Shuttlecock XXII: Summer of Laz

[Headache in a Suitcase]

 

[U2inUtah]

So where would Mercy have fit best on the HTDAAB track listing?

Right after Vertigo?

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Just listened to Mercy for the first time in a while... my opinion on the song isn't really a secret

Some thoughts as I listen

... There are some truly awkward, clunky lyrics in here. The kinds that this side of the forum normally shreds in half (weed killer honey).

... I don't like the drop in Bono's voice leading into the first chorus. The "ripping the stitches" part. Not good.

... The choruses are great. They have that "u2 magic". Even I have to admit that.

... The "feel nothing" bridge is awkward as fuck. It's not good. They'd be better off either dropping that or completely redoing it. Maybe just tell Bono to shut up

... It builds in a crescendo the way man great u2 songs do.

... The again and again and again ending is also fairly awkward. Not as bad as the feel nothing bridge, but needs some work.



Just to compare I also listened to the live version...

... I think they realized many or the same things that I did about the song, but they just went too far in the other direction. Too much polish. Instead of a rambling u2 song they tried to turn it into something that can fit into a nice tidy box. It's not as bad as many say it is, but I get how those who love the original would hate it.

... The song didn't need this "single mix" version. It just needed a little tweaking.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

So where would Mercy have fit best on the HTDAAB track listing?

Right after Vertigo?

I would think more towards the end. Perhaps right before Yahweh. I don't think it works in the 2 slot.

 

[the tourist]

My only problem with Mercy is that to my ears it’s overcompressed. Even more so than Bomb. One of the production things I hate more than anything else is when a single instrument at the beginning of a song is really loud and as soon as any other instruments kick in, it suddenly gets way quieter. That distorted guitar at the beginning does this. Also the levels have always seemed off to me. Like the cymbals overpower the mix.

I think if I had the stems, the first couple things I’d do would be to lower the cymbals, reduce the overall compression, and then take the guitar loop that’s cleaner from verse 2 (but is playing the same notes as the intro) and make that the intro guitar.

As for the actual song beneath those production issues that I have with it, it’s a really good song. Probably would have been my top song from Bomb and in my top 10 post Pop. But probably in the 25-30 range post 1990.

 

[nielsgov]

I'd argue Mercy is U2's best song post Pop, and easily in my top 20, probably top 10. The chorus and bridge are just magic.

Reading that excerpt on how they ditched it from the album is hilarious and sad at the same time. How can you delete Mercy before any other song on that album?

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

I'd argue Mercy is U2's best song post Pop, and easily in my top 20, probably top 10. The chorus and bridge are just magic.

Reading that excerpt on how they ditched it from the album is hilarious and sad at the same time. How can you delete Mercy before any other song on that album?

Easily?

 

[kabigon]

Five minutes of arguing with Larry will 'convince' you of anything.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Mercy being a top 10 song post pop is mind numbing to me. To say it's their best song since pop is something that is so utterly ridiculous I don't even have a response

 

[BoMac]

I'm just going off the top of my head here. These are my top 10 favourite post-Pop songs.

In no particular order:

Mercy
The Ground Beneath Her Feet
Stateless
The Troubles
Moment of Surrender
Invisible
The Little Things That Give You Away
FEZ-Being Born
City of Blinding Lights
Crystal Ballroom

 

[the tourist]

For me the top 10 post Pop are:

The Ground Beneath Her Feet
Beautiful Day
Electrical Storm
City Of Blinding Lights
Fez-Being Born
Moment Of Surrender
California
Invisible
The Little Things That Give You Away
Love Is Bigger Than Anything In Its Way

Mercy, if it was better-produced, would probably bump City Of Blinding Lights or Love Is Bigger Than Anything In Its Way.

 

[prbiker15]

Mine:

Kite
The Little Things That Give You Away
City of Blinding Lights
Invisible
Walk On
The Ground Beneath Her Feet
When I Look at the World
Electrical Storm
California
Moment of Surrender

 

[iron yuppie]

... There are some truly awkward, clunky lyrics in here. The kinds that this side of the forum normally shreds in half (weed killer honey).

Not just a few - the whole damn thing is clunky as hell. Even in terms of the Bomb era, which in my mind has the lowest ratio of strong tracks in their whole career, Mercy isn't at the top or even in the top three.

 

[Axver]

Alright, my post-Pop assortment of ten:

The Ground Beneath Her Feet
Electrical Storm
Native Son
Smile
No Line on the Horizon
Fez-Being Born
Cedarwood Road
The Troubles
City of Blinding Lights maybe?
Ehh I dunno... Mercy fits with these, whatever. So do some other songs. I just don't feel strongly enough about this era of U2 to even commit to a tenth song here. There are plenty of decent enough tunes, but worthy of being proclaimed in the top ten? Like, for ATYCLB, I enjoy Beautiful Day, Walk On, Kite, and When I Look at the World, but are they post-Pop top ten? Shrug.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Not just a few - the whole damn thing is clunky as hell. Even in terms of the Bomb era, which in my mind has the lowest ratio of strong tracks in their whole career, Mercy isn't at the top or even in the top three.

