Songs of Experience 36 - Now with 20% fewer acronyms

[morph]

I like the refu-Jesus bit! At least it’s innovative. What sinks the song is a lame chorus. The verses are amazing.

 

[Axver]

I'm trying to figure out how a ham-fisted portmanteau is innovative. If anything, it's just par for the course for 2017.

 

[TheGeekyU2Fan]

I feel that American Soul is one of those songs that they would regret playing just like GOYB. Its the worst track in the album. In my opinion, I would prefer MOS, Breathe and Boots than this song.

 

[mikal]

I’d take RefuJesus over Cockatoo. Really all the verses in Breathe. The Unknown Caller chorus. GOYB verses. SUC lyrics. Etc

 

[mikal]

I like the refu-Jesus bit! At least it’s innovative. What sinks the song is a lame chorus. The verses are amazing.

Good point. That’s what doesn’t quite do it for me. Not a bad song but wish the chorus went in a different direction.

 

[DeVaul]

Housekeeper, I thought.

Landlady?

 

[CosmoKramer]

I'll take RefuJesus over "Force quit and move to trash" any day

First off, the king of shit lyrics is “stop helping God across the street like a little old lady”

That line is by far the worst one he has ever written. Ju ju men, Cockatoos, sexy boots, refujesus, Force quit, mouth full of teeth you are all your friends all have nothing on that little old lady.

On a side note....fuck NLOTH was a shit sandwich of bad lyrics. I always thought Pop/Zooropa were bad but NLOTH takes the cake.

 

[LemonMelon]

I always thought Pop/Zooropa were bad

[emoji38]

Zooropa's lyrics 9/10

SOI and SOE's lyrics meh/10

Are people trying to argue the in character storytelling of NLOTH was somehow less creative than Bono just telling his life story in the broadest strokes imaginable? REFUJESUS IS INNOVATIVE you guys slay me.

 

[gweeps]

Other than singing One through a megaphone, I enjoyed all of the show.

It's something different. I'll take it.

 

[mikal]

[emoji38]

Zooropa's lyrics 9/10

SOI and SOE's lyrics meh/10

Are people trying to argue the in character storytelling of NLOTH was somehow less creative than Bono just telling his life story in the broadest strokes imaginable? REFUJESUS IS INNOVATIVE you guys slay me.

Again, it’s a pointless conversation. I personally think the “letters to family if I were to die” is much more powerful than in character lyrics, especially when those in character lyrics reboot cockatoos at the ATM machine after helping old ladies cross the street.

 

[Axver]

[emoji38]

Zooropa's lyrics 9/10

SOI and SOE's lyrics meh/10

Are people trying to argue the in character storytelling of NLOTH was somehow less creative than Bono just telling his life story in the broadest strokes imaginable? REFUJESUS IS INNOVATIVE you guys slay me.

Some of the storytelling gave us many of Bono's finest lyrics of the past couple of decades. NLOTH, MOS, Fez, White As Snow, Cedars - yeah some mis-steps, including a couple of glaring ones, but on the whole they hold up well.

Some of it gave us Unknown Caller.

And is there meant to be a character in Stand Up Comedy? Is there anything in that song other than sheer stupidity?

 

[CosmoKramer]

[emoji38]

Zooropa's lyrics 9/10

SOI and SOE's lyrics meh/10

Are people trying to argue the in character storytelling of NLOTH was somehow less creative than Bono just telling his life story in the broadest strokes imaginable? REFUJESUS IS INNOVATIVE you guys slay me.

Ehh, throw a rock in the air and you’ll hit.....someone who thinks differently.

 

[CosmoKramer]

Again, it’s a pointless conversation. I personally think the “letters to family if I were to die” is much more powerful than in character lyrics, especially when those in character lyrics reboot cockatoos at the ATM machine after helping old ladies cross the street.

Yep, all of this.

 

[hasin73]

Ehh, throw a rock in the air and you’ll hit.....someone who thinks differently.

 

[hasin73]

I like the refu-Jesus bit! At least it’s innovative. What sinks the song is a lame chorus. The verses are amazing.

In fact, 99% average joe songwriters do not have the vivid and learned imagination or innovation like Bono. Take for example ..... Summer of Love. In those other songwriters' pen that song would definitely remain a straightforward love song but Bono makes this a hymn for the refugee. That's genius.

 

[cseggleton]

Some of the storytelling gave us many of Bono's finest lyrics of the past couple of decades. NLOTH, MOS, Fez, White As Snow, Cedars - yeah some mis-steps, including a couple of glaring ones, but on the whole they hold up well.



