Original of the Species Sucked Live

[Jdelbove]

I have yet to hear a decent preformance of Original of the Species live. The song is great on the CD and probably my favorite song off of HTDAAB. I dont know if it didnt translate live or Bono just cant sing it live or he cant sing and play the guitar at the same time but every preformance was crap. The only decent version of it I saw was when they were on Conan Obrien that was good.

 

[LightMyWay60]

I'd have to agree...It's my favorite song on the album but I dont think any of the live performances really did it justice. Which is unfortunate, because it sounds really cool on the album ---i was kind of hoping they would come up with a cool way to play it live.
oh well

 

[theoriginal]

I had a bootleg of one of the Milan shows (lost it somehow), and it sounded amazing. Then I got the U218 dvd and thought it sounded boring. The bootleg I had sounded like the guitar had a lot of echo and was very prominent. I imagine and hope that the mix on the DVD is to blame.

Agree about Conan. It's the best version I have now.

 

[cdisantis83]

Actually, I find the version from the Chicago DVD to be absolutely gorgeous. I think that the stripped-down presentation suits it very well.

 

[LyricalDrug]

The live version from Conan O'Brien was the best version that I heard.

But I agree -- live, that song never quite lived up to its promise. After hearing the album version, I thought it would get SO much better live (like all great U2 songs). Alas, no.

 

[BonoIsMyMuse]

I didn't love it, but I thought it translated better live than Crumbs did. It didn't surprise me that Crumbs only got played a handful of times. They're my two favorite songs on the album, besides COBL, but neither of them worked too well, in my opinion.

 

[Aygo]

The versions they played in the European shows were awesome, just listen to the bootlegs.

 

[phillyfan26]

I thought it could've worked in Milan, but Bono sleep walked through it.

 

[LemonMelon]

The song sucks no matter what, but I do agree that the Conan version was the best.

 

[coolian2]

I like it

Any form, especially Milan guitar version. Is there a version with guitar only, no orchestra?

 

[phillyfan26]

I like it

Any form, especially Milan guitar version. Is there a version with guitar only, no orchestra?

That reminds me, yes, there is, and it was the best performance live IMO, Atlanta on the third leg:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ro6hKFujvrI

I still wanna know what Bono says about Edge at the beginning of this.

 

[Dorian Gray]

That reminds me, yes, there is, and it was the best performance live IMO, Atlanta on the third leg:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ro6hKFujvrI

I still wanna know what Bono says about Edge at the beginning of this.

doesn't he say "The Edge is making me take some lessons"?

 

[jonnytakeawalk]

sucks on the cd, sucks live, sucks altogether

 

[Jeffo17]

Actually, I find the version from the Chicago DVD to be absolutely gorgeous. I think that the stripped-down presentation suits it very well.

.


Yes I think Chicago and Milan performances were great!

I totally disagree that it sucked live all the time... maybe there were some nights i haven't seen that weren't great but i know the ones i have seen are awesome!

 

[ZOOTVTOURist]

I have yet to hear a decent preformance of Original of the Species live. The song is great on the CD and probably my favorite song off of HTDAAB. I dont know if it didnt translate live or Bono just cant sing it live or he cant sing and play the guitar at the same time but every preformance was crap. The only decent version of it I saw was when they were on Conan Obrien that was good.

Interesting, though I don't know, what you've heard so far. I actually did love this tune live, in all its forms:
The piano driven, full band version was a highlight of the 1st New York City show in Madison Square Garden (05/21/05) - a great night, by the way. The same could be said abou the probably most exciting setlist-night of the tour - Dublin III (06/27/05) - when an overwhlemed Croke Park audience was given the tune performed, just to be followed by a haunting version of "Bad".
The full band electric versions (reinforced with an additional piano player) had a slightly more rock attitude, of course: Amsterdam III (07/16/05) had it all, an astonishing performance.
talking about the Milan version, I can only judge from DVD, but what doesn't convince me to estimate it as an excellent performance is Bono's (cracking) voice. The lead man couldn't deliver it as he did in the other versions, I mentioned ...

 

[U2girl]

Actually, I find the version from the Chicago DVD to be absolutely gorgeous. I think that the stripped-down presentation suits it very well.

Full band versions were just a pale imitation of the album version.

 

[roy]

Chicago DVD and Conan versions are both

 

[The Disciple]

The single version is the best version of this song. Wish they could capture that live.

 

[gman]

I like the album version as far as album tracks go. Thought the Chicago DVD version was piss poor.....but the Milan DVD was the best to my ears thus far. Had a wee look on U2ube in case the Conan O 'Brien clip was on. No sign of it so cannot comment.

 

[ahittle]

I think this song (and WITS) foreshadows some decisions U2 is going to have to make next go around. Seems like they are interested in expanding their palatte into seem Beatlesque territory, yet they shy away from getting extra help live. The Conan thing was cool because they DID have extra musicians fleshing out the song.

Usually they end up with a watered-down version or with just enough backing tapes to make it SEEM like the four of them are going it alone to the average concert-goer.

I would love for them to pursue these big orchestral things and then do the songs justice live. Bring on the string section, I say. Horns too. What the hell.

 

[Aygo]

Full band versions were just a pale imitation of the album version.

It's sightly different...