"Elvis Presley and America"

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AvsGirl41

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YES, that song, but I'm not asking for intrpretation. (Though if you feel like it, I won't stop you) Someone has probably asked this before...but I have heard two things about this song.

One story goes that Bono came into the studio and improvised the whole thing, not knowing they were recording it and was convinced to put it on the album. Thus, it has never been performed live and has no printed lyrics.

But I have seen printed lyrics in official guitar tabs and books. And I could have sworn I read another story that said that Bono had purposely written and recorded the song with a clear intent.

Can someone clarify this for me? Or is it a complete mystery where this song came from? :shrug:

Elisabeth
 
AvsGirl41 said:
One story goes that Bono came into the studio and improvised the whole thing, not knowing they were recording it and was convinced to put it on the album. Thus, it has never been performed live and has no printed lyrics.
That's the version I heard and believe. I think it was Daniel Lanios who was still left in the studio when U2 recored The Unforgettable Fire and Bono just started singing some Bongolese and Lanios was so fascinated by that song that he recorded it completely. Afterwards Bono said this is a great and song and he couldn't wait to finish the lyrics, but Lanios said the song's ready and he wouldn't interfere at all. Bono liked the song. Lanios liked the song. And it stayed like this.

There are lyrics for that song also at the Interference lyrics archive, but these are just the words that Bono said in the song and no real lyrics for it. The words were just things that came out of Bono's mouth.... :)
 
FallingStar said:

That's the version I heard and believe. I think it was Daniel Lanios who was still left in the studio when U2 recored The Unforgettable Fire and Bono just started singing some Bongolese and Lanios was so fascinated by that song that he recorded it completely. Afterwards Bono said this is a great and song and he couldn't wait to finish the lyrics, but Lanios said the song's ready and he wouldn't interfere at all. Bono liked the song. Lanios liked the song. And it stayed like this.

There are lyrics for that song also at the Interference lyrics archive, but these are just the words that Bono said in the song and no real lyrics for it. The words were just things that came out of Bono's mouth.... :)

Thanks for the info. I really :heart: love that song. ;)
 
I've read somewhere that told a story about how Lanois or Eno was just messing around and they played one of the drum tracks for some tune, from the Unforgettable Fire, in reverse and Bono just improvised along with it.

- z -
 
Zoocifer said:
I've read somewhere that told a story about how Lanois or Eno was just messing around and they played one of the drum tracks for some tune, from the Unforgettable Fire, in reverse and Bono just improvised along with it.
a sort of homecoming.

rumour has it that if you play elvis presley in america at 45 speed instead of 33 1/3, you'll hear it in its normal speed. since i don't have it on record, i don't know for sure. :(
 
FallingStar said:

That's the version I heard and believe. I think it was Daniel Lanios who was still left in the studio when U2 recored The Unforgettable Fire and Bono just started singing some Bongolese and Lanios was so fascinated by that song that he recorded it completely. Afterwards Bono said this is a great and song and he couldn't wait to finish the lyrics, but Lanios said the song's ready and he wouldn't interfere at all. Bono liked the song. Lanios liked the song. And it stayed like this.

There are lyrics for that song also at the Interference lyrics archive, but these are just the words that Bono said in the song and no real lyrics for it. The words were just things that came out of Bono's mouth.... :)

Thanks, Falling Star! (And everyone else who replied)

It's too bad that the song has been basically forgotten except among more serious U2 fans--I do remember reading that it really got slammed by critics, or that the story is not really well known. Because it is *amazing* that someone can just improvise a song like that. Yeah, it's a trippy and not exactly straightforward song but it's coherant....then again, it's obscurity makes it all the more interesting...

It just blows my mind. :crack: But that's why he's Bono, right? :)

Elisabeth
 
KhanadaRhodes said:

a sort of homecoming.

rumour has it that if you play elvis presley in america at 45 speed instead of 33 1/3, you'll hear it in its normal speed. since i don't have it on record, i don't know for sure. :(

That's what someone told me too. The speed with which it was recorded was faster than how it sounds on the album.

BTW, what is Bongolese?:confused:
 
KhanadaRhodes said:

just like his special way of saying things, i guess. :D

Haha. For some reason, I thought it was a real language, but then wait, there's no country named Bongo. There's Congo. :eeklaugh:
 
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