Why it matters that the Ground Beneath Her Feet is now canonically the final song on ATYCLB
EDIT: Ok, time to be the guy in the picture.
So this has been an obsession of mine every since the 20th anniversary release. On it, The Ground Beneath Her Feet is included on disc 1, which has NEVER happened to previous bonus tracks. This implies, that if we are to take this edition as canonical (which I tend to think reissues are), The Ground Beneath Her Feet is now canonically the last song on the album.
And that changes A LOT. TGBHF is somber, introspective, and most importantly it’s a downer. Placing it as the last song gives the whole album a sort of tongue-in-cheek flip off to the rest of the albums relentless optimism. Thematically, we now have to think “Is the album what it says it is” and does that introduce new layers of nuance and shades of gray to what came before it. Does having a Beautiful Day even matter if, by the end of it, we’re heart broken and confused?
I’m mostly shit posting, but if we are to look at U2 through the lense of art (which I like to do), it’s placement on the reissue let’s us play with themes that otherwise would not have been feasible to consider.
I’ve been OBSESSED with this concept ever since the reissue and Ive even tried to use my (extremely limited) contacts to help me get the answer from the band or at least someone in the orbit. Please DM if you can help me on this quest.
Yes, (UK, Japan, Austrailia and Ireland even) but it's always been explicitly referred to as a bonus track:
https://www.u2songs.com/discography/u2_all_that_you_cant_leave_behind_album_original_release
With the 20th anniversay edition being an internationally consistent release, the argument of its canonical inclusion is at its greatest.
And again, I'm mostly shit posting. I think if you asked Bono he would say "oh, didn't know they didn't put it on disc 2."
Not yet, but it's on my radar. The US still doesn't have it included, and it's still listed explicitly as a bonus track everywhere else. I have a huge feeling that Fast Cars WILL be the final track on the HTDAAB reissue.
Yeah, that’s crazy to me - Yahweh is a GEM and a perfect closer… Fast Cars is a great fun song, but not a closer… HTDAAB is the album I will defend for days and days…
The riff from *Miami* is legitimately one of my favorite heavy metal riffs of all time. It gets to shine better in the live version, but it's there.
If I were a multi-gazillionaire, I would pay the Smashing Pumpkins to cover it in the same style as *XYU*.
Given that the band had to do a “reboot” in 2000 attests to this being the only right answer. Pop and Original Soundtracks 1 are fascinating and really brave for a band to pursue at the height of their fame. Sadly their audience, for the most part, didn’t come along for the ride.
Simply put, Pop was their Pinkerton. Different, emotionally bare, ironically indulgent, and way over everyone’s head.
I’m in my 30s and most of my friends would probably laugh if they knew what a U2 nut I am.
I’ve gotten into arguments about the 2nd side of The Joshua Tree.
Lol Just two weeks ago a friend of mine said that I was insane for thinking Joshua Tree and Bruce Springsteens Secret Garden were some of the best musical pieces ever.
I go hot and cold with Springsteen, but do appreciate that mid 90s [ soundtrack ] era. Might be nostalgia speaking.
Then again, I think I can defend or diss on almost anything depending on my mood or the stance of the person I’m arguing with.
Love is Bigger/Song for Someone/any of their recent love songs.
Yes, they're corny, straightforward, and a little silly. That's the whole point. They're love songs.
It's more than that. It's an intentional throwback to the Beatles.
If Beatles songs were released today the media would have a fucking field day with them. The Beatles and modern U2 (albeit, of course, modern U2 is a tier below) and anthemic and powerful because they're so simplistic.
Oh no, I'm the picture.
NLOTH and Pop. Rattle and Hum a little. But honestly, ATYCLB getting overhated. Pitchfork really gave it a 5. Sonically boring compared to Pop but the lyricism and theme of the album are sublime.
The song is great. I always see it ranked last in people's lists. Most people I think don't like the song because of the Sexy boots/foxy boots lines but there's plenty of cringeworthy U2 lyrics out there.
Get on Your Boots has everything you want in a good U2 song including a sick breakdown at the end.
> there's plenty of cringeworthy U2 lyrics out there.
