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January 18, 2009

U2's "Get On Your Boots" Preview Will you still be excited for No Line On The Horizon if its first single sounds like Escape Club? (Okay, or Elvis.) Hear a snippet of "Get On Your Boots" here while supplies last. (UPDATE: Full song.)

Posted at 3:17 PM
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43 Comments

Say what you want, but I think it sounds pretty damn groovy. I'm seeing the next few months dominated by this song/album....

Posted by: drewsof at 01/18/09 4:01 PM | Reply
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I guess I'm not into "groovy."

If this is the song U2 has chosen to introduce this new album with, then I can say with some confidence this album will likely be another turd in a long line of modern U2 turds.

Maybe that's the problem with U2 and their fans. U2 has no incentive to produce quality music because U2 fans will continue to lap up whatever rubbish they put forth with objectivity and call it things like "groovy." It's tragic really--so much potential from these guys.

Posted by: bananafana feux in reply to drewsof's comment at 01/18/09 8:23 PM | Reply
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Or, you know, we could just like the song.

I'm not in any sort of "denial". If I like it, I like it.

I thought Vertigo was a good, catchy rock song. But from the short clip, I think I might like this better. I'll agree that HTAAB was a let-down, but all of their albums contain some quality material. I have high hopes for No Line on the Horizon.

Of course, Stereogum will bash it, without a doubt.

Posted by: T-Cap in reply to bananafana feux's comment at 01/18/09 9:15 PM | Reply
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grace6697

i like to call this theory the EDDIE VEDDER THEORUM.

dead on!

Posted by: grace6697 profile link in reply to bananafana feux's comment at 01/19/09 1:06 AM | Reply
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amrit

bono didn't start the fire

Posted by: amrit profile link at 01/18/09 4:19 PM | Reply
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"This video has been removed by the user."

NOOOOO I WANTED A CHANCE TO SMARMY COMMENTTTT

Posted by: chris profile link at 01/18/09 4:54 PM | Reply
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It's called Get On Your Boots, not Get Your Boots On, FYI. The full song will be streaming on U2.com on Monday. Sounds like a pop song, but with some rock and a bit of fun. We'll see if people can handle Bono being silly. They hate him when he's serious. They hate him when he's not.

Could be a ballsy single for this band to put out, knowing that many people just expect serious stuff and anthems from them.

Posted by: zed at 01/18/09 5:01 PM | Reply
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cuyahoga

Vertigo?

Posted by: cuyahoga profile link in reply to zed's comment at 01/18/09 5:23 PM | Reply
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I laughed man.
or the phenomenal elevation: "A mole, digging in a hole, digging up my soul"
Jesus wept upon hearing such poor writing.

Posted by: Steve in reply to cuyahoga's comment at 01/18/09 7:03 PM | Reply
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That's exactly what I thought!

Posted by: balls in reply to cuyahoga's comment at 01/18/09 9:07 PM | Reply
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woozefa

thanks, brian. i'm sure you did a great job on the album, but this shameless pandering is a little embarrassing, even for you. btw, why code name zed? something to do with israel?

Posted by: woozefa profile link in reply to zed's comment at 01/18/09 5:30 PM | Reply
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The song sounds like a combination between Dylan and Elvis Costello's Pump It Up via U2.

Posted by: winker at 01/18/09 5:29 PM | Reply
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Chorus is very different from what you hear on the clip. It'll be interesting to see how people react to 50-year-olds making pop music. I can't think of any other "legendary" band that has tried so hard to stay relevant (though they're clearly hit and miss). In any case, they're clearly trying.

Posted by: TJ at 01/18/09 5:44 PM | Reply
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Reading Escape Club actually got me excited, is there something wrong with that? Shame the clip is gone though.

Posted by: Flor Van der Eycken at 01/18/09 6:02 PM | Reply
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Voyno

It sounds like a Joe Satriani song...

Posted by: Voyno profile link at 01/18/09 7:13 PM | Reply
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Link worked just fine for me.

If this is the song U2 is using to introduce the album then I can say with some confidence this album will likely be another turd in a long line of recent U2 turds. It's tragic really.

Posted by: bananafana feux at 01/18/09 8:16 PM | Reply
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this is U2 trying to do 15 step

Posted by: rff at 01/18/09 9:38 PM | Reply
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can you guys do an article about how fucking cool future of the left is instead?

Posted by: fuck at 01/18/09 10:50 PM | Reply
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stereogum is owned by buzznet which is owned by universal which is releasing this album. nothing to see here, move along.

Posted by: nope at 01/19/09 12:21 AM | Reply
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Yeah clearly Stereogum would never write about such an obscure, non-newsworthy band otherwise. Universal is obviously forcing them to link to the YouTube clips that Universal keeps taking down.

Posted by: Brett in reply to nope's comment at 01/19/09 2:04 AM | Reply
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^^^ damn ...pwnt

Posted by: d at 01/19/09 12:30 AM | Reply
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this reminds me of the sound my ass makes when i shit

Posted by: dc at 01/19/09 12:47 AM | Reply
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cuyahoga

Not to impose, but I'd like to set up a recording session with your ass ASAP.

Posted by: cuyahoga profile link in reply to dc's comment at 01/19/09 2:38 AM | Reply
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maybe tomorrow pitchfork should post that same clip as some new band with an article drooling on it and see what happens.

Posted by: la la landon profile link at 01/19/09 2:07 AM | Reply
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If this crap were the obscure new live recording from an Animal Collective show, you'd all be praising it.

