U2start.com | "Invisible" song discussion thread

It's a great song, but the only tracks I'd take off SOI in place of it would be Volcano or Wolves.

I think it's a better song than much of SOI (and I really like SOI), but I think it would have felt out of place if it had been part of the album proper - thematically and sonically doing different things.

Also, having been living in a cave for a while, I wasn't expecting it on the Deluxe edition, so was a nice surprise - I was sat there thinking 'how can the Sleep Like A Baby remix be 11 mins long!?', and then Invisible kicked in, and all made sense.

BelgianBono

10 years

Originally posted by dylbagz:better song than most of the album

More single potential.

ahn1991

10 years

In all honesty, this song got exactly what it deserved. It would not have fit on the album itself and it would have felt odd for it to be put as a numbered track on the bonus CD, especially since the changes weren't super significant.

AidanFormigoni

10 years

When it was released, I had good thoughts on this song, but I really started to dig it after the release of SOI.

In my opinion, this song closes the circle here. It'd work perfectly as an opener or as the last song of this entire new work. I really think SOI tells us a story, and after you know that story and the way U2 managed to tells us this story through their songs, Invisible just represents that feeling of "ok, our lives are totally different now beacuse of a series of deep events, but now we (U2 guys) are stronger than ever to keep building our world and our road to somewhere together".

Also, you can see this song on Bono's solo perspective, in which we see him talking to himself or talking to God after these series of stories SOI brings to us, and then in this song he manages to tell us that he's ready to take a big step into the future.

Finally, Invisible could be seen as a bridge to their new stories, aka their new album, but I choose to wait and see if my theory is correct (hopefully in the next year).

MattG

10 years

I feel so out of the loop on the love for this album...I don't think its bad at all, but beyond "Iris" I lose all sense of a story whatsoever. I think tracks 2-5 do a decent job thematically, but after that it's just another U2 album to me. Political stuff, some weird tracks that are kind of intriguing for a little while, a couple rockier ones that are great era-pieces but that won't really last, and one or two great singles.

kris_smith87

10 years

Originally posted by EyesWithPrideB3:I feel so out of the loop on the love for this album...I don't think its bad at all, but beyond "Iris" I lose all sense of a story whatsoever. I think tracks 2-5 do a decent job thematically, but after that it's just another U2 album to me. Political stuff, some weird tracks that are kind of intriguing for a little while, a couple rockier ones that are great era-pieces but that won't really last, and one or two great singles.

Really? I honestly think that this is their best collection of songs in so many albums. I still don't know if I can compare each song to the ones on the other albums but I just feel as a collection, it's one of their best.

dylbagz

10 years

album loses me with the shitty trio of california > iris > volcano. recovers well but as above, the last three songs, while great as songs, don't really fit the album as well as the first. although maybe bono knows someone who was touched by preists and beaten like in the troubles.. raised by wolves was for one of the rowans or whoever so there is potentially a link there. album is good, maybe great, but it doesn't match their best.

inivisible should have been included properly

Zooropean

10 years

I have Invisible as the album opener. It makes me think of Zoo Station

MattG

10 years

Honestly, swap Invisible and The Miracle, and I'd be happy. Something about that song just doesn't sit great with me. The chanting is sort of like, c'mon guys.

Ali709

10 years

To me it has a nice story going...

Problems:
Raised by Wolves: Terrorism, what's mentioned earlier with one of the Rowans, and his own experience of sort of dodging that attack by pure luck. An issue.
Sleep like a baby tonight: Related to an experience of a friend of Larry's I think. Still adding to the issues.
Iris: The loss of his mother...major issue.
The Troubles: I see this as him noticing these issues and struggling internally.

Remedies:
Song for someone: Falling in love with Ali after the "scars" of the issues above.
Volcano: The rage after the loss, and where he decides to embrace rock and roll to not be alone. This is the turning point.

Band struggles:
The Miracle: Ramones influence and finding his voice
This is where you can see me now: The clash influence and going punk
Invisible: Making the band deal in London
California: Going to california as a band

Band success:
The Crystal Ballroom: Realising that the band is reaching success, still confused. "All of us are wondering why we're here"...and missing Iris.
Lucifer's Hands: Success. The Troubles he had are no longer in control of him. He is. He feels empowered by the band, he can change the world and help the poor, but still he can't change the world in him - the scars left by the troubles.

I might be very wrong on some of these!! But that's how it flows in my mind at the moment.

You'll notice Every Breaking Wave is missing. I honestly think it's not right to try to connect EBW to the story of the album as it was written well before the whole "why are we in a band?" thought began. You could see it as being about a relationship or life in general.

Sorry for the rant

Genaro92U2

10 years

Originally posted by EyesWithPrideB3:Honestly, swap Invisible and The Miracle, and I'd be happy. Something about that song just doesn't sit great with me. The chanting is sort of like, c'mon guys.

Right? When I first heard the album beginning to end it just makes me cringe lol. Like HOW OBVIOUS of them to have a chant like that at this age.

"Invisible" song discussion thread

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