SOE
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U2 - The Blackout
 Album:
Songs Of Experience (2017)
  1. The Blackout >= Beautiful Day

    Lol.
  2. The Shitout
  3. Originally posted by kobrien:Ned, Fred, zach are all biblical references, with zach being the father of John the Baptist, Fred being the benevolent king, and Ned being in the lineage of David.

    Jack could be short for Jacob - again biblical. But I prefer think he is referencing JFK who was o/w known as Jack. Makes the democracy statement even more powerful.

    Bottom line he is comparing the contrasting views of science and religion as he lost innocence and is experiencing the adult world; however the light remains. He's not letting the bastards grind him down.


    Wow, appreciate the insight. That's pretty cool.

    Originally posted by iTim:[..]
    Being an unlistenable mess doesn't help. I will try again when we have something better. Promise.


    Good to hear. As much as I AM liking the version we have, I too want to hear a cleaner version
  4. Not to keep harping on the crowd noise, but it really does annoy me that the crowd is more present in this version of this song than in any of the band's actual live releases. That's always been one of my biggest pet peeves about U2's (and most other bands, really) live releases. The crowd noise is completely eliminated from the mix except for between songs or if Bono happens to say something to the audience. I don't get why bands want to paint the picture that the crowd wasn't clapping, cheering, singing along etc. in their live dvds. Just thinking of the image of all those people at Slane Castle jumping up and down but being completely silent during streets still bugs me...
  5. Originally posted by kobrien:Ned, Fred, zach are all biblical references, with zach being the father of John the Baptist, Fred being the benevolent king, and Ned being in the lineage of David.

    Jack could be short for Jacob - again biblical. But I prefer think he is referencing JFK who was o/w known as Jack. Makes the democracy statement even more powerful.

    Bottom line he is comparing the contrasting views of science and religion as he lost innocence and is experiencing the adult world; however the light remains. He's not letting the bastards grind him down.


    since I'm not savvy at all re bliblical references, this is some great info! thanks!
  6. Originally posted by deanallison:[..]
    I'm pretty sure the names will have significance because the lyrics would have rhymed and fit just as easily without them so it's one of they ones I think Bono needs to be asked about in an interview.

    rhyming back with back is lil wayne levels of bad! haha


  7. me and coen! sorry for hanging on to your shoulder, bud

  8. Originally posted by kobrien:Ned, Fred, zach are all biblical references, with zach being the father of John the Baptist, Fred being the benevolent king, and Ned being in the lineage of David.

    Jack could be short for Jacob - again biblical. But I prefer think he is referencing JFK who was o/w known as Jack. Makes the democracy statement even more powerful.

    Bottom line he is comparing the contrasting views of science and religion as he lost innocence and is experiencing the adult world; however the light remains. He's not letting the bastards grind him down.


    Okay, is it just me, or does this reeeeaally seem like a stretch?
  10. Originally posted by bpt3:Staying on the subject of the lyrics but switching from the name references...

    I'm probably overthinking it, but to me this song could have three possible layers of meaning:

    1. The end of civilized dialogue and normal processes of democracy/free press under Trump.

    2. In the chorus especially, the line "in the darkness where you learn to see" reminds me SO much of their whole 90s adventure, beginning with the journey into "Night-town" on Zoo TV (as Bill Flanagan put it in "U2 at the End of the World"), going through Zooropa with "no compass and no map" and ending with "looking for the baby Jesus under the trash." Or as Bono put it, U2 moving from the Psalms to Ecclesiastes in a biblical sense, finding true meaning and purpose by first "sliding down the surface of things."

    3. Or, "let's just party hard" as the lights go down - in a club, bar, dance floor, opening song at U2 concert, whatever!

    That's me, anyway. I'm still loving the song.


    I really like this and think you could be spot on. The first point you made I was thinking right off the bat as well as the third one.
  11. Originally posted by RattleandHum1988:After listening to the song a number of times, I have two critiques:

    1. The intro is a little too much like The Miracle, but I feel like it won't be on the album version. Just the sound of it in the video sounds live, Edge and Adam play the note off-time on one of the "plucks", and I'm sure they realize it sounds a bit like The Miracle too (unless maybe it's supposed to).

    2. I love the groovy bridge section, and then the heavy lead-in into the next section, but the next section is almost like a second bridge with the chorus lyric again. It would've been a perfect place for a solo, or even just to go back into the chorus there, it's weird to go BRIDGE - LEAD IN - QUIET CHORUS/BRIDGE - CHORUS. Switch that quiet chorus part out for a solo or just leave it out entirely, it fits oddly to me.

    These are minor though, I'm still digging the song quite a bit


    I don't hear the Miracle I was thinking the live versions of Zoo Station I've heard.
  12. Originally posted by JuJuman:[..]


    There's 'relevant' as in the Taylor Swift kind of relevance, and relevant as in the David Bowie kind of relevance. I meant the former, and of course they should always aim at the latter.


    I disagree. Relevant is relevant. I hate Taylor Seift and am working to make sure my young niece doesn't like her (I think Beyoncé is a way better artist and role model but I digress) but you can't deny that the girl and her team have latched on to the zeitgeist of the current popular culture.