I like the song more than you do, but great analysis of why you think it is mediocre. Much better than most of the haters here. Basically, great first post and welcome!
Thanks for the welcome and feedback my friend. I suppose 'mediocre' is the term I would have used a couple of days ago for the "single" as opposed to the "song"... I don't mind the song, I was just not quite sure about it as the first single.
I actually heard the beach clip of this about 20 times, and was really looking forward to it, and then I loved it on first listen, but repeated listens saw it drop down in my estimation to a 6/10.
I would probably still give Boots a 6, but it has increased in my estimation a little over the last few days. I think in fairness to the boys I should add a few points to my post above, of some of the things I do like about GOYB...
I already mentioned that Adam's performance is superb, and I will add to that the fact that Larry surpasses himself as usual... And as I stand by my comments that the song lacks a true chorus, I will add that perhaps Edge's riff is indeed in itself, the chorus... Bono has taken a step back from the music on this one and is letting the musicians do all the work.
As such, the band does a great job in crafting a some great fast paced music... Zeppelin lover though I am, I am still not convinced about the "Let Me In The Sound..." part, it seems to kick in right when the frantic tempo of the song is about to win me over... As Bono wails "I don't want to talk about wars between the nations...." the song feels like it's at a climactic peak, and the strange Bonham section, musically excellent though it is, seems to interrupt the flow...
However, as I said, some positive attributes:
- most definitely the song is an evolved descendent of Vertigo, and I love Vertigo... similar riff structure (also similar riff structure to Discotheque and The Fly) but now Edge is playing these crunching notes on a single string heavily laden with effects, rather than the power chords of Vertigo... less Malcolm Young and more Jimmy Page!
- the louder you play Boots, the better it sounds... as someone pointed out in the "now you have heard it for five days" thread, there are U2 fans all over the world discovering what a great hit the road, windows down, volume up, foot on the pedal song this is!
- the pace of the song is addictive, it is one of their fastest, and not to many 48-49 year old rockers that I recall can produce music of this pace and freneticism...
- I really do like the, for want of a better word, Eno-esque "bridge" with Edge signing the main lyrics and as per quite a few classics in the past, Bono sweeping in over the top for the last few words... and of course while Edge gets the main chorus parts and Bono wails in the background, Lanois and Eno are harmonizing in the distant background, loud enough to know they are there but not loud enough for their tones to take away the Edge's dulcet tones... I will repeat, I wish this section was sung a third time during the song... maybe even a musical blend of this section and "Sexy Boots... Get On Your Boots", at the conclusion, I feel this would have become the more clearly recognised chorus of the song, and it is a proven fact that singles with three choruses are generally hits, while singles with only two choruses tend to flop...
- Lastly, as always with this band, when you start to form images in your mind based around the lyrics... when Bono's random thoughts and "join the dots" attempts at lyrics start to thread together inside your head, as always, the music seems to take on a different dimension... it's always a mistake to judge a U2 song on just the music, because the lyrics play a big part in shaping what they band was trying to get at when they wrote the song... on the surface, like Vertigo, it is a pure pop rocker looking to damage the charts... but this one has a LOT of political messages, and there can be no doubt there are parting shots at the previous US administration, hope and inspiration for the new one, and as many have said, barely concealed barbs directed at those favouring fear over hope... "Satan loves a bomb scare but he won't scare you..."
So, all in all, I would say as a first single it's still a six, and as a song in its own right, maybe a 6.5... It certainly does add a new addition to my U2 hard rock driving CD, which includes such illustrious heavily distorted guitar-and-drums-driven tunes as The Fly, Until The End Of The World, Desire, Discotheque, Vertigo, New York, Zoo Station, All Because of You, Last Night on Earth, Elevation, Mofo, Hold Me Thrill Me Kiss Me Kill Me, Bullet the Blue Sky, Hawkmoon 269, among others...
But still, I get the feeling, there is much, much better to come on this forthcoming album...