One Step Closer to Knowing Appreciation

[Jdelbove]

I realy realy like this song always have ever since I first heard it. I think is one of Bono's best lyrics. Pretty depressing though my friend described it as suicide music lol.

love this line - Well, the heart that hurts, Is the heart that beats, Can you hear the drummer drumming - Love the connection between the beat of a heart and the slowing beat of a drum signalling death or the end of life.

The music is interesting an off beat especialy for HTDAAB. Realy like when the drums come in towards the end. Bono vocal delivery is spot on deeper and lower then most of the album, realy delicately sung.

The only thing I would add is some sort of vocal climax in the musical break between the 2 verse and the finale somthing like the falsetto part from RTSS.

 

[BVS]

I think it does have some rather poignant moments...

Although it does leave me wanting more sometimes, a build or a swell.

But who knows sometimes the best songs are that way.

 

[MsMofoGone]

It took me quite awhile to actually listen to this song ... but, the more I hear it, the more I've started to like it.

 

[fca780]

yeah..first time I heard it, hate it, some listenings later and some reading about it in U2 by U2 and it made me addicted to it!
love it now..sometimes it just stucks in my head all day long...haha
-FCA

 

[kingofsorrow]

this song took a while for me to like it. the line's :

""I'm 'round the corner from anything that's real
I'm across the road from hope
I'm under a bridge in a rip tide
That's taken everything I call my own"

"I'm on an island at a busy intersection
I can't go forward, I can't turn back
Can't see the future
It's getting away from me
I just watch the tail lights glowing"

"I'm hanging out to dry
With my old clothes
Finger still red with the prick of an old rose"

just hit so hard to home, it breaks my heart.

 

[U2girl]

Underrated gem of the album. It reminds me of First time.

I would only change the repetitive "one step closer to knowing" finish with different lines.

 

[BonoFox1]

I LOVE this song!!!! I have since I first heard it...I read that he got the title from Noel Gallagher upon a conversation between both Bono and Noel about Bob Hewson..Bono was worried that his father didnt have too much time and needed to get right with God (something like that) and Noel said "well he is one step closer to knowing"

 

[jacobus]

its the best song of their last album. OSC is awesome. i like it!

 

[AchtungGirl219]

just hit so hard to home, it breaks my heart.

- I know.

I can't describe this song. I don't know why, but it just captures that period when one is so close to death so well, it gives me the chills and makes me incredibly sad. I've heard people call it boring or repetitive, but I think it's this repetiveness that evokes the sort of half-life one experiences on their death bed, when their life is like a flickering candle waiting to be blown out...

"I'm on an island at a busy intersection
I can't go forward, I can't turn back
Can't see the future
It's getting away from me
I just watch the tail lights glowing"

 

[Bonogirl777]

I love this song!

I don't know what else to say that hasn't already been said.
Just....the lyrics come out so true. It's really an amazing song.

I loved it from the start.

 

[cobl04]

Wasn't a huge fan at the start, but I really like it now, and would in fact put it in the top five on the album now. The only think that takes away from it is that it never breaks open... like Running does... it sounds like it, but never quite gets there. Beautiful song though.

 

[ludvic]

One of my favourite songs from the last few years.

Understated beauty.

 

[cobl04]

to the Grace/One Step Closer haters.

 

[major_panic]

What COBL said.

Although, the guy who wrote that One Step Closer "sounds like the soundtrack to a coma" does have a valid point... it is a bit slow, without much buildup or anything.

Nice song though, although personally I prefer AMAAW *hides*

 

[Aygo]

Just like "Grace", this is a very beautiful song, an inspiring moment from Bono's pen and mind. It's too bad that these songs are underappreciated and not understood.
What people said of this song describes how I feel about it.

 

[Swan269]

the lyric really does it for me in this song....I think I remember reading that this song used to be almost 10 minutes long...it brings me back to the kind of "unforgettable fire" (the album) vibe. I am glad Danny was in on this one.

