SOE promo tour/promo activities

[one way out]

American Soul, for one reason.

American Soul is actually a song, whereas Get On Your Boots is a steaming pile of dog shit.

Why do I get the feeling everyone is gonna forget about this song even if they like it or hate it by next week. I'm sure on tour no one is going to care about it either when they get the balls to play it live...even more ballsy, they decide to open their shows with it.

 

[HansaTonImbiss]

Fair enough there. But I am trying to decide which song is worse. American Soul or Get On Your Boots?

Boots. By a stick of eyeliner, and due to its terrible placement on the album. American Soul is surrounded by two solid songs. Boots seems to denote the end of that album for a lot of people. Also, that video is ridiculous. I cringed the only two times I watched it.

 

[HansaTonImbiss]

Why do I get the feeling everyone is gonna forget about this song even if they like it or hate it by next week. I'm sure on tour no one is going to care about it either when they get the balls to play it live...even more ballsy, they decide to open their shows with it.

I have to agree. Bono saying inaudible things into a bullhorn and screaming about America won't win converts, but that's not the point. To my above post, they probably thought they had to perform one rock (rawk) song against GOOYOW, Best Thing, or Little Things. I get it. But if they find a way to trim the fat off the song and soar with it live, like they did with Elevation, it's fine. This is a 40 year old band. People have pretty much made their minds up, and best we can hope for now is some interesting, deep stuff that travels well and translates live. I think this album does that.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Why do I get the feeling everyone is gonna forget about this song even if they like it or hate it by next week. I'm sure on tour no one is going to care about it either when they get the balls to play it live...even more ballsy, they decide to open their shows with it.

I actually don't dislike American Soul. I just saw an opportunity to shit all over Boots and ran with it. Which would have been a better song by the way.... Shit All Over Boots.

 

[MrsSpringsteen]

I just watched American Soul on SNL. It's just cringeworthy with that megaphone. I don't care all that much for the song (7 out of 10 for the beat I suppose), but the megaphone and the over the top message is too much for me.

 

[deltau922]

Oof American Soul sounded rough on SNL. GOOYOW was better but I’m not grinding my molars into powder over bypassing tickets for this tour.

 

[Scorpionac]

Blah. Why are they pushing these songs. No one wants to hear a song about how wonderful America is right now.

Blackout and Little Things would have been infinitely better.

 

[dazzledbylight]

Both songs sounded fine to me. Listening now on earbuds (vs old TV last night). The only moment Edge's guitar sounded extra loud was at some point in his solo, other wise I heard drums and bass fine.

I like AS a lot. I still like the megaphone, he could use maybe 40% less in the song.

For me, i'm glad more political U2 is back. I love some their more personal stuff as well.

(TBT has some quite personal lyrics in it, a very catchy song I have yet to hear the whole album)

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Blah. Why are they pushing these songs. No one wants to hear a song about how wonderful America is right now.

Blackout and Little Things would have been infinitely better.

... American Soul may not be a good song, bit it's not a song about how wonderful America is.

 

[MrsSpringsteen]

I can see Trump doing a Born In The USA with that song

 

[jameskinsella]

American Soul, for one reason.

American Soul is actually a song, whereas Get On Your Boots is a steaming pile of dog shit.

I always thought what let down GOYB most of all was the actual lyric Get on Your Boots and the others which build up to it. If it had been something else the I don't think there'd be as much of a problem with it.

I will say one thing for it though - the video has perhaps the funniest moment of any U2 video ever (for me anyway).

 

[Super Yo]

... American Soul may not be a good song, bit it's not a song about how wonderful America is.

You only have to read some reactions about it.

 

[david]

Good lord.

 

[purpleoscar]

Has he ever heard Bullet the Blue Sky?

 

[Scorpionac]

I interpret the song as Bono's endorsement of the "ideas" he thinks America embodies. He's been talking about this stuff for years. To me, the only lines that feel critical of America are these:

Hold on brother John
Too many mothers weeping
Dream on brother John
In your dreams you can’t be sleeping

There's a moment in life where the soul can die
In a person, in a country, when you believe the lie
The lie the lie the lie

The rest of it is rather complimentary. America is a thought that offers grace, it's a dream the whole world owns, America is welcoming, it's a sanctuary, etc. It's an appeal to the country's better angels.

 

[HansaTonImbiss]

Has he ever heard Bullet the Blue Sky?

Poor Duke. When he really, really listens to JT, RAH, and parts of Pop he may have a heart attack. He's seen them live? And he thought THAT rant against US politics was harsh?!?! Oi.

 

[bazzza1]

I'm sure like most people i want to hear the great music and singing live, i hate when Bono starts ramming political messages down peoples throats, stick to what you're good at, you've wrote the song, great thats enuff.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

I interpret the song as Bono's endorsement of the "ideas" he thinks America embodies. He's been talking about this stuff for years. To me, the only lines that feel critical of America are these:



The rest of it is rather complimentary. America is a thought that offers grace, it's a dream the whole world owns, America is welcoming, it's a sanctuary, etc. It's an appeal to the country's better angels.

I mean... the song is about the betrayal of the American ideal. It's not complimentary

 

[purpleoscar]

View attachment 11660

You only have to read some reactions about it.

 

[HansaTonImbiss]

I'm sure like most people i want to hear the great music and singing live, i hate when Bono starts ramming political messages down peoples throats, stick to what you're good at, you've wrote the song, great thats enuff.

I get it- Bono's Springsteen-style monologues can be played out and boring. And also, poorly timed. But when he's on, when he's out for blood, it can be searing and sensational.

