Originally posted by marik:I've always been a big fan of this song, really hope we see it in the live show again (althou doubtful) and cant understand the hate for it. Especially, comments from the band itself about being the wrong pick for first single. I've tried to isolate band member comments to see who it stems from (Bono just recently stated it was wrong choice and should have been MOS. And Larry said it back in the day. I'm fairly sure Adam repeated the thought. I don't believe I've read Edge say it thou). But its my opinion, that the band member's just re-iterate this narrative now, in hindsight, and almost convinced themselves that its the scapegoat to explain the sub-dued response to the album.
I'm not arguing its the album's BEST track, but my defense for it as the 1st single is that its by far the catchiest track. In this day and age (and a decade ago), singles are quick and catchy. They aren't slow and meandering. They aren't the growers.
To me MOS, even if you were to butcher 2mins off it, and the long drum intro of Breathe just don't fit that mould.
And the argument for Magnificent, is to me, like saying Miracle Drug should have been the lead single instead of Vertigo. Sure, MDrug is more of the "typical U2 sound", but its not as fast n catchy as Vertigo.
And imo, it's not the job of a lead single to 'reperent the sound of the rest of the album". At the point of realizing the rest of the album "doesn't sound like the first single", you've already bought the album. So this does not reflect in the sales success of an album.
Originally posted by kezman:Been discussed tto the extreme but Boots is a cringe fest full stop,I wonder if Bono had this in mind when he was saying some songs embarrass him.
Thing is I do think it has some tasty hooks and drums which were really good live,those lyrics though😵
Originally posted by Sydney_MIke:The problem with Boots and indeed much of NLORTH is that it sounds like a poor, cookie-cutter imitation of better U2 songs. It derives some of its DNA from The Fly and Vertigo but the lyrics are cringeworthy. Magnificent is the same - a crescendo building anthemic song trying to be another Streets or COBL but without any soul. Moment of Surrender too, trying to be WOWY or AIWIY but not quite getting there. They may well pass as good songs, but as Bono has said multiple times, good is the enemy of great and none of these entered the great stratosphere for me.
Originally posted by TheRefugee:Some nice drums and percussive elements in the track, to be fair. It’s the lyrics/singing that kills the track really.
