BAW]

This is my favorite song on the album.

Mine too.


But I don't care if someone else thinks its shit

 

[mikal]

i've really focused on Edge's guitar part, and i must say, during the chorus is one of the coolest guitar riffs ever.