Which Songs Should be Singles

[doctorwho]

This poll is ONLY for those who have heard all 11 songs from HTDAAB. If you haven't downloaded the album (or all of the album) or haven't heard the songs, please don't vote.

The poll is simple. "Vertigo" is the first single (duh). Which songs would be good second, third and fourth singles? Feel free to vote for more than one song. I am not including "Fast Cars" in this poll because it's only being released in selected countries and we haven't heard it.

Now, remember, when you vote do NOT vote for your favorite song(s). Vote for the song(s) that would be good singles. That is, which songs have the most appeal to the common market? Which songs would appeal to the masses? Which songs would shoot up the charts? Which songs would help promote the album and tour? Often a fan's favorite song isn't single material - so vote for what would be a good single(s).

It'll be interesting to see which songs receive the most votes!

 

[Roland of Gilead]

Realistically, if you were to consider the songs they did live for cduk and totp, then you have the answer.

All Because of You
City of Blinding Lights

and I think Sometimes... is an obvious choice that shines almost in the same light as One and With or Without You but not quite.

also, Original... is such a pop hit that it stands to gain the most of any of the tracks on here. Everyone loves the Beatles, everyone WILL love this. It is that simple.

 

[Hitman]

Original of the Species has GOT to be a single.

 

[doctorwho]

You can vote for more than one track.

"Vertigo" is a great single - good choice!

"All About You", while I'm not super crazy about the melody, screams "single!" However, this should be a third single - two fast songs in a row won't work.

I think "Miracle Drug" is a nice album track, but that's it.

"Sometimes..." seems a likely second single. It's slow, thought-provoking, yet uplifting. It builds like "One".

Another option for a good second single is "City of Blinding Lights". The "you look so beautiful" lines could apply to anyone - and it's a love song about both a person and a city. It really has a universal appeal.

"Love and Peace or Else" is a personal favorite of mine and I'd love to see it be a single. But I'm not sure it would be mainstream enough. If this proves to be a big album, it might make a good 4th or 5th single.

"Original of the Species" is a great second half of the CD song. I think it has single aspects to it. But it may just be a strong second half song.

The rest of the album is good - as I wrote in another post, I hear some of U2's best and some of U2's most mediocre, but not their worst. IMO the other songs fall closer to the "mediocre" category and aren't single worthy.

 

[Roland of Gilead]

I think "Miracle Drug" is a nice album track, but that's it.

I think MD is a great song, but in the same light as Gone and Until the End of the World it does not have the mechanics of a radio friendly single. The great slide work by the Edge here is just not going to find the repect it deserves on a radio chart. The exact same thing can be said of Love and Peace... . It reminds me a lot of Bullet. Wickedly good song.

 

[anitram]

I have tested the album today by playing it to two coworkers who like U2, but don't really own albums or go to the shows. Then I loaned it to a lab across the hall.

The consensus among this small test sample of the "public" seems to be that COBL is the most accessible of the songs there. They all liked it, they thought it was sweeping and epic.

I'm really not sold at all on ABOY, it's really uninspiring to me.

Sometimes - either a huge hit or a total bust. Would have to be reworked for a radio single, that's for sure. The intro needs work.

 

[doctorwho]

I think MD is a great song, but in the same light as Gone and Until the End of the World it does not have the mechanics of a radio friendly single. The great slide work by the Edge here is just not going to find the repect it deserves on a radio chart. The exact same thing can be said of Love and Peace... . It reminds me a lot of Bullet. Wickedly good song.

I agree. I love "Love and Peace" a lot - but is it a single? Probably not. Still, it's a fantastic album song - and it'll be kickass in concert!

 

[UnforgettableLemon]

Ditto for me on Miracle Drug. I don't think it would work commercially. I can see college and indie stations picking it up after the singles stop coming, like many did with Kite. That said, my choices are:

2) Sometimes You Can't Make it On Your Own
3) City of Blinding Lights
4) All Because of You
5) Original of the Species

In my dreams, "Love and Peace or Else" would be released instead of ABOY or OOTS, but it would have to be edited down to become radio-friendly.

 

[popacrobat]

Miralce Drug, All Beacuse of You, Original of the Species

Sometimes would be too long for radio play and you cant really cut too much out of it to narrow it down

 

[grbounds]

well it appears SYCMIOYO is the second single.

if this is true:
1) Vertigo
2) SYCMIOYO

that leaves maybe 2 more, 3 at the most.

id have to go with:
3) ABOY
4) OOTS

2 rockers, 2 ballads.

 

[AussieU2fanman]

If Miracle Drug isn't released as a damn single I'm gonna go on a shooting rampage!

 

[Roland of Gilead]

If Miracle Drug isn't released as a damn single I'm gonna go on a shooting rampage!

Tell me where you're going so I don't see ya.

 

[boosterjuice]

Great thread!

I think ABOY is a safe bet for a single. Although not the best song on the album, it will appeal to radio listeners with short attention spans.

I don't want Miracle Drug to be a single. IT is too special. Does that make any sense? I don't want the song to prostitute itself on airwaves.

COBL would be another safe bet for radio---- if they could only shorten it. I think it's way too long right now for the radio. Don't get me wrong, I love it as is!

 

[Roland of Gilead]

I don't want Miracle Drug to be a single. IT is too special. Does that make any sense? I don't want the song to prostitute itself on airwaves.