 

[The Disciple]

Wasn't a huge fan at the start, but I really like it now, and would in fact put it in the top five on the album now. The only think that takes away from it is that it never breaks open... like Running does... it sounds like it, but never quite gets there. Beautiful song though.

I completely agree. It's definitely grown on me, but it COULD'VE been a GREAT song. It could be a good segue-way song live...

 

[SeattleVertigo]

I feel like it's been a few weeks since I've appreciated One Step Closer on this board -- here, I will appreciate it again! I love the song. It's gorgeous.

 

[asunder]

I too prefer AMAAW... OSC puts me to sleep....

 

[Mr. V]

sorry, i think its one of their best songs

 

[JCOSTER]

Beautifully worded song and very under rated.

I’m on an island at a busy intersection
I can’t go forward, I can’t turn back
Can’t see the future
It’s getting away from me
I just watch the tail lights glowing

The way Bono sings these lines gives me shivers, especially they way he says glowing.

 

[ahittle]

Beautifully worded song and very under rated.

I’m on an island at a busy intersection
I can’t go forward, I can’t turn back
Can’t see the future
It’s getting away from me
I just watch the tail lights glowing

The way Bono sings these lines gives me shivers, especially they way he says glowing.

Cramming "intersection" into that meter always bugged me.

And the "old rose" sung/spoken thing bugs me as well.

 

[JCOSTER]

^ to each his own.

 

[Scorpionac]

I love the spoken-sounding ending part. I like how the music gets a lot more down-to-earth at the last verse, too.

 

[ahittle]

^ to each his own.

Oh, yes. Quibbles really.

I like how understated the song is. I'm sure there was the temptation to build it up into some epic tear-jerker. The restraint is nice.

 

[rihannsu]

What COBL said.

Although, the guy who wrote that One Step Closer "sounds like the soundtrack to a coma" does have a valid point... it is a bit slow, without much buildup or anything.

Nice song though, although personally I prefer AMAAW *hides*

Well, dying of cancer is a bit slow without much buildup or anything so I would say the music captures the feeling it should. Also, since the song is about someone who isn't confident in their faith of what comes after death it make sense that there is not great buildup. They are not anticipating a glorious heaven but rather are somewhat anxious about what awaits. For me the music sets the mood of one's life slowly but relentlessly fading away. It makes sense that there is very little energy to the song and a sort of monotanous tone because that fits the subject perfectly. It pretty much is the soundtrack to a coma, one that leads "round the corner" to death.

Dana

 

[dabiggestu2fan]

this song took a while for me to like it. the line's :

""I'm 'round the corner from anything that's real
I'm across the road from hope
I'm under a bridge in a rip tide
That's taken everything I call my own"

"I'm on an island at a busy intersection
I can't go forward, I can't turn back
Can't see the future
It's getting away from me
I just watch the tail lights glowing"

"I'm hanging out to dry
With my old clothes
Finger still red with the prick of an old rose"

just hit so hard to home, it breaks my heart.

I agree with you here. In a way this song perfectly illustrates my feelings at the moment as I have been feeling rather down after graduation and having not been able to yet find any job yet and with other current issues in my life. This song is really meaningful

and on another note do you think this song would fit nicely in JT? I don't know i think its the instrumentation but I think it deff would!

 

[WCF]

Beautifully worded song and very under rated.

I’m on an island at a busy intersection
I can’t go forward, I can’t turn back
Can’t see the future
It’s getting away from me
I just watch the tail lights glowing

The way Bono sings these lines gives me shivers, especially they way he says glowing.

Completely agree with you here.

 

[cobl04]

I completely agree. It's definitely grown on me, but it COULD'VE been a GREAT song. It could be a good segue-way song live...

That's why I was so hoping they'd played it. It doesn't too hard, and live it could have been anything, because there's so much to build on. It could have morphed into a beautiful five minute piece with a climatic ending, or been as you said a terrific segue song.

 

[jacobus]

Eazy-V: sorry, i think its one of their best songs

why sorry ? its one of their best songs of their 2000s output and on #22 in my U2s top 30. would have been fit on zooropa as well.