What is the meaning of The Return Of The Stingray Guitar?

[DGordon1]

It's an intro to get peeps in the crowd psyched.

[spooked1oo]

It's meant to resemble that electric feeling that you get when you touch a stingray. It's an exciting song meant to get the crowd going, and that's just what it did.

[KenpoMatt]

I'm sure 'The Stingray Guitar' is a metaphor for something pretty deep.

I agree - a sceptic would say U2 were so embarrassed by their last record that they dropped the only good opening song (Breathe) from aforementioned record and replaced it with some totally uninspired instrumental clap trap however.

I'd rather go out for dinner with Clint Eastwood

Me too.  As long as he brings his gun and plays Misty for me.

Personally, I loved Breathe as an opener ( and a song ), but to be honest, it did very little in the way of getting the crowd fired up. I don't know why, Larry's intro was pretty sweet. But I have pulled up countless clips on youtube to 360 shows that opened with Breathe, and the crowd just seemed to stand there and not react to it.

Return of the Stingray guitar, regardless of anyone's opinion on it, did a lot more for the live show as far as crowd engagement goes.

[Sugarcube]

I'm sure 'The Stingray Guitar' is a metaphor for something pretty deep.

I agree - a sceptic would say U2 were so embarrassed by their last record that they dropped the only good opening song (Breathe) from aforementioned record and replaced it with some totally uninspired instrumental clap trap however.

I'd rather go out for dinner with Clint Eastwood

Me too.  As long as he brings his gun and plays Misty for me.

Personally, I loved Breathe as an opener ( and a song ), but to be honest, it did very little in the way of getting the crowd fired up. I don't know why, Larry's intro was pretty sweet. But I have pulled up countless clips on youtube to 360 shows that opened with Breathe, and the crowd just seemed to stand there and not react to it.

Return of the Stingray guitar, regardless of anyone's opinion on it, did a lot more for the live show as far as crowd engagement goes.

So would Bono Vox taking off his clothes but that doesn't make it a good idea.

They should have stuck with a cut from NLOTH - no question. The way they distanced themselves from that record is, frankly, embarrassing

[Tumbling Dice]

I'm sure 'The Stingray Guitar' is a metaphor for something pretty deep.

I agree - a sceptic would say U2 were so embarrassed by their last record that they dropped the only good opening song (Breathe) from aforementioned record and replaced it with some totally uninspired instrumental clap trap however.

I'd rather go out for dinner with Clint Eastwood

Me too.  As long as he brings his gun and plays Misty for me.

Personally, I loved Breathe as an opener ( and a song ), but to be honest, it did very little in the way of getting the crowd fired up. I don't know why, Larry's intro was pretty sweet. But I have pulled up countless clips on youtube to 360 shows that opened with Breathe, and the crowd just seemed to stand there and not react to it.

Return of the Stingray guitar, regardless of anyone's opinion on it, did a lot more for the live show as far as crowd engagement goes.

So would Bono Vox taking off his clothes but that doesn't make it a good idea.

I think the boys should go the full monty, but The Edge can leave his hat on.

[KenpoMatt]

[b[/b]

I'm sure 'The Stingray Guitar' is a metaphor for something pretty deep.

I agree - a sceptic would say U2 were so embarrassed by their last record that they dropped the only good opening song (Breathe) from aforementioned record and replaced it with some totally uninspired instrumental clap trap however.

I'd rather go out for dinner with Clint Eastwood

Me too.  As long as he brings his gun and plays Misty for me.

Personally, I loved Breathe as an opener ( and a song ), but to be honest, it did very little in the way of getting the crowd fired up. I don't know why, Larry's intro was pretty sweet. But I have pulled up countless clips on youtube to 360 shows that opened with Breathe, and the crowd just seemed to stand there and not react to it.

Return of the Stingray guitar, regardless of anyone's opinion on it, did a lot more for the live show as far as crowd engagement goes.

So would Bono Vox taking off his clothes but that doesn't make it a good idea.

They should have stuck with a cut from NLOTH - no question. The way they distanced themselves from that record is, frankly, embarrassing

Not sure I agree with the naked Bono part. I will agree that it was borderline embarassing seeing them ignore NLOTH as I love the album. However, I have to wonder what it would be like to be on stage, pumping out your new opening tune and watching people just stand there with a meh reaction. Definately not something this band is used to.

