Get Out of Your Own Way

"Get Out of Your Own Way"
Single by U2
from the album Songs of Experience
Released	8 December 2017 (2017-12-08)
Genre	Pop rock
Length	3:58
Label	Island, Universal
Composer(s)	U2
Lyricist(s)	Bono
Producer(s)	Ryan Tedder Steve Lillywhite Brent Kutzle Jolyon Thomas Jacknife Lee (add.)
U2 singles chronology
"You're the Best Thing About Me" (2017) "Get Out of Your Own Way" (2017) "Love Is Bigger Than Anything in Its Way" (2018)

"Get Out of Your Own Way" is a song by Irish rock band U2. It is the fourth track on their fourteenth studio album, Songs of Experience, and was released as the album's second single on 8 December 2017.

Writing and recording

"Get Out of Your Own Way" is lyrically addressed to the daughters of lead vocalist Bono[1] (actress Eve Hewson, and Jordan, both featured on the cover),[2] with words of encouragement to not be one's own worst enemy.[3][4] The lyrics also reference the US political crisis, mentioning Liberty receiving a "smack in the mouth".[1] Musically, the song was compared to the band's 2000 single "Beautiful Day".[5] Seguing between the end of "Get Out of Your Own Way" and the beginning of the album's next track, "American Soul", is a spoken word segment by rapper Kendrick Lamar; playing what Bono called a "cracked preacher", Lamar gives an ironic take on the Beatitudes.[1][6]

Release and promotion

On 1 November 2017, the band officially announced details of the album's release; as part of the announcement, "Get Out of Your Own Way" was one of two songs released on music streaming services. Those who pre-ordered the album received "instant grat downloads" of "Get Out of Your Own Way" and other songs.[7] U2 performed "Get Out of Your Own Way" on the 2 December 2017 episode of American comedy television series Saturday Night Live.[8]

"Get Out of Your Own Way" was released as the album's second single on 16 January 2018,[9] with the song's music video following two days later.[10] For the 60th Annual Grammy Awards, U2 pre-recorded the performance of "Get Out of Your Own Way" on a barge in front of the Statue of Liberty.[11]

After the single release of "Get Out of Your Own Way", several remixes of the song were issued by Afrojack and Switch.[12]

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (2017–18) Peak position Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Flanders)[13] 6 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[14] 16 Hungary (Rádiós Top 40)[15] 34 Italy Airplay (EarOne)[16] 1 Japan (Japan Hot 100)[17] 92 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[18] 73 US Adult Alternative Songs (Billboard)[19] 3 US Adult Pop Airplay (Billboard)[20] 31 US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs (Billboard)[21] 29 US Rock Airplay (Billboard)[22] 39

Year-end charts Chart (2018) Position Belgium (Ultratop Wallonia)[23] 89 Hungary (Rádiós Top 40)[24] 79

Release history

Country	Date	Format	Version	Label
Italy[25]	8 December 2017	Contemporary hit radio	Original	Universal
Various[26]	29 December 2017	Digital download streaming	Switch Remix	Interscope
United States[9]	16 January 2018	Alternative radio	Original
Various	26 January 2018[27]	Digital download streaming	Afrojack Remix
	6 April 2018[28]		Acoustic Version

References

1. Doyle, Tom (December 2017). "Hard-Won Experience". Q. No. 379. pp. 10–13.
2. Hiscock, John (2021-02-21). "Bono's daughter Eve Hewson takes centre stage in Netflix series Behind Her Eyes". Irish Mirror. Retrieved 2022-09-24.
3. "Bono's edge of reason". The Telegraph. 1 December 2017. Archived from the original on July 15, 2018. Retrieved 14 July 2018.
4. Nguyen, Lisa (1 November 2017). "U2 Detail Songs of Experience, Release 'Get Out of Your Own Way' Feat. Kendrick Lamar". Paste. Archived from the original on 15 July 2018. Retrieved 14 July 2018.
5. • Lipshutz, Jason (14 December 2017). "U2 on 2017's 'Swing to Extremism' and Why Unity Is As Important As Resistance". Billboard. Retrieved 14 July 2018.
   • Reed, Ryan (1 November 2017). "Hear U2's Exuberant New Song Featuring Kendrick Lamar". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 14 July 2018.
6. McNair, James (January 2018). "The letters of Paul". Mojo. No. 290. p. 86.
7. "U2 Announce Details Of New Album Songs Of Experience And The eXPERIENCE + iNNOCENCE Tour 2018 Powered By Salesforce" (Press release). PRNewswire. 1 November 2017. Retrieved 1 November 2017.
8. Kim, Michelle (3 December 2017). "Watch U2 Play 'American Soul' and 'Get Out of Your Own Way' on 'SNL'". Pitchfork. Retrieved 5 December 2017.
9. "Alternative > Future Releases". All Access Music Group. Archived from the original on 3 January 2018. Retrieved 25 January 2018.
10. Braca, Nina (18 January 2018). "Watch U2's Politically Charged New Video for 'Get Out Of Your Own Way'". Billboard. Retrieved 10 March 2018.
11. Strauss, Matthew (29 January 2018). "Grammys 2018: U2 Shout Out 'Shithole Countries' in Political Performance". Pitchfork. Retrieved 10 March 2018.
12. Sams, Aaron J. (24 January 2018). "New Remixes of 'Get Out Of Your Own Way' Coming Friday". U2 Songs. Retrieved 6 July 2019.
13. "U2 feat. Kendrick Lamar – Get Out Of Your Own Way" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved 6 July 2019.
14. "U2 feat. Kendrick Lamar – Get Out Of Your Own Way" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 6 July 2019.
15. "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Rádiós Top 40 játszási lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved 24 March 2020.
16. "Earone Airplay - Settimana #4 dal 19/01/2018 al 25/01/2018" (in Italian). Earone.
17. "U2 Chart History (Japan Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 6 July 2019.
18. "U2 feat. Kendrick Lamar – Get Out Of Your Own Way". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 6 July 2019.
19. "U2 Chart History (Adult Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 6 July 2019.
20. "U2 Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 6 July 2019.
21. "U2 Chart History (Hot Rock & Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 6 July 2019.
22. "U2 Chart History (Rock Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved 6 July 2019.
23. "Rapports Annuels 2018". Ultratop. Retrieved 24 March 2020.
24. "Rádiós Top 100 - hallgatottsági adatok alapján - 2018". Mahasz. Retrieved 24 March 2020.
25. "U2 - Get Out of Your Own Way (Radio Date: 08-12-2017)".
26. "Get Out of Your Own Way". Amazon.
27. "Get Out of Your Own Way". Amazon.
28. "Get Out of Your Own Way". Amazon.