7 replies to this topic

[Lovegod]

Hear me, cease to speak that I may speak

Thank-you. Now that I have your attention I can reveal that I have saved the best for last and the daily song discussion thread for "Unknown Caller" is the last because I've been playing it constantly over the last week or so, analysing and of course singing along to!

It is my favourite track on the album, no question. It's not necessarily the most commercial track on NLOTH but it's innovative, experimental and very enjoyable...LOUD! One for the fans rather than the occasional U2 record buyer methinks.

Introduced with birdsong and a droning Moroccan tone it's 1.15 before the song really kicks in. The song clocks in at just over six minutes but it doesn't feel like it.

References to mobile phones and computers (Apple Macs specifically apparently so I'm told) are evident in the lyrics and it's surely no coincidence that the phrasing of the vocals is almost text-like in delivery:

Go, shout it out, rise up
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Escape yourself, and gravity
Hear me, cease to speak that I may speak
Shush now
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Force quit and move to trash

The song builds and builds incorporating a church organ which then segues into a captivating french horn piece until inevitably Edge steps back into the limelight and steals the show with a blistering guitar solo  

Sublime.

Edited by Lovegod, 03 March 2009 - 06:38 PM.

[Scarla]

I love it. It's my favourite as well - 'Moment of Surrender' and 'Unknown Caller' make one hell of a pair, I think.

Also, U2 should use French horns more often. They make me smile, and they sound fantastic: a bit Beatlesque, but mostly four Irish guys having a blast making great music.

[Rxx]

I do love the song, however, I can't help thinking that someone will do a parody of it, "whist now" "cop on to yerself" are 2 that spring to mind!  

[Nil]

It's my favourite too (I thought I may of been the only one)

I wouldn't say it's what many would consider the best song on the album, but it's my favourite,, I've had it stuck in my head ever since Bono gave us an illegit preview.

[kiwigene]

Yeah, definitely one of my favs. I like the spoken word geek-speak part. Nice mix of left-field and good ol' rock'n'roll.

[KentNZ]

I agree, too, that this pairs very well with Moment of Surrender. I like the verses much more than, as you say, the geek-speak. I bet it'll grow on me; Beautiful Day's vocal rhythms annoyed me loads at first, and now I think it's genius.

The verses are very reminiscient of Love is Blindness I reckon, and then the chorusy bits are very Walk On. You get that though - it is the same band...

[Scooby]

I've gone from not really liking it that much, to really liking it. Is it just my imagination or do the first chords sound similar to the opening of Miracle Drug?

Edited by Scooby, 07 March 2009 - 01:50 PM.

[Seamus]

hahahah - LoveGod - we are both huge U2 fans, but paradoxically at opposite ends of the spectrum when it comes to the songs we like!!

I really, really don't like this song lyrically - yes all the abundant Apple Mac references grate me (this is, just flat out poor lyrics in my opinion if you're reduced to talking about functions on a computer?!).

BUT - it has a vibrance and lack of sophistication that made me think this could have been a song from WAAAAYYYY back in the day - Out of Control kinda days. I think part of this is because the "chanted" chorus seems to be a methodology for covering voice limitations, something that Bono struggled with early on in the days of U2 IMHO.

So musically, I kind of think it's an ok track, but I can't get past that woeful lyricism. Which is something I'm going to have to post separately about .... there is a lack of out-and-out great lyrics from what I've detected so far (NOT indepth listens). Which is what bemuses me about talk Magnificent could be the next One ?! I mean - seriously?!

IMHO there is nothing in Magnificent that can shine a torch on:

Quote

You say love is a temple
Love a higher law
Love is a temple
Love the higher law
You ask me to enter but then you make me crawl
And I can't be holding on to what you got
When all you got is hurt