Rate the Song: Beautiful Day

[digitize]

The 90s are over! We are almost done with this competition. Today begins the first voting round of the 2000s, as we rate the first half of All That You Can't Leave Behind.

Please rate Beautiful Day on a scale from 0 to 10, using whatever criteria you feel allows you to best evaluate the song as a whole. I will not set criteria for people to based on, but if you feel like your best evaluation of the merits of a song comes from voting only based on, say, the studio version, go right ahead and vote that way. Full information on the Rate The Song series may be found in this thread.

Have fun! This poll will close in 96 hours.

 

[Galeongirl]

10. Great riff, nice effects, good singalong. Very uplifting.



Minor irk is that it's nearly NEVER announced by the title by radio DJs and regular people. They always title it "It's a beautiful day".

 

[digitize]

Minor irk is that it's nearly NEVER announced by the title by radio DJs and regular people. They always title it "It's a beautiful day".

It could be worse... I often hear Streets called "The Streets With No Names"

 

[Galeongirl]

That's pretty bad.

 

[Globo14]

One of their best. There couldn't have been a better comeback single. Huge chorus, awesome riff, great lyrics and vocals.

10.

 

[gareth brown]

what globo14 said

couldn't have been a better comeback - and its definitely one of those songs that's just ten times better live

 

[Nick66]

U2 emerges from the dark days with a gorgeous, confident and inspired explosion of sound. Their first song on their third masterpiece, Beautiful Day may not be the best song U2 ever recorded, but it's certainly their most important, that's fairly non-debatable. The song that firmly re-established their "comeback", made them the biggest band of the world, again, won back old fans, gained legions of new ones, and and set the stage and tone for the next ten years. Just how critical this song has been to U2's career can't be overstated.

On its music merits alone, it's probably 9, but because, like One, it holds a unique place in U2's catalogue, giving this any less than a 10 is probably sacrilege.

A beautiful, green and blue, mentioning China without stocks, 10.

 

[Niceman]

I dunno. I think I Will Follow may have been more important. Or With or Without You. Or One, etc etc etc.

 

[Nick66]

I dunno. I think I Will Follow may have been more important. Or With or Without You. Or One, etc etc etc.

Nope. You can argue that those songs are "better" than BD, and of course you could argue that I Will Follow is their most important song over any other because it was their first hit, I guess...but then you could say that about any bands first hit.

But, placing BD in the context of where U2 was career wise, and the impact it had, there really isn't a more important song.

 

[alanah]

One of their best. There couldn't have been a better comeback single. Huge chorus, awesome riff, great lyrics and vocals.

10.

 

[djerdap]

I always found the chorus corny and the whole song musically uninteresting. It did take off live during the Elevation tour, which was where I appreciated it the most, but afterwards it just got more and more tired and uninspiring. Last but not least, it did bring about what I find by far to be the worst era in U2's music. Never liked the song that much, and my feeling about it gradually got worse - which is one of the main flaws of this album. It feels like the cheapest possible bubble gum you can find.

And to call it U2's most important song - I'm in the mood for some pot today so feel free to tell me what the fuck it is you're smoking.

6 at best.

 

[An Cat Gav]

10.

This song is pretty much perfect.

 

[LadySpinHead]

Bono's most conflicted lyrics are often his best. Optimism within a bad situation, without being saccharine or preachy. This song can lift me even at my my lowest: 10

 

[lazarus]

I always found the chorus corny and the whole song musically uninteresting. It did take off live during the Elevation tour, which was where I appreciated it the most, but afterwards it just got more and more tired and uninspiring. Last but not least, it did bring about what I find by far to be the worst era in U2's music. Never liked the song that much, and my feeling about it gradually got worse - which is one of the main flaws of this album. It feels like the cheapest possible bubble gum you can find.

And to call it U2's most important song - I'm in the mood for some pot today so feel free to tell me what the fuck it is you're smoking.

6 at best.

Never a big fan of this song. It's pleasant, and safe. The verses are decent, the chorus is soaring but shallow.

One of my least favorites on the album.

 

[trevgreg]

10.

This song is pretty much perfect.

Bingo.

 

[theedgeu2]

10. Best song on ATYCLB. And definitely one that a ton of young teens/kids can recognize. I've found that a lot of teens really enjoy this.

 

[lemonfly]

Easily their best single of the 00's. 9

 

[flybabe]

It's such a feel good song. Listening to it while stuck in traffic makes that urge to ram into cars in front of you just a little less, also giving it isn't raining. 9.

 

[LemonMelon]

The 90s are over!

This one is dope though, of course. The sugary, slick production and the slight electro dalliance that that rears its ugly head here and there hold back what is otherwise a great, great rock song with a killer chorus. I like it more live. 9 for this though.

 

[corianderstem]

I don't love this one as much as everyone else. It lacks oomph. When the bass kicks in a bit more at the "What you don't have you don't need it now" part, it feels like that's what's missing from the rest of the song.

I kind of hate that it's become such an anthemic U2 song, because ... well, it's not anthemic enough. The verses are a little too low-key, and the chorus has that choppy little rhythm that makes it hard to do your U2 Thing to, you know?

all that said, I certainly don't hate it or anything.

 

[GirlsAloudFan]

Tune.

 

[GirlsAloudFan]

The 90s are over!

Zoots!

 

[Globo14]

and the chorus has that choppy little rhythm that makes it hard to do your U2 Thing to, you know?

This sounds... interesting. Can you elaborate, please?

 

[corianderstem]

Your U2 Thing may vary.

I think of hearing it in concerts, and I like to jump up and down, or even, yes, pump my damned fist in the air. It's difficult to do it to this song.

I think the intro is my favorite part, and the little instrumental part before the "see the world in green and blue" middle bit. And then when the bass kicks in properly at the end.

 

[LemonMelon]

What you don't have
You don't need it now
What you don't know
You can feel it somehow

Shouted over the explosive backing, right as the song has finally crested to its rocking peak...that's one of the Great U2 Moments. Perfect pop arrangement, with the bridge right where it needs to be and with an outro more than ample for ending the song on a rocking high note. Compare it to Stand Up Comedy and notice how natural it all feels. It's more or less what I define as a well-written song, even if it is too restrained in spots and limited by glossy production.

 

[corianderstem]

Yeah, that's the good part for sure.

I just wish it reached a better peak in the chorus.

But anyway, like I said, I don't dislike it. I just find it underwhelming, and that disappoints me.

 

[j72]

I agree with Nick a lot about the comeback bit and it made me smile and feel good the way they were back with a capital B but the song has never fully captured me. I wish it would. Love the bit at the end of the song on the Elevation DVD though. Bono posesssed with life and mantra.

This comment from Corianderstem captures a lot of my feelings along with the sense it lacks a certain sparkle and oopmth. Feels a bit huge but empty a lot of the time, occasionaly grabbing and lifting me at other times.

"I think the intro is my favorite part, and the little instrumental part before the "see the world in green and blue" middle bit. And then when the bass kicks in properly at the end".

7, 8.5 when it first came out.





I would like to hear Edges guitar riff so much more to the forefront too on the album.

 

[Globo14]

Ahh, now I understand the U2 Thing.

I also agree about the best part of the song there. It's so perfect.

 

[prbiker15]

No words. The best song on ATYCLB, one of my favorite U2 songs - easily in the Top 10. Everything about it is just perfect. Easy 10.

 

[BlueSilkenSky]

9. I just keep forgetting how awesome this song is, listen to it again, have this burst of clarity- and then later I forget again...