Was Window in the Skies a "hit"?
- Thread starter Chizip
- Start date
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xaviMF22
Rock n' Roll Doggie ALL ACCESS
it reached number 1 in Canada 
BVS
Blue Crack Supplier
It got a bit of play on satellite radio, for that's the only type of radio I'll occasionally listen to...
Other than that, I have no clue as to what is getting play these days.
Other than that, I have no clue as to what is getting play these days.
LyricalDrug
Rock n' Roll Doggie
I wouldn't call it a mainstream hit by any stretch. The video was a hit on youtube, though, that's for sure.
It will definitely be played on future tours. Bono is seriously, seriously proud of this song (as he should be, IMO). Sure, he always hypes the latest U2 song, but he REALLY hyped this song. Called it something like "the universal song, the song that every generation sings to the next one." It's a massive, catchy, stadium anthem, and I can't wait to see Bono hold out the microphone, so 50,000 people can sing "oh can't you see what love has done" on the next tour.
FWIW, I personally rank it as the second best U2 song of all time, after Streets. It's just insanely catchy, the middle 8 is awesome, the 6/8 time signature is trippy, the chorus is huge, and it's got a great melody.
It will definitely be played on future tours. Bono is seriously, seriously proud of this song (as he should be, IMO). Sure, he always hypes the latest U2 song, but he REALLY hyped this song. Called it something like "the universal song, the song that every generation sings to the next one." It's a massive, catchy, stadium anthem, and I can't wait to see Bono hold out the microphone, so 50,000 people can sing "oh can't you see what love has done" on the next tour.
FWIW, I personally rank it as the second best U2 song of all time, after Streets. It's just insanely catchy, the middle 8 is awesome, the 6/8 time signature is trippy, the chorus is huge, and it's got a great melody.
Bono's shades
Rock n' Roll Doggie VIP PASS
It may be in 6/8 time, but it's still a boring, U2-by-the-numbers song. I find it discouraging that Bono is supposedly very proud of it.
I did enjoy the video for it, though.
I did enjoy the video for it, though.
Earnie Shavers
Rock n' Roll Doggie VIP PASS
It got okay radio play here as soon as it was released, but only briefly. That was very closely on the back of U2 touring here though, and of couse the U218 release. Since that initial couple of weeks though, I haven't heard it at all. Saints of course was released not too long before, and I still hear it pretty regularly on the radio.
Saints maybe sabotaged WITS chances. Released so close, I don't think radio stations were going to give 2 new U2 songs heavy rotation. Saints being a short, catchy rock single with GreenDay easily won the day over the rambling, non-standout WITS. I think if I surveyed people here at work - where we have the radio on all day - or friends, they wouldn't know it at all.
Saints maybe sabotaged WITS chances. Released so close, I don't think radio stations were going to give 2 new U2 songs heavy rotation. Saints being a short, catchy rock single with GreenDay easily won the day over the rambling, non-standout WITS. I think if I surveyed people here at work - where we have the radio on all day - or friends, they wouldn't know it at all.
Dorian Gray
Refugee
Trip Through Your Wires is also in 6/8 time
Earnie Shavers said:
Frankly, I don't think Saints sabotaged WITS's chances nearly as much as WITS's own dull, clichetastic boringness (and its dreadful video) sabotaged its chances. No-one knows the song, and it seems that even in diehard U2 fan circles, most people don't really care much about it. How frequently is it ever mentioned on Interference?
And I put Bono's comments about WITS down to the patented Bono Hyperbole Machine reaching the next stage of development. Every new U2 activity seems to receive an even more ridiculous comment from Bono. He's impossible to take seriously.
No spoken words
Blue Crack Supplier
BonoVoxSupastar said:
That's awesome, that it got played on Satellite Radio because that's the only type of radio you listen to. Powerful stuff.
WITS is a disappointment.
Zoots
Blue Crack Supplier
I swear WITS sounds like 4/4 to me! Just listen to the guitar part after each chorus. There's 8 beats (4,4).
Earnie Shavers
Rock n' Roll Doggie VIP PASS
Axver said:
I agree that the song itself hurt the songs greater chances to go anywhere, but without Saints you probably could have doubled it's initial airplay at least just on the back of "It's new U2" + the tour here at the time + U218 release marketing hype. Saints satisfied all of that, with the added bonus of it being a more attractive song for the radio. Shorter, snappier, and GreenDay.
