Best Song Survivor: Boy Round One

[cobl04]

The fact that 11 O'Clock Tick Tock was omitted from the album may be U2's worst mistake of that period. If that song was on the record, I'd definitely look at the album differently.

The studio version is pretty uninspiring if you ask me.

 

[djerdap]

I like it, it has that claustrophobic Martin Hannett production that made Joy Division what it is, but they could have re-recorded it as well.

 

[LemonMelon]

Yeah, I can't stand the studio version of 11 O Clock Tick Tock. Pretty flat and lifeless, lacking the punch of the Boy tracks that would surround it if it were fit in there. Live is a different story.

Shadows and Tall Trees is excellent. Reminds me of first hearing that album at 11 years old and doing a lot of walking around my street, not having a lot of friends and lacking direction. A lot of my current hobbies and talents I hadn't picked up yet, so I spent a lot of time thinking and being depressed. "Do you feel in me/anything redeeming/any worthwhile feeling/is love like a tightrope/hanging from the ceiling?" really resonates with me, and I think the surreal imagery in the verses is pretty ear-catching. Kudos to Lillywhite for giving that haunting quality to Larry's drums. Sounds awesome.

 

[cobl04]

That line you're talking about, followed by the "I know, I know..."s, on top of Larry's drums, is probably my favourite moment on the entire album.

 

[Axver]

Yeah, the 11OTT single was recorded before the Boy sessions, so I imagine that had it been on the album, it would've been re-recorded just like they did with Twilight, Out Of Control, Stories For Boys, A Day Without Me, ATAP, and S&TT. I have no doubt it would have been improved and would have reflected more the quality of the live version, just like all the other re-recorded tracks did.

I suppose the reason 11OTT wasn't considered like all those other songs were, was because it had been the a-side to a very, very recent single. Just like how they didn't re-do Another Day. The only song they re-recorded for Boy that had actually been released already in 1980 was Twilight, and that was just as a b-side taken from an old and terrible demo. It obviously needed to be improved. Thank god they did; I don't think any other U2 song has had such a positive and dramatic turn-around in quality.

 

[gvox]

11 O clock on Boy would put it in the top 4.

 

[LemonMelon]

Street Mission really should have been polished up and thrown on there. Edge's solo is epic.

 

[djerdap]

I could never get the fascination with that solo. It's not bad, but the guitar-playing is far more generic than what Edge came up with later on.

 

[digitize]

I think I need to listen to this album again. To me, it's just... kind of overall uninteresting. And it's hard for me to vote because most songs are all kind of tied as "boring and forgettable" to me. I probably need to try to re-evaluate.

 

[LemonMelon]

I could never get the fascination with that solo. It's not bad, but the guitar-playing is far more generic than what Edge came up with later on.

The tone wasn't there, but the solo itself is great.

An Cat Dubh/Into The Heart alone makes the album not qualify as "forgettable and boring."

 

[bonocomet]

...

An Cat Dubh/Into The Heart alone makes the album not qualify as "forgettable and boring."

Yes. The first time I ever heard that, I almost couldn't believe what I was hearing. Highlight of the album for me. Maybe even the first 2 albums.

 

[brooklynmike]

A kick in the balls for Shadows and Tall Trees

 

[Axver]

And it's hard for me to vote because most songs are all kind of tied as "boring and forgettable" to me.

We are no longer friends.

 

[digitize]

We are no longer friends.

But I'm planning on listening again to hopefully make myself like the album! It's been quite awhile since I've listened to it in full.

 

[Axver]

But I'm planning on listening again to hopefully make myself like the album! It's been quite awhile since I've listened to it in full.

Every time I listen to it these days, it honestly gets closer and closer to UF in my opinion. Such a strong, consistent debut with some of their best tracks, and definitely one of the best post-punk albums ever made. It's really stood the test of time and the test of over-playing for me. I'm trying to remember the last time I listened to a U2 album in full that was not called Boy or UF and I can't remember.

 

[the tourist]

I know I'm going to be disappointed but I want Another Time, Another Place to be one of Boy's representations.

 

[An Cat Gav]

Really really tough, I love all these songs, but A Day Without me only came to life when played live, especialy later with ITABTAW.

 

[Axver]

Really really tough, I love all these songs, but A Day Without me only came to life when played live, especialy later with ITABTAW.

One of the best U2 segues, and on paper it doesn't even seem that plausible.

One of my pipe dreams is that they would do that again one day. Emphasis on "pipe dreams".

 

[Nick66]

WTF is this?

The Ocean kicks ass.

 

[digitize]

WTF is this?

The Ocean kicks ass.

The Ocean gets points from me for referencing one of my favorite books.

 

[Vlaco]

One of the best U2 segues, and on paper it doesn't even seem that plausible.

One of my pipe dreams is that they would do that again one day. Emphasis on "pipe dreams".

The Brick-A Day Without Me sequence is awesome.

 

[gvox]

One of my pipe dreams is that they would do that again one day. Emphasis on "pipe dreams".

Take your two puffs and pass, mate...I wanna believe in this one too!


Oh, and Bono's guitar playing on this one is pretty cool too..even if it's just a coupla chords...he's playing a Strat, which is badass in itself.

 

[gvox]

It's been quite awhile since I've listened to it in full.

Jesus christ, I wonder how many more people here similarly had not listened to Boy in quite awhile when they recently voted it out to the benefit of other, lesser, albums! Good grief!