SOE
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U2 - American Soul
 Album:
Songs Of Experience (2017)
  1. This song is like kissing USA's a** and bashing its own president, RIDICULOUS.

    They should make songs about Ireland.
  2. Originally posted by tchezao:This song is like kissing USA's a** and bashing its own president, RIDICULOUS.

    They should make songs about Ireland.
    Great idea, don't think they've ever written a song about Ireland
  3. Yeah. No songs about Ireland. If they find it too difficult, they could just try one about part of the island, say, I don't know, maybe Northern Ireland? They could try that?
  5. They should write a song about U2start
  6. that is about a sunday at the beach ruined by the rain, Please
  7. I hope it is not the best on the disc
  8. Originally posted by Faceman2000:Can't believe I'm letting myself get dragged into this. . .

    First off, I really like this song. I do. But your arguments in its defense are flawed. That being said, if it was Glastonbury, no, we wouldn't all be thrilled. Glastonbury is outdated, out-of-place, and, regardless of how YOU feel, most people would say we already got a finished Glastonbury in Volcano. I understand your argument that Volcano isn't a finished Glastonbury, but I disagree and it seems most of the other forum members do to. That's largely a question of opinion, so arguing doesn't do anything.

    Second, even IF American Soul is Glastonbury and Volcano isn't, the argument that it seems "let and lazy" still stands because it was lame and lazy of them to grab the bridge from another song and use it to finish Volcano rather than just writing one for it. It's no different.

    I like the song for what it is. That's not to say there aren't legitimate criticisms with it. I personally share the opinion that they took the unfinished Glastonbury and updated it so that they could have a last-minute rocker with some really on-the-nose Trump criticisms that'll already feel dated by the next election cycle. But hey, it's fun to listen to.
  9. I don't know why I'm adding more wood to the bonfire, but here I go:
    There is a lot of repetition in art, that is true.
    Thomas Bernhard used to repeat the same phrases in his novels, sometimes with little variation, one after the other. This was used on purpose to denote weariness, tedium and a contempt for society that now characterizes him.
    Cubist painters drew the same object in the canvas superposed one on top of the other to indicate a simultaneity of planes and angles. We could see the object as it is and as it appears to be at the same time.
    In music we have some musical pieces with the same melody but played with different instruments to represent different moods. Cellos add some drama and sadness to the music while the same piece with other instruments can bring a sense of hope and joy, etc.
    This long diatribe only means that I don't have a problem with repetition if it's something meaningful and you see the purpose behind him. I just don't see why they bring a mundane phrase like "You Are Rock N' Roll" to 2 songs that couldn't be more different thematically. It's like someone said "SOI and SOE are connected, hence why they repeat lyrics" and we took it as an act of faith. To me, the connections are already sensed in songs like Little Things, where the experienced man talks to his innocent self from years ago. I don't sense a purpose on these repetitions.
    You can say "I like the song, I don't care if it's the same bridge or chorus" and that's fine, you accept what the song is. I just don't think there's anything "artistic" to this. Just my 2 cents.

    P.S. I also think the theory of American Soul being before Volcano is paper thin at best.
  10. I'm curious Cesar, do you think you would have more positive feelings towards the song if it had come out in 2015 rather than now?
  11. Originally posted by cesar_garza01:I don't know why I'm adding more wood to the bonfire, but here I go:
    There is a lot of repetition in art, that is true.
    Thomas Bernhard used to repeat the same phrases in his novels, sometimes with little variation, one after the other. This was used on purpose to denote weariness, tedium and a contempt for society that now characterizes him.
    Cubist painters drew the same object in the canvas superposed one on top of the other to indicate a simultaneity of planes and angles. We could see the object as it is and as it appears to be at the same time.
    In music we have some musical pieces with the same melody but played with different instruments to represent different moods. Cellos add some drama and sadness to the music while the same piece with other instruments can bring a sense of hope and joy, etc.
    This long diatribe only means that I don't have a problem with repetition if it's something meaningful and you see the purpose behind him. I just don't see why they bring a mundane phrase like "You Are Rock N' Roll" to 2 songs that couldn't be more different thematically. It's like someone said "SOI and SOE are connected, hence why they repeat lyrics" and we took it as an act of faith. To me, the connections are already sensed in songs like Little Things, where the experienced man talks to his innocent self from years ago. I don't sense a purpose on these repetitions.
    You can say "I like the song, I don't care if it's the same bridge or chorus" and that's fine, you accept what the song is. I just don't think there's anything "artistic" to this. Just my 2 cents.

    P.S. I also think the theory of American Soul being before Volcano is paper thin at best.
    Agreed 100%.

    I just thought of what I would deem a GOOD example of what U2 is seemingly trying to do. Everyone knows the riff for The Killers' Mr. Brightside. If you listen to their song Miss Atomic Bomb from their fourth album (watching the videos for Brightside and then Bomb yields an even greater connection) it uses the Mr. Brightside riff, in a different key in the bridge of the song. It's recognizable - and it's not samey enough to make you go "really?", only enough to make you go "ohhhh that's neat". The song is sort of like a sequel to Mr. Brightside. THAT's a good example to me.
    Listen to the intro (or full song)

    And then this one starting at 3:20 (or the whole song)


    Agree with Cesar. It's not the fact that they're doing it that I take issue with, but HOW they've done it and WHAT musical "part" they've done it with.

    To answer this ^^^ question (even though it's not directed to me), I'd like it about as much as I like Volcano, but only if Volcano didn't exist as well. Though I actually think adding "came here looking for American Soul" makes that Volcano bridge even shittier lol.
  12. Originally posted by TheRefugee:Yeah. No songs about Ireland. If they find it too difficult, they could just try one about part of the island, say, I don't know, maybe Northern Ireland? They could try that?