Songs of Experience vol. 29: No More Acronyms

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Gone is an amazing song with a great rhythm section. It would be a monster as a lead single and would make POP a hit chart-wise. But Discotheque, although great, killed POP with its bizarre video.
 
New Gone feels like it fills the room rather than trying to get your attention from down the hallway.
 
New Gone is a complete song, rather than a sketch.
The album version misses integral details, like the guitar riff (the passing notes) during the verses.
 
If Zooropa had 5 singles, what do you think would work?

I'd say:

Stay, Numb, The First Time, Lemon, Dirty Day.

Honestly, I could have seen The Wanderer being a single. Before you laugh, remember how popular Cash' s last two crossover records were. It would have made them slightly ahead of the times. Also, it's a magnificent song.
 
If Zooropa had 5 singles, what do you think would work?

I'd say:

Stay, Numb, The First Time, Lemon, Dirty Day.


Dirty Day isn't very catchy, I don't think it would be a good choice. Worked great in the live setting but not a radio song. The First Time is way too downbeat and barely has a chorus.

By contrast, I think Some Days is along with Babyface the poppiest thing on there. Great bassline, jangly guitar work on the chorus, and then that Beatlesque backwards guitar solo. I could easily imagine a lot of people getting into that one.

And I know a lot of people dislike Babyface and think it's the weakest thing on the album, but it's very catchy and has an innovative sound that's representative of the album; the production on that one is fantastic.
 
it is interesting how seemingly awkward titles suddenly make much more sense once we get a little context, and those so quick to mock Mr. "love/knee/feel" in an attempt to appear smarter than Bono look a little silly afterwards.

No, he's still a lazy writer and is not above mockery.

One can have really thoughtful ideas and great lines while still falling into the trite and cliche (as well as the overly-wordy) far too often.

As he has from 2000 onward.
 
The Gone new mix is the definitive version. I've never thought the live version improved much on the studio and the Pop version is not nearly as crisp or sharp.

Can't fathom you people who think it's too slow or whatever. That wailing guitar is amazing and it has one of the band's best choruses.

Musically, the new mix is better. Vocally, it is worse.
 
I'm not saying he's above mockery -- he's Bono. He's been mocked for almost 40 years. It's just tiresome to read post after post sneering at songs/titles/lines they've never heard. SDABTO and ISHFWILF seem trite and cliche in this light. Rolling eyes at such tedium (omg, TBT sucks? Tell us again), especially when we have no context yet, and that everything inevitably makes more sense when we actually hear the song, and perhaps giving Bono a shred of the benefit of the doubt after 40 years, isnt at all suggesting anyone is above criticism.
 
I'm not saying he's above mockery -- he's Bono. He's been mocked for almost 40 years. It's just tiresome to read post after post sneering at songs/titles/lines they've never heard. SDABTO and ISHFWILF seem trite and cliche in this light. Rolling eyes at such tedium (omg, TBT sucks? Tell us again), especially when we have no context yet, and that everything inevitably makes more sense when we actually hear the song, and perhaps giving Bono a shred of the benefit of the doubt after 40 years, isnt at all suggesting anyone is above criticism.



I second this.
 
Dirty Day isn't very catchy, I don't think it would be a good choice. Worked great in the live setting but not a radio song. The First Time is way too downbeat and barely has a chorus.

By contrast, I think Some Days is along with Babyface the poppiest thing on there. Great bassline, jangly guitar work on the chorus, and then that Beatlesque backwards guitar solo. I could easily imagine a lot of people getting into that one.

And I know a lot of people dislike Babyface and think it's the weakest thing on the album, but it's very catchy and has an innovative sound that's representative of the album; the production on that one is fantastic.

I do agree about The First Time, even though I mentioned it, I just felt compelled to mention that one seeing as U2 seemed to love it so, as to include it on the best of 90-00. Mystified at that decision.

