U2 Album: “Stuck in a Moment You Can't Get Out of, Pt. 1 [Import]”

The single itself, "Stuck in a Moment", is a tribute (?) of sorts to Michael Hutchense, who committed suicide. The song is infectious, but is also the most striking example of U2's change in lyrical style on 'All That You Can't Leave Behind'. Namely, there's a lack of poetic sense here which seems deliberate. Nonetheless, the last 1 minute of the song is one of the better U2 moments.

The b-sides are live performances of "Beautiful Day" and "New York" at the small Farm Club venue. (You can hear the individual claps and whoops from the audience.) "Beautiful Day" is a good version in the sense that the guitars are a bit more distorted and the ending is played out a bit longer - adding a bit more anthemic qualities to this already anthemic track. There are better live versions of "New York" out there, but the primary differences here from the studio version (which was also, purportedly, done in only two or three takes) is Bono's more straightforward singing of the refrain and the guitar drenched ending. A live version of "Elevation" would have been better since that track is done quite a bit different live.

This is a slower but very nice song the best one of those on ''All that you can't leave behind''. I first heard this song on U2'S greatest hits 1990-2000 and it captivated me right away. It has become my favorite U2 song after ''Gone''. Although, I called this song slow above it is not very slow in comparison to many U2 songs. The main reason I like the song is not, however the music-it is the lyrics. The meaning behind the song is connected with Michael Hutchence of INXS's 1997 suicide. He was a friend of Bono's. Thus the song is about suicide and how, when people kill themselves, they're ''stuck in a moment they can't get out of''. That is certainly true, but I do not really think of that being the subject matter when I hear it. To me, it is about how, sometimes, you get into the pit of never getting out of a bad situation that happened to you. The circumstances of it just replay themselves in your head.This meaning of course, also, ties in with the suicide theme.The song's subject matter is certainly sad but also hopeful in a way-''This time will pass''.

Of course, it won't if you don't let it. It is very interesting how a song can mean different things to different people. Anyway, if this is the only U2 song you ever hear-you will still love the group!

U2 gets better and better......luv them, luv their music and luv them in concert even more. They always put on a good show.

They seem to have wanted a universal anthem and a disposable pop song. Short verses, memorable chorus, and a guitar line in the Where The Streets Have No Name and One lineage. If Backstreet Boys released this, one would call it nice and move on. Since it's U2, one searches for hidden meaning, but this is instant gratification, too lightweight for anthem status.

This sits uneasily between the two, too deep in its examination of wanting to get out of a non-relationship, but not deep enough to be the generational anthem it so clearly craves.

The extras on Disc One are Big Girls Are Best, a competent bit of b-side material and a thumping remix of Beautiful Day. Disc Two boasts overexcited live versions of Beautiful Day and New York, from last November's farmclub.com gig. A live Stuck In A Moment You Can't Get Out Of would have been nice.