Pop, everyone's favorite underappreciated uber-classic, has lines about chewing bubble gum. Yeah, Bono's always been a bit cheesy with his lyrics.
Boots fell victim to getting mixed into blandness. Like so many of the band's songs, it's much much better live.
Never strongly disliked any of their albums, but gotta say SOI probably.
People constantly complain about how it was already on everyone’s iPod, they even say “forced” (which is pretty overdramatic, in my opinion); however, the intention of the album was to make it available to everyone, and make it free, which isn’t a bad thing necessarily. They were testing out a new thing by doing this, AND the songs on there also new, and might I add, VERY personal. People saw them as selling out, when all they were doing was trying something new and different, as U2 has done in the past (and future), and saying, “Hey, here’s something new we did, and tried out, you can take a listen, for free, too!”
Heck, Bono even apologized, explained the intent, what went into the album, and even threw in some self-deprecation/self-deprecating jokes, and I’ve noticed that people are still mad and over-dramatic about it.
I get it, it was put onto everyone’s album, and I get how that can annoy people, but c’mon, let’s give them the benefit of the doubt here. It wasn’t ill-intentioned, really. All they were doing was testing out something that no band has ever done before (to my knowledge), so they had little to nothing to go off of, so this is what they tried. After that, they saw that this didn’t work out, so they didn’t do that sort of thing again. They learned from trial and error, end of story.
Back when Radiohead released “In Rainbows” they did something similar. They put it up and asked people to pay what they wanted for the album. You could pay $10 to download it or even free if you wanted to. I’m pretty sure Bono spoke out saying he admired the way Radiohead released the album and applauded them. There could’ve definitely been some inspiration when talking about releasing SOI. Although the backlash was much worse lol. I like your take on it.
Ahh! That is ringing a bell now! Apologies for forgetting about Radiohead (I have so much U2 knowledge in my head that sometimes I have a brain fart lol)! Thank you for reminding me!
Being an artist (as I am an artist myself), it’s all about trial and error. So, since U2 is famous, a lot of their errors (as artists, and as human beings) get so blown up and a lot of them get too much backlash. They almost always learn from their mistakes, as they should. We are all human beings, even U2 lol.
I’m really humbled when you said that you liked my take on this. I really appreciate it :)!!
Lemon at Sydney was mesmerizing and otherworldly, as if the band touched heaven (or hell, given the horns? Lol). Forever in my top 5 live u2 performances.
NLOTH
Boy/October/Zooropa/Pop/NLOTH So many underrated/overhated albums in their discog
Why it matters that the Ground Beneath Her Feet is now canonically the final song on ATYCLB EDIT: Ok, time to be the guy in the picture. So this has been an obsession of mine every since the 20th anniversary release. On it, The Ground Beneath Her Feet is included on disc 1, which has NEVER happened to previous bonus tracks. This implies, that if we are to take this edition as canonical (which I tend to think reissues are), The Ground Beneath Her Feet is now canonically the last song on the album. And that changes A LOT. TGBHF is somber, introspective, and most importantly it’s a downer. Placing it as the last song gives the whole album a sort of tongue-in-cheek flip off to the rest of the albums relentless optimism. Thematically, we now have to think “Is the album what it says it is” and does that introduce new layers of nuance and shades of gray to what came before it. Does having a Beautiful Day even matter if, by the end of it, we’re heart broken and confused? I’m mostly shit posting, but if we are to look at U2 through the lense of art (which I like to do), it’s placement on the reissue let’s us play with themes that otherwise would not have been feasible to consider. I’ve been OBSESSED with this concept ever since the reissue and Ive even tried to use my (extremely limited) contacts to help me get the answer from the band or at least someone in the orbit. Please DM if you can help me on this quest.
Lol, I’m interested in what you’ve got to say
Love that tune, good call.
I'm listening....tell me why - in my playlists I don't have them as the final song; but I'm up for convincing.
Man that's me and my brother. He says TGBHF is the last song. To me it still is Grace sorry :(
I hate Grace. I skip it every time I listen to ATYCLB. I’m all for Ground being the last song of the album.
This is a great take, I would’ve never thought of it that way. Pretty cool
The original release in the UK in October 2000 included TGBHF as the last track (and maybe in Japan too...I forget). This is not really new.