Dirty Day though, I think is catchy. Well the main riff that is. They would definitely need a single edit though to make it more accessible. That's where the "bitter kiss" mix would come in for me, which I think does the job.
 
I’m still pissed Holy Joe was not the lead single from POP! In all seriousness how Gone was never released as a single is personally my biggest U2 wtf?!?!?
 
It's just tiresome to read post after post sneering at songs/titles/lines they've never heard. SDABTO and ISHFWILF seem trite and cliche in this light.



You forgot the worst of them all: DGPFYCC with honorable mention for ITABTAW.
 
It is a travesty that
-Gone wasn't a single off of Pop
-Gone wasn't the LEAD single off of Pop
-Gone has been completely ignored since the Elevation tour, especially
-Gone wasn't played on a tour where the guy wore a fucking suit of lights

My name is Axver and I endorse this post or message.
 
And oh by the way, they also chose not to play the song when they had a set where he could have literally be above the stage "up with the sun"


If they use the same set up this go around, by all means close the first set with Gone... with Bono in the stage above the crowd, and the intermission starting with him somehow "gone" from the screen. Put some curtains up again that makes it hard to see the song for someone carriage thing taking him down so he can sip some Perrier during the break. Or hell, leave him up there for a few. Feck em

cc: WW;
 
Gone is in my top 2 from POP, and as I think we can almost all agree here, would have been the best choice for the first single, or at least A single.

The New Mix is good. I really like the first half or so. Where it loses me is at about the 3:20 mark. The "No emotional good night... and after.
It just doesn't hold the emotion of the album version. And overall, the album vocals are just more loose and real to me.

Lots of what makes U2 songs great is that intangible feeling you get. And the album version just has that feeling that i don't fully get on the new mix.

Either way, the song would have KILLED as the first single, either mix.
 
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Gone albumversion much better imo. Lot more of emotion in that version. I like Bono singing like that.

Bring on SOE!
 
Gone is in my top 2 from POP, and as I think we can almost all agree here, would have been the best choice for the first single, or at least A single.

The New Mix is good. I really like the first half or so. Where it loses me is at about the 3:20 mark. The "No emotional good night... and after.
It just doesn't hold the emotion of the album version. And overall, the album vocals are just more loose and real to me.

Lots of what makes U2 songs great is that intangible feeling you get. And the album version just has that feeling that i don't fully get on the new mix.

Either way, the song would have KILLED as the first single, either mix.



From day 1 Gone never resonated with me. I consider it a very “meh” song similar to Last Night on Earth. The “Best of” version was an improvement but it still didn’t do it for me.

As far as a first single...Disco was a good choice but I feel Do you Feel Loved or Staring at the Sun may have been better leads.

In the end, I just remember being so excited for this album and then it being a huge let down.
 
Pop will always have a prime spot on my U2 shelf. I agree Gone should have at least been a single if not lead.

With that said...
Hearing samples from the Hong Kong video altered my opinion on Pop a bit as I heard so much cool possibilities that seemed to get drowned out in the final production. I know they were early demo versions, but I loved how raw and in your face some of the sample seemed.

With that said again...
I only first heard the Hong Kong versions a couple years ago. So could be because they are a new take (for me) on an already familiar sound. Ask me again in a year or so more.
 
Is it Friday yet? We have a Bono interview tomorrow correct? I can't imagine we'll get release details, but we should have some new details about the record. Though I'm sure we'll get the usual Bono talk

Punk Rock Supremes
 
And oh by the way, they also chose not to play the song when they had a set where he could have literally be above the stage "up with the sun"


If they use the same set up this go around, by all means close the first set with Gone... with Bono in the stage above the crowd, and the intermission starting with him somehow "gone" from the screen. Put some curtains up again that makes it hard to see the song for someone carriage thing taking him down so he can sip some Perrier during the break. Or hell, leave him up there for a few. Feck em

cc: WW;

Yes yes yes!
 
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