The First Time

[melon]

Okay...I do find this a bit strange. For a song that U2 has never played live (in its entirety) nor released as a single, this song has been on three releases: Zooropa, Million Dollar Hotel soundtrack, and now the Best of 1990-2000.

Admittedly, I love this song to death, so I'm happy it keeps on reappearing; but what do you think of this song?

Melon

 

[Zoocoustic]

I like the song, but it's nothing special. It is the exact same chord progression as "All I Want Is You", so I don't think of it as having taken the band much time to write...the lyrics are great though.

Is it really "this good"? I'm not sure what you mean by that, but while I would say it is good, I wouldn't say it's worthly to be included on the new Best Of CD instead of Lemon, The Fly or WGRYWH.

 

[Whats The Story?]

The Fly is on the best of. The First Tims... I really like this tune, but I'd have loved So Cruel and/or Ground Beneath Her Feet to have been on this collection.

 

[oliveu2cm]

Yes, amazing song.

Playing it live (First Time) or putting it on an album (HMTMKMKM) doesn't mean it ain't a great song.

Kudos to U2 for including it.

 

[partygirl]

I really like it. It is evocative, dark, and has a meloncholy to it as well.

 

[zooropamanda]

Ive always adored the First Time but really if this IS a Best of..how do they put it on there over Th Fly? Its just quite bizarre.
Im not complaining, i love the song. I just would like to know why U2 made certain choices.
C'mon boys, put up a detailed list of why each song was chosen for the album so we can all get some sleep at night will ya?

 

[Bono's shades]

My guess is the band put it on the Best Of because they love the song and want to give it more exposure - after all, how many people besides U2 fanatics bought the Million Dollar Hotel soundtrack?

Anyway, I have no complaints. I love The First Time.

 

[walkon11]

Since I got Zooropa, it has been one of my favorite U2 songs...beautiful, haunting, and dark...many of the other descriptions posted fit here too...wonderful tune!

 

[pinkfloyd]

it's a good song , but Please and The Fly are more interesting .

 

[BAW]

I think its beautiful...that's all I can say

 

[Giant Lemon]

My guess is the band put it on the Best Of because they love the song and want to give it more exposure - after all, how many people besides U2 fanatics bought the Million Dollar Hotel soundtrack?

The First Time was originally on Zooropa, though. I think that if they wanted to include a song from the MDH soundtrack they should've picked TGBHF.

I love The First Time, but I do think it's kind of weird that they put it on The Best Of.

 

[mocool12]

I'm actually really pleased that they put it on the Best Of.. Yeah i'm sad they left of a couple others, but man.. i don't know. just listening to it now i remember how much i've always loved it... the simple swelling of the piano at the end just gets me i tells ya.

 

[theSoulfulMofo]

The Fly didn't age well... so says the Edge.

The First Time--

I imagine that this song must be a meaningful song in relation to where they at in the 90s... the lifestyle, the partying, the cabaret, etc. etc. My father is a rich man/ He wears a rich man's cloak/ Gave me the keys to his kingdom coming/ Gave me a cup of gold// He said I have many mansions/ And there are many rooms to see/ But I left by the back door/ And I threw away the key

 

[Tech]

It is interesting that they decide to put the song in this cd; but I think that it works, especially as the last song. It for some reason gives it a sense of completion to the whole disc. Anyway that's my opinion

 

[Hawkmoon1021]

Good question. I wasn't really that taken with it when I first heard Zooropa. In fact, it was probably my least favorite on the album...probably still is. I appreciate the song more now especially after listening to it on the MDH album. It's a good song, but I can take it or leave it depending when I'm listening to it. I was very surprised to see it on the Best of. There are several other tracks I would that I think are better suited to the Best of such as TGBHF, Lemon, Last Night On Earth or Please, but that's just my opinion.

 

[EPandAmerica]

whatbonowantsbonogets

The song is like the teachers pet , and the teacher is very proud of this student, thus passing over other students that are acting out.

<----still that The Fly was not included on ALL versions.

 

[madonna's child]

Yeah, actually, it is. It's simplicity is so startiling compared to the rest of the album. I love it as the closer.

 

[Clark W. Griswold Jr]

The Fly didn't age well... so says the Edge.

It's too bad they didn't come up with a new mix that reflected how the song was presented on the Elevation Tour.

 

[ultraviolet353]

LOVE the song!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

...but shouldn't be on this Best of Disc.

 

[ishkash]

It fitted so well on Million Dollar Hotel the movie, as if Wim Wenders scripted that scene to make a video for the song. By default I like these type of U2 songs, very dreamy.

 

[brettig]

Its a message song people...

Thematically The First Time is representative of the era, very much like the Wanderer. That I think is why its on the album, you have EBTTRT at the start of the set, which is representative of the bright lights/bells n whistles aspect of the 90s, whereas this harps on the approach U2 took to higher themes.

'I left by the back door and I threw away the key...' but 'for the first time I feel love'. Theres a bit of a rejection/renewal thing going on there, something U2 really explored during the 90s. Other lyrics spring to mind - 'how far you gonna go before you lose your way back home', 'looking for baby jesus under the trash'. The First Time made the cut for reasons above and beyond its mere standing as a song I reckon.

 

[AM]

No, no, no !

it?s gonna be like with the ATYCLB album - I?ll skip the last song (TGBHF does not belong on ATYCLB)

 

[A Maaaaaaan]

It`s a great song!
You can realy feel the conflict between father and son at the end of the song.
This song touches me, because I think that the different melodies in the backround represent the feelings of the different characters so perfectly.

 

[UltravioletU2]

I don't particularily enjoy the song and it definitely does not belong on the Best Of.

U2 has so many more colourful and talented songs...why include this one?

I agree with the many others...The Fly or Lemon should have been on instead.

 

[U2Soar]

A great song but it should have been the hidden track at the end to complement and contrast with October from the Best Of 80s

 

[Roland of Gilead]

Not the best U2 song in the world and certainly not on too many people's "Top 20 U2 Songs of 90's" list. However, that being said, there is no denying how great this track is as an album closer on the Best Of. My first reaction, like the general reaction it seems, was "how could this be here over Wild Horses, Lemon, and the Fly!?!?" My reaction has changed since. I don't think any of those songs could of closed the Best Of any better than The First Time. It is a bittersweet track that fits well at the end of an album.