You're the Best Thing About Me - Song Discussion

[trevgreg]

Just realized the chorus chords also matches the ones used in The Miracle, in addition to In a Little While. They really like those choruses with the Bm or G key here.

The Miracle: G-D-Bm-A (G-D-A)

The Best Thing: G-D-A-Bm

In a Little While: Bm-G-D-A

 

[SecretFly]

It's the best lead single since Vertigo so stop being so negative people.

 

[Reg McGowan]

Geez, I hope they play The Blackout as the second song on Fallon...

I'd rather they don't play "YTBTAM" at all

 

[Hallucination]

The song pisses me off because the first 53 seconds promise something more. It's a build to the chorus and you expect it to take off and instead they neutered it. Then that little transition at 2:46 should come out into some kickass guitar solo but again it's neutered by some pre chorus bullshit and the song ends with a wimper after that.

 

[God Part III]

I genuinely want to know what U2 would need to release for Rolling Stone to be anything less than gushingly enthusiastic.







...it's not a pun. How the hell is it a pun? And it's not being prescriptivist to point out that a key line of the chorus is clunky and cumbersome. It's just a shit lyric mate.

Sorry, as you can tell English is not my first language - I meant 'play on words', not pun.

Regardless, you are all saying that it lacks a preposition - is it not the definition of prescriptivism to judge other people's language for not living up to 'the rules'? Unlike me, English is Bono's first language, let him vend the rules and bit and a have 'happen' be a transitive verb:

'The other day, it happened me that...' etc.

I don't know, all I'm saying is that calling the lyric 'shit' based on the missing proposition is a weak argument IMO

 

[dismantlemyfly]

The drums are fantastic...

This.

While I'm still absorbing (I'll admit I'm not as negative as others... yet), but definitely feel that Larry kicking in during the chorus is pretty nice.

 

[trainmaniac]

Another mix here: U2 “YOU’RE THE BEST THING ABOUT ME” | See and Hear What's Popular on Radio This Week

 

[Melon50]

I actually love it haha....

But then again, I already liked the kygo version. It's the verse and chorus vocal melody that make the song for me.

 

[cseggleton]

Remember Bono on ZooTV saying they don't really care about the pop kids? They care a lot about the pop kids today. I'll take this song over boots and miracle all day. It is catchy and I do not think it will do as bad as we might think.

 

[dan_smee]

Ok - a few listens in and I have some more fully formed thoughts:

1) it isn't as bad as I initially said, that was disappointment that it didn't end up the way it could have.
2) Adam and Larry own this song. On headphones you can really appreciate the drive in the bass, and the punch in the drums.
3) Four things let this down, and it is a much worse song because of them:

- the intro had some cool instrumental buildup in the beach clip, seemingly derived from Adam's bass. It suffers from it not being there.
- the pre choruses take all the gas out of the song. It builds nicely, and then someone slams the breaks. I get they wanted a build and payoff for the second half, but that leads me to point three,
- the Edge riff in the solo HAS TO UNDERPIN THE PRE CHORUS. It gives it drive while allowing for the same buildup.
- Finally, the ham-fisted exit from the first chorus. Clumsy as fuck.

In all, there is a lot more going on that is actually cohesive than I first appreciated. And I think there is a lot of new ground for them in terms of tones, structures (we've seen that with all three songs), and other background bits gong on.

I've gone from a 3/10 to a 6/10.

 

[super fly guy]

It just sounds a mess,will give it a few more listens but I won't be coming back to this in years to come.

 

[trainmaniac]

The alternative mix at least is more consistent.

 

[Axver]

Sorry, as you can tell English is not my first language - I meant 'play on words', not pun.

Regardless, you are all saying that it lacks a preposition - is it not the definition of prescriptivism to judge other people's language for not living up to 'the rules'? Unlike me, English is Bono's first language, let him vend the rules and bit and a have 'happen' be a transitive verb:

'The other day, it happened me that...' etc.

I don't know, all I'm saying is that calling the lyric 'shit' based on the missing proposition is a weak argument IMO

We're going to have to agree to disagree I suppose. To me the line doesn't work at all and it's a big glaring mis-step. It gets attention for all the wrong reasons, not for creativity or wordplay or anything interesting like that. It's just a bizarre phrasing that sits badly.

 

[ozeeko]

It's just that uninspired pre-chorus/chorus section. Sorry. There's no getting around it. Verses kick ass. Sounds like an exercise in self-sabotage. They deliberately shot the song down just as it was taking off.

 

[Irvine511]

I don't know which I like less -- the fact that my intitial reaction was "this would sound good over the closing credits of a Reese Witherspoon romantic comedy" or the sheer joy some seem to get from hating on it.

I'm a fan of the big U2 chorus, and this has it, and now that songs have to find an audience (rather than in 1991 an audience had to listen to whatever U2 told them to) this one has an effervescence that could find a home in many niches. But I felt underwhelmed by the first listen, and much prefer The Blackout.

 

[Northside]

They made a concerted effort to get radio stations on board with their new album and then gave them this to work with?

