Get Out of Your Own Way

[CosmoKramer]

Ive given this about a dozen spins today so Ill weigh in on my thoughts and try to provide some reasoning rather than a blanket statement of "This song is like finding gold in my pocket" or "This song is like poop in my cereal bowl"

My thoughts:

The first 20 seconds are beautiful sounding. The record player "screeching/popping" sound at the very start that then leads into the chiming and organ sound is just awesome.

Bono's vocal delivery is cool and different. I especially like how he manages to deliver the line "The Face of liberty is about to crack, she had a plan until she got a smacked in the mouth and it all went south" he changes speed and style in his delivery and it works.

The lyrics are on point, my favorite being "The enemy is armies of assistance", which to me means people who are complacent and don't speak out…love it. The Lincoln's ghost line does stick out as odd but its not that bad and Im okay with it.

The chorus start of "Get out of your own way" is a bit subdued in the way "You're The Best thing About Me" is but then when it goes into the main chorus it picks up and explodes. During which we hear the background singing of "oooooh, ooooooh, oooooooh" which sounds awesome!

Edges solo is nice but seems like they have him on a leash and he doesn't really let loose. He is also not front and center in this song but similar to SOI, in the background doing a lot of work.

The rap part is very out of place and is just off to me, I don't like it. Im sure it will have a flow on the album into American Soul but I don't care for it at all. Thankfully, its at the very end of the song and I can ignore it.

I hate rating songs so soon but my first impression (might change for the better or worse): 8.5/10 its a good song.

 

[Zoomerang96]

I could name plenty.

Congrats, you want a prize?

 

[Axver]

I think this will be u2's most divisive album. Seems for the most part either people really love the songs or really hate them.

Nah, Pop rang.

Still remember the lengthy Pop vs ATYCLB arguments when I signed up here.

 

[zuma]

So, where's that day of the dead video then? Are they going to release that in a couple of weeks or what??

 

[RoKKeR]

Wonder if we will get the music video for this on Friday along with a push on Friday as if it were a single, I.e. featured on Spotify, that kind of thing.

 

[Flying FuManchu]

After several listens I like this Get Out of Your Own Way best out of the releases so far. Best Thing would have been right above it but single mix and the way it was produced takes away from a bit. I can see some U2 fans hating it but I think Edge sounds good and it was a nice little solo, relative to what he has been putting out.

 

[drt4]

So far this honestly feels like the first U2 album I'm having a hard time wanting to even own. These songs are kind of OK, but they really don't have anywhere near the magic of the first few decades of U2. If I wasn't already a U2 fan, why would I even want to own this? It feels like an effort to be excited about this album.

 

[The John Tree]

I feel weird about this one.

I like it. I like the verse melody. I love the chorus. I love the solo. I love the vibe. The lyrics are shaky, of course, but whatever.

But my problem is that it...just doesn't really hit me. I don't know why. It's a bit too lightweight or something. There's no sense of gravity? I'm struggling to convey my feelings on this one - I like all the individual pieces of it, but when put together they just sound like U2 By Numbers.

 

[cseggleton]

OK, here's what I'm actually liking about all of these separate threads about the SOE songs. It seems to be spread pretty even between, "I love this one, not so much with the other one," but then the next person comes along and has exactly the opposite feeling. So a little for everyone?

Personally, I like all of them but I'm really enjoying GOOYOW right now because it's fun to listen to. I like all 3 versions of TBT, and of course Blackout. American Soul will be good live, but it hasn't grown on me yet.

you will also get the crowd that will come back and say "Ok I gave song X 10 more listens and it is not as bad as I thought. Like most U2 songs they take a few listens to get used to!"

 

[cseggleton]

Bill Flanagan reckons this album could be better than AB.

U2 have to stop surrounding themselves with yes men and get Eno and Lanois back on deck.

Flanagan also said something about this one not being immediately accessible like most great U2 records tend to be and will take time to get...something like that!

