Question about New Year's Day

[riderka]

I have been wondering about this for a long time...

Was New Year's Day ever played live in a full long version as on the War album is?
If not, why?


I'm sure somebody will know the answer.
I'd like to know it, 'cause I like this song very much.

 

[HelloAngel]

I can't answer the performance question - but I will tackle the "if not, why?" portion.

It's difficult to say, obviously why a band chooses not to play a certain song in its complete album version, but here are instances I've been told of or read about...

a)The extended feel of the song's instrumentation on the album is created and mixed in the studio. Nowadays, most musicians and singers use ProTools and other programs to cut and piece different cuts from different instrumental performances to get the ideal finished product. While "New Years Day" came out before most of that fancy studio technology, it's quite possible that the album version is longer because of the mixing process.

b) The album version is exhausting to play for Edge, Adam and Larry -- and they choose to forego playing the complete album version of NYD in favor of really jamming on other songs they enjoy playing more.

 

[BigMacPhisto]

I've always wondered why all of the live versions I've heard have been the single length as well.......perhaps once the album was starting to be printed they had decided that the last verse was unnecessary?

EDIT: Hmm....come to think of it, I believe I actually have heard the album version live

 

[Axver]

EDIT: Hmm....come to think of it, I believe I actually have heard the album version live

I haven't heard one yet myself, and no-one's given a date of a full performance. The closest I've come to hearing the omitted verse is actually in the shortest version I've ever heard - 2 December 1982, Manchester. The band totally stuff it up and Bono sings "Oh, and maybe the time is right/Oh, maybe tonight."

 

[riderka]

Thank you all for replies.
One day when I'll meet Bono, Edge, Adam or Larry, I'll ask the question about this...