giggle pop

Okay here are my thoughts on a few more of the songs from "No Line on the Horizon"

Stand-Up Comedy

This is another favorite from the album. I love the music and I love the lyrics. This is one of the songs on the album where the Dylan influence is heard, especially in Bono’s vocals. The song is done almost spoken word style. It is a song that just makes me happy, not much else I can say about it.
Lyrically I think it is brilliant, it is hard to pinpoint my favorite lines because there are so many. It reminds me of songs like “Love and Peace or Else” it has a political message behind it but filled with a lot of optimism and joy. This song is in a way more comical than songs like “Sunday Bloody Sunday” “Seconds” and other songs in that vein, but it has the same almost naïve but beautiful optimism behind it. In many ways this song and “Love and Peace” are a bit more grown up, not as serious by any means, but more grown up and realistic in their approach.

Lyric that stands out the most to me: “I can stand up for hope, faith, love But while I’m getting over certainty. Stop helping God across the road like a little old lady.”
Song it reminds me the most of: Love and Peace or Else—How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb (2004) and Seconds—War (1983)

Breathe

Dylan, Dylan, Dylan that is all I thought the first time I heard this song. It was like Bono took on the task of recreating “Subterranean Homesick Blues” with his voice and signature on it. I will not go so far as to blaspheme myself and say he succeeded, because that just is not possible. I don’t think success at recreating it was Bono’s goal, but rather just something to pay tribute. However, I think this was a noble attempt at trying his hand at a sort of stream on consciousness song. Another great song that is interesting both musically and lyrically. Of all the songs on this album every time I hear this one I end up replaying it three or four times, it is just addicting.
I know I keep saying “this song is one of my favorites” but yes this song is another absolute favorite on the album. I am going to keep my comments on this short because if I don’t I will end up on a never ending tangent on Bob. When I listen to the first verse of this song it really reminds me of the version of “Bullet the Blue Sky” that is on Rattle and Hum. I keep hearing the influence of Dylan and Rattle and Hum on this album, and this is not surprising because the two go hand in hand in the catalogue of U2 for me. Rattle and Hum was essentially their tribute to America and they even did a song with Dylan on it called “Love Rescue Me” it is a great song check it out. There is a certain element of American music and culture the boys tapped into on Rattle and Hum and it is the same element that was the basis of Dylan’s music. I can’t put my finger on it, but its there.

Lyric that stands out the most to me: “I found grace inside a sound, I found grace it’s all I found” (this is actually probably my favorite moment on the entire album).
Songs it reminds me the most of: Bullet the Blue Sky—Rattle and Hum version (1989), God Part II—Rattle and Hum (1989), Window in the Skies U218 (2007)