Ordinary Love

[Iggy Fizz]

I don't listen to this song a whole lot for whatever reason. But it came up early in the rotation when I turned on Spotify and played U2 radio.

I love the song and feel it is underappreciated. Should have won the Oscar IMO.

Anyone else love (or hate) this song?

 

[corianderstem]

I didn't think much of it at the time, but it's grown on me.

 

[prbiker15]

Love the song, not a fan of the live acoustic versions.

 

[Hollow Island]

It's too mediocre to have strong feelings about one way or another. I wouldn't​ be bothered by it if I heard it but I'd never put it on either. There's too much good music to listen to

 

[trevgreg]

Like it. Don't love it, but it's a decent song I think. Solid chorus and all.

 

[cobl04]

It's a terrible song.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Adore it

Three of the four best songs from the Danger Mouse era didn't even make it onto the album.

 

[kabigon]

As with EBW, not a fan of the live versions, but studio is quite good.

 

[popacrobat]

Adore it

Three of the four best songs from the Danger Mouse era didn't even make it onto the album.

yep.

it took me awhile to warm up to it, but it really is an awesome song. my favorite version is the Interscope version (or something like that). better outro than the single version, and some small changes here and there.

having this, Crystal Ballroom and Invisible on SOI would've been pretty cool. I haven't made an alternate SOI playlist, but these three certainly deserved to make the cut.

 

[womanfish]

Not a big fan. Just to middle of the road. I am not a huge fan of Invisible either. I was rather non-plussed when i heard the premier I had so anxiously waited for.
But it has grown on me and I like Invisible a bit better than Ordinary Love.

I think if Invisible would have taken the place of SFS and they added Crystal Ballroom on SOI, it would have been a nice improvement to an already great album.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

yep.

it took me awhile to warm up to it, but it really is an awesome song. my favorite version is the Interscope version (or something like that). better outro than the single version, and some small changes here and there.

having this, Crystal Ballroom and Invisible on SOI would've been pretty cool. I haven't made an alternate SOI playlist, but these three certainly deserved to make the cut.

I hope at some point that they decide to open up the vaults like Springsteen has done with Tracks, The Promise and The Ties That Bind... I'd love to hear a lot more material from the danger mouse era, pre-Ryan Tedder.

The irony of Songs of Innocence and their backing down from an all DM produced album in search of hits hits hits is that Ordinary Love and Invisible, both entirely produced by Burton and not included on the album, were more commercially successful than anything​ that came after.

 

[Nick66]

Weak song & the very definition of mediocrity. Musically uninteresting (stripped down is rarely a good sound for U2) and lyrically is exemplifies the worst instincts of post ATYCLB Bono.

The whole thing made all the worse by Bono's lie that he wrote it about Mandela.

 

[Extra15]

Like the electric version. Some great lyrics

 

[Iggy Fizz]

The whole thing made all the worse by Bono's lie that he wrote it
about Mandela.

what do you mean - you are saying he did not in fact write it about NM? what do you have to support that claim... maybe I missed that...?

 

[popacrobat]

I hope at some point that they decide to open up the vaults like Springsteen has done with Tracks, The Promise and The Ties That Bind... I'd love to hear a lot more material from the danger mouse era, pre-Ryan Tedder.

The irony of Songs of Innocence and their backing down from an all DM produced album in search of hits hits hits is that Ordinary Love and Invisible, both entirely produced by Burton and not included on the album, were more commercially successful than anything​ that came after.

agree.

though, i think song for someone charted fairly well. still though, so much could've broken better for U2 on the last two album cycles, SOI moreso than NLOTH. Think that puppy was pretty much doomed, regardless of if they picked Magnificent, MOS or Boots as the first single. I would've done a re-worked, more alive version of NLOTH (akin to the live) as first single, but even then, not sure they're making a huge dent in 2009.

SOI though, think they had some more chances but watched them fall through the fingertips. hopefully they'll get SOE right.

 

[womanfish]

agree.

though, i think song for someone charted fairly well. still though, so much could've broken better for U2 on the last two album cycles, SOI moreso than NLOTH. Think that puppy was pretty much doomed, regardless of if they picked Magnificent, MOS or Boots as the first single. I would've done a re-worked, more alive version of NLOTH (akin to the live) as first single, but even then, not sure they're making a huge dent in 2009.

