One Step Closer Vs. The First Time

[Zoots]

Which one is better? Which one do you prefer? I have listened to both tracks back to back twice now and still can't decide! On 'The First Time', I like those lines about his father, brother & lover and of course that falsetto which is missing from One Step Closer. But the latter has a fuller tune (more melody) and great lyrics too.

side note: If you think One Step Closer would've been a better choice to end the Bomb, what do you think about the Wanderer then? Better than First Time?

 

[Axver]

Oooh, that's a horribly tough choice to make. When I saw the thread title, I thought One Step Closer, but then when I started writing, I thought The First Time, and now I just can't choose.

Both are subtle and wonderful tunes.

 

[intedomine]

One Step Closer

I can't really pinpoint why I think it is better, but at the moment if I had to choose which song I'd rather listen to, I'd choose One Step Closer. I prefer the lyrics in OSC.

I'm happy with yahweh ending the bomb and happy with wanderer ending zooropa.

The First Time as an album closer didn't seem to "feel right" for me on the 90-00 best of.

 

[phanan]

The First Time

 

[XHendrix24]

The First Time. Sheer beauty.

 

[miss becky]

The First Time. Although one of the most accessible songs on Zooropa, it was ironically enough the one I disliked the most at first. Now, however, I love it. I love the build to the driving piano at the end.

One Step Closer suffers from clunky-lyric syndrome. It could have used a rewrite or two, before being recorded.

 

[D'oh!]

The First Time. Fabulous song......

 

[shaun vox]

seriously is "one step closer" even considered a song???

 

[jacobus]

can't decide...i like both they have that special acrid beauty.
the same with GRACE

 

[Palace_Hero]

The First Time.

Better than any other atmospheric piece they've done, a real underrated classic.

 

[Ellay]

Neither, they'll never be in my top thirty.

 

[Aardvark747]

The First Time, easily. So beautiful.

 

[ZeroDude]

The First Time

 

[U2girl]

Can't pick, both are great atmpospheric gems. (I think Running to stand still is also a similar kind of song)

 

[JJJ Frenzy]

Can't pick, both are great atmpospheric gems. (I think Running to stand still is also a similar kind of song)

agreeD that they're atmosphreric gems. kinda disagree about running to stand still - unliKe the other 2 its a guitar piece ie: the guitar provides a beat. still running to stand still is a great song and one which i regularly play on the guitar...
for those interested...
D G
and so she woke up, woke up from where she was, lying still, said i
D G
gotta do something about where we're going ....
......singing
A C G
ah, ah la la la de day
A C G D G
ah la la la de day, ah la la de day

pretty simple huh! but i think it in 6/8 time lol

Marty

dang! my spaces got screwed! but i think u can work it out

 

[misiek]

easily The First Time...no contest IMHO

 

[bedouin fire]

probably these are the two most similar u2 songs in their whole catalogue.

"one step closer to knowing" is more deep and means more to me than "for the first time i feel love", so as a song i think i prefer osc.

on other hand, thinking of the beautiful moment in the opening sequence of the million dollar hotel (the movie) with "the first time" as the soundtrack, i might change my mind

 

[bsp77]

The First Time - no question

 

[POP-ROMANCER]

I never liked The first time, so I was very surprised to see that song on the best of.. above the fly. I think one step closer is one of the worse on HTDAAB but I think one step closer is better. Especially on the end of the song at the chorus when the bass drum comes in, that's beautiful!

 

[TheBrazilianFly]

Defenity One Step Closer. Beautiful songs both of them but I like OSC more.

 

[Layton]

I guess I'll pick One Step Closer. It seems richer. First Time never struck a chord with me. It's pretty much just a boring recital until the end.

 

[Catman]

One Step Closer, no contest. I could listen to that song all day

 

[Canadiens1131]

I'd say One Step Closer, but only because Bono does some cool little "put put put" noises quietly before the song gets going.

 

[Achtung Joshua!]

I love the piano build up and lyrics on The First Time.

 

[messkell]

Definitely, the first time...it has an uplifting tempo change towards the end...osc is flat, and uninteresting...

 

[ponkine]

THE FIRST TIME. Period

I really don´t know how someone come to compare both songs . The closest song to One Step Closer is Grace, so let´s compare both "songs" if you want it, but really don´t try to match them with such musical pieces as The First Time . Moreover, some people - from magazines reviews - even tried to compare One Step Closer with Running To Stand Still, that´s simply unforgivable . One Step Closer is just 3:51 ( the same lenght that Pride... nowhere near Pride... ) of nothing at all, another filler song. Plus Bono sings like s**t. Why does he pretend to sing with "Passion" and "Heart" by singing raspy, lazy, half- asleep, weak and crappy ?. I really can´t stand that.

I´m sorry but Running To Stand Still and The First Time are out of this world

Peace

 

[Sleep Over Jack]

Oooh, that's a horribly tough choice to make. When I saw the thread title, I thought One Step Closer, but then when I started writing, I thought The First Time, and now I just can't choose.

Both are subtle and wonderful tunes.

I feel the same, I can't decide which is better, they are both really good songs, and also very similar.

 

[Roland of Gilead]

The First Time!

It has aged well. A classic that sounds better today than it did when it first came out. Hard to say how OSC will compare in 10 years time.

 

[Bono's shades]

One Step Closer is a good song, but I think The First Time is much stronger both musically and lyrically.

 

[1stepcloser]

The First Time

I think i'll go and put Zooropa on shuffle now