The Hands That Built America Different Versions

[dan_smee]

Hi All,

So I just watched Gangs of New York again, and it gave me a newfound appreciation for the song. Really great songwriting, and a good, emotional tune.

I was wondering how many different versions there are out there? I have the video version, and the best-of version. I have seen there is an 'extended' version that is the movie outro (which I believe is the song played 2.5 bpm faster, and that's why Bono's voice is high, and has the extended strong intro).

I seem to recall a third version called the 'Tin Whistle' version or something, but I can't find any reference to it anywhere. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[U2girl]

I thought there were only two - the movie version and the (better IMO) Best of version with great Orbit synth work.

 

[OpenG180]

The movie version is different from the soundtrack album version. And the Best Of is different from both.

 

[popacrobat]

there's a few versions. i'm not the biggest fan of the song, but to my recollection there's:

U2 - The Hands That Built America - YouTube

which is from the best of DVD

then there's:

U2 - The Hands that built America (Version 2) - YouTube

which is actually on the best of itself.

and then there's the soundtrack version:

Gangs Of New York - Ending Song - Full Version & Lyrics - YouTube

and I think there's an edited version of the soundtrack version somewhere, too.

 

[popacrobat]

if there's another version, I'm not aware of it -- save for the edited version of the soundtrack.

and then the stripped down live versions bono and edge played from time to time, too, which i'm not counting.

 

[dan_smee]

Having gone through them all, I think it must be an edit of the film ending version, without the Orchestral opening. I wish I still had i, it was on my old computer, and I thought it was totally different. Like a remix that just used the piano, tin whistle and violin the whole way through

 

[Mr. Millennium]

Does anyone have a high quality file of the longer, soundtrack version? I never heard that version until recently.

 

[U2NativeSon]

These are the versions I have :

The Hands That Built America (Soundtrack Version - DVD Rip) - 6:21
The Hands That Built America (Soundtrack Version) - 4:35
The Hands That Built America (Studio Version) - 4:59
The Hands That Built America (The Edit + 2.5 Varispeed) - 4:26
The Hands That Built America (Video Version) - 4:32

 

[lazarus]

The common thing here is that they all pretty much suck


The only one I can tolerate is the soundtrack version, which at least has some good electric guitar playing from Edge before the snoozefest begins.

 

[GirlsAloudFan]

There are live versions, too, if anyone wants to count that. They played it at the Academy Awards. And at a few other shows, too, I'm pretty sure.

Axver probably knows.

 

[cobl04]

One of their worst songs.

 

[Nick66]

Agreed. Boring as a dog's ass.

 

[dan_smee]

Yeah, Clinton Library opening, Oscars and one other. Can't lie - I do enjoy the song a lot.

 

[lazarus]

They played it at the Academy Awards.

Which had me saying "Fuck, this shit doesn't deserve to win. Give it to Eminem."

 

[brooklynmike]

there's a few versions. i'm not the biggest fan of the song, but to my recollection there's:

U2 - The Hands That Built America - YouTube

which is from the best of DVD

then there's:

U2 - The Hands that built America (Version 2) - YouTube

which is actually on the best of itself.

and then there's the soundtrack version:

Gangs Of New York - Ending Song - Full Version & Lyrics - YouTube

and I think there's an edited version of the soundtrack version somewhere, too.

Thanks for posting these, I hadn't seen the videos before. In Version 2, in the 14 seconds in or so, the guy (Michael Stipe?) is on the train to Brooklyn from Manhattan. I did that exact ride with the exact same view for 10 years.

 

[LemonMirrorSky]

Boring as a dog's ass.

That expression always cracks me the hell up.

I used to find this song extremely boring, back when I was more visibly and vocally disappointed with their change of sound on ATYCLB and HTDAAB. But just like ATYCLB has grown on me over the years, this song has too.. albeit to a lesser extent than ATYCLB. But if I'm in the right mood I do enjoy this song.

No comment on different versions and such. I have the Best Of version with me.

 

[gvox]

Which had me saying "Fuck, this shit doesn't deserve to win. Give it to Eminem."

lol yup

And then cue the outcry from the fans "omg Eminem sucks U2 should have won"

No, U2's song that year was sub-mediocre at best. Eminem's was amazing. And I can't stand him, either.

 

[lazarus]

A real shame, considering almost every other song they've written for a film has been great.

 

[corianderstem]

I like the song a lot more than other fans, but Eminem totally deserved that win over U2.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

The soundtrack version is the only one i can listen to.

I wish U2 would do more folksie, Celtic type songs. I suppose those can't be "hits," whatever that means, so that's out.

 

[phommel]

This is by far the worst U2 song ever made.....aarch!

 

[Nick66]

A real shame, considering almost every other song they've written for a film has been great.

True...although you can't say as much for the films they wrote them for.

 

[Von Schloopen]

Gangs Of New York - Ending Song - Full Version & Lyrics - YouTube

and I think there's an edited version of the soundtrack version somewhere, too.

I like this one (minus the disc skips the uploader allowed to occur).

That song needed to be nearly 7 minutes long to go from poor to proper.

And more Edge playing electric guitar arpeggios is always a good thing.