"New Year's Day"... the forgotten verse?

[Joshua_Tree_Hugger]

There's been something I've been meaning to ask for a while;

Why has my favourite verse from War's "New Year's Day" been completely cut out by U2?

The verse;

And so we're told this the golden age,
And gold is the reason for the wars we wage,
Though I want to be with you, be with you night and day,
Nothing changes on New Year's Day

is cut from;

- Greatest Hits 1980-1990
- Elevation Tour
- Popmart Tour
- Zoo TV Tour
- Joshua Tree Tour
- Unforgettable Fire Tour
- War Tour (the cover tour of the album!)


Does anyone know why this verse only, to my knowledge, EVER appears on the original album? It seems really weird!!

 

[FallingStar]

I think I have some earyl bootlegs on which the verse is sung, but I'd like to know itas well. I think nobody knows exactly why, though....

 

[KhanadaRhodes]

as for why it's cut out of the greatest hits, i think it's because they had to shorten it for the radio. the song itself clocks in at 5:35. i know that's usually considered a bit too long for radio, so they probably just decided to cut out a verse, and that's the one that got shafted. i know it's also cut out when you watch the video on mtv or the like. whenever i hear it on the radio, it's also edited.

as for the tours, i don't know. for the war tour, i'd think maybe it's to promote the single version of it, but after that, i don't know.

 

[wertsie]

I know. That always annoyed me. It's like, it doesn't even take up THAT much time. I hate when they edit songs like that.

 

[KhanadaRhodes]

I know. That always annoyed me. It's like, it doesn't even take up THAT much time. I hate when they edit songs like that.

i know. most of duran duran's early singles, the album tracks were 5+ minutes long. they were edited. one of them (save a prayer) took out two choruses and a verse!!!

i honestly don't understand why they do this. if they'd play bohemian rhapsody in its full glory, why can't they play other songs in their full length?

 

[Bono's shades]

I have an old cassette tape that includes the version of New Year's Day I taped off the radio years and years ago, before I bought the War album. They played the so-called forgotten verse. Of course it was a really great radio station that would play an entire album at 3 a.m. some nights, so that may have had something to do with it.

 

[BVS]

I believe U2 found that line to be very naive, so they took it out of certatin versions. It's the same with the line in Sunday Bloody Sunday, they took out, "to claim the victory Jesus won". Bono was young and idealistic. Not that he was wrong in these verses, he was just naive. They no longer were true. The problems in Ireland had nothing to do with beliefs or money, it was blind politics.

 

[mebythesea]

I believe U2 found that line to be very naive, so they took it out of certatin versions. It's the same with the line in Sunday Bloody Sunday, they took out, "to claim the victory Jesus won".

I'm curious where, in what versions, you heard that line taken out?

 

[Zoocifer]

I wonder the same thing about "Mofo" when played live. Sometimes Bono would sing very rapidly the last verse before going into the whole "soothe me mother" stuff. Always made me wonder why why why...

- z -

 

[BVS]

I'm curious where, in what versions, you heard that line taken out?

I know that on several bootlegs during the Zoo TV period he did. Off the top of my head I don't know if there are any other instances.

 

[mebythesea]

I know that on several bootlegs during the Zoo TV period he did. Off the top of my head I don't know if there are any other instances.

Ah -- that explains it -- I knew that line was included in Elevation shows. All but one of the Zoo bootlegs I have don't include a performance of SBS, and on the only one I have where they do perform it, the line is there (actually he sings "I want to know the victory Jesus won.") Thanks!

 

[wertsie]

i honestly don't understand why they do this. if they'd play bohemian rhapsody in its full glory, why can't they play other songs in their full length?

Yeah, I know what you mean! A lot of those classic rock stations will play the full versions of some of those songs...which is fine with me, but don't go butchering U2 songs, right?!

 

[Joshua_Tree_Hugger]

Queen told radio stations to either accept Bohemian Rhapsody in its full form or don't accept it at all when told to shorten it. U2 should really do the same. The stations would hardly be in a position to argue!

As for the naivity thing. I'm not disagreeing with you, I'm just saying it's a pity because, far from being naive, I think that verse speaks volumes. It's probably the only verse in the song that people can fully make since out of!