Mercy and HTDAAB

[babyman]

Well, two people in this thread already stated as much, so yes.

I don't necessarily think that the version that leaked was the final version, but the article in Spin where the band says they cut the song refers to the length as six and a half minutes, so I suspect it's close.

It's a nice enough song, but it needs work.

2 people aren´t enough!!


I think that they need just a few adjustments at the production, maybe a shorter intro would fit many things. I would say the song is done for the 80%

 

[gareth brown]

saying anything about the production based on a low quality, non-master leaked version is just futile.

 

[cobl04]

Also remember people, that the more you send around one song, the worse the quality gets. So the very first copy may have been 'finished' but by now the quality is not as good.

 

[Maoilbheannacht]

If a finished and completely produced Mercy was on HTDAAB, would it be the best song on the album?

Thats hard to say. Mercy is an incredible song, but its got stiff competition from COBL, Sometimes, and Miracle Drug.

 

[U2girl]

I don't think it would be the best song.

 

[Rastat]

2 people aren´t enough!!


I think that they need just a few adjustments at the production, maybe a shorter intro would fit many things. I would say the song is done for the 80%

The intro IS THE SONG. So no shorter intro for me...

 

[bram]

Thanks Danny Boy for bringing up the Spin article, where it is made CLEAR that the song is finished and was cut at the end (by unanimous band vote) because of length issues (referring more likely to album length than song length). Because the song was finished, its highly unlikely (when you study u2's use of old material, it is never from finished songs) that it will resurface. And when you consider that it has leaked pretty far among U2 fans already, there is little incentive to release it in official form. It's way too long and non-conventional in form to release as a single to the general public, and we all have a (decent quality, although not perfect) version to enjoy.

 

[Windmilllane]

I haven't heard Mercy

 

[gareth brown]

It's way too long and non-conventional in form to release as a single to the general public.

who said anything about a single?! it'd be a bloody brilliant album track.

 

[Nube Gris]

Danny Boy
your response was the best
and yes...., of a 'great record'

 

[beLIEve]

If a finished and completely produced Mercy was on HTDAAB, would it be the best song on the album?

For me personally, yes, it would have been the best song on the album, and if it and a few other songs had made the cut, then HTDAAB would be remembered as one of their best albums, looking something like this:

1. Vertigo (Keep as 1st, lead single & use album version)
2. Mercy (Finish it, trim it up, not a single - treasured album track like UTEOTW)
3. Miracle Drug (3rd single, album version)
4. Love & Peace (4th single, closer to "Shelter from the Storm" version)
5. Sometimes (2nd single; & all singles released worldwide, same time & 4 download)
6. City of Blinding Lights (Leave it as album track; no single or edit)
7. Fast Cars (On all versions of the album everywhere)
8. Crumbs (Album track, no single)
9. Original (Single version - 5th single off album w/OSC b-side)
10. A Man & Woman
11. All Because of You (Single version; 6th single w/Yahweh b-side)
12. Smile (Clean it up & finish it; best U2 closers are bittersweet)

This is my tracklisting, anyway. For me, this could have been called the "culmination of all U2 eras" and I think many people would have agreed. Plus it's a little more rockin', with just enough new sounds & ideas to avoid the "U2 playing it safe" criticism. Every song here is radio worthy, but 6 official releases would have been appropriate, especially with the 4th & 5th legs. However, every single should have been made available as a download for $1, with two b-sides included for that price. Trent Reznor's Vertigo Remix, J-Lee's Fast Car's remix, Are you gonna wait forever, Love you Like Mad, Levitate, The Wanderer, Miss Sarejevo live from Milan...plus OSC & Yahweh as listed above (sorry, they seem like b-sides to me). The download deals would have resulted in every single at least breaking into the Hot 100, which could have resulted in more airplay after generating a buzz, which has worked very well for other bands since U2's Vertigo basically caused BB to make downloads count as the "single sales" half of the Hot 100 chart positions.

Umm, guess that's a lot more than you asked for, but this version of HTDAAB would have had Mercy on it, and like my favorite song from Achtung Baby (Until the End of the World), it might have made it onto radio stations that play album cuts, but w/o an official release. An unofficial video on U2.com or even i-tunes would have been fine, but no way does Mercy ever see MTV or VH-1 or get a "radio edit".