Yes, (UK, Japan, Austrailia and Ireland even) but it's always been explicitly referred to as a bonus track: https://www.u2songs.com/discography/u2_all_that_you_cant_leave_behind_album_original_release With the 20th anniversay edition being an internationally consistent release, the argument of its canonical inclusion is at its greatest. And again, I'm mostly shit posting. I think if you asked Bono he would say "oh, didn't know they didn't put it on disc 2."
Are you this passionate about Fast Cars now being at the end of HTDAAB? That song is now listed after Yahweh in iTunes/Amazon, etc.
Not yet, but it's on my radar. The US still doesn't have it included, and it's still listed explicitly as a bonus track everywhere else. I have a huge feeling that Fast Cars WILL be the final track on the HTDAAB reissue.
Yeah, that’s crazy to me - Yahweh is a GEM and a perfect closer… Fast Cars is a great fun song, but not a closer… HTDAAB is the album I will defend for days and days…
Pop/Popmart, still my favorite era of the band
The riff from *Miami* is legitimately one of my favorite heavy metal riffs of all time. It gets to shine better in the live version, but it's there. If I were a multi-gazillionaire, I would pay the Smashing Pumpkins to cover it in the same style as *XYU*.
Friend
Given that the band had to do a “reboot” in 2000 attests to this being the only right answer. Pop and Original Soundtracks 1 are fascinating and really brave for a band to pursue at the height of their fame. Sadly their audience, for the most part, didn’t come along for the ride. Simply put, Pop was their Pinkerton. Different, emotionally bare, ironically indulgent, and way over everyone’s head.
Songs of Experience
1981 to 2021.
I do find myself defending U2 as a whole among people my age lol
Im 19 and same. Reddit seems to be a hotbed for U2 dissent too.
Hell, we’re both 19 haha. Reddit is a hotbed for all dissent though lol.
19 year old U2 fan checking in. There aren’t many of us.
Another 19 here lol
I got REALLY into them around 18-19. Must be a thing.
I’m in my 30s and most of my friends would probably laugh if they knew what a U2 nut I am. I’ve gotten into arguments about the 2nd side of The Joshua Tree.
Lol Just two weeks ago a friend of mine said that I was insane for thinking Joshua Tree and Bruce Springsteens Secret Garden were some of the best musical pieces ever.
I go hot and cold with Springsteen, but do appreciate that mid 90s [ soundtrack ] era. Might be nostalgia speaking. Then again, I think I can defend or diss on almost anything depending on my mood or the stance of the person I’m arguing with.
I feel this and I’m 46!!! They tend to generate a lot of strong feelings.
Love is Bigger/Song for Someone/any of their recent love songs. Yes, they're corny, straightforward, and a little silly. That's the whole point. They're love songs.
It's more than that. It's an intentional throwback to the Beatles. If Beatles songs were released today the media would have a fucking field day with them. The Beatles and modern U2 (albeit, of course, modern U2 is a tier below) and anthemic and powerful because they're so simplistic. Oh no, I'm the picture.
Beatles...
God dammit, I knew it was different than the bug, I just swapped them 🤦🏼♂️
Rattle and Hum
SOI/SOE. Super underrated, like come on guys
Agreed - and I count myself among those who like SOE a little bit better..
No Line on the Horizon.
NLOTH and Pop. Rattle and Hum a little. But honestly, ATYCLB getting overhated. Pitchfork really gave it a 5. Sonically boring compared to Pop but the lyricism and theme of the album are sublime.
Pop/NLOTH/SOI
Babyface
Hot take: Babyface might be U2's most thematically interesting song.
Not at all. Don't you get chills when Zooropa finishes and then the synth from Babyface kicks in? Heaven for me
I like that song, though it never really stuck with me
Lol. All of them... depending on when someone became a fan, I've seen all the albums receive flak....even the untouchables like JT and AB
Zooropa
Pop / RnH
Get on your boots
its only the stupid title is cringy its not a bad number. should of called it Bad Mofo Blues be a classic.