SOI though, think they had some more chances but watched them fall through the fingertips. hopefully they'll get SOE right.

hmmmm... I see it the other way around. NLOTH had opening week sales of almost half a million copies in the US alone. Boots hit number 13 on the Hot 100. If it had been Magnificent or NLOTH instead of Boots, it would have had much more staying power, been viewed as a much more serious album from the band, and in my opinion and would have garnered larger success for the album over time.

SOI was the album that was doomed from the second they hit the "send" button. No critic cared about the music, no one but core fans wanted to listen or give a chance. Nothing was going to save that album. The lead single AND the way it was released would have had to be different.

I think with TJT tour, Kendrick song, laying low for a bit, and coming back with a smart first single choice, along with an actually good album release method, SOE could have a chance to at least get them back into some solid standing. I think they are past blockbuster, huge hit status, for a song or an album. But if they could be looked at positively by critics again, and have some decent sales numbers, that would be a win.

 

[The_acrobat]

For some reason when this song was released, my son (who was only 2 at the time) took an extreme liking to OL. He would constantly request that I play it. In the house, in the car, etc. I definitely got overexposed to it.

At the only I.E. show I attended, I remember OL following a rather spirited version of "California", and it completely sucked the energy out of the arena.

 

[BEAL]

I am one of the few that likes Boots, but even I know it was a disaster to release that as the lead single. Literally any other song would have done wonders for that album.

They must have thought Vertigo was a huge success, and Boots would be seen by some as a continuation of that style/success.

Maybe their thinking was also that if they went with Magnificent it would be seen as a back to basics album? Almost any non U2 fan who heard that song thought it was great. So they dropped the ball there.

Let's hope they make a better decision on SOE. Go with your best shot early. No more RAWWWWWK unless it's undeniably the best thing you've got.

As for OL, it's a decent song. I'd take Invisible over it only because I'm in love with the melodies in the verses. Chorus is typical U2, but would love the verses to go on much longer.

 

[popacrobat]

hmmmm... I see it the other way around. NLOTH had opening week sales of almost half a million copies in the US alone. Boots hit number 13 on the Hot 100. If it had been Magnificent or NLOTH instead of Boots, it would have had much more staying power, been viewed as a much more serious album from the band, and in my opinion and would have garnered larger success for the album over time.

SOI was the album that was doomed from the second they hit the "send" button. No critic cared about the music, no one but core fans wanted to listen or give a chance. Nothing was going to save that album. The lead single AND the way it was released would have had to be different.

Boots peaked at 37 and spent three weeks on the chart. pretty sure it fell very quickly out of the top 40 after the first week.

 

[womanfish]

Boots peaked at 37 and spent three weeks on the chart. pretty sure it fell very quickly out of the top 40 after the first week.

Oh damn, my bad on that one, i don't know where my head was. But, putting that into perspective, Vertigo only hit number 31 I think, but it stayed on the chart much longer. I think they would have gotten a similar debut with Magnificent, but it would have had a longer life, and would have given a different perspective on the album. Boots just was throw away, and thus, was more of a flash for the public than a slow burn.

 

[popacrobat]

Oh damn, my bad on that one, i don't know where my head was. But, putting that into perspective, Vertigo only hit number 31 I think, but it stayed on the chart much longer. I think they would have gotten a similar debut with Magnificent, but it would have had a longer life, and would have given a different perspective on the album. Boots just was throw away, and thus, was more of a flash for the public than a slow burn.

comparing Vertigo to Boots is silly. One was a massive hit and everywhere, the other was gone after a few weeks.

additionally, while Vertigo was charting, digital downloads did NOT count toward the hot 100. they did shortly afterward. had they counted, then Vertigo would've almost certainly been a top 10 hit, thanks in part due to the iTunes commercial.

 

[womanfish]

comparing Vertigo to Boots is silly. One was a massive hit and everywhere, the other was gone after a few weeks.

additionally, while Vertigo was charting, digital downloads did NOT count toward the hot 100. they did shortly afterward. had they counted, then Vertigo would've almost certainly been a top 10 hit, thanks in part due to the iTunes commercial.