Some of it gave us Unknown Caller.



And is there meant to be a character in Stand Up Comedy? Is there anything in that song other than sheer stupidity?

You are an ageist...stop beating up the little old lady!! She’s just trying to cross the road for God sake!!

 

[Axver]

You are an ageist...stop beating up the little old lady!! She’s just trying to cross the road for God sake!!

Ten points if you hit her.

 

[kiwilad]

Let us not forget 'boom cha'. Or 'sexy boots'. Or counting 1, 2, 3, 14. Or moles digging in holes. Or hello hello I'm at a place called...ah fuck he's written some indefensible shite

 

[AndrewCowley]

Let us not forget 'boom cha'. Or 'sexy boots'. Or counting 1, 2, 3, 14. Or moles digging in holes. Or hello hello I'm at a place called...ah fuck he's written some indefensible shite

Surprised nobody has mentioned his terrible over reliance on ryhming lyrics. Sometimes you feel there are good lyrics in there, just waiting to escape, only to be neutered by this tendancy.

 

[kiwilad]

Or his reliance on making an obvious point. Unforgettable Fire. Fuck knows what it's about but it's beautiful.
Vs American Soul. Yeah.

 

[Axver]

Let us not forget 'boom cha'. Or 'sexy boots'. Or counting 1, 2, 3, 14. Or moles digging in holes. Or hello hello I'm at a place called...ah fuck he's written some indefensible shite

Why does nobody remember "turn it up loud, captain" when listing pile of shit lyrics.

I once even had a diehard fan, from this very forum, pointblank refuse to believe me when I mentioned Bono says this at the start of Vertigo until I actually played the fucker.

 

[david]

Some odd juxtapositions.

Yeah, that was weird.

 

[kiwilad]

Why does nobody remember "turn it up loud, captain" when listing pile of shit lyrics.

Because it hurts, axver. It hurts.

 

[lazarus]

Why does nobody remember "turn it up loud, captain" when listing pile of shit lyrics.

I once even had a diehard fan, from this very forum, pointblank refuse to believe me when I mentioned Bono says this at the start of Vertigo until I actually played the fucker.

I love that line. It's cheeky, fun. Not sure why someone would even take it so seriously as part of a song's actual lyrics.

That's like criticizing John Lennon's "I dig a pigmy by Charles Haltrey and the Deaf-Aids..." as if it were meant to be anything but a joking aside.

 

[Axver]

I love that line. It's cheeky, fun. Not sure why someone would even take it so seriously as part of a song's actual lyrics.

That's like criticizing John Lennon's "I dig a pigmy by Charles Haltrey and the Deaf-Aids..." as if it were meant to be anything but a joking aside.

What's your take on the uno, dos, tres, catorce before it?

 

[redhill]

Landlady?

Takes my cash to somewhere...

;]





We're delving too far into TMZ territory...

 

[Gzusfrk]

What's your take on the uno, dos, tres, catorce before it?

I don't mind goofy cheeky Bono lyrics like those, it's the over wrought "listen to how smart I am and create this amazing image" crap and "listen to how smart I am about politics you dumb fools" stuff that grates on me

 

[LemonMirrorSky]

Let us not forget 'boom cha'. Or 'sexy boots'. Or counting 1, 2, 3, 14. Or moles digging in holes. Or hello hello I'm at a place called...ah fuck he's written some indefensible shite

I never understood people's problem with boom cha. Is it supposed to even mean anything? It's not a complete line like "turn it up loud, captain" or "stop helping God across the road..." It just goes along with the village people dance in the end, that's all. If there had been a non vocal sound effect in its place we wouldn't even have batted an eyelid! Think about it.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Why does nobody remember "turn it up loud, captain" when listing pile of shit lyrics.

I once even had a diehard fan, from this very forum, pointblank refuse to believe me when I mentioned Bono says this at the start of Vertigo until I actually played the fucker.

Better yet, why no acknowledgement that many in this forum actually thought he said "turn it up thar captain", as if he was a pirate or some shit.

They almost converted some... but thankfully one particularly bug fan of the song much preferred loud and wouldn't give in

 

[Axver]

Better yet, why no acknowledgement that many in this forum actually thought he said "turn it up thar captain", as if he was a pirate or some shit.

They almost converted some... but thankfully one particularly bug fan of the song much preferred loud and wouldn't give in

Some things I have banished from my memory and this is one of them.