U2: Unplugged

[namkcuR]

Yeah, I know, it's been discussed before. And yeah, I know, it probably will never happen. But I've been listening to Alice In Chains' and Nirvana's Unplugged albums a lot lately and I just can't stop fantasizing about U2 doing an MTV Unplugged show.

And I don't envision a show of hits either. I envision a show of some hits(the quiter ones) but mostly stuff that is either lesser known or not known at all outside of diehard fans. Including stuff they've never played live ever before. I truly believe that U2 could figure out a way to play any of the following unplugged and it would be amazing:

An Cat Dubh/Into The Heart(if AIC can play Angry Chair unplugged, U2 can play An Cat Dubh)
A Day Without Me
Shadows And Tall Trees
Gloria
Tomorrow
October
Party Girl
Seconds
Drowning Man
"40"
A Sort Of Homecoming
Promenade
MLK
Love Comes Tumbling
I Still Haven't Found
With Or Without You
Running To Stand Still
In God's Country
One Tree Hill
Mothers Of The Disappeared
Sweetest Thing
Luminous Times
Walk To The Water
Van Dieman's Land
Heartland
Angel Of Harlem
All I Want Is You
One
Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses
So Cruel
Acrobat(they didn't play it during ZooTV because it was too difficult to play - but we know damn well they can do it acoustically very well because of the Hershey soundcheck)
Stay(Faraway, So Close)
The First Time
The Wanderer
Your Blue Room
If God Will Send His Angels
Staring At The Sun
Please
Wake Up Dead Man
Stuck In A Moment
Kite
In A Little While
Wild Honey
Ground Beneath Her Feet
Summer Rain
Sometimes
A Man And A Woman
Original Of The Species
Yahweh
Fast Cars

Oh, how glorius it would be. Unplugged for just one night. Bring out a few hits and a lot of quaint lesser known stuff and put together a two or three hour set - it wouldn't require as much energy because there wouldn't be any running around or jumping or anything. It would be absolutely magical.

Drowning Man unplugged, So Cruel unplugged, Seconds unplugged, IGWSHA unplugged, Acrobat unplugged, Tomorrow unplugged....it would be absolutely amazing.

Oh well. A guy can dream.

 

[Axver]

Oh well. A guy can dream.

Your dream, my nightmare.

 

[namkcuR]

Re: Re: U2: Unplugged

Your dream, my nightmare.

Care to elaborate?

 

[LemonMelon]

Re: Re: U2: Unplugged

Your dream, my nightmare.

Aw, come on Ax, it would be fun. Probably not revelatory or anything, but still fun.

 

[phillyfan26]

Re: Re: Re: U2: Unplugged

Care to elaborate?

He included songs from Achtung Baby. That's all you need to know.

 

[Axver]

Re: Re: Re: U2: Unplugged

Care to elaborate?

Just check out performances such as Stay on the Boston DVD and SATS on the Slane DVD; utterly dreadful. U2 would not sound good at all if they played an entire unplugged concert.

 

[Earnie Shavers]

Hearing acoustic versions of many of the songs above is of course appealing, but doing it in the MTV Unplugged format is just cheesy. I'd rather them just shake up the acoustic numbers more often on their regular gig setlists.

 

[Earnie Shavers]

Re: Re: Re: Re: U2: Unplugged

Just check out performances such as Stay on the Boston DVD and SATS on the Slane DVD; utterly dreadful. U2 would not sound good at all if they played an entire unplugged concert.

Some are great though. The Stuck in a Moment b-side gets a thumbs up, as does the Staring at the Sun from ?Rotterdam?. I haven't heard, but can imagine a stormy semi-plugged Acrobat, could be magic. Your main point is right though, a full concert of Unplugged would not be good. Too many flaws exposed. Do what they can do well as little one off nuggets of goodness, not a lot just for the sake of it with varying quality.

 

[namkcuR]

Hearing acoustic versions of many of the songs above is of course appealing, but doing it in the MTV Unplugged format is just cheesy. I'd rather them just shake up the acoustic numbers more often on their regular gig setlists.

Why is it cheesy? Have you listened to AIC's Unplugged? It's anything but cheesy.

 

[Screwtape2]

There is no way you could convince Larry to do this. Bono speechs before and after every song? Honestly, it wouldn't just be Axver's nightmare if they tried this. It would give new meaning to creative differences.

 

[TheBrazilianFly]

Don't know if it would really work. U2 is all about that big sonic explosion that you really just get with the big and loud electric instruments. But then again they are great songwriters and have done great reinterpretation of their songs before, plus Bono has said that they really are a folk band (the loudest one).

Anyway if it had to be done this is what I think would work best and what I would like to hear:

01. Desire
02. All Because Of You
03. Gone
04. I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For
05. All I Want Is You
06. Starring At The Sun
07. A Sort Of A Homecoming
08. Trying To Throw You Arms Around The World
09. October
10. Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me
11. In God’s Country
12. Please
13. Crumbs From Your Table
14. Sunday Bloody Sunday
15. Walk On
16. Who’s Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses
17. Fast Cars
18. Angel Of Harlem
19. Yahweh
20. Love Rescue Me

Some of those songs could be done with Edge on piano and Bono on guitar or just Edge on piano.

 

[namkcuR]

Don't know if it would really work. U2 is all about that big sonic explosion that you really just get with the big and loud electric instruments. But then again they are great songwriters and have done great reinterpretation of their songs before, plus Bono has said that they really are a folk band (the loudest one).