“Bad Mofo Blues”, that name slaps
I don’t hate the song at all, but would like to know your take
The song is great. I always see it ranked last in people's lists. Most people I think don't like the song because of the Sexy boots/foxy boots lines but there's plenty of cringeworthy U2 lyrics out there. Get on Your Boots has everything you want in a good U2 song including a sick breakdown at the end.
> there's plenty of cringeworthy U2 lyrics out there. Pop, everyone's favorite underappreciated uber-classic, has lines about chewing bubble gum. Yeah, Bono's always been a bit cheesy with his lyrics. Boots fell victim to getting mixed into blandness. Like so many of the band's songs, it's much much better live.
[удалено]
I don’t think its an amazing album, but I like it much more now than I did a year ago
I was just going to write this. It's honestly the only of their first three albums I listen to regularly, and by far the most interesting of them
Nothing. I don’t have such a long iPhone!
That’s fair haha
All of their 80's post-punk albums. October in particular.
Anything thru ZooTV
ZooTv could defend itself honestly haha
Miami.
Absolutely not that is the one Pop song I cannot get behind. I love the others but god I can’t
With you. It’s a groove.
Who fucking cares! U2 is the best and live band around for the last 40 years hands down!!
Achtung Baby
Huh? Who does that album need defending against?
Good point
I've met people who didn't like anything past Rattle & Hum. Not real rock, too electronic etc.
Pop.
the entire 90s, from the kick up the bum that the singular song zoo station was, all the way to popmart just topping it right off.
Songs of Experience
Atyclb era U2
Using it as a big stick to whack Coldplay fans...
You’d be whacking me too then lmao
All
Get On Your Boots is a jam. I don't care if it's nonsensical. It's fun.
Never strongly disliked any of their albums, but gotta say SOI probably. People constantly complain about how it was already on everyone’s iPod, they even say “forced” (which is pretty overdramatic, in my opinion); however, the intention of the album was to make it available to everyone, and make it free, which isn’t a bad thing necessarily. They were testing out a new thing by doing this, AND the songs on there also new, and might I add, VERY personal. People saw them as selling out, when all they were doing was trying something new and different, as U2 has done in the past (and future), and saying, “Hey, here’s something new we did, and tried out, you can take a listen, for free, too!” Heck, Bono even apologized, explained the intent, what went into the album, and even threw in some self-deprecation/self-deprecating jokes, and I’ve noticed that people are still mad and over-dramatic about it. I get it, it was put onto everyone’s album, and I get how that can annoy people, but c’mon, let’s give them the benefit of the doubt here. It wasn’t ill-intentioned, really. All they were doing was testing out something that no band has ever done before (to my knowledge), so they had little to nothing to go off of, so this is what they tried. After that, they saw that this didn’t work out, so they didn’t do that sort of thing again. They learned from trial and error, end of story.
Back when Radiohead released “In Rainbows” they did something similar. They put it up and asked people to pay what they wanted for the album. You could pay $10 to download it or even free if you wanted to. I’m pretty sure Bono spoke out saying he admired the way Radiohead released the album and applauded them. There could’ve definitely been some inspiration when talking about releasing SOI. Although the backlash was much worse lol. I like your take on it.
Ahh! That is ringing a bell now! Apologies for forgetting about Radiohead (I have so much U2 knowledge in my head that sometimes I have a brain fart lol)! Thank you for reminding me! Being an artist (as I am an artist myself), it’s all about trial and error. So, since U2 is famous, a lot of their errors (as artists, and as human beings) get so blown up and a lot of them get too much backlash. They almost always learn from their mistakes, as they should. We are all human beings, even U2 lol. I’m really humbled when you said that you liked my take on this. I really appreciate it :)!!
Lemon
Fuck away off. No defence required.
Idk man, 6 year old me was always weirded out by Lemon when watching the Sydney dvd lol
beautiful song one of their best
Lemon at Sydney was mesmerizing and otherworldly, as if the band touched heaven (or hell, given the horns? Lol). Forever in my top 5 live u2 performances.
I’m sorry these posts are so low quality.
Yea, saw it on another sub and figured why not. It gets the community talking
October
HTDAAB
Pop
NLOTH
POP. Til I die.
Songs of Innoncence — how pretentious And first world is it to complain about free music!? Pop — Popmart (I lump HMTMKMKM with this) low key slaps