COBL would be another safe bet for radio---- if they could only shorten it. I think it's way too long right now for the radio. Don't get me wrong, I love it as is!

Well, I think you're right about Miracle Drug. There is something very "bad/end of the world/gone/kite" about it in that it doesn't need a chart to shine.

As for COBL, they'll pull a Clocks and cut it back a lot. It could lose a 1:00 easy.

 

[If you shout...]

Sometimes - either a huge hit or a total bust. Would have to be reworked for a radio single, that's for sure. The intro needs work.

Amen. I personally love it, but I think it will either be massive or a massive flop. It will be the second single, and emotionally I feel that that's a great idea--I love the song. I've gotta' go with "City of Blinding Lights" as number three; I don't know that it can be a radio hit (especially with its length), but it's a great song. U2's gonna' sell albums with or without radio support, so fuck 'em. Great song, and if a couple people get into it and then into the band, that's good enough for me.

 

[2861U2]

1 = Vertigo
2 = Crumbs
3 = SYCMIOYO
4 = All Because Of You

 

[AussieU2fanman]

Why are you guys saying Miracle Drug is tooooo special to be released as a single? Are you mad? U2's developed this masterpiece and I'll be damned if they don't wanna let the world hear it. Plus, the strucutre of the song is very muched geared towards a single release IMO.

 

[UnforgettableLemon]

I'm not saying it's too special at all. It just doesn't sound like a single to me. It's not my favorite track on the album by far.

But I'm not going to complain if they do release it as a single, it could have one hell of a video

 

[Anirban]

i think miracle is a sort of culminatiom of everything that is u2. that said, didn't some review or u2.com say that they would release a song early summer 2005 to commemorate 25 years? md would be perfect under that light... and you know how everyone was saying that the end needs to be longer? i agree .... but maybe they cut it short for the purposes of keeping it under 4 mins for radio purposes (it's 3:59).

 

[Keocmb]

I think Love and Peace could really knock some non-U2 fans' blocks off.

 

[AussieU2fanman]

but maybe they cut it short for the purposes of keeping it under 4 mins for radio purposes (it's 3:59).

Yep that's what I've been saying. They could have easily extended the ending to make it literally the greatest song in history, but for radio purposes they had to cut it down. It will be a single, and rightly so.

 

[Axver]

Yep that's what I've been saying. They could have easily extended the ending to make it literally the greatest song in history, but for radio purposes they had to cut it down. It will be a single, and rightly so.

I really have to disagree there. I personally think the ending is perfect and that it doesn't require any extension, and I doubt U2 would cut a song short just so it would fit on mainstream radio. That's not what U2 are about. If they did choose to release it as a single and it were too long, they'd simply edit it down.

 

[Anirban]

maybe it was longer and they thought that it would be just as effective of a song shorter so they wouldn't have to edit it later. i know as a fan i'm disappointed with shorter radio versions ... the end of stuck in a moment makes the whole song. and don't get me started on the end of streets but anyway ... wouldn't that be a nice tape to have...miracle drug about 4:20 in length.

 

[AussieU2fanman]

I really have to disagree there. I personally think the ending is perfect and that it doesn't require any extension, and I doubt U2 would cut a song short just so it would fit on mainstream radio. That's not what U2 are about. If they did choose to release it as a single and it were too long, they'd simply edit it down.

Well I'd really have to disagree there too! I believe the momentum built up quite a bit during that song and it just seemed to cut short. If they extended it by another couple of bars and more 'Miracle Drug.....'s were added, it would have been fantastic. Also, I think they ended the song on the wrong chord. If they fixed these minor gripes, it really would have been the greatest song I've ever heard.

As for whether it was cut down for radio, who knows? But I still strongly believe it should and will be released as a single, and I believe it will top the charts. BTW the video will be AWSOME.

 

[LPU2]

Man I must just have a twisted ear, but I don't think "All because" is a single. It's the only song I tend to skip over when it comes on. I HOPE it's not a single.

I have no idea what would make a good single, but the songs I would want the rest of the world to hear the most are Miracle Drug, Man and a Woman and Crumbs.

 

[Tyagu_Anaykus]

I saw One Step Closer the alone, crying, waiting for some company, some hugs, someone to share its melancolic atmosphere feeling. She was so sad that I couldn't help and voted in her.
poor One Step Closer

 

[Tyagu_Anaykus]

ups, "I saw One Step Closer THE alone"

please don't look at that damn bastard "THE" . my hands are a little rebel, I can't control them! I've already had serious discussion with them...

 

[doctorwho]

Interesting to see 5 songs leap out with nearly the same amount of votes. If we had our wish, U2 would release 6 singles from this album (counting "Vertigo")! LOL!

I still don't see the appeal of "Miracle Drug" and think that's best left as a strong album track. I'd love to see "Love and Peace" break out, but again, I have a feeling it'll be a stong album track. I'm not a fan of the melody Bono created for "All Because of You", but it's a great rocking song and it's short - perfect for radio. "Sometimes..." seems a bit long and may need editing or "restructuring" for a radio-single. "City of Blinding Lights" seems perfect for a single and I think that should be the second single release.

 

[doctorwho]

bump

 

[FullonEdge2]

City of Blinding Lights is not a perfect single track. It's too magical and all. It is the type of track that putting it on radio might be offensive. It is the type of track that only those who buy the album should have the good fortune of experiencing this song.