 

[BoyOnTheHorizon]

I love the verses, love the melody. Not sure about the jump to the chorus, the Kygo version is much better giving emphasis to the chorus. From what i heard on the beach clip and the Kygo remix i tought it would be more direct, even catchier.
One curious thing, The Blackout sunds better than before after hearing this.

 

[trevgreg]

Sorry, as you can tell English is not my first language - I meant 'play on words', not pun.

Regardless, you are all saying that it lacks a preposition - is it not the definition of prescriptivism to judge other people's language for not living up to 'the rules'? Unlike me, English is Bono's first language, let him vend the rules and bit and a have 'happen' be a transitive verb:

'The other day, it happened me that...' etc.

I don't know, all I'm saying is that calling the lyric 'shit' based on the missing proposition is a weak argument IMO

As someone who's run into this situation before while writing songs...

A lot of the times, you have a nice melody in your head and are coming up with words that go along with it. Then you run into a situation where you have the right words or phrase for a line, but it's one or two syllables too long. It frustrates you, but you see if you can fit something similar into it without losing the effect. If that doesn't work, then you either adjust the melody line (which might throw things off) or see if you can shorten the line another way. A lot of times, it might be the later "play on words", and then you look at it and sing and think "Hey, not bad!"

I suspect that's what happened here.

 

[trevgreg]

They made a concerted effort to get radio stations on board with their new album and then gave them this to work with?

Well, it is G-D-A-Bm in the choruses, which would help for radio-friendliness and match stuff like Lady Gaga's Alejandro or Pink's Try. I imagine it could get some attention on Hot AC or Modern AC minimum if they put promo behind it.

 

[Northside]

I'm a fan of the big U2 chorus, and this has it

Does it? To me, it seems like it *could* have, but they pissed it away. The chorus seems to get quieter.

 

[kps88]

As someone who's run into this situation before while writing songs...

A lot of the times, you have a nice melody in your head and are coming up with words that go along with it. Then you run into a situation where you have the right words or phrase for a line, but it's one or two syllables too long. It frustrates you, but you see if you can fit something similar into it with losing the effect. If that doesn't work, then you either adjust the melody line (which might throw things off) or see if you can shorten the line another way. A lot of times, it might be the later "play on words", and then you look at it and sing and think "Hey, not bad!"

I suspect that's what happened here.

Yeah I was thinking the same initially, but after hearing the lines used in that spot during the later choruses, he could have easily squeezed a "to" in there without effecting the melody that much.

 

[ChargedVT]

As someone who's run into this situation before while writing songs...

A lot of the times, you have a nice melody in your head and are coming up with words that go along with it. Then you run into a situation where you have the right words or phrase for a line, but it's one or two syllables too long. It frustrates you, but you see if you can fit something similar into it with losing the effect. If that doesn't work, then you either adjust the melody line (which might throw things off) or see if you can shorten the line another way. A lot of times, it might be the later "play on words", and then you look at it and sing and think "Hey, not bad!"

I suspect that's what happened here.

100% agree on this, as a fellow songwriter.

 

[Hallucination]

Does it? To me, it seems like it *could* have, but they pissed it away. The chorus seems to get quieter.

Agreed. This isn't a big chorus It's a sleepy boring chorus that drags on far too long and is really repetitive. The chorus is by far the worst part in my opinion and to be honest completely ruins the song. The verses are fine I actually like them but the chorus is just horrible. Reminds me of something I'd hear on a children's after school special of something.

 

[JoRu]

Have only seen one Swedish review for it yet, but the reviewer loved it (4/5). He thinks they sound energized and that the simple message of love is oddly relevant today. And you know, missteps aside, I do think it's a more energized sound they have right now (whether it's Blackout or this song) than they've had for a long time. It's good news overall, even if I think this song missed the opportunity to be a lot better than it is.

 

[U2freakboy]

Well, it's not the song I was expecting. And perhaps that's our problem with it. We've been listening to the Kygo mix for so long now. Something tells me that if we had never heard that, the reactions today would be a bit different.

With that said, I'm not loving it. The Blackout was the song for the hardcore fans. This is a song for the masses. Unfortunately, I doubt it's good enough to reach them.

 

[Irvine511]

Does it? To me, it seems like it *could* have, but they pissed it away. The chorus seems to get quieter.

It does.

I've been singing it for a year, and I think it does have it. I've only listened twice tho.

I actually think this song is best enjoyed in the Kygo form -- that's where the pop joy comes out, and where this material would be best served.

 

[ChargedVT]

Anyone listened to the Sci-Fi Soul Mix posted a few pages yet?

 

[TheEdge25]

Was anyone able to snag a recording of the alternate mix (the Sci Fi Soul mix)? I saw tweets about it but by the time I got to the site to stream it, it wasn't available any longer.

If someone got it, send it my way: spenceast@gmail.com?

 

[david]

The sci fi soul mix is pretty cool.

 

[Hallucination]

Had this just been song 7 or 8 on the album and not a single let alone first single it'd be fine. It just baffles me how they sit around in a room and think THIS was the song to go with outta the gate.