So, DO you like How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb or not?

[gvox]

I'm glad Lillywhite convinced them to actually have a chorus in the song and mostly that they dropped the saccharine arrangement/lyric of the alternative version. And making Native Son - Vertigo.

I also am glad if he's the one behind turning Xanax and wine into Fast cars and picking the closing Yahweh over the alternate mix (a little less if he's guilty of losing the alt All because of you lyric but we can't have it all...).

Xanax & Wine >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Fast Cars.

Native Son >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Vertigo.

Yahweh mixes are equally good.

Alt Sometimes is great in it's own way, I feel it is a bit closer to what he was originally feeling (how can I possibly know this, is a good question, I can't really) and I like the 'made up' verse just fine. I also don't even care that "and it's you when I look in the mirror..." etc is not in the alt version. The subtle "sometimes you can't make it on your own" by itself is equally brilliant imo and I don't really see the alt version as being 'saccharine' in fact if anything it's the other way around, the alt is grittier and rawer to these ears. Also, I hear more Edge, and that's always a good thing.

 

[roy]

Xanax & Wine >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Fast Cars.

Native Son >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Vertigo.

Nah, both released songs are far better than their original versions IMO. If it helps:

Fast Cars > Xanax & Wine
Vertigo > Native Son

Note: In the above example the number of 'greater than' arrows does not add weight to level of superiority.

 

[gvox]

Nah, both released songs are far better than their original versions IMO. If it helps:

Fast Cars > Xanax & Wine
Vertigo > Native Son

Note: In the above example the number of 'greater than' arrows does not add weight to level of superiority.

FYI: Your example doesn't 'help' nor add any weight to your own opinion.

(BTW...I merely use a different number of "greater than" arrows to indicate the degree to which I believe one song is greater than another. In other words, more "greater than" arrows for Native Son > Vertigo indicates that I believe that Native Son is a superior song to Vertigo to a far greater degree than which I believe that Xanax & Wine is superior to Fast Cars.)

 

[Tyagu_Anaykus]

Native Son

Xanax and Wine , but Fast Cars

 

[digitize]

Vertigo , Native Son .

Xanax and Wine , Fast Cars

In my emoticon-indicated-humble-opinion, of course.

 

[coolian2]

there's no way to forgive yahweh.

 

[digitize]

there's no way to forgive yahweh.

And I consider it one of the album's best songs.

That says something bad about Bomb, not something good about Yahweh.

 

[KhanadaRhodes]

the only songs i like on the album are city of blinding lights and fast cars.

native son is way better than vertigo. they took a song with some meaning and changed it into some bland song about nothing at all, for fear of pissing off some politician.

the alternate version of all because of you is tolerable. the album version is horrible. i hate yahweh regardless. although i hate xanax and wine, had they used all the alternate versions instead, i'd likely rate the album higher.

Spoiler

imo

 

[Vlad n U 2]

I actually really like All Because of You. There's an unpopular opinion, right. There.

 

[blueeyedgirl]

I only came into this thread to see Tommy Tutone....

 

[last unicorn]

All the album versions are, in my opinion, better than the alternative versions.

There is no song on the album I can't stand, although I find ABOY a little annoying, but the alternative version is even worse.

Overall, I'm glad they didn't go for any of the alternative versions for the album.

 

[last unicorn]

there's no way to forgive yahweh.

It's beautiful. The only track where I may consider the alternative version slightly better than the album version. The live version from U23D is amazing.

 

[U2girl]

Xanax & Wine >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Fast Cars.

Native Son >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Vertigo.

Yahweh mixes are equally good.

Alt Sometimes is great in it's own way, I feel it is a bit closer to what he was originally feeling (how can I possibly know this, is a good question, I can't really) and I like the 'made up' verse just fine. I also don't even care that "and it's you when I look in the mirror..." etc is not in the alt version. The subtle "sometimes you can't make it on your own" by itself is equally brilliant imo and I don't really see the alt version as being 'saccharine' in fact if anything it's the other way around, the alt is grittier and rawer to these ears. Also, I hear more Edge, and that's always a good thing.

Xanax and Wine feels like something 90's U2 would come up with on a generic day. Fast cars wins for the Arabic/Spanish flavour from the mariachi Edge. I like both though.

Native Son is a weak attempt at going political. If that's the best they can do in that direction...pass. I like the "FREEE" part but that's about it. I'm not surprised Bono didn't think he could be doing that song on the road.

Yes, I like both Yahweh mixes. The album closer just feels more like a closer with the piano and strings added.

It is saccharine. The piano, the strings, the "when I was younger..." cliche verse...and there's plenty more Edge on the album...?
(forgot to add I liked the addition of the middle section instead of Bono just going the note out of the blue)

 

[ZOOTVTOURist]

This album IS a masterpiece.

 

[monsieur fly]

Xanax & Wine >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Fast Cars.

Native Son >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Vertigo.

Yahweh mixes are equally good.

Alt Sometimes is great in it's own way, I feel it is a bit closer to what he was originally feeling (how can I possibly know this, is a good question, I can't really) and I like the 'made up' verse just fine. I also don't even care that "and it's you when I look in the mirror..." etc is not in the alt version. The subtle "sometimes you can't make it on your own" by itself is equally brilliant imo and I don't really see the alt version as being 'saccharine' in fact if anything it's the other way around, the alt is grittier and rawer to these ears. Also, I hear more Edge, and that's always a good thing.

