One Step Closer: The nearly-classic

[Mr. V]

OSC. It's a very good song, one of my favourites, but it can be made far better, if it's performed live.

You get the feeling listening to it that it's definitely building up to something - it was made to be performed live, basically.

The only things missing from this song are a life performance that features a second-half buildup ala RTSS, and a long vocal note held from the end of the song and the beginning of the next (like Slane AIWIY/Streets) - that being Streets.

Streets and OSC are both similar songs, content-wise, they're both personal songs, they've got a similar feel to them (well at least the start of Streets), and I think both songs could explode if done live, one after the other.

 

[U2girl]

I always wondered why they didn't play this live. It could be done acoustic, like The First time, or at least a lengthy snippet/combo with Sometimes.

 

[Alisaura]

The lyrics are beautiful... and I love the drums. Would have been nice to hear it live, I agree!

 

[ahittle]

I'm not a huge fan of the song, but one thing I do appreciate is that it doesn't reach for epic proportions. It seems like the U2 m.o. lately is to have a second-half (or b side) breather. I can dig that.

 

[Axver]

I think it's a real shame that OSC fell off the radar almost as soon as it was made. As far as I'm concerned, it's one of the best songs U2 has made in recent years and one of the very few in the last decade to really have a strong sense of atmosphere.

Though the challenge of reproducing that atmosphere or creating an appropriate new one to suit the live setting could have doomed any attempt at playing it live.

 

[butter7]

I'm a big fan of this song, and I won't blame them for not play this one live. I think they'd have ruined the song if they attempted. It just too hard to get the right atmosphere of this song in a concert.

For me this song is very very sad. I've never saw U2 wrote anything like this before, willing to give up, surrended.

 

[Dr. Lemonseed]

Yeah, I mean, it's really about looking straight into death, and being helpless. Dunno how uh...good an idea it would be to play live.

 

[Axver]

Yeah, I mean, it's really about looking straight into death, and being helpless. Dunno how uh...good an idea it would be to play live.

That sort of thematic stuff seems to work nicely enough for death metal bands live.

Now there's an interesting thought, One Step Closer covered by Opeth or Cynic ...

 

[The_Edge89]

OSC. It's a very good song, one of my favourites, but it can be made far better, if it's performed live.

I've done a medley mix where I've tuned One Step Closer down ½ a step like they usually do and also because it had to fit with Stay (Faraway, So Close!) from the Boston Elevation Tour and Kite from Slane.

http://www.save file.com/files/654410

I hope you like it.

 

[Aygo]

I always thought that a live version of this song would fit perfectly right before "Pride" in the place of RTSS in the last tour.
What a shame that neither the fans, neither U2 payed attention to this song.

 

[LemonMelon]

I like it. I used to find it dull (it's still too repetitive), but now it's grown on me. Good lyrics, nice guitar work at the beginning.

 

[1stepcloser]

One Step Closer covered by Opeth or Cynic ...

 

[Screwtape2]

One Step Closer is the ultimate "I miss Brian Eno" song. The subtle ambient nature of Eno would have turned this song into something special. Instead it's a boring peice of elevator music.

 

[ahittle]

One Step Closer is the ultimate "I miss Brian Eno" song. The subtle ambient nature of Eno would have turned this song into something special. Instead it's a boring peice of elevator music.

Don't know if I'd go that far . . . but excellent point on the Eno thing.

 

[ahittle]

Can someone here defend the "busy intersection" line? I always found that a really distracting attempt to cram a phrase into the meter of the song.

Maybe you can change my mind...

 

[jacobus]

OSC is the best song of the last album

 

[pop marter]

Theres something very haunting about the song. I love it.

 

[Mr. V]

That sort of thematic stuff seems to work nicely enough for death metal bands live.

Now there's an interesting thought, One Step Closer covered by Opeth or Cynic ...

And I got shot down for suggesting Arctic Monkeys cover Electric Co...

 

[Bones58]

1 step closar is teh dulz

 

[Alisaura]

Can someone here defend the "busy intersection" line? I always found that a really distracting attempt to cram a phrase into the meter of the song.

