# What's a "V.U." as in "The V.U. is flashing" (song lyrics)
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-v-u-as-in-the-v-u-is-flashing-song-lyrics/324550
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [October 3, 2005, 10:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-v-u-as-in-the-v-u-is-flashing-song-lyrics/324550 "2005-10-03T10:07:10Z")
**Posts on this page:** 7
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)
#### Post date: [October 3, 2005, 10:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-v-u-as-in-the-v-u-is-flashing-song-lyrics/324550/1 "2005-10-03T10:07:10Z")
This might belong in Cafe Society, but I think since it’s asking about an abbreviation for what sounds like some kind of device, it’s better here. Here are the lyrics in question, from a song by Of Montreal:
I only feel alive when the vu’s flashing alarms going off in my head
I want to grab you and just kiss you maybe I should sit down
No sense in cashing us now
Still I only feel alright when the vu’s flashing bombs going off in my head
I want to grab you want to scream at you no icing me down
The party’s crashing us now
The party’s crashing us now
It’s written as “vu” here in lowercase, but the guy is clearly saying “the Vee Yoo is flashing.” What is this? Video Unit? Viking Uncle? Variable Utility? Vengeful Umpire? Victorious Ulcer? Virtuous Unicycle?
---
### Author:  [@Joe\_Mahma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joe_Mahma)
#### Post date: [October 3, 2005, 10:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-v-u-as-in-the-v-u-is-flashing-song-lyrics/324550/2 "2005-10-03T10:29:17Z")
volume units. A vu meter is used to monitor the level of a signal being recorded, to prevent overmodulation (which results in distortion).
---
### Author:  [@Futile\_Gesture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Futile_Gesture)
#### Post date: [October 3, 2005, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-v-u-as-in-the-v-u-is-flashing-song-lyrics/324550/3 "2005-10-03T12:46:33Z")
> [@Argent Towers](#):
>
> I only feel alive when the vu’s flashing alarms going off in my head
VU aren’t just used for recording, but any processing of an audio signal. The metaphor here being that the incoming signal is exceeding limits and likely to result in a loud and distorted output.
Imagine one of those gauged dials with a flicking needle and “MAX” written in red lettering on the right hand side. Either that or a row of LEDs that progress from green to yellow to red.
---
### Author:  [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)
#### Post date: [October 3, 2005, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-v-u-as-in-the-v-u-is-flashing-song-lyrics/324550/4 "2005-10-03T13:09:52Z")
That, or the singer likes it when Lou Reed exposes himself.
(Sorry. :D)
---
### Author:  [@wolf\_meister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolf_meister)
#### Post date: [October 3, 2005, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-v-u-as-in-the-v-u-is-flashing-song-lyrics/324550/5 "2005-10-03T14:33:49Z")
OR back in the _old_ days, tape recorder VU “meters” were actually a display somewhat similar to a neon pilot light but much larger and the illuminated area was donut shaped.
The “neon” (or whatever it was) would light up at the bottom of the “donut” and would grow increasingly larger, working its way to the top of the “donut” indicating that your recording would be distorted.
---
### Author:  [@wolf\_meister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolf_meister)
#### Post date: [October 3, 2005, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-v-u-as-in-the-v-u-is-flashing-song-lyrics/324550/6 "2005-10-03T14:47:56Z")
I wanted to see if I could find a picture of one of thoe VU “meters”.
For one thing, they were called “magic eyes” and they were actually a highly specialized “tube”. They were used as tuning indicators for radios:
[http://hhscott.com/cc/magic\_eyes.htm](http://hhscott.com/cc/magic_eyes.htm)
and they were the recording “meter” for tape recorders:
[http://www.bassboy.com.au/getreel/](http://www.bassboy.com.au/getreel/)
At the above link, the location where you are supposed to click is the “magic eye”.
---
### Author:  [@Bytegeist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bytegeist)
#### Post date: [October 3, 2005, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-v-u-as-in-the-v-u-is-flashing-song-lyrics/324550/7 "2005-10-03T15:03:29Z")
> [@Futile Gesture](#):
>
> Imagine one of those gauged dials with a flicking needle and “ **MAX** ” written in red lettering on the right hand side.
Mine goes to “11”.