Anyway if it had to be done this is what I think would work best and what I would like to hear:

01. Desire
02. All Because Of You
03. Gone
04. I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For
05. All I Want Is You
06. Starring At The Sun
07. A Sort Of A Homecoming
08. Trying To Throw You Arms Around The World
09. October
10. Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me
11. In God’s Country
12. Please
13. Crumbs From Your Table
14. Sunday Bloody Sunday
15. Walk On
16. Who’s Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses
17. Fast Cars
18. Angel Of Harlem
19. Yahweh
20. Love Rescue Me

Some of those songs could be done with Edge on piano and Bono on guitar or just Edge on piano.

Not enough obscurity for my tastes.

Besides, I really don't think HMTMKMKM or Gone could be done unplugged. And Desire unplugged is dull, imo. But whatever floats your boat.

 

[Axver]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: U2: Unplugged

Some are great though. The Stuck in a Moment b-side gets a thumbs up, as does the Staring at the Sun from ?Rotterdam?.

I dislike Stuck In A Moment, but I'll concede the acoustic version is the better version of the song. That Rotterdam SATS performance puts me to sleep, though.

I think some of the U2 magic is lost every time the band water a song down into an acoustic form.

 

[namkcuR]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: U2: Unplugged

I dislike Stuck In A Moment, but I'll concede the acoustic version is the better version of the song. That Rotterdam SATS performance puts me to sleep, though.

I think some of the U2 magic is lost every time the band water a song down into an acoustic form.

Ah, see, now we're getting somewhere. The fundemental disagreement we have is that you view unplugged performances as being 'watered-down' from their original forms, whereas I view unplugged performances, when done right, to be a window into the soul of a song. The absolute essence of a song, if you will.

 

[TheBrazilianFly]

Besides, I really don't think HMTMKMKM or Gone could be done unplugged.

HMTMKMKM has an acoustic guitar being played from beginning to end on the original version. Gone would need new things on it (like a new intro) but I can defenitly see them paying it.

 

[Axver]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: U2: Unplugged

Ah, see, now we're getting somewhere. The fundemental disagreement we have is that you view unplugged performances as being 'watered-down' from their original forms, whereas I view unplugged performances, when done right, to be a window into the soul of a song. The absolute essence of a song, if you will.

See, I wouldn't agree with that at all, at least not when it comes to U2. To me, it seems that whenever they perform an acoustic version of the song, they just slow it down and turn it into a sleepy little plod through territory where a great song used to be. It sounds especially bad when Bono's voice is even remotely tired, worn, or otherwise affected by use or illness.

I always feel like something is missing, specifically the spark and life of the song.

 

[namkcuR]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: U2: Unplugged

See, I wouldn't agree with that at all, at least not when it comes to U2. To me, it seems that whenever they perform an acoustic version of the song, they just slow it down and turn it into a sleepy little plod through territory where a great song used to be. It sounds especially bad when Bono's voice is even remotely tired, worn, or otherwise affected by use or illness.

I always feel like something is missing, specifically the spark and life of the song.

Just out of curiosity, is this your opinion of unplugged performances by ANY band or artist, or is this opinion specific to U2?

 

[U2FanPeter]

Adam can play spoons.

 

[Axver]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: U2: Unplugged

Just out of curiosity, is this your opinion of unplugged performances by ANY band or artist, or is this opinion specific to U2?

A bit of both, I suppose. I don't really like when any bands water their songs down to acoustic versions, but some do it better than others and I quite dislike most of U2's acoustic versions.

 

[Bono's Betty]

Banjo Vertigo

 

[Earnie Shavers]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: U2: Unplugged

A bit of both, I suppose. I don't really like when any bands water their songs down to acoustic versions, but some do it better than others and I quite dislike most of U2's acoustic versions.

There's a difference between a good re-tooling of a song that happens to be acoustic, and just acousticsising something for the sake of it being acoustic. There are plenty of examples of great acoustic versions of songs out there by many artists, and what I've found is that more often than not, they're covers. A different artists with a different vision.

 

[namkcuR]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: U2: Unplugged

There's a difference between a good re-tooling of a song that happens to be acoustic, and just acousticsising something for the sake of it being acoustic. There are plenty of examples of great acoustic versions of songs out there by many artists, and what I've found is that more often than not, they're covers. A different artists with a different vision.

Have you listened to any of the Unplugged albums? Alice In Chains? Nirvana? Eric Clapton? Page and Plant? Do you think these records are mostly songs that are made acoustic just for the sake of being acoustic?

 

[LMP]

I'd love to see them do this unplugged if possible:

1. Vertigo
2. I Will Follow
3. Desire
4. Angel of Harlem
5. Who’s Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses
6. Staring at the Sun
7. Stuck in a Moment That You Can’t Get Out Of
8. Kite
9. Sunday Bloody Sunday
10. One

11. I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For
12. A Sort of Homecoming
13. Stay (Faraway, So Close!)
14. Running to Stand Still
15. Bad
16. Walk On

 

[namkcuR]

I'd love to see them do this unplugged if possible:

1. Vertigo
2. I Will Follow
3. Desire
4. Angel of Harlem
5. Who’s Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses
6. Staring at the Sun
7. Stuck in a Moment That You Can’t Get Out Of
8. Kite
9. Sunday Bloody Sunday
10. One

11. I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For
12. A Sort of Homecoming
13. Stay (Faraway, So Close!)
14. Running to Stand Still
15. Bad
16. Walk On

Too many hits. They've played most if not all of these songs acoustically at one point or another.

I want obscurity. I want to see Drowning Man and Tomorrow and So Cruel and Acrobat and If God Will Send His Angels and Seconds and In A Little While...etc etc etc.

 

[Axver]

For the sake of discussion, I'd be more interested in an acoustic set if