Beautiful Day is the I Will Follow of the 21st Century

[Flying FuManchu]

I've been listening to ATYCLB and Beautiful Day, especially the live version (b-side) a lot these days. Funny thing is, its just dawned on me how Beautiful Day is so similar to I Will Follow. Anybody feel the same? Sonically, lyrically, emotionally, etc., just so similar or at least Beautiful Day was the spawn of I Will Follow. Then I think about how "raw"/ simple Boy is compared to later U2 albums and the "simplicity" of ATYCLB I find it cool that they kicked off the 21st century with ALTYCB. The whole re-introduction of U2 makes more sense to me now. I honestly hope the new album isn't their "October" (my least favorite U2 album) but then the amount of time they've taken should assure me it won't be.

 

[madonna's child]

I think Beautiful Day certainly has the making of a classic, more so then any other song on ATYCLB or Pop.

 

[U2Kitten]

It's a good summer song, a good road trip song, a good I wanna get the hell outa here song.

 

[luvsU2]

It is also a good cheer up song. If I am in a bad mood when I listen to that song I am in a good mood by the end of the song

 

[forbonou2]

Yes-Beautiful Day is a gr-8 pick-me-up song! No matter what time of day..but i love the TGIF heading home with paycheck in the hand..time!! Can really start your weekend off right!

 

[discothequeLP]

I'm not sure that Beautiful Day can be called the new I Will Follow, but both are great songs. I don't think that they are the best, but they are very very good songs.

 

[beli]

I Will Follow is quite a passionate, raw, energetic, song IMHO.

Beautiful Day isnt. Its, to use a nasty word, 'Adult Contemporary

 

[babyman]

well, i will follow talks about bono's mother, beautiful day was inspired by jubilee 2000....i don't know, maybe you mean the riff reminds i will follow?

 

[Axver]

Frankly, I do want another October. Another Gloria and another Tomorrow would please me like you would not believe.

I Will Follow and Beautiful Day, though? They're totally different in my mind. I struggle to relate them.

 

[Bono's shades]

I Will Follow is quite a passionate, raw, energetic, song IMHO.

Beautiful Day isnt. Its, to use a nasty word, 'Adult Contemporary

That's just what I was going to say!

 

[Flying FuManchu]

The riff from Beautiful Day reminds me of I Will Follow's classic riff.

The use of harmonics to create atmosphere by Edge is prevalent in Beautiful Day as much as I Will Follow and its that ringing riff that holds the song together.

I Will Follow is huge in that aspect if not a perfect example of Edge's signature sound. There is the catch phrase that sort of is just a statement that made by Bono which give a sense of hope (i.e. "If , you walk away, walk away, walk away, I will follow" to "It's a beautiful day, etc...).

I Will Follow (or as I look at it) the beginning of U2. I always look at Beautiful Day as the beginning of the middle-aged U2 era (alright that part sounds goofy).

IMO, maybe themes are different but there is that undercurrent of hopefulness/ optimism in both song even with the negative circumstances mentioned in the songs. Of course a lot of U2 songs are like that, but unlike a song like I Still Haven't Found, One, etc. that have hope but its pretty hard to find.

 

[Flying FuManchu]

IMO more production zen-like optimism doesn't make a song bad. And adult contemporary has some great songs to boot.

With that said, I believe Beautiful Day is a more produced/ hammered out spawn of I Will Follow. Sort of U2's take on how they would do a song like I Will Follow but with more of the techniques and ideas they have learned over the years. A song too much the same as I Will Follow would be disappointing IMO.

I like Gloria and think Tomorrow is cool but the album October is is just lacking to me. Sonically its cool in some parts like Unforgettable Fire but the lyrics are not that great to me.

 

[Popmartijn]

I Will Follow is quite a passionate, raw, energetic, song IMHO.

Beautiful Day isnt. Its, to use a nasty word, 'Adult Contemporary

Beli, you are a very nice woman and I usually agree with you. This time, I don't.
While I don't know if it really is the I Will Follow of the 21st century (IWF is my favourite U2 song), it is a classic. Not 'adult contemporary', but a genuine uplifting rock song. Something we haven't got in a very long time (can you name another uplifting, joyous classic from the past few years, excluding Hey Ya! by OutKast?).

C ya!

Marty

 

[Flying FuManchu]

God, I need a spell/ grammar check...

 

[beli]

God, I need a spell/ grammar check...

I wouldnt worry about it. We can still understand you and thats the main thing.

Spell and grammar checkers are for work - this place is supposed to be fun.

 

[popacrobat]

i like beautfiul day way more than i will follow to be honest.

IWF is good, but eh, its not that great.

 

[Numb1075]

I see some similarities, but as for the music itself, I find Beautiful Day a lot more polished. IWF is much more raw and simplisitic sonically. Both songs rule though !

 

[Flying FuManchu]

Thats what I meant Numb1075. However they supposedly signify a start of an era in U2.