One Step Closer Appreciation Thread

[amerrydeath]

Probably my favorite off the Bomb. Surrounded by songs with mediocre (or just plain bad) lyrics, its own lyrics stand out in a good way.

 

[Nisse]

It's pretty good imo.

 

[Mogi]

One of my favs of of the Bomb. I also cannot understand why it is so hated. Has a little of the Velvet Underground and Leonard Cohen all mixed in. I actually wish U2 would make more of this kind of music (Million Dollar Soundtrack).

Sounds crazy, but I like to compare this song to "The Ocean". Both have the metaphor of water involved:

Washes my feet
Washed the feet
Splashes the soul of my shoes

One Step Closer:
I'm under the bridge and a rip-tide's taken
Everything I call my own


I'm on an island in a busy intersection
I can't go forward now, can't turn back
Can't see the future
It's getting away from me
I just watch the tail lights glowing


IMO, both are a contrast of looking forward in life to all the possibilities and one song looking back at what was and what could have been.

Seems like they both compliment each other.

 

[U2democrat]

OSC just started playing on iTunes...so good...

 

[Michael Griffiths]

I remember stating this was the (real) classic of Bomb when I first heard the album. Everyone was knocking the song, and I said, just wait....

I sometimes wished for the song to take off at the end, too, but I think U2 purposely restrained it for added power. You can just feel it wanting to climax...but this is a different kind of song. It ends just before you get to witness what comes after....one step closer to knowing, but never knowing. Kind of like life. If that makes any sense.

 

[bonocomet]

That makes perfect sense. Best description of the song I've ever heard.

 

[Michael Griffiths]

That makes perfect sense. Best description of the song I've ever heard.

Good, I'm glad I'm not totally out in the ether then! Thanks for the great compliment

 

[Reggie Thee Dog]

OSC is the sleeper of this album. It's one of those quiet songs that gets into your skin and deep in your brain. Someday most of the bashers here will wake up and say "man that is actually a great song". Seriously they will

 

[cobl04]

From the start, one of my favourites off Bomb. Fave lyric off the album, too.

My favourite lyric is an intellectual tortoise racing with your bullet train... but anyway...


I've always had a bit of a soft spot for this song. The vocal delivery is fantastic, but I've my opinion of it is the same as songs like Scarlet, The First Time, etc in that is just a nice song, not too much else.

I remember a thread someone started (axver maybe?) where the starter was asking why this song is bashed when other quiet songs such as Running to Stand Still are praised...and I replied that they break out in the final verse. Running to Stand Still climaxes in the final verse. In One Step Closer it always sounds like there's something trying to come out from underneath, but it never quite manages to.

 

[bonocomet]

Well, as MG said above, that's what makes the song work for me, it's a step closer to where it's going, but we don't get to know what's at the end, yet. I think it feels more unique this way.

 

[Aygo]

I remember stating this was the (real) classic of Bomb when I first heard the album. Everyone was knocking the song, and I said, just wait....

I sometimes wished for the song to take off at the end, too, but I think U2 purposely restrained it for added power. You can just feel it wanting to climax...but this is a different kind of song. It ends just before you get to witness what comes after....one step closer to knowing, but never knowing. Kind of like life. If that makes any sense.

Good post! I think that what makes the song good too is that people then listens to the album are expecting that OSC is the last song and that is closing the album, nobody is expecting to have such songs like OOTS and Yahweh after that making the closing duo.

 

[powerhour24]

"One Step Closer...for the longest time I just kind of skipped over it, then one time I just listened to it and realized how beautiful it is"

Same thing I did with this song, OOTS and Crumbs, big mistake as I loooove all three now haha.

 

[Mogi]

Could you imagine Johnny Cash singing this one? Of course he was gone when this came out, but almost sounds like it would have fit him perfectly.

 

[The Disciple]

Thought it was pure-filler when the album came out, but now I appreciate it more, and like playing it on guitar every once in a while...

 

[europop2005]

i think its a much more fitting tribute song then "SYCMIOYO" what i heard that it came from a conversation between B and one of the Gallaghers from Oasis just after his fathers funeral...I love it

 

[europop2005]

and does anyone think that Larry's drumming at the end resembles the drum of a funeral procession? or something very sad and morbid...I think its brilliant