Will The "Original Of The Species" Single Improve On The Album Version?

[mobvok]

Lemme help you out there, ShellBeThere. It definitely sounds like post Revolver era Beatles. Has echoes of Eleanor Rigby and the B-Side to Abbey Road, for one.

Of course, if Starvinmarvin has only ever heard Beatles songs like Help! and their earlier stuff I could see why he'd be confused.

 

[the tourist]

If they'd done things right they would have release Love And Peace Or Else instead of All Because Of You.

 

[Axver]

If they'd done things right they would have release Love And Peace Or Else instead of All Because Of You.

If they'd done things right, they'd have actually done promotion in the US after the release of Vertigo and HTDAAB.

It's no wonder ABOY, SYCMIOYO, and COBL didn't take off.

I still think LAPOE should follow OOTS. Get two more singles out of this thing: LAPOE during the US leg and Miracle Drug early in the new year when they come down here.

 

[the tourist]

Not like there will be b-sides other than live and remixes anyway....

 

[Earnie Shavers]

It's an adult contemprorary anthem. It will be interesting to see how it goes. I don't think the Elton John comment was supposed to mean it sounds like Elton John, but that it will appeal to that market. Personaly I think it will land somewhere between there and the older end of the Robbie Williams-type market. The kind of market that thinks a song like Ronan Keatings "When You Say Nothing At All" is a really great song. That means it could still sell very well. Still, if I were U2 I'd be telling that market to fuck right off and would hate nothing more than to be lumped into that "I love cats, gossip mags and Hugh Grant films" grouping, and I'd release a barnstorming Love & Peace and try and appeal to the right end of the market, something that so far hasn't not been done at all with this album.

 

[U2girl]

Original of the species sounds nothing like Elton John nor U2-by-the-numbers. It sounds very Beatles-like.

 

[the tourist]

Still, if I were U2 I'd be telling that market to fuck right off and would hate nothing more than to be lumped into that "I love cats, gossip mags and Hugh Grant films" grouping, and I'd release a barnstorming Love & Peace and try and appeal to the right end of the market, something that so far hasn't not been done at all with this album.

Great post!

 

[the tourist]

Original of the species sounds nothing like Elton John nor U2-by-the-numbers. It sounds very Beatles-like.

Agreed.

 

[Axver]

Not like there will be b-sides other than live and remixes anyway....

Unless they cobbled stuff up in the studio recently.

Really, I don't see why they don't just put songs from the iTunes Rarities package on singles as b-sides. I'd love a lossless Smile or Flower Child.

 

[bedouin fire]

It's an adult contemprorary anthem. It will be interesting to see how it goes. I don't think the Elton John comment was supposed to mean it sounds like Elton John, but that it will appeal to that market. Personaly I think it will land somewhere between there and the older end of the Robbie Williams-type market. The kind of market that thinks a song like Ronan Keatings "When You Say Nothing At All" is a really great song. That means it could still sell very well. Still, if I were U2 I'd be telling that market to fuck right off and would hate nothing more than to be lumped into that "I love cats, gossip mags and Hugh Grant films" grouping, and I'd release a barnstorming Love & Peace and try and appeal to the right end of the market, something that so far hasn't not been done at all with this album.

thank you for the exact explanation about my elton john comment. despite it was obvious, it looks that it's better to explain it in the way you did. i coudn't say better.

and just for the ones defending the song for sounding like the beatles, i still didn't understand why the hell does that make it better.

 

[U2Man]

OOTS is definitely a Beatlesque tune. Just listen to the bridge...."I give you all the things that you want..."-part, even a casual Beatles fan would know what I mean.

Elton John, though, is not there at all. Can't see how people could bring him up here?

I was actually quite surprised that U2 could write anything so Beatlesque as OOTS, but they did, and the result is absolutely wonderful.

 

[U2girl]

People really need to let go of the notion rock bands should be afraid of popularity and chart success, and that "pop" automatically means bad music.

 

[scottyT]

ax, you're right they didn't promote any of those other songs.... huge mistake. HUGE. COBL could have been wonderful. Sometimes could have been too. it seems they release the wrong songs at the wrong time of year.... Sometimes should have been winter.... ABOY summer. COBL springish or summer...... it just makes sense.

 

[MumblingBono]

It has nothing to do with the seasons, or the lack of promotion. The songs just aren't very good.

OOTS should have been the 2nd single. Crumbs 3rd. Sometimes 4th. Then, a new album.

 

[popacrobat]

Crumbs as a single? no way.

 

[Aygo]

I've read in 2 or 3 sites (one of them is Portuguese) that the band is re-recording OOTS with the orchestra but that's a song to be included in the next single that those sites claim to be "All Because Of You". I have some doubts about the credibility of this information, but it'd be a huge commercial tactic to release a double single like "All Because Of You // Original Of The Species (single version)", and a different kind of promotion. Then if it was the last single, it'd give the taste for the next album (and consequent singles).

But I think that 6 singles could be easily released. In my opinion shoud be "Love And Peace Or Else" and "Yahweh".

