Heartland my favorite Bono vocal

[Jdelbove]

I have decided that Heartland is my favorite vocal performance by Bono and maybe his best. His low voice is the verses is smooth and deep and he displays his range throughout the entire song. I particularly love the way he sings heartland soil (very powerfully) - I also love his use of vibrato in the song (through the ghost ranch hiiiiiils) love it

I think it may be his best performance - his voice is rich and smooth and powerful with no limit or end to it seems

 

[zwervers2]

I have decided that Heartland is my favorite vocal performance by Bono and maybe his best. His low voice is the verses is smooth and deep and he displays his range throughout the entire song. I particularly love the way he sings heartland soil (very powerfully) - I also love his use of vibrato in the song (through the ghost ranch hiiiiiils) love it

I think it may be his best performance - his voice is rich and smooth and powerful with no limit or end to it seems

one of his finest moments indeed. God, sometimes i wish time would go slower and he would still sound like that or a mix with the 1992-1996 area. Oh well, there are cd's for that

 

[Jdelbove]

i think he can do things that he couldnt do back then now but has lost some things too - he low voice just doesnt sound as strong or natural or rich as it did - heartland is a perfect example of that voice which he seems to have lost

 

[KristenCaNaDiAn]

I have decided that Heartland is my favorite vocal performance by Bono and maybe his best. His low voice is the verses is smooth and deep and he displays his range throughout the entire song. I particularly love the way he sings heartland soil (very powerfully) - I also love his use of vibrato in the song (through the ghost ranch hiiiiiils) love it

I think it may be his best performance - his voice is rich and smooth and powerful with no limit or end to it seems

I agree

 

[digitize]

Heartland is the ultimate example of Bono's 87-89 vocals. I don't particularly adore that voice, but it can have its beautiful moments... Heartland and Unchained Melody are my two favorites. I actually prefer his 91-96 and Late 2006-present voices, but all three are cool to listen to and contrast, because they tend to fit in well with the lyrics and music of the time.

 

[Gonna Run 2 U]

That was his voice in top form. Then he screamed it away on tour.

 

[OrARoundabout]

^

 

[KhanadaRhodes]

That was his voice in top form. Then he screamed it away on tour.

qft

i love heartland.

 

[Rob33]

Heartland is the ultimate example of Bono's 87-89 vocals. I don't particularly adore that voice, but it can have its beautiful moments... Heartland and Unchained Melody are my two favorites. I actually prefer his 91-96 and Late 2006-present voices, but all three are cool to listen to and contrast, because they tend to fit in well with the lyrics and music of the time.

speaking of Unchained Melody...I've been listening to U2's version a lot lately, and it's definitely one of Bono's finest vocal moments....I think it gets overlooked because it's a B-side or whatever, but damn...fucking incredible vocals on that.

Anyway back on topic, I agree...Heartland is fucking awesome

 

[U2opra]

I think by the time Heartland was recorded Bono's voice had matured quite nicely, as I believe during the time of the JT he was still trying to find his own voice amongst all the different ways he'd try to sing.

Like others have said, it's a shame he wore it out screaming, booze, and cigarettes. Only now is he getting some of that type of range back, and as a singer he's grown enormously meaning he uses new techniques to hit certain notes. A lot of what he used in the 80's may have sounded great in terms of hitting the high notes then dropping down to a whisper but the the technique he used to do it wasn't good on looking after his voice. This is probably why you don't hear him go back to these old ways anymore. I think he could do it but it would wreck his voice, which is not worth it IMO when it's only just began to recover.

 

[Addicted To Bad]

I have decided that Heartland is my favorite vocal performance by Bono and maybe his best. His low voice is the verses is smooth and deep and he displays his range throughout the entire song. I particularly love the way he sings heartland soil (very powerfully) - I also love his use of vibrato in the song (through the ghost ranch hiiiiiils) love it

I think it may be his best performance - his voice is rich and smooth and powerful with no limit or end to it seems

completely agree with you. Heartland is and incredible song per si and Bono´s voice turns it into a masterpiece (in my opinion...)
It´s a pity how most of leader singer´s voice change with the time. Good old times...::

 

[BVS]

This is not only one of my favorite Bono vocal moments, it's one of my top 5 vocal moments ever... when I heard this song in 8th grade it made me want to see if I could sing.

 

[AnnRKeyintheUSA]

Yes the song is beautiful and so was his voice. Now all he can do is screech, whine or chant in a nasal tone forced out between his teeth like an annoying whistle.

 

[BVS]

Uh yeah

 

[doctorwho]

Having just listened to it, sorry, can't agree with many in this thread.

The lower range is great, but he screeches parts in the song that I think he sings far better now. His falsetto is outstanding, but it's a studio performance. In concert - even back then - Bono couldn't always hit those falsettos. So while this is an overall good vocal performance, I think he's done better - namely "Pride", "One Tree Hill", and "Hawkmoon 269" (if one is trying to pick songs from that general era).

As for the b-side "Unchained Melody"... my overall view has softened over time and I appreciate U2 taking a different spin on the song. However, when I first heard it, I felt they ruined one of the most beautiful romantic songs ever made. Bono's screeching destroyed all romanticism. However, two cover versions I adore from the R&H era are "Everlasting Love" and "Dancing Barefoot".

Another cover that I think really showcases Bono's vocals is "Night & Day". This song is arguably from R&H era (even if recorded in late 1989 or early 1990). Bono showcases the full range discussed above for "Heartland", but with more power. His screaming is appropriate and the music is haunting. U2's performance of this song as a psychocit stalking his/her love is powerful dark interpretation that esquisitely contrasts all of the showtune style performances made famous by Billy Holiday and Frank Sinatra. So my vote goes to this song.