[Sugarcube]

[b[/b]

I'm sure 'The Stingray Guitar' is a metaphor for something pretty deep.

I agree - a sceptic would say U2 were so embarrassed by their last record that they dropped the only good opening song (Breathe) from aforementioned record and replaced it with some totally uninspired instrumental clap trap however.

I'd rather go out for dinner with Clint Eastwood

Me too.  As long as he brings his gun and plays Misty for me.

Personally, I loved Breathe as an opener ( and a song ), but to be honest, it did very little in the way of getting the crowd fired up. I don't know why, Larry's intro was pretty sweet. But I have pulled up countless clips on youtube to 360 shows that opened with Breathe, and the crowd just seemed to stand there and not react to it.

Return of the Stingray guitar, regardless of anyone's opinion on it, did a lot more for the live show as far as crowd engagement goes.

So would Bono Vox taking off his clothes but that doesn't make it a good idea.

They should have stuck with a cut from NLOTH - no question. The way they distanced themselves from that record is, frankly, embarrassing

Not sure I agree with the naked Bono part. I will agree that it was borderline embarassing seeing them ignore NLOTH as I love the album. However, I have to wonder what it would be like to be on stage, pumping out your new opening tune and watching people just stand there with a meh reaction. Definately not something this band is used to.

At the last count there are 11 songs on NLOTH. Even though I hate the song, Boots would have worked well. As would Magnificent.

[The Unknown Caller]

It's meant to resemble that electric feeling that you get when you touch a stingray. It's an exciting song meant to get the crowd going, and that's just what it did.

This. It's really only the usual few malcontents who don't get it, but they're very vocal.

[Tumbling Dice]

It's meant to resemble that electric feeling that you get when you touch a stingray. It's an exciting song meant to get the crowd going, and that's just what it did.

This. It's really only the usual few malcontents who don't get it, but they're very vocal.

I think you're confusing them with the Occupy London protesters.

[Johnny Feathers]

I'm only a few years late on this, but my gf just got a bootleg 360 CD as a gift, and we started listening to it over the weekend.  I had never really heard Return of the Stingray Guitar, but I knew OF it, and it was the first song they performed.

Holy sh*t.  What a hilariously embarrassing fart of a song that is.  And they opened the show with it?  This band obviously had NO idea what it was doing.  I can't imagine going to a show and having them open with THAT noise.  It made Beautiful Day, the following track and one I've long since lost interest in, seem like my favorite song by comparison.

Just, wow.

[DGordon1]

What's so bad about it? To me it's just a loud, energetic intro to get the crowd going. I don't see how it could evoke such a strong reaction. I mean it's not even a song, just a 2 minute opening instrumental to make a lot of noise.

[Johnny Feathers]

it's not even a song, just a 2 minute opening instrumental to make a lot of noise.

Your defense of it pretty much sounds like my criticism of it.

Upon first listen, my gf and I looked at each other and practically started laughing.

[DGordon1]

I think it's because I don't consider it part of the set list, just a precursor to the show.

[singnomore]

it's not even a song, just a 2 minute opening instrumental to make a lot of noise.

Your defense of it pretty much sounds like my criticism of it.

Upon first listen, my gf and I looked at each other and practically started laughing.

Guess its what context you experience it. I saw it open in Turin - first time and Bono was bouncing about the stage after his back operation. So if you saw it in that context I guess you may have had a different view. Pretty sure i didnt see anyone laughing..

[Johnny Feathers]

Well sure, context is important.  Your situation, or the band's, can have a profound affect on how you experience something like that.

But as a purely objective comparison (or as close to objective as I can get), I would say it's the worst opening "song" I've ever heard from them.  I would liken it to them starting a concert with the opening riff of Zoo Station....but only if they stopped before the lyrics, and if Zoo Station wasn't even a song in their catalog.  Calling it half-baked is being generous.

For all the struggle they seemed to go through in nailing down an opening number for the tour, I would think any number of tracks would have worked very well as an opener, and they could even have rotated them if they wanted to.  Breathe was ok, but might have worked even better in a rotation.  The title track would have worked too, as would GOYB or Magnificent.  Or go the "classics" route with I Will Follow, or NYD/SBS.  The number of possibilities make the choice to open with Stingray all the more confounding.