Good: Bullet, and it's live versions during JT, Lovetown, ZooTV and recently; the Sarajevo stories and link ups; the prank calls to Bush during ZooTV; nearly everything they did after 9/11; Conspiracy of Hope; War Child; One Campaign; Live Aid.

Bad: Shout outs to Nancy Pelosi/McCain/Bush; the megaphone; his odd musings during the RAH movie and Lovetown, "Am I bugging you?"; Live 8; the idolotry of Aung Sang Suu Kyi as a political leader; lyrical asides intending to poke at conflict that make no sense, like on NLOTH/Boots ("rockets at the farm fair").

Like I said, I think he strikes gold more than coal, but yeah, it's grating to some and I get it.

 

[travelleru2]

Poor Duke. When he really, really listens to JT, RAH, and parts of Pop he may have a heart attack. He's seen them live? And he thought THAT rant against US politics was harsh?!?! Oi.

Bullet politics and RH is all done tastefully....... This is not. This is just grating.

 

[U2FloridaFan]

Well shit, that was pretty awesome. Do I like American Soul now??


Laughing at how this is so love it or hate it.

Yes, there is no gray area here

 

[U2FloridaFan]

Weekend update was bad and there wasn't a single skit that was funny. The last one with the dogs was just cringeworthy.

Agreed. Just awful. Whatever happened to the good ole days of SNL....there was NOTHING funny. And U2's performances were underwhelming (and I love the new album but AS is my least favorite). Get Out of Your Own Way didn't sound "full" enough and I think part of the problem is that the SNL stage (at least the one they used last night) is way too small...they need room to move. They were all smashed together on stage.

 

[superchuk5]

Watched the sketches this morning. Thought it was a pretty great show. Saoirse Ronan was a dynamite host.

 

[Scorpionac]

I mean... the song is about the betrayal of the American ideal. It's not complimentary

Care to back that up, maybe with reference to the lyrics? I read the lyrics as a celebration of the "American ideal" and the potential for that ideal to become reality. But maybe I'm missing something in between Bono shouting about rock and roll a dozen times.

 

[HansaTonImbiss]

Agreed. Just awful. Whatever happened to the good ole days of SNL....there was NOTHING funny. And U2's performances were underwhelming (and I love the new album but AS is my least favorite). Get Out of Your Own Way didn't sound "full" enough and I think part of the problem is that the SNL stage (at least the one they used last night) is way too small...they need room to move. They were all smashed together on stage.

So the SNL stage is notorious for terrible acoustics. In fact, in the 30 years I've been watching the show, I can think of 5 standout performances: Sia (Chandelier), Sinead O'Connor (War cover, sans the end), Arcade Fire (Afterlife), Prince (last appearance), U2 (ATYCLB-era). Paul Simon and Foo Fighters also great, Mick Jagger appearance good, Sir Paul too. Lady Gaga did a nice version of "A Million Reasons". The rest are crap. U2 were fair, not great. I hoped for more but it wasnt the worst. The megaphone round 2 was too much, but whatever, Edge sounded good and the crowd seemed to dig it.

I don't expect much in that setting. Like I said, 5 standout performances in 30 years.

 

[pop_mofo]

Care to back that up, maybe with reference to the lyrics? I read the lyrics as a celebration of the "American ideal" and the potential for that ideal to become reality. But maybe I'm missing something in between Bono shouting about rock and roll a dozen times.

I think the whole “believe the lie” segment is speaking to how the ideal has been betrayed.

The idealism and celebration element is a call out to return to the core of the “idea of america.”

I would say that, as with most of Bono’s lyrics, while there is the callout of the betrayal, there is also the underlying hopefulness.

Anyway, just my thoughts.

 

[Zoomerang96]

So the SNL stage is notorious for terrible acoustics. In fact, in the 30 years I've been watching the show, I can think of 5 standout performances: Sia (Chandelier), Sinead O'Connor (War cover, sans the end), Arcade Fire (Afterlife), Prince (last appearance), U2 (ATYCLB-era). Paul Simon and Foo Fighters also great, Mick Jagger appearance good, Sir Paul too. Lady Gaga did a nice version of "A Million Reasons". The rest are crap. U2 were fair, not great. I hoped for more but it wasnt the worst. The megaphone round 2 was too much, but whatever, Edge sounded good and the crowd seemed to dig it.

I don't expect much in that setting. Like I said, 5 standout performances in 30 years.

What the fuck is wrong with your life if you spend 30 years watching a programme that you say sucks to the extreme that you only rate five performances from it?

Do you have any idea how daft that is?

... or, you know, maybe you’re embellishing to an embarrassing degree

 

[Moser]

What the fuck is wrong with your life if you spend 30 years watching a programme that you say sucks to the extreme that you only rate five performances from it?

I thought we were talking about the NFL for a second.

 

[HansaTonImbiss]

5

What the fuck is wrong with your life if you spend 30 years watching a programme that you say sucks to the extreme that you only rate five performances from it?

Do you have any idea how daft that is?

... or, you know, maybe you’re embellishing to an embarrassing degree

So, maybe this is shocking, but I dont watch SNL for the musical performances (perhaps you're unfamiliar with the show format). I buy records and watch tour DVDs (or go to shows) for that. It's not the greatest show, but it adds a little levity to the toxic and often dada-esque environment that is American current affairs.

And I'm not embellishing, I've watched it a long time. When it's on point, its great. When it sucks it's vomit-inducing. But it's a break. To each their own.