Yes the song is beautiful and so was his voice. Now all he can do is screech, whine or chant in a nasal tone forced out between his teeth like an annoying whistle.

I have to agree with BVS.

NLOTH has Bono's best vocals since AB and having seen him four times in concert on this tour, I can assure you there is no screeching or nasal sounds. In fact, having heard him perform WOWY on this tour proved to me his range has really recovered. While I felt that song suffered in the last 3 tours (including PopMart), I felt it's being restored slowly to its full glory.

 

[Gilead12]

Heartland is also one of the best examples of how much THE EDGE's backing vocals can contribute to a track.

They really let Edge come toward the front on the last chorus, and for me that's one of the most beautiful moments in U2's catalogue. The Edge performs the duties of a backing choir, wonderfully complementing Bono's voice with this beautiful chant-like vocal piece.


His voice is important on the verses, but by the chorus it's just godly...

 

[MikeyJB]

One of my favourite U2 songs. For me, this is the criminally un-played live song much more so than Acrobat.

 

[Zoots]

Great song! Great vocal indeed! As much as I love his vocal these days on songs like MOS or Fez, you have to be delusional to think that his voice is in any way better now than during Rattle n Hum, when it was the start of the peak! Since after Zooropa/Zoomerang, his voice is shot and has never properly recovered.

 

[U2girl]

My pick would be MOS.

A stunning vocal from an almost 50 year old that is reminiscent of his voice from 20+ years ago, (Rattle and Hum) yet doesn't sound like anything else he's ever recorded.

 

[coolian2]

it would be great if he still had his old range, instead of screaming it away on stupid shit during lovetown.

love the heartland vocal, right up there as one of my favourites. wish more studio, original stuff had come out of rattle & hum.

 

[digitize]

Great song! Great vocal indeed! As much as I love his vocal these days on songs like MOS or Fez, you have to be delusional to think that his voice is in any way better now than during Rattle n Hum, when it was the start of the peak! Since after Zooropa/Zoomerang, his voice is shot and has never properly recovered.

Ehh, I prefer his current voice to his late 80s voice, actually.

 

[Peterrrrr]

He does a great job on Heartland, but the one performence that I play almost every time in my car now is 2009-07-07 - Milan - Ultraviolet(bootleg from u2start/u2torrents), the "I remember..." verse is amazing. He was so into it when he sang that night, so much emotion. "Lieeeeeeeeeeeee" is amazing.

 

[digitize]

He does a great job on Heartland, but the one performence that I play almost every time in my car now is 2009-07-07 - Milan - Ultraviolet(bootleg from u2start/u2torrents), the "I remember..." verse is amazing. He was so into it when he sang that night, so much emotion. "Lieeeeeeeeeeeee" is amazing.

Yes yes yes yes yes!

 

[neilm]

Heartland is one of my favorite U2 songs. It was in the progress of being written during the end of the Joshua Tree sessions and was finished for Rattle & Hum. Everything about the entire song just sends shivers down my spine. The music, the vocal, the lyrics. I love that song so much

 

[donkeytimes]

Certain U2 songs are simply great, lots are good, some are ok, some are bad, like any band. U2 has more good and great songs than many bands.

Heartland is one of the great U2 songs. This is due in part to it being "somewhat" buried in the middle of Rattle and Hum, and never being played before live. Much like Acrobat, by NOT playing this song, it retains its mystery and un-touched soul, the fans relish it.

For me the song is so "autumn" like. It has a colder or cooler feel, fall leaves, chilly, foggy night...in other words, it takes me somewhere. I think the use of the drum pattern, Edge's chimes, and choral backing vox coupled with the screams and lows from Bono's vocal performance really blend so well as many have stated in this thread.

This is a song U2 should be proud of, its a song you sometimes wish U2 would get praise for over the "hits" but you know it will never happen. Its almost better that way, as it can preserve its lofty place in our collective U2 super fandom hearts.

One final personal note about the tune for me, I don't think Danny Lanois had anything to do with song, unless he and Eno started working with them on it during the end of JT. But, I figure if U2 worked with Danny only on a record, we would get more music like the U2 "heartland" sound.

 

[Jdelbove]

the mood that heartland sets is unbelievable the song really takes you somewhere its all encompassing

 

[65980]

For me ['Heartland'] is so "autumn" like. It has a colder or cooler feel, fall leaves, chilly, foggy night...in other words, it takes me somewhere.

That's interesting to hear, as the song is clearly inspired by the hot, dry, American south -- possibly from Adam and Bono's trip together? But however you want to hear it is up to you...

I certainly agree that it's a brilliant track, but he is kind of straining for the notes, don't y'all think? It's not like the pure kind of falsetto of the 00s.

(I do, however, prefer the straining vocal style of those old days.)

 

[BVS]

One final personal note about the tune for me, I don't think Danny Lanois had anything to do with song, unless he and Eno started working with them on it during the end of JT. But, I figure if U2 worked with Danny only on a record, we would get more music like the U2 "heartland" sound.

Well they both have production credits on the song, eno plays organ, and it's said to be Lanois favorite on R&H.

 

[KhanadaRhodes]

That's interesting to hear, as the song is clearly inspired by the hot, dry, American south -- possibly from Adam and Bono's trip together? But however you want to hear it is up to you...

i agree. i certainly think there's no right answer or anything (for example, when i think of achtung baby i think of wintertime, but i remember when there was a thread like this in the past i saw some responses that it reminds them of summer), but to me heartland reminds me of summer. like you said it's inspired by the hot, dry, american south. once it gets to july, i think of the studio tracks off the album. plus there's nothing like driving through downtown memphis with heartland on and driving past the infamous hill.

 

[the tourist]

Heartland is one of my top 10 U2 songs always. I love Bono's vocals and the lyrics. It makes me think of a driving through the badlands with my family when I was a kid.