I quite like that line, and the whole traffic theme... maybe because I like driving?

"I'm on an island at a busy intersection" ... A pedestrian trapped in the midst of busy traffic, cars whizzing past on all sides, can't got forward, can't go back... I guess I kind of see that as a metaphor for life rushing past you, and maybe you feeling stuck, isolated in the middle of it all, for whatever reason. And as you're stuck there, you're watching life, the future, getting away from you, red tail-lights diminishing in the distance. And maybe, being stuck in that isolation, you don't much care at that moment?

I dunno, that's what came to mind anyway.

 

[Axver]

And I got shot down for suggesting Arctic Monkeys cover Electric Co...

Well, let's see: the Arctic Monkeys are talentless hacks who make utter dross, while Opeth and Cynic are comprised of extremely talented and knowledgeable musicians (Cynic's bassist has a PhD and teaches music theory at a university) who play very good music that is nonetheless a bit of an acquired taste.

 

[ahittle]

I quite like that line, and the whole traffic theme... maybe because I like driving?

"I'm on an island at a busy intersection" ... A pedestrian trapped in the midst of busy traffic, cars whizzing past on all sides, can't got forward, can't go back... I guess I kind of see that as a metaphor for life rushing past you, and maybe you feeling stuck, isolated in the middle of it all, for whatever reason. And as you're stuck there, you're watching life, the future, getting away from you, red tail-lights diminishing in the distance. And maybe, being stuck in that isolation, you don't much care at that moment?

I dunno, that's what came to mind anyway.

Oh, no, I like the imagery, but it always rankled me that he couldn't write it into the song more fluidly. I guess you could argue that he wanted "busy intersection" to stick out awkwardly, but it seems sloppy for Bono.

 

[Alisaura]

Fair call... although I didn't think it stuck out that badly. Is it the phrase itself or the number of syllables that makes it stick out to you?

 

[ahittle]

Fair call... although I didn't think it stuck out that badly. Is it the phrase itself or the number of syllables that makes it stick out to you?

I guess it's the syllables.


And now that I've put it in print, it seems like a pretty pedantic beef with the song. Just one of those little things that irks me.

Nevermind!

 

[Alisaura]

No worries
I was interested to read in Zootlesque's Bomb thread that he likes the way that line flows, I guess it's a personal thing

 

[butter7]

I quite like that line, and the whole traffic theme... maybe because I like driving?

"I'm on an island at a busy intersection" ... A pedestrian trapped in the midst of busy traffic, cars whizzing past on all sides, can't got forward, can't go back... I guess I kind of see that as a metaphor for life rushing past you, and maybe you feeling stuck, isolated in the middle of it all, for whatever reason. And as you're stuck there, you're watching life, the future, getting away from you, red tail-lights diminishing in the distance. And maybe, being stuck in that isolation, you don't much care at that moment?

I dunno, that's what came to mind anyway.

I like this line very much too, may be because I walked a lot and I actually got this kind of experience quite a lot too?

The first thing jumped in to my mind was a pedestrian stood there all alone in a raining day, and it's kind of helpless feeling.

You don't want to be there, you want to get moving, but you can't. And the rain is falling, everyone else is under a shelter (they are in the car), everyone else is moving, even they are so close, but they won't help you, they won't even bother to look at you or think of you, because they are busy with their lives, and it's your own problem to fix yours.

Sad and real, how I love this song.

 

[Irishteen]

One Step Closer is a really beautiful song and the lyrics are among the best on the Bomb. The imagery everything

P.S. I love the "busy intersection" line, personal taste I guess

 

[Hoodlem]

"some things you shouldn't get too good at..."

Now that is a terrible line that is embarassing to hear. The "intersection" line is pure poetry in comparison.

 

[LemonMelon]

"some things you shouldn't get too good at..."

Now that is a terrible line that is embarassing to hear. The "intersection" line is pure poetry in comparison.

 

[Alisaura]

^ Totally agree!