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  1. I've just revisited this record this morning on Japanese SHN CD. It is actually a really good album, musically. Breathe, in hindsight, is a fantastic tune, cockatoo notwithstanding, and with a different vocal and lyric, GOYB could have had HMKMKMKM potential as a rocker. As a matter of fact I would put any lapses on that album down to poor lyric choices. Stand Up Comedy would have had a much strong impact if it had been simply called Stand Up, making it a rallying cry rather than a smart-arse reference.
  2. Originally posted by Anam:I've just revisited this record this morning on Japanese SHN CD. It is actually a really good album, musically. Breathe, in hindsight, is a fantastic tune, cockatoo notwithstanding, and with a different vocal and lyric, GOYB could have had HMKMKMKM potential as a rocker. As a matter of fact I would put any lapses on that album down to poor lyric choices. Stand Up Comedy would have had a much strong impact if it had been simply called Stand Up, making it a rallying cry rather than a smart-arse reference.
    hold on... you think lyrics to GOYB are poor compared to HMTMKMKM?
  3. I don't know if there's some sarcasm I'm missing here, but... HMTMKMKM has some of the best lyrics I have ever read by anyone.

    They don't know what you're doing?
    Babe, it must be art

    You don't know how you got here,
    you just know you want out.
    Believing in yourself
    almost as much as you doubt

    And specially:

    They want you to be Jesus,
    they'll go down on one knee.
    But they'll want their money back
    if you're alive at thirty-three!
    And you're turning tricks
    with your crucifix.
    You're a star.

    That is as brilliant and sharp as lyrics gets.
  4. Originally posted by LikeASong:[..]
    I don't know if there's some sarcasm I'm missing here, but... HMTMKMKM has some of the best lyrics I have ever read by anyone.

    They don't know what you're doing?
    Babe, it must be art

    You don't know how you got here,
    you just know you want out.
    Believing in yourself
    almost as much as you doubt

    And specially:

    They want you to be Jesus,
    they'll go down on one knee.
    But they'll want their money back
    if you're alive at thirty-three!
    And you're turning tricks
    with your crucifix.
    You're a star.

    That is as brilliant and sharp as lyrics gets.
    Not disagreeing... But I feel the same about GOYB... even if I'm all alone...

    Free me from a dark dream
    Candy floss, ice cream
    All the kids are screaming but the ghosts aren't real
    Here's what we gotta be
    Love and community
    Laughter is eternity if joy is real

    You don't know how beautiful
    You don't know how beautiful you are

  5. you say to-mah-to i say to-may-to!
  6. Totally a question of taste, you're right, but I think GOYB is Bono's lowest point lyrically. I might even have quoted those 'candy floss/ ice cream' lyrics to support the view! And the stuff about boots?! Sets my teeth on edge.. But it's entirely subjective of course.
  7. Originally posted by Anam:[..]
    Totally a question of taste, you're right, but I think GOYB is Bono's lowest point lyrically. I might even have quoted those 'candy floss/ ice cream' lyrics to support the view! And the stuff about boots?! Sets my teeth on edge.. But it's entirely subjective of course.
    LOL... All good. See above!
  8. ?
  9. NLOTH is and was a great return to form into the weird after some of the truly snoozeworthy stuff on ATYCLB and HTDAAB. NLOTH suffers from a sequencing problem though. U2 have long had an issue - to me - with putting the songs on an album in an order that don't join together either lyrically or musically.

    01 Fez / Being Born
    02 No Line On The Horizon
    03 Get On Your Boots
    04 Stand Up Comedy
    05 Unknown Caller
    06 Moment Of Surrender
    07 Magnificent
    08 Breathe
    09 Crazy Tonight
    10 White As Snow
    11 Cedars of Lebanon
    12 Winter (Soundtrack version)
  10. Originally posted by markreed:NLOTH is and was a great return to form into the weird after some of the truly snoozeworthy stuff on ATYCLB and HTDAAB. NLOTH suffers from a sequencing problem though. U2 have long had an issue - to me - with putting the songs on an album in an order that don't join together either lyrically or musically.

    01 Fez / Being Born
    02 No Line On The Horizon
    03 Get On Your Boots
    04 Stand Up Comedy
    05 Unknown Caller
    06 Moment Of Surrender
    07 Magnificent
    08 Breathe
    09 Crazy Tonight
    10 White As Snow
    11 Cedars of Lebanon
    12 Winter (Soundtrack version)
    There's definitely an issue with the sequencing. Breathe is in such an odd position. Regarding Winter, it's one of half a dozen tunes from this era without a 'proper' home, strewn across singles, RSD vinyl, DVD releases, soundtracks, downloads and doomed Broadway productions.
  11. Originally posted by Anam:[..]
    There's definitely an issue with the sequencing. Breathe is in such an odd position. Regarding Winter, it's one of half a dozen tunes from this era without a 'proper' home, strewn across singles, RSD vinyl, DVD releases, soundtracks, downloads and doomed Broadway productions.
    Absolutely - I do feel the band had another album in the cannon ready to fire during the back end of the 360 tour, but they lost their nerve.
  12. Originally posted by markreed:[..]
    Absolutely - I do feel the band had another album in the cannon ready to fire during the back end of the 360 tour, but they lost their nerve.
    Yeah, honestly I hope we get more outtakes material from the last 20 years. I feel like there's probably an extra 10 or so decent songs between each album they've done since ATYCLB.