Posted by: noodle at 01/19/09 2:26 AM | Reply
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Just listened to it for the 18th time and I don't know what the fuck to say. It sounds "different"

Posted by: Teddy at 01/19/09 4:23 AM | Reply
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cuyahoga

http://goyb.u2.com/

Posted by: cuyahoga profile link in reply to Teddy's comment at 01/19/09 4:35 AM | Reply
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I have played this song about 50 times atleast, and any new sound grows on you. I cant wait to hear my friends who listen to a song for 10 seconds say it sucks. It is achtung zooropa pop and some 70s . The those same friends will be all over the album in 2 months. Music that grows , lasts. music that you like after 1 listen is done after a week. U2 rocks, and i still can listen to slipknot after u2.

Posted by: Mike at 01/19/09 6:08 AM | Reply
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you listen to slipknot? ewww....

but this song is real good. the first single's always going to be the big, rock-y number. But considering what a weird, misshaped, rough child "Get On Your Boots" is, maybe this new album is gonna pick up where Pop left off, for real. Because regardless of whether or not you liked that album, that was the last time they tried to move forward.

Posted by: jon at 01/19/09 9:08 AM | Reply
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sounds like they're trying to be interesting rather than popular. thank goodness

Posted by: dave at 01/19/09 9:54 AM | Reply
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I think songs like this are always a surprise.... in that you kind of hear that the musicians were happy to make a song, and presumably others, that actually are fairly "mean", like this isn't a "feed off the energy of the crowd" type of thing u2 have been trapped with for a while, the sound of this song is instead putting a forceful performance into the song - not looking at the crowd - instead of working towards stuff that will "connect people" or whatever.

Posted by: Gold-paperhead at 01/19/09 10:38 AM | Reply
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Indie rock is great. Mainstream rock is great. Learn to accept both, and your life will be a happy fusion, and more people will like you.

Posted by: HTB at 01/19/09 12:15 PM | Reply
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I have been a huge fan since the early 80s and love most of their stuff. I am not impressed by this song, but have only listened to it once. Usually with most U2 I love it right away, like when I heard Vertigo.
This does remind me a bit of a grooved-up Pop or Zooropa era song with a tiny bit of Alice in Chains in one section. We'll have to see if it grows on me. The album supposed to be sort of eclectic I thought I heard.

Posted by: Heather at 01/19/09 12:44 PM | Reply
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great song. it's not meant to be 'one' or 'pride'. it's not even meant to be a classic. it's a wake-up call that they're back and kicking your front door down. better get on your boots, QUICK.

Posted by: dennis at 01/19/09 2:57 PM | Reply
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everyone who has posted on here saying they like this song write like they are part of u2's promotional team. especially the guy above me. "better get on your boots, QUICK." really man?

Posted by: tyler at 01/19/09 5:51 PM | Reply
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this track is bad ass! i like that i hear some Pop and Achtung in here...it's been a long time since they've taken a risk. for a 3 minute+ song, there is so much musical/melodic complexity in here. and the lyrics are brilliant...its like bono is admitting that even when he doesn't want to talk about politics or social issues, he still ends up getting sucked into it. the title alone, with the record being recorded/written in morocco and the state of affairs in the middle east, has multiple meanings. have we glamorized war and violence to the point where combat boots are sexy?

good stuff here!

Posted by: jason at 01/19/09 7:02 PM | Reply
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i liked it, not the first time. In fact I heard it on a Canadian radio show out of Ottawa which I picked up under clear U.S. skies. At first I honestly didn't know it was them. I was a little taken aback at first but it grew on me after I put on some headphones and paid attention. I think this will be a single released quickly and then quickly release another more traditional u2 single. This is where they messed up on 'POP", not my favorite album but if they released "Staring at the sun" or "Please" first it would have done waaaay better. Discotheque was a song better left as an afterthought, like "Lemon". Anyway, its still an ok new single but they should release something with more substance at time of the album release so they don't make the same mistake they did with "Pop", and please no mechanical lemons this tour.........

Posted by: fezz at 01/19/09 7:29 PM | Reply
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I actually loved Pop. i kind of found A.T.Y.C.L.B. and H.T.D.A.A.B. to be more mundane. any time they change it up and take more of a chance, i love it.

Posted by: Radiokevin at 01/19/09 7:42 PM | Reply
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Bono seriously says something in the middle of the song like "I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream." No joke!

Posted by: Chris at 01/20/09 2:57 AM | Reply
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A mole digging in a hole, digging up my soul etc, is not lyrically as bad as one might think. From the album the Joshua Tree which is there masterpiece, the joshua tree on the album cover has fallen in recent years, and when i was over in joshua national park in 05 there is a mole living directly underneath the tree mole and hole can both be seen if you stay long enough. Bono is referring to this mole living in a hole, the soul being the success of the Joshua Tree

Posted by: Dered at 01/21/09 9:33 AM | Reply
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Another middle of the road song. U2 are just joking around.

Posted by: Fintan Byrne at 01/25/09 6:27 AM | Reply
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for me U2 just did another great job...

Posted by: grace at 01/31/09 3:42 AM | Reply
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fwiw. when I first listened to Joshua Tree, as I taped it, I hated everything I heard. I put it away and didn't listen for a week. When I came back I loved it all. When U2 reinvent themselves it's hard for some of us to grow with them. Not so the last 2 albums, for me. ATY is a great record to me and HTD is a fantastic record imo. The last gig I saw, in Twickers had the worst sound of any gig I've been at but was the best and most spiritual experience I've had at a concert! fwiw.
I love the way some people criticise music as if only their opinion is worthwhile. Oh, actually, love is the wrong word. I hate it. Pricks. Don't read reviews! Make up your own flaming mind! Stop saying 'it's not as good as their old stuff' it was immature when people first started that crap. /rant

Posted by: chew at 02/01/09 12:23 AM | Reply
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