I can't believe people don't like One Step Closer.

[Aygo]

No, it's not boring! Neither is Grace.
In fact, I prefer songs as OSC, Grace, The First Time to songs like AMAAW, So cruel or TTTYAATW, that although good songs with good instrumentals, have useless lyrics in comparison with the first ones. And for me that's why the become boring, because it is less expressive.
One step close has got, as I said, beautiful lyrics. Can't you figure out in your mind the picture that Bono is painting and with the help of the instrumental - that is supposed to be slow and less-heavy like that? On the other hand, the song has it's function on HTDAAB and is like a bridge between Crumbs and OOTS (that results perfectly) and it's filling gap between all those ABOY's, Vertigo's, COBL's, LAPOE's that are on the first part of the disc.
About songs like Grace (that everybody hates), I think the lyrics are even better and even more expressive than OSC. It's a song that, in some way, gives you faith and puts some peace on your mind. The instrumental... it's be a bad song if it'd have more heavy guitars and drums. The song is good as it is and works very well as an album closer.

I agree with Axver, when people don't get songs like The Fly or Lemon or that stuff, they just reject what comes without paying much attention to it.
whay do you find them boring?? If you like October, '40', MLK, RTSS and those songs, why not give a bit of appreciation to those ones?

 

[gareth brown]

I've never held 'One Step Closer' as a favourite off 'How To...' but it's quite a nice song to listen to or sing and play on guitar...I think the lyrics are a bit iffy for me, that's all...

 

[Vertigo Fly]

One Step Closer is a lovely song, you won't get me saying a bad word about it

 

[babyman]

It was, it is, it'll be one of the most U2 romantic songs that have ever broken my heart........................
I love this song, and I can't understand why the guys never considered to play it live yet...................

 

[Hoodlem]

HTDAAB needs OSC. It fits beautifully as a transition. Maybe people who don't like it are expecting too much from it. If you want a big loud chorus then just wait 2 more minutes and listen too OOTS. But don't skip over the wonderful atmospherics of OSC. They are vital to the album as a whole. I think in this day of singles and mp3 downloads, people may be forgetting the value of an album as an experience in itself rather than just a collection of small experiences. Does that make sense?

Anyway, love OSC. May not be perfection like RTSS but is that even realistic to expect? Enjoy a great song for what it is.

 

[*sofia*]

I can't think of one reason to bash this song..
I love it. I also love it how everytime I listen to it, I hear "A reptile has taken everything I call my own"......

 

[Zoots]

I also love it how everytime I listen to it, I hear "A reptile has taken everything I call my own"......

Oh yeah, same here... !!!

 

[Irishteen]

I think it is the worst song on HTDAAB but I still think it is great, the lyrics are great, just a great song on a brillant album

 

[LyricalDrug]

I simply cannot FATHOM why they haven't turned this into a live/concert stunner, a la Running to Stand Still. It's such a dramatic, slow, builder.

 

[AtomicBono]

As I said, I think Grace has fantastic lyrics on the whole - a few lines let it down, but the song isn't a five minute loop of "Grace, it's a name for a girl, it's also a thought that changed the world". I actually think it's a pretty good elaboration on the concept of grace put to some beautiful bass-driven music.

I don't want to appear to bash The First Time as I love that song and was over the moon when U2 debuted it in Chicago. I don't believe it's some of Bono's best lyrics, though. The "lover" and "brother" verses certainly are not examples of Bono's best work.

I have a brother
When I'm a brother in need
I spend my whole life running
He spends his running after me

you don't like that verse??

and I actually like the "Grace, it's a name for a girl, it's also a thought that changed the world" line... I just don't like the song much. Unlike the other songs mentioned, I just find Grace to be boring. So Cruel is kinda boring too, but the lyrics are good enough to keep me interested. Not the case with Grace.

One Step Closer is a beautiful song. Really makes you think. I think it could make a perfect transition into Streets.

 

[God Part III]

is boring, too slow... what? it's the worst track off HTDAAB

We're talking Love And Peace Or Else?

One Step Closer is great. Why don't you play it instead of The Ocean, U2?

 

[Hallucination]

I agree it's a beautiful song. I think that a lot of the dislike for this song can be credited to where it sits on the album. It slows the album down way to much at the wrong time in my opinion. I think it would've made an excellent closer for the album, possibly even as a hidden track. It's a song that should stand alone and not at the core(almost) of an album.Songs like this will always be underrated because we live in an age of catchy hooks and things that grab your attention. This song slowly seduces you, kinda the way Running to Stand Still does(though it's not that good). Too many people don't have the patience for a song like this which is too bad.

 

[LemonMelon]

I've just recently begun to apprecite The First Time since it has been getting a regular rotation in the setlist. I really like it now, when before I found it to be average.

OSC is boring drivel however, and while the lyrics are decent, the music doesn't help matters.

It's a fair track, and it's not nearly as bad as OOTS eyebrow: ), but comparing it to Running To Stand Still is ludicrous.