 

[The John Tree]

Also, from a production standpoint, I think there's not a big enough liftoff from the prechorus to the main chorus, which is what made Beautiful Day so damn invigorating.

 

[Irvine511]

I feel weird about this one.



I like it. I like the verse melody. I love the chorus. I love the solo. I love the vibe. The lyrics are shaky, of course, but whatever.



But my problem is that it...just doesn't really hit me. I don't know why. It's a bit too lightweight or something. There's no sense of gravity? I'm struggling to convey my feelings on this one - I like all the individual pieces of it, but when put together they just sound like U2 By Numbers.

Stakes. It’s missing stakes at this point. TBT has the nice tension in the question of, if you’re the best thing about me why am I walking away from you? That’s interesting.

At this very early juncture, GooYow sounds like the song U2 would have written had they broken up after the Vertigo Tour and reunited to write a song for a Pixar movie in order to win an Oscar. It has an uplifting, uncomplicated message and is supremely well executed and sounds like the U2 you used to love.

It’s also stuck in my head right now. Tomorrow many be different.

 

[jameskinsella]

Congrats, you want a prize?

Have these songs hit you at a bad time of the month?

 

[Zoomerang96]

Have these songs hit you at a bad time of the month?

Im not sure there’s a good time of the month to hear these, tbf.

Beware that your Trump-esque remark might set off some of our more sensitive SJW here, but for your sake I hope it doesn’t.

Anyway, are you looking forward to making a sweet playlist a few years from now with these classics sitting shoulder to shoulder with the likes of Steets, Bad or Stay?

 

[U2freakboy]

I’m liking the song quite a bit. The soaring chorus ranks among their best of the 2000’s, but I think the versus are a bit clunky. They’re hard to sing along with and it’s hard to imagine a song that refers to masters, slaves, and Abe Lincoln being any kind of a hit on mainstream radio. Overall though, a solid effort.

For now, I would rank it a somewhat distant second to The Blackout among the songs we’ve heard.

 

[hasin73]

It's the little things that give jarvio away

 

[hasin73]

how does that work if they’re castrated?

 

[U2girl]

there is a hook in this song which makes it less cringe than the title suggests it's going to be. absolutely no idea why the rapping pops up at the end. is it supposed to be clever?

a lot of you sound as offended about this song as i am about american soul. "american soul" has to be the most post-2000 U2 song title imaginable, and it's every bit as terrible as the name suggests.

get out of your own way at least doesn't insult me, but it doesn't really draw me in either.

For the umpteenth time, the rap is there because this song segues into American Soul.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

It's not a fucking rap. It's spoken word.

Shit.

 

[kiwilad]

Ah shit.

About 30 minutes ago I put on my Boses and decided to put this song on repeat.

5 plays later... I really like it. I really do. Yeah it's poppy TayTay Tedder-esque etc.

But I like it.

 

[DeVaul]

Flanagan Lies.

 

[CosmoKramer]

Ah shit.

About 30 minutes ago I put on my Boses and decided to put this song on repeat.

5 plays later... I really like it. I really do. Yeah it's poppy TayTay Tedder-esque etc.

But I like it.

Lol...It’s okay, it’s a good/really good song. There are a lot of things going on in the background that add depth to it. The lyrics are solid and the main chorus is really cool(the backing vocals are awesome).

 

[CosmoKramer]

Anyway, are you looking forward to making a sweet playlist a few years from now with these classics sitting shoulder to shoulder with the likes of Steets, Bad or Stay?

You don’t like the new songs, I get it but as someone who went out and bought Zooropa on July 5th, 1993 at CD City I’m calling shenanigans on you putting Stay on that list.

Today, Stay is a decent song that the music video and 20+ years of live performances have made a good/great song. I agree with you that it’s a great U2 song but on July 5th, 1993 the day it was released (like these songs) it was a song that referenced 7-11 and checking change and to say on that day U2 fans would put it on a list with Streets and Bad is you taking a piss (as an American I’ve never used that phrase, hope I used it right).