I'm not comparing them to each other. Just saying U2 has a ceiling on the US pop charts. A massive hit like Vertigo, only hit 31, while a relatively shitty, forgettable song charted at 37. Although, i do take your point that digital downloads would have made a difference.
My point was that Vertigo had more staying power because it was a good song that people wanted to listen to a lot. I think Magnificent would have been much more this type of song than Boots. And in return given a better reflection on the album itself.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

I'm not comparing them to each other. Just saying U2 has a ceiling on the US pop charts. A massive hit like Vertigo, only hit 31, while a relatively shitty, forgettable song charted at 37. Although, i do take your point that digital downloads would have made a difference.
My point was that Vertigo had more staying power because it was a good song that people wanted to listen to a lot. I think Magnificent would have been much more this type of song than Boots. And in return given a better reflection on the album itself.

Vertigo would have been a top 10 song, if not top 5 and possibly even #1 if digital downloads were included in the rankings.

Magnificent maybe would have lasted on the charts a week or two longer than Boots. Maybe.

There is zero comparison.

 

[Hollow Island]

2009 U2 were passe. They could have released WOWY and it would have flopped. They were perceived as old and lame, and they have Vertigo to blame. Vertigo was a hit because anything they did would have been a hit, but the shine wore off pretty fast. An album's success is largely a reflection of the one that came before.

 

[georgemccauley]

Ordinary Love is a fantastic U2 song, it's exactly where they should be in 2013

 

[Iggy Fizz]

I don't understand the logic about how Vertigo would have performed much better on the charts if only downloads would have counted towards the rankings.

This implies that Vertigo was downloaded (and paid for) much more than the other songs on the charts at the time.

Is that what folks are saying? if so, what is the evidence for this?

 

[david]

Weak song & the very definition of mediocrity. Musically uninteresting (stripped down is rarely a good sound for U2) and lyrically is exemplifies the worst instincts of post ATYCLB Bono.

The whole thing made all the worse by Bono's lie that he wrote it about Mandela.

Bono lies?

 

[popacrobat]

I don't understand the logic about how Vertigo would have performed much better on the charts if only downloads would have counted towards the rankings.

This implies that Vertigo was downloaded (and paid for) much more than the other songs on the charts at the time.

Is that what folks are saying? if so, what is the evidence for this?

I don't really feel like pouring through articles from 10+ years ago, but yes, thanks to I dunno, the massive Apple iTunes campaign throughout fall 2004 featuring Vertigo? Billboard made the change to count digital downloads starting in 2005. Undoubtedly a reflection of iTunes' popularity.

I feel like I could not turn on my TV without seeing the Vertigo ad.

 

[kabigon]

Vertigo was a hit because anything they did would have been a hit

Missed opportunity to not release One Step Closer as the first single and save Vertigo for later then

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

I don't understand the logic about how Vertigo would have performed much better on the charts if only downloads would have counted towards the rankings.

This implies that Vertigo was downloaded (and paid for) much more than the other songs on the charts at the time.

Is that what folks are saying? if so, what is the evidence for this?

Upon release, "Vertigo" debuted at number 18 on Billboard's Modern Rock Tracks chart and number 46 on the Billboard Hot 100. In the following weeks, the track jumped to number one on the Modern Rock Tracks chart, moved from number 27 to number three on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, and from number 35 to number nine on the Adult Top 40. It also debuted at number one on the Hot Digital Tracks chart and, after falling to number 4, returned to the top position. The track later moved into the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number 31. It spent 20 weeks on the chart. At the time of the song's release, Billboard did not count digital downloads as part of a single's overall sales. "Vertigo" recorded strong digital sales, and had these been incorporated into physical sales and airplay, would have seen a much stronger placing on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

In the United Kingdom, the song moved from BBC Radio 1's B-list in the first week of its airplay release to the A-list in the second week. The song was released commercially on 15 November, and debuted at number one on the UK Singles Chart, and remained there for one week. In total, it spent nine weeks in the top 40.

In Australia, the track debuted at number five on the ARIA Charts, and was ranked number 38 on Triple J's Hottest 100 of 2004. In the Netherlands, "Vertigo" reached number two on the Mega Top 100.

In Brazil, the single went gold with more than 50,000 downloads.

The digital single holds a Gold status in the United States.