I was trying to be impartial...

Alas... This place kills any song that has even one clunky lyric, but this one skates by. It adds to the whole "people think it's great because it wasn't released" argument

 

[lazarus]

List time!


Mercy
Moment of Service
Reach Around
Walk On
Stateless
The Doubles
Red Flag Day
No Net On The Horizon
Invisicock
Fast Cars


4 of those 10 aren't on a proper studio album, which says a lot about their choices from 2000 onward.

 

[Axver]

Ha, yep, at least 4/10 not on an album for me too. Maddens me listening to some of the great songs that never made a record.

Thank fuck they didn't listen to Eno about Winter though.

 

[cobl04]

I was trying to be impartial...

Alas... This place kills any song that has even one clunky lyric, but this one skates by. It adds to the whole "people think it's great because it wasn't released" argument

Rubbish. It's got nothing to do with the fact it's unreleased.

Firstly, I think criticisms of the lyrics don't take into account the style of the lyrics. Unlike so many U2 songs of this millennium, Bono isn't trying to cram too many words into single lines.

Also unlike so many U2 songs of this millennium, they make up a cohesive whole, where it all makes sense and ties together well, so I am therefore happy to excuse a couple of clunky lyrics, because they actually work. It's a love song, and it's a simple theme: A contrasts B, A contrasts B.

I was drinking some wine / and it turned to blood
You wanted violins / and you got Nero
I'm weedkiller honey / you're sugar

I find it to be very evocative. Two people in love, Venus and Mars, but it works, and it's mutually beneficial and a wonderful, supporting, deeply loving love. Contrast that with the trollop love songs from Songs of Experience.

Aside from the lyrics, the reasons that I hold it up to be EASILY their best song since Pop are as follows:

- Bono's vocals. He was in good shape around the time of Bomb. Certainly not even close to career best, but the Mercy vocals are as good as you get post-Pop. The drop in his voice into the bridge is fucking fantastic if you ask, totally natural and helps make the pay-off in the chorus even more powerful, like he's dropping down a gear for a moment in order to make the next part bigger. And again, it's powerfully evocative. It's like anyone who's in a challenging but loving relationship, to me it feels like a necessary, big deep breath.

- The music. Edge's guitar. It is quintessential Edge and can comfortably, comfortably sit with the best of his classic "chiming" uplifting guitar lines. The double-tracked, contemplative, soulful playing in the intro. The way it soars in the chorus, the fuzzy strikes and concerted, heartful playing during the "fear nothing" parts. It's one of the best post-Pop songs for the rhythm section. Adam has a great bass line that you can actually hear throughout, Larry is pummelling along perfectly (yes of course the audio could do with some cleaning up). The whole song just builds so perfectly and so naturally and so well. You start off with Edge's guitar and then Larry's gentle drumming when the second guitar part comes in. And then you get the addition of Adam's bass which gives the song another layer, and then finally Bono.

I have been totally enamoured with it from the first time I heard it and it's criminal that it will never see its full potential.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Rubbish. It's got nothing to do with the fact it's unreleased.

Firstly, I think criticisms of the lyrics don't take into account the style of the lyrics. Unlike so many U2 songs of this millennium, Bono isn't trying to cram too many words into single lines.

Also unlike so many U2 songs of this millennium, they make up a cohesive whole, where it all makes sense and ties together well, so I am therefore happy to excuse a couple of clunky lyrics, because they actually work. It's a love song, and it's a simple theme: A contrasts B, A contrasts B.

I was drinking some wine / and it turned to blood
You wanted violins / and you got Nero
I'm weedkiller honey / you're sugar

I find it to be very evocative. Two people in love, Venus and Mars, but it works, and it's mutually beneficial and a wonderful, supporting, deeply loving love. Contrast that with the trollop love songs from Songs of Experience.

Aside from the lyrics, the reasons that I hold it up to be EASILY their best song since Pop are as follows:

- Bono's vocals. He was in good shape around the time of Bomb. Certainly not even close to career best, but the Mercy vocals are as good as you get post-Pop. The drop in his voice into the bridge is fucking fantastic if you ask, totally natural and helps make the pay-off in the chorus even more powerful, like he's dropping down a gear for a moment in order to make the next part bigger. And again, it's powerfully evocative. It's like anyone who's in a challenging but loving relationship, to me it feels like a necessary, big deep breath.

- The music. Edge's guitar. It is quintessential Edge and can comfortably, comfortably sit with the best of his classic "chiming" uplifting guitar lines. The double-tracked, contemplative, soulful playing in the intro. The way it soars in the chorus, the fuzzy strikes and concerted, heartful playing during the "fear nothing" parts. It's one of the best post-Pop songs for the rhythm section. Adam has a great bass line that you can actually hear throughout, Larry is pummelling along perfectly (yes of course the audio could do with some cleaning up). The whole song just builds so perfectly and so naturally and so well. You start off with Edge's guitar and then Larry's gentle drumming when the second guitar part comes in. And then you get the addition of Adam's bass which gives the song another layer, and then finally Bono.

