Get On Your Boots - First Impressions

[Z000]

If you haven't yet, you can listen to "Get On Your Boots" online at http://goyb.u2.com/. Don't know how long they'll leave it up.

What do you think?

Given all the hype that the new album is "like nothing they've done before," I'm surprised. It sounds to me like the typical progression in sound that U2 does from one album to the next. In some ways, it's not that far from "Vertigo" and "All Because of You."

[Trevor]

I like it... it's very rock 'n' roll!!
I bought it with the itunes album preorder... this is the cover that come with the single...

[Trevor]

I downloaded it from itunes US but I've seen on the homepage the cover with the inverted color. is it from the canadian store only? or is it the cover of the physical cd single?

[Carl]

I was expecting something a bit more myself... it's fun. It does remind me of the HTDAAB outtakes sonically, with a bit of Big Girls are Best.  I don't really see how reviewers were so bewildered by it, there's a lot of classic sound mixed in with some very "Edge" riffs.  I'm cautiously optimistic, but I don't see this being an adventurous album on the level of Achtung based on the single alone... this honestly seems more in the vein of the leading singles of the 00s than the 90s.

I'd imagine the inverted image is just iTunes Canada, though perhaps they'll do a CD1/CD2 with both over time.  Can't say I care too much for the typography.

[Z000]

I agree about the album art. I think they're trying to emulate the simplicity of the picture on the album cover, but it seems to me like they just threw it together at the last minute, especially with the misaligned lettering.

I've listened to the song all day now, and I'm a little bothered by the lyrics. Most U2 songs have a concise story or message to tell, but this one sounds to me like two or three incomplete ideas mixed together. After all, what do "your boots" have to do with anything else?

[Brad]

I downloaded it from itunes US but I've seen on the homepage the cover with the inverted color. is it from the canadian store only? or is it the cover of the physical cd single?

I bought the single when they first posted it on the US store, and it came with the black cover.  This morning I pre-ordered the deluxe album and got the white cover.

BTW, the box set artwork is now up on Myspace.  Looks nice.

[Carl]

hmm?

[slaneman]

u2tour.de has the single cover

[Carl]

um. interesting kind of minimalist waiting room vibe. works better than it should perhaps? It's superior to the promo artwork, though it's intriguing to see the tie between the two.

I still think my cover would have been better.

[Z000]

Edge about the song, or more specifically the video, to Hot Press:

"It's based around the idea that men have fucked things up so badly, politically, economically and socially that it's really time we handed things over to women."
Full article: http://www.hotpress.com/news/5225641.html

Brings some of the lyrics into clearer light for me. But isn't it just a touch demeaning to riddle a feminist song with the word, "sexy?"

[Carl]

Brings some of the lyrics into clearer light for me. But isn't it just a touch demeaning to riddle a feminist song with the word, "sexy?"

"men have fucked things up [...] socially"   

wtf?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S87gdt68jI4

it's more like... some military fetish video. leather boots, uniforms, topless (sans medals), laying with legs spread wide open... hum. There seems to be more sexual objectification than anything else, and with the militaristic women of the video (empowerment in a literal sense?) it doesn't really seem like things will be any better off...

unless it's meant that women see war as cute costumes and a dress up game, which isn't really the most progressive stance either.

the one bracelets were a cool touch. interesting visually.

[Z000]

I can't load that video... I'll try again later.

I love the music, but as far as the message goes I think Groucho Marx put it best:
"They can't all be good, you should expect that by now."

[Carl]

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=51841712

A few interesting changes... the nip slip is covered up by a medal and the spread legs are joined by another pair (giving it a bit more of a lounging together than, well spread wide open feeling).  The previous stock footage issues at ~1:50 have been fixed by some totally different footage.

Some minor things that look new though I'm too lazy to check. :p

It worked really well live:

http://www.u2exit.com/2009/02/video_u2_perform_goyb_at_the_2009_grammy_awards.php

[MidMoU2Fan]

It's a fun song, with more depth than people are giving it credit for