Search - U2 :: All Because of You

Class track but the single's dead

Axver | 02/19/2005

(3 out of 5 stars)

"All Because Of You itself is a great song. Not only is it rock, it is roll, and it surges along at a great pace. The piercing opening note, somewhat quirky but enjoyable lyrics, Bono's primal yell, and Edge's solo combine to create a fast-paced song that rocks and rolls from start to finish. It's a great selection as a single to follow Vertigo's success in North America, but U2 simply didn't promote it (focusing instead on the stellar, epic Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own) and it hasn't had the chart success it should've.



The single release itself, however, is not so great. That's why I am only giving it three stars. The song itself is worthy of four (which says a lot, as I consider it the weakest track, besides Vertigo, on the latest album), but the stark lack of any b-sides really reduces this release's merit. Don't be fooled - this is not a legendary single release like With Or Without You/Walk To The Water/Luminous Times. That is not, however, a criticism of U2 in any way. The simple fact is that the single is a dying medium - they sell horrendously poorly, especially in North America, and U2 no longer wish to waste original songs on releases that only a relative few will buy. Anyone who knows how the band records would know that they often develop ideas in one session and fully form them to create album tracks in another (i.e. Wake Up Dead Man, on 1997's Pop, was first conceived in sessions in 1990), so instead of releasing weaker, half-finished material as b-sides, the band retain their ideas to fully form them later. So a combination of the worthlessness of single releases and the way in which U2 create music mean that all we have is a remix as the b-side.



If you're a U2 collector or love remixes, buy this single. You may just find my three star ranking too low, especially because All Because Of You is a great track. If you want to hear a great range of original music, buy How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb. The single is dead, the album is alive."

U2 as steady as ever

G. Vernon | Seattle, WA USA | 04/23/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This is a unique song in the collection called "How To Dismantle an Atomic Bomb." Most songs on the CD build from quiet, simple arrangements to all-out raves. The glorious "City of Blinding Lights," which opened the Vertigo 2005 tour in San Diego, first leads the listener to think it a ballad but it opens up into a soaring guitar line and Bono's cheering "Oh you look so beautiful tonight!" It's a joyous rave-up incorrectly identified as a "ballad" by reviewers who apparently pressed "play" on their downloaded MP3 files just long enough to hear the first few bars.



"All Because of You" doesn't suffer from internet insta-reviewer short attention spans because unlike the other tracks, it punches right into high gear from the top. It's known to be a song about God, but as with Bono's greatest lyrics it contains many references that could be as much about U2's history as about God as about a love relationship. "I like sound of my own voice, I never gave anybody else a choice..." A fondly self-referential line that could be the Bono of 2004 looking fondly at the mulleted Bono of 1984. 20 years down the line, Bono's sense of humor is well in-tact.



Is there room for an all-out rock song among the faithful? For this faithful fan, absolutely. It shares a classic beat familiar to some of the greatest rock songs of all time, as have many U2 songs. Over that beat soars a typically euphoric Edge guitar, as it does in many U2 songs. Top it off with Bono shouting out celebratory lyrics, as he does in many U2 songs. Bottom line, and this goes out to everyone who's jumped aboard the anti-U2-iPod lemming line, is that this is classic U2 at its best.



I would suggest that anyone who thinks otherwise put this song in a new iTunes playlist and fade it right into "Two Hearts (Beat As One)" from 1983's War album. See if you don't notice a similarity or two. U2 is still doing precisely what we loved about them in the 80s. How very sad that people are taking time here to vilify them for that."

Great Classic Rock Sound

Jordans11 | Washington State, USA | 10/16/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"All Because of You is one of my top five or six favorite U2 songs, it is great. The chorus is a little iffy, but the guitar work is simply incredible. One of the highlights of How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb, All Because of You is completely guitar driven and works well. This song has a great classic rock feel to it and is completely full of energy. All Because of You is for sure one of U2's best!"