That's it's initial push only. After that it's up to quality of the song to determine whether it sinks or swims from there, and I agree that it's a non-event of a song that would have sunk anyway.
BVS
Blue Crack Supplier
No spoken words said:
No spoken words
Blue Crack Supplier
BVS, your wording makes it seem like only satellite played the tune because you only listen to satellite. Made me chuckle. I know what you meant, though.
BVS
Blue Crack Supplier
No spoken words said:
Ok, gotcha...
u2thewho
The Fly
I think WITS is actually in 12/8, judging by the piano chords in the beginning, which sound 4/4-esque with a triplet emphasis. Acrobat is in 12/8, as is Love is Blindness, while Trip and Love Rescue Me are in 6/8. Running to Stand Still is really interesting in its structure, specifically the triplet-triplet-duplet beat with the piano that gives it a 3+3+2/8 feel. (Call Dave Brubeck!) DYFL is definitely in 4/4, and I think the intro to Streets is actually in 3/4.
LyricalDrug
Rock n' Roll Doggie
Axver said:
Heheh. I know what you mean, but he actually said Window in the Skies "might be our best song." Now, he ALWAYS says that jive about albums, but the only time I've ever heard him say it about another song was for "Stay."
Earnie Shavers
Rock n' Roll Doggie VIP PASS
LyricalDrug said:
Might be. Elvis Ate America might be as well.
Actually, I was surprised when Bono said that about Stay. When he was asked that question, I just assumed the answer would be *insert hype about most recent single here*. It was a very un-Bono thing to do to namecheck an older song like that, and a 90s one too!
discothequeLP
Rock n' Roll Doggie FOB
6/8 time is like a really long 4/4 count -- you can still count 1 2 3 4.
3+3+2/8?
the Streets intro is in 6/4
u2thewho said:
3+3+2/8?
the Streets intro is in 6/4
Was it a hit..depends what you call a hit I would say. U2 really isnt a singles band, there songs gain momentum over time after the song has been out for awhile it seems. Is it a good song I would say yes in my mind its better then 3/4ths of the U2 catalog some people may not think so but thats OK.
Liesje
Blue Crack Addict
Who knows. Our radio station is the kind that will mention a U2 bit of news and then play The Fray, Staind, and Carrie Underwood two times each in rotation.
discothequeLP said:
Not really. The whole point of 6/8 time is to be counting ONE-two-three-Four-five-six. If you're just counting 1 2 3 4, then it's 4/4 time (or 4/8). The chosen time signature directly affects the feel of the song (like a waltz being in 3/4); it's not just chosen randomly. Given this logic, you could say that any time signature is just 4/4, but spread over x measures, which doesn't make any sense.
In the BBC Great Albums special, the Edge mentions how the Streets intro is in 6/8, and then it cuts to one of the other band members talking about hearing the demo for the first time, how the Edge had done this brilliant bit of composing to get the 6/8 intro to segue so naturally into 4/4 for the body of the song, then back to 6/8 for the outro.
silvrlvr
Refugee
mwheelonh said:
Yes, you are right here, according the Czerny method that I was taught during my 12 years of piano studies. Windows is definitely in 6/8.
Was it a hit? Not by most measurements. It only briefly made the iTunes top 100. It was only briefly an A-playlist song on BBC1. It barely cracked the Billboard charts. It has had almost no legs as far as satellite radio is concerned.
The video made a few waves for creativity, but even it fizzled out. I think U2's mistake was releasing it around the holidays where there was just too much other music going on. But they didn't have much say in the matter, given that it was their old label.
I'm more curious to see what people think about it now that it's 6 months old. I loved it initially and still like it now, but I'm not in love with it. The verses are forgettable & I don't get into it now until it hits the chorus and the funky stuff.
LemonMelon
More 5G Than Man
Utoo said:
It's a good tune. I still like it. If it was on an album, I wouldn't skip over it.
Nate Dogg
Refugee
U2 don't need hits. At least anymore....
LemonMelon
More 5G Than Man
Nate Dogg said:
But they really seem to want them...
catlhere
Rock n' Roll Doggie VIP PASS
I think U2 just likes making the music they're making. Good for them.
BVS
Blue Crack Supplier
LemonMelon said:
Who doesn't?
Honestly. Who doesn't want their music to be liked?