 

[Axver]

It has nothing to do with the seasons, or the lack of promotion.

Yes it does! Compare the results of Vertigo, a song with tonnes of promotion, to the results of COBL, a song with absolutely none. Sure, Vertigo had the advantage of being the lead single, but COBL hasn't been promoted at all, and if you don't promote a single, of course it's not going to do well! If people don't know it's out there, why would they request it?

Also, releasing it with some legit b-sides would definitely help sales, even if it were just an iTunes package, say COBL/B-side/Live track/Live track for $3. It'd soar up the charts.

 

[Swan269]

:
Also, releasing it with some legit b-sides would definitely help sales, even if it were just an iTunes package, say COBL/B-side/Live track/Live track for $3. It'd soar up the charts.

I strongly agree......don't remix me anymore....give me your leftovers..........

 

[Nube Gris]

Just as it is will be a hit
The album version is incredible!
Down here its all over the radio

 

[U2DMfan]

I dont think the US is going to get OOTS until probably September.

I just saw COBL on MTV here (had already seen it on VH1) and it was labeled "brand spanking new"

I think this OOTS single is going to Europe or Oz or somewhere else. Maybe a smaller market.
It's possible they are going to float it out there and see how well it does.

I think the band knows the US is basically not interested in their singles, so it's no big deal if COBL continues to drag along here.
It doesn't really cost them anything to lightly promote a single.

 

[phanan]

I think, for the U.S., U2 should do a special EP like they did a few years back with the Target promotion CD called 7. Say the next single is OOTS - use the new single version of it, put only the good B-sides together (Are You Gonna Wait Forever, Neon Lights, Fast Cars), and add some of the stuff from iTunes like Smile. That would be a great disc, and I think it would do well.

 

[starvinmarvin]

I think, for the U.S., U2 should do a special EP like they did a few years back with the Target promotion CD called 7. Say the next single is OOTS - use the new single version of it, put only the good B-sides together (Are You Gonna Wait Forever, Neon Lights, Fast Cars), and add some of the stuff from iTunes like Smile. That would be a great disc, and I think it would do well.

Great Idea

 

[LMP]

I think, for the U.S., U2 should do a special EP like they did a few years back with the Target promotion CD called 7. Say the next single is OOTS - use the new single version of it, put only the good B-sides together (Are You Gonna Wait Forever, Neon Lights, Fast Cars), and add some of the stuff from iTunes like Smile. That would be a great disc, and I think it would do well.

Do you think it would be better as a physical CD or iTunes only? or both?

 

[BigMacPhisto]

If they'd done things right, they'd have actually done promotion in the US after the release of Vertigo and HTDAAB.

It's no wonder ABOY, SYCMIOYO, and COBL didn't take off.

This was the best promoted album............well, ever? TV ads constantly airing around the world for both the album and iTunes....you can't beat that. Radio airplay is the only thing that'll get the songs off the ground and sell the album, there's nothing the band could've done to get more play really. There's no point in releasing these tracks as singles here in the States just so that the band can make the Billboard chart.......it's just financially stupid, and anyone buying the singles already owns the album. The promotion was well done for the album, but it's quick chart drop (or quick compared to ATYCLB) is due to the various radio formats that limit most of the song's airplay potential.

 

[LMP]

ATYCLB came out at the right place, at the right time. And that emotional click carried it's sales for a while.

How to Dismantle has had the iTunes thing and the Brooklyn Bridge concert to carry it's popularity in the minds of the public, then Fity Cent had a new album and almsot all was forgotten

 

[Axver]

This was the best promoted album............well, ever? TV ads constantly airing around the world for both the album and iTunes....you can't beat that. Radio airplay is the only thing that'll get the songs off the ground and sell the album, there's nothing the band could've done to get more play really. There's no point in releasing these tracks as singles here in the States just so that the band can make the Billboard chart.......it's just financially stupid, and anyone buying the singles already owns the album. The promotion was well done for the album, but it's quick chart drop (or quick compared to ATYCLB) is due to the various radio formats that limit most of the song's airplay potential.

Talking about the States, sure, the album had heaps of promotion when it came out, but since then, it's been simply appalling. U2 haven't pushed singles like City Of Blinding Lights AT ALL. SYCMIOYO only got a single live performance to push it. No wonder neither went anywhere.

 

[Swan269]

Crumbs as a single? no way.

if numb can be released as a single; what couldn't be released from them in the future?

 

[phanan]

Do you think it would be better as a physical CD or iTunes only? or both?

Well, you can already get the B-sides on iTunes, and of course songs like Smile are only available there at this time.

So I'm thinking a physical CD, tied in as a promotion with a store, either Target again, or perhaps Best Buy. It worked really well with the "7" CD back in 2002. Since the U.S. doesn't get actual singles anymore (because the record companies here are idiots), it was a good way to pick up the B-sides and alternate versions of songs all on one CD, and promote the current radio single as well. The same could be done now, and the sound quality would be better than iTunes.