Be honest, if Stay were released yesterday people would be making “check your change” jokes instead of Refujesus jokes and Javiero would be shitting his pants asking why the band that wrote Sunday Bloody Sunday is talking about 7-11.

 

[trevgreg]

OK, here's what I'm actually liking about all of these separate threads about the SOE songs. It seems to be spread pretty even between, "I love this one, not so much with the other one," but then the next person comes along and has exactly the opposite feeling. So a little for everyone?

I have a feeling that'd be the case for any song(s) they'd release today. Guitar-based number, Eno-esque landscape, etc.

I agree with you that it’s a great U2 song but on July 5th, 1993 the day it was released (like these songs) it was a song that referenced 7-11 and checking change and to say on that day U2 fans would put it on a list with Streets and Bad is you taking a piss (as an American I’ve never used that phrase, hope I used it right).

Be honest, if Stay were released yesterday people would be making “check your change” jokes...as asking why the band that wrote Sunday Bloody Sunday is talking about 7-11.

Exactly. If the Internet were around during their true heyday, it'd be interesting to see the similarity in comments no matter what they did.

 

[redhill]

Be honest, if Stay were released yesterday people would be making “check your change” jokes instead of Refujesus jokes and Javiero would be shitting his pants asking why the band that wrote Sunday Bloody Sunday is talking about 7-11.

You're out of your mind. Stay is (literally) exponentially better than anything we've heard from SOE thus far.

 

[aviastar]

You don’t like the new songs, I get it but as someone who went out and bought Zooropa on July 5th, 1993 at CD City I’m calling shenanigans on you putting Stay on that list.

Today, Stay is a decent song that the music video and 20+ years of live performances have made a good/great song. I agree with you that it’s a great U2 song but on July 5th, 1993 the day it was released (like these songs) it was a song that referenced 7-11 and checking change and to say on that day U2 fans would put it on a list with Streets and Bad is you taking a piss (as an American I’ve never used that phrase, hope I used it right).

Be honest, if Stay were released yesterday people would be making “check your change” jokes instead of Refujesus jokes and Javiero would be shitting his pants asking why the band that wrote Sunday Bloody Sunday is talking about 7-11.

I'm calling BS though...I listened to GOOYAW (which I actually like), American Soul (don't like), and Blackout (meh) in a playlist that I shuffled in U2 from other eras: Pride, RTSS, NYD, Streets, Lemon, The Fly, even Dirty Day...and listened to the new songs against those others. Lyrically I see a pretty stark contrast...and this newer stuff is markedly not as good. Musically, I just don't think it's as textured and creative as those other works.

So yeah, I like some of these new songs, but I am not going to pretend that it is great U2, or that there is some equivilence here. There is a pretty noticible difference in songcraft....and not for the better. I haven't heard the whole album (obviously), but if SOE were U2's first album, and these songs are an indication of the direction of the entire record, I probably wouldn't be as into U2 as I am.

 

[Nick66]

Everytime I see the title of this song I automatically think of Fleetwood Mac's "Go your own way" and just change up the lyrics.

You can get out of your own way
(get out of your own way)
You can call it
Another lonely day (just another lonely day)
You can get out of your own way
Get out of your own way

Trust me, it's better this way.

 

[mama cass]

Everytime I see the title of this song I automatically think of Fleetwood Mac's "Go your own way" and just change up the lyrics.

You can get out of your own way
(get out of your own way)
You can call it
Another lonely day (just another lonely day)
You can get out of your own way
Get out of your own way

Trust me, it's better this way.

you're a bit late to THAT party nick66

 

[Nick66]

Ah.

That's what I get for missing staff meetings.

 

[digitize]

Okay, so to say the sort of thing that tends to get people laughed out of Interference (but I’m an established enough poster, right?): am I the only one who is reminded of All You Had To Do Was Stay by Taylor Swift in the intro of this song?