I have been totally enamoured with it from the first time I heard it and it's criminal that it will never see its full potential.

This is utter garbage. As is the song.

The idea that this is their best song since Pop, let alone EASILY their best song, is laughable.

The weedkiller lyric is atrocious. The drop in his voice is awful.

It's a nice idea that doesn't fullfil it's promise and the level it's held up to here is utterly ridiculous.

 

[cobl04]

Righto champ. Good on ya.

There's plenty of atrocious lyrics to be found in the 80s and 90s too.

I've excused many, many crappy U2 lyrics if Bono is singing them with heart. That's what he's doing on Mercy.

And unlike most of the songs from the last two albums, it actually sounds natural, not like something they've put into a U2 Song Generator 3000.

 

[Axver]

The weedkiller line sucks but the other two Cobbler quoted are better than basically every single line on SOE.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Lol he sings it with heart.

Oh, hey, it's garbage... but he really means it.

Fuck this song

 

[cobl04]

Not thinking it's as good as some of us do, fair enough, I can totally understand that. But thinking it's "utter garbage" is one of the stupidest things I've read in here.

But, I don't read too much into your opinion given your first reaction reaction to Stand Up Comedy, one of their very worst songs, was that it was so good it aroused you.

As for rankings...

Mercy
The Ground Beneath Her Feet
City of Blinding Lights
Kite
Cedars of Lebanon
When I Look at the World
Moment of Surrender
Fez - Being Born
One Step Closer
Crumbs From Your Table

Bit of nostalgia affecting these. Troubles is the only song from SoI that makes the shortlist, although five from SoE do, which makes me overall pretty damn happy with their latest album.

 

[cobl04]

There's plenty of atrocious lyrics to be found in the 80s and 90s too.

I've excused many, many crappy U2 lyrics if Bono is singing them with heart. That's what he's doing on Mercy.

Hell, let's dive in. Let's take a song we all love dearly that's finally resurfaced live after seven years.

The first two and final verses and the chorus of Stay are fucking incredible. Then you get this incongruous stinker right in the middle:

Faraway, so close / up with the static and the radio
With satellite television / you can go anywhere
Miami, New Orleans, London, Belfast and Berlin

Can't recall anyone knocking Stay's lyrics though...

 

[Kieran McConville]

Too much 2000s U2 - and especially this-decade U2 - could have been put out by any number of ho-hum artists. Mercy is U2. Nobody else sounds like that. Nobody.

As for top tens...

Mercy
Moment Of Surrender

and... daylight, basically. But to continue:

The Ground Beneath Her Feet (really, 90s imo, and Stateless is almost as worthy)
Beautiful Day
The Troubles
In A Little While
No Line On The Horizon (I'm padding now, this is a perfectly good track, but I'm padding)
Fez
New York

... crap, I dunno. Maybe the redone version of Walk On. There, that's ten.

 

[DaveC]

well, i certainly don't hate it as much as headache does. it definitely doesn't deserve anywhere near as much praise as it gets here. but it's also not utter garbage.

The weedkiller line sucks but the other two Cobbler quoted are better than basically every single line on SOE.

this is true.

The first two and final verses and the chorus of Stay are fucking incredible. Then you get this incongruous stinker right in the middle:

Faraway, so close / up with the static and the radio
With satellite television / you can go anywhere
Miami, New Orleans, London, Belfast and Berlin

Can't recall anyone knocking Stay's lyrics though...

that's because that's not a stinker and you're crazy for thinking that.

 

[cobl04]

If that lyric was in a post-Pop song, word-for-word, we'd all be shitting on it for being generic Bono "here's a list of towns that I know also isn't technology cool"

It also doesn't really follow on that well from the previous lyrics.

We don't shit on it, because it's Stay, because it's an amazing song, because it's sung with conviction and sounds wonderful. But removed from its context, it's hardly a great lyric.

 

[Kieran McConville]

It's a shame U2 never tried out Post Pop Depression for an album title before you know, Iggy Pop got to it.

 

[Axver]

I feel like some of this debate misses the point? It's also kind of funny looking at it as somebody who neither rates Mercy as all-time top ten or hates it (that it might enter my post-Pop top ten is damning with faint praise). Many lines out there look rather simplistic written down - hell, a decent chunk of Bad has little to commend itself purely on paper - but work in context, both of the full lyrics and of the larger performance. Some lines are just fucking dumb things to write and can't be saved. There's a difference. Both are in Mercy. The "you love me too much" bit doesn't look like much on paper. "Weedkiller/sugar" is fucking stupid. And the bit about love being charity, end of history, etc., well, it's borderline and I can see people thinking it's either great or just stupid 2000s Bono soundbites.

 

[Kieran McConville]

Set in very different music, without what has come before in that track, stuff like 'love brings with it clarity' would be yer typical bono pablum. it kind of is anyway, but this time it feels like catharsis. The music is so important. Lyrics aren't prose.

It helps that he doesn't sound like a smug rock star when he's belting it out.