Episode 13 — No Line on the Horizon

[JacobCrites 4977]

I genuinely do not get the Get On Your Boots hate. It's a fun, silly rock song. For whatever reason, I love so many of the crazy non-sequiturs in this song: "All the kids are screaming but the ghosts aren't real." "Satan loves a bomb scare."

 

It was certainly a disappointing Grammy performance, as I remember. Especially given that Radiohead came out and gave the best Grammy performance of all time right after them.

 

This album is fantastic, though. Other than Stand-Up Comedy (which is growing on me), I love every song. No Line and Breathe are maybe my favorite U2 songs. So I have to agree with ol' sourpuss on this one!

[DEATHMAN 3317]

Yeah I'm enjoying Get On Your Boots after hearing a portion of it for the first time in this podcast. I like it

 

Wait I'm listening to the full thing and there's this weird part where it slows down and they say "you don't know how beautiful you are" and that's weird and bad

[Brian_Eno 119]

I am CERTAINLY not a 'sourpuss' haven't you heard my album "Before and After Science?"

[siracha345 29]

Their completely unironic discussion of fruitcake was jarring, because everything (other than the U2 love) in this show is discussed with irony. Even the U2 love most of the time.

[KyleMahan 102]

Up until this episode, I seriously thought it was an ongoing joke that (Adam) Scott has small children that he has to get home to.

[Bernard_Shakey 3484]

I really need to get a life, but instead I did this.

[Lukas Holmes 2287]

This show has quickly changed from two very busy men attempting to delve into their love of U2 and more into a study of what happens when fan obession turns into annoyance, anger and madness. I am starting to feel this show is either going to end with the release of the new album, or a murder/suicide....or both.

[justinmh05 1968]

I genuinely do not get the Get On Your Boots hate. It's a fun, silly rock song. For whatever reason, I love so many of the crazy non-sequiturs in this song

 

Yeesh, can't agree with you there. It is the absolute nadir of Bono's songwriting IMO. It was a blatant attempt at commercialism - only this time with a song that wasn't good enough to be a b-side.

 

To me, Boots, Windows in the Sky and Van Dieman's Land are the worst commercially released U2 songs by a mile.

[JacobCrites 4977]

I think it's an effective pop song, that's all. Obviously not a masterpiece of songwriting or anything.

 

Breathe, however. That song is the jam right there.

[katebrezzy 13]

I haven't even listened to the new episode yet, but I was feeling left out of the fanart love, since I drew this around episode 2 and didn't even know about the forums until a couple episodes ago. I just want some of that sweet loving, man. So yeah, time to go listen to them not talk about U2 for the better part of my evening.

 

[PuncturedJesus 354]

I was kinda hoping they'd shit on this album a bit more, not just on Boots.

[Andrew_Nice_Day 33]

I love Scott's reaction when he gets Scott's undelivered "FUCK YOU" text.

 

"Oh, hey! Just got it! Thanks man!"

[justinmh05 1968]

I think it's an effective pop song, that's all. Obviously not a masterpiece of songwriting or anything.

 

That's the thing though. I don't think it can be considered "effective". It was widely hated by most of the public and is frequently mocked. It can't really be considered "effective" if most people don't like it and it likely turned a lot of people off from buying the album, can it?

 

I'm not saying you shouldn't like it or anything like that. People have their own tastes.

[siracha345 29]

Up until this episode, I seriously thought it was an ongoing joke that (Adam) Scott has small children that he has to get home to.

 

HAHA REALLY? That is truly hilarious. You thought Adam was disguising his reading of Harry Potter by saying he was reading it to his pretend son? That would be an extremely elaborate joke, although one I wouldn't actually put past the Scotts

[e_over_m 179]

Toward the end of Who Charted? this week they start Talkin' U Talkin' U2 To Me?

 

The more I think about having Kulap and Naomi as guests on an episode, the more I like the idea! They probably have a lot of weeks left to fill, anyway, before the album comes out.

[colindodge 3]

Anybody else think that "Wild Wild West" sounds a lot like "Pump it Up" by Elvis Costello?

 

YES!

[Drakkar Jaune 234]

Which in turn sounds like "Subterranean Homesick Blues"...

[TRb 65]

Who else is really excited for when they talk about Bono being on entourage? Will it be a "Talkin bout Turtle" or not?

[GoodUhRocknRollMusic 30]

The more I think about having Kulap and Naomi as guests on an episode, the more I like the idea! They probably have a lot of weeks left to fill, anyway, before the album comes out.

 

I'm super on board for this. Also, I'm still waiting for Jimmy's Chicago podcast...

[KyleMahan 102]

 

HAHA REALLY? That is truly hilarious. You thought Adam was disguising his reading of Harry Potter by saying he was reading it to his pretend son? That would be an extremely elaborate joke, although one I wouldn't actually put past the Scotts

 

Yes, that's exactly what I thought! (And I found it hilarious). I was actually a little disappointed to find out that he really does have kids, but I mean I'm glad they're alive or whatever.

[HeySwanSong 133]

Back when this album came out, U2 actually had a performance at my college for a Good Morning America taping. It was a live taping for the 7 am (or whatever) show, so everyone just stayed up all night drinking and the piled on to the lawn, in a somewhat zombie-like state but ready to rock. Then they started playing "Boots" and everyone was just kind a like uhh....

 

It was still a fun experience though.

[AM Gems 96]

I'm not a U2 fan, but I can at least understand why people like them. Scott and Scott's love of Billy Joel, however, I find utterly baffling.

[action52 554]

Toward the end of Who Charted? this week they start Talkin' U Talkin' U2 To Me?

 

The more I think about having Kulap and Naomi as guests on an episode, the more I like the idea! They probably have a lot of weeks left to fill, anyway, before the album comes out.

 

Listening to Kulap and Naomi complain about the Scotts would be wonderful. I want this to happen almost as much as I want the Staind Glass episode to happen.

[Dhezballah 462]

This show has quickly changed from two very busy men attempting to delve into their love of U2 and more into a study of what happens when fan obession turns into annoyance, anger and madness. I am starting to feel this show is either going to end with the release of the new album, or a murder/suicide....or both.

Doug's going to get sick of the late nights and kill them both.

[dorrk 2]

To me the most interesting phenomenon of this show is that, while this latest ep has inspired me to revisit Billy Joel's early catalog, it has in no way whatsoever compelled me to revisit U2's post-Zooropa material.

 

I checked out on them after my disappointment with Pop, which I saw live, and everything since then has bored me. I do believe Scott and Scott have been far too kind to all of their later albums, severely diluting the value of the term "great song."

 

But thanks for piquing my Billy Joel resurgence. Maybe I'll go back to Huey Lewis next (my first concert was HL & the News with Bruce Hornsby opening!). But not U2.