 

[LemonMelon]

No, it's not boring! Neither is Grace.
In fact, I prefer songs as OSC, Grace, The First Time to songs like...So cruel that although good songs with good instrumentals, have useless lyrics in comparison with the first ones.

So Cruel has useless lyrics????

My Go..odness man, get some taste.

 

[AtomicBono]

So Cruel has useless lyrics????

My Go..odness man, get some taste.

same could be said to you.

how can you NOT love OOTS

 

[Aygo]

When I say useless, I'm not applying for the song and its meaning to be useless at all. I'm telling that those album needs songs like Grace and OSC to be great albums and for its fluidity. Grace is an uplifting song that was needed to be there to leave a positive impression at the end.
About the uselessness of So Cruel lyrics, I meant to say that AB is full of love songs (or songs in that line of lyrics), So Cruel is just another one. I'm not telling that the song is bad, or that I don't like it. I happen to like that song, in fact. But the OSC/Grace bashing shows lack off taste. THAT is lack of taste!

 

[Zoots]

I T ' S * A L L * S U B J E C T I V E * P E O P L E ! ! !

 

[MacPhistoPT]

Axver, when you're not bashing IALW, TTTWAATW or The Playboy Mansion, you're really a cool guy. You're totally right. One Step Closer it's becoming one of the most underrated U2 songs.

 

[AtomicBono]

I T ' S * A L L * S U B J E C T I V E * P E O P L E ! ! !

very true.

Now tell that to the people that hate AB and Pop

 

[Hallucination]

very true.

Now tell that to the people that hate AB and Pop

Who hates Achtung Baby??

 

[Jack In The Box]

We're talking Love And Peace Or Else?

One Step Closer is great. Why don't you play it instead of The Ocean, U2?

I'm not a big LAPOE fan either and I think The Ocean is underrated

 

[the tourist]

I like it as much as I like The First Time.

 

[Zoots]

very true.

Now tell that to the people that hate AB and Pop

sure...... I can handle that... are you trying to tell me I can't?.....It's okay to *cough* hate Pop... it's an opinion...................

...................

 

[LemonMelon]

When I say useless, I'm not applying for the song and its meaning to be useless at all. I'm telling that those album needs songs like Grace and OSC to be great albums and for its fluidity. Grace is an uplifting song that was needed to be there to leave a positive impression at the end.
About the uselessness of So Cruel lyrics, I meant to say that AB is full of love songs (or songs in that line of lyrics), So Cruel is just another one. I'm not telling that the song is bad, or that I don't like it. I happen to like that song, in fact. But the OSC/Grace bashing shows lack off taste. THAT is lack of taste!

Fair enough, as long as So Cruel is appreciated, then justice is served.

 

[LemonMelon]

Who hates Achtung Baby??

Axver duh.

 

[doctorwho]

I'd beg to differ. Rather than bringing the album down, I think One Step Closer works to cohesively link Crumbs to OOTS. I've thought this from the very first time I played the album: those three songs have the best flow of any grouping of three songs on the entire album. Indeed, the entire AMAAW --> Yahweh flow is FAR better than Vertigo --> ABOY.

I like begging! Here's your treat!

Crumbs and OOTS hardly need a link. I'd rather have an album with "Fast Cars" on it with OSC as the "special song" if anything.

And your grouping of three favorite songs is so radically different than mine from HTDAAB that this conversation will end. Clearly you and I are on different worlds when it comes to this album - which is perfectly fine. But I don't see either of us convincing the other.

 

[Axver]

I like begging! Here's your treat!

Crumbs and OOTS hardly need a link. I'd rather have an album with "Fast Cars" on it with OSC as the "special song" if anything.

And your grouping of three favorite songs is so radically different than mine from HTDAAB that this conversation will end. Clearly you and I are on different worlds when it comes to this album - which is perfectly fine. But I don't see either of us convincing the other.

You win!

I didn't mean to say Crumbs and OOTS need any kind of link, but I think placing OSC between them creates a very special, atmospheric, and cohesive flow. I quite like it! Just curious - what's your grouping of three?

 

[Axver]

I've just recently begun to apprecite The First Time since it has been getting a regular rotation in the setlist. I really like it now, when before I found it to be average.

OSC is boring drivel however, and while the lyrics are decent, the music doesn't help matters.

It's a fair track, and it's not nearly as bad as OOTS eyebrow: ), but comparing it to Running To Stand Still is ludicrous.

I'm comparing it to RTSS not in terms of quality - that's subjective - but in terms of song style. They're both very slow songs that bear similarities in that sense.

Why do you call OSC "boring drivel", though? I mean, if you're going to use a term like that in this thread, could you please justify and defend it?

 

[U2Man]

People who don't like songs such as Running To Stand Still, Grace and One Step Closer are complete musically ignorant idiots.



No, I didn't mean that of course. But these songs are truly great.

 

[Zoots]

People who don't like songs such as Running To Stand Still, Grace and One Step Closer are complete musically ignorant idiots.



No, I didn't mean that of course. But these songs are truly great.

Who're you kidding? You just posted because you saw a bone in the previous post!