U2 Album: “Sometimes You Can't Make It on Your Own, Pt. 1 [2 Tracks White Cover]”

"Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own" is an example of the band delivering pure, raw emotion backed by a beautiful wall of music. It's a heartwarming ballad Bono directs at his father who passed away in 2001 and was a tenor (allowing Bono to inherit a wonderous voice). Some have raged at it claiming it is nothing like the U2 ballads of old, well of course it's not, how often can you repeat something like "One" or "If God Will Send His Angels?" However, I do believe this is a better song than "Stuck In A Moment You Can't Get Out Of." The feelings are more deep and the playing more memorable. "Sometimes" starts off with pure tenderness and builds to a stunning high pitch colored by Bono's powerful voice and moving slide guitar by The Edge (a master at this particular guitar style which appears numerous times in "How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb"). It's like a tidal wave that builds and subsides. However, if the song is great then the single is lame. Up to even "Beautiful Day" and the first single edition of "Elevation," U2 were maestros in the field of releasing singles because the B-Sides were always fan-enticing material such as the live "Discotheque/If You Wear That Velvet Dress" found in "Beautiful Day" and the live "Last Night On Earth" and cover of Johnny Cash's "Don't Take Your Guns To Town" found in "Elevation." And of course in the late 80's we had "Unchained Melody," "Dancing Barefoot" and others. So why have U2 reduced to releasing a truck load of remixes with their new material? This plagued 2002's "Best Of 1990-2000 & B-Sides" set which offered nothing but tiresome remixes instead of real B-Sides. Here we get a re-doing of "Vertigo" that has no point other than making this not be a one song deal. "Sometimes..." is a wonderful song, but I hope the next single has a little more to offer.

Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own (SYCMIOYO) is without a doubt one of the very best tracks on the superb How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb album. The lyrics are extremely personal, and anyone who has had troubles with their father will be able to feel Bono's pain and will find the lyrics to be hauntingly superb. Indeed, such is the quality of Bono's lyricism that the lyrics of SYCMIOYO can be related to many other situations just as adequately, as I know very well from experience. This song is a ballad of the calibre of masterpieces such as Bad, With Or Without You, One, and Stay (Faraway, So Close!), featuring some of Bono's best vocals since the Zooropa era.

The single as a format of musical release is pretty much dying, with sales continuing to decline. For that reason, bands focus more on album releases, and U2 are no exception. They have another good reason - their recording process is organic, with ideas developed in one session but not often fully formed until later (i.e. City Of Blinding Lights, recently released on HTDAAB, saw the first musical inception during 1996 sessions for Pop), and thus they do not want to release half-formed ideas that could be built upon later, especially not as b-sides on a format that is low-profile and will only be purchased by a relative few. Nonetheless, the single is solid enough and the title track itself is so marvellous that it definitely deserves a five star rating.

To answer some allegations, there was no iTunes debacle as no money changed hands, U2 are not sell-outs except in the sense that every band that signs a record deal is selling out their music to others, and anyone who thinks U2 have lost their way and become commercial since Pop is simply delusional. U2 are refining their art, playing to their strengths, releasing sincere and heartfelt rock in a world filled with shallow, fake Britney-pop and mindless rap. If the allegations against U2 were true, Bono would be singing "I want you in my pants" and the song would be used as part of a Levis jeans ad. That hasn't happened and the greatest rock band in the world are still the greatest rock band in the world, going where no-one has gone before and releasing some of their most successful and best music more than two and a half decades into their career. It may not be your cup of tea, but you have to admire the artistic ability. Just because U2 didn't make what YOU wanted doesn't mean it's bad. Some people need to stop living in the past.

SYCMIOYO is a superb single. The song is masterful, crafted by a band of extraordinary talent and infused with heartfelt, sincere lyrics that are both specific and universal. This is a U2 classic. Buy it today.

Man, these reviewers really didn't seem to like this single. Makes we wonder why they would ever choose to own it..? For the instant gratification of disliking it again and again?

I, myself, happen to be a fan. I like it. Ok, so it's not the Joshua Tree. Let a Joshua Tree be a Joshua Tree, and quit subjecting yourself to things you don't enjoy. We can do without your public servicing.

Go review an Usher CD. -js

Slightly different than the album versions. I prefer the HTDAAB Collector's Edition version of Fast Cars.

This is U2 after all, and there's a stadium to fill, and there's a Grammy to win, and there's a Rock star attitude to sell, etc. Milking the same bass line and the same guitar trick for about five albums, and the world just pretend to love it again just because 'it's U2' - everybody's know it's cool to be a U2 fan, that's fashionable, and surely some of your female friends love U2, so it's better to like them, and the mass media must be nice with them, because they have the money, etc - , and it's the biggest pile of s**t I've ever heard!'.

U2 are just old dinosaurs whom sell their name alone. I really don't know how the hell this pathetic attempt at ballad can be number 1 in the UK at the moment!.

...and the Grammy goes to...U2!...