I completely agree with you. I just love that sleazy guitar riff on Xanax And Wine. Native Son has two main advantages- exotic guitarwork and Bono yelling "freeeeeeeeeeeeeee". I also prefer the alt SYC because it is more stripped down. And this leads me to my main point. I had nothing in principle against a raw/ back to basics U2 album- in fact the prospect excited me but HTDAAB was anything but raw. U2 sacrificed experimentation for pop-rock mediocrity, not for primal rock n' roll. That is why I don't like it.

 

[monsieur fly]

I actually really like All Because of You. There's an unpopular opinion, right. There.

Well I'm kind of with you on ABOY. At least it confirmed with the promised "hard rock" template and it certainly had energy. I like it but Bono's vocals let it down and I've long thought the chorus needed another guitar.

 

[monsieur fly]

there's no way to forgive yahweh.

Agreed, it is hideous from start to finish. The trite sentiment, the generic guitar work, the forced chorus. Yuk.

 

[ozeeko]

The other day i was listening to some BOMB era stuff...and i decided i don't like Native Son as much as i used to. While i find it's high points ("i did not take his life" "freeeee") more interesting than Vertigo, it doesn't really hold up. And no, this does not mean i prefer Vertigo, i find both songs to be missed opportunities. The one thing i'll give Vertigo is that it makes better use of the chorus music. "You...give me something...i can feeel" is a lot more powerful than the way Bono rushes the whole "native son to be free" lyric. Then again, Bono's performance on Vertigo, IMO, is utter junk. I heard him sing the chorus in live performances, and he always nails it, but in the album it just sounds weak. They way he screams "feeeeel" live is amazing, on the album he sounds like he's about to crack, like the way a voice cracks during puberty. Not to mention the rest of Vertigo which i pretty much find unbearable to listen to.

So, my verdict, both songs are pretty bad. They both have their moments, but all in all, missed opportunities. Should've just tossed this one in the waste basket.

Fast Cars, on the other hand, is fucking killer. Larry Mullen should be kicked out of the band for insisting on cutting it from the regular album. I mean, next to MOS, it's the best song U2 have recorded this decade. Xanax and Wine is, like Native Son, interesting at best, but the chorus is weak, and it comes out of nowhere (not in a good way) like it was a piece of music from another song they just forced into this one. While Fast Cars has a quick, strange chorus that fits with the song's original vibe. "Iiiii know these fast carrrrrs...will do me no good" - love that spagetti western vibe there, totally fits. It's got character. And that middle 8! Best middle 8 this decade.

And while i was never one to praise Mercy, i do appreciate Bono's "I feeeel nothing"'s towards the end. It's refreshing to hear him sing totally unhinged and soulful, on his own, without Edge's backup vox.

 

[U2DMfan]

Could not disagree more about the chorus in both of those songs.
I find the chorus in Fast Cars to be anti-climactic at best and the chorus in Xanax to be, well, awesome.

That said, Vertigo is a pretty killer live song and I don't think it was a huge mistake leaving NS off in favor of Vertigo. In fact, I don't even think it was a mistake, I just prefer NS because it's more raw and less annoying.

 

[Earnie Shavers]

The version of Native Son we have is likely as far as they took Native Son, before completely changing it and turning it into Vertigo. I don't think this version of NS is up to Vertigo standards, obviously, but I think the structure and idea of NS is far batter than Vertigo. It's a song, not a jingle, and I think there's more likely more potential in that raw NS structure than Vertigo ended up giving us. Does that make sense? But no, of course, if you just dumped NS on an album as it is in that version we have, it would be a dead spot.

I think a cleaned up Xanax trumps Fast Cars. I like the sounds of Fast Cars as much as anyone, but when you think about Bono talking up a basic 'four guys in a room' rock album, as he was at one stage, I think in Xanax you can hear the potential for that to be pretty damn good. I really like the raw sound of it, even though that version is pretty bad, audio-quality wise. And I do also think the Xanax chorus trumps the Fast Cars chorus.

 

[digitize]

The version of Native Son we have is likely as far as they took Native Son, before completely changing it and turning it into Vertigo. I don't think this version of NS is up to Vertigo standards, obviously, but I think the structure and idea of NS is far batter than Vertigo. It's a song, not a jingle, and I think there's more likely more potential in that raw NS structure than Vertigo ended up giving us. Does that make sense? But no, of course, if you just dumped NS on an album as it is in that version we have, it would be a dead spot.

I agree with this.

 

[Maoilbheannacht]

Agreed, it is hideous from start to finish. The trite sentiment, the generic guitar work, the forced chorus. Yuk.

Yahweh is one of the best songs they have written this decade. Fantastic guitar work, and overall an uplifting song. Far better than songs like Cedars Of Lebanon, or White As Snow, although those are great songs as well.

 

[Maoilbheannacht]

the only songs i like on the album are city of blinding lights and fast cars.

native son is way better than vertigo. they took a song with some meaning and changed it into some bland song about nothing at all, for fear of pissing off some politician.

the alternate version of all because of you is tolerable. the album version is horrible. i hate yahweh regardless. although i hate xanax and wine, had they used all the alternate versions instead, i'd likely rate the album higher.

Spoiler

imo

Vertigo works much better musically than Native Song. Well, given how much you dislike ATYCLB and HTAAB, I take you did not see the band live on either tour promoting those albums?

 

[coolian2]

Agreed, it is hideous from start to finish. The trite sentiment, the generic guitar work, the forced chorus. Yuk.

agreed. it got a little bit less irritating live, but i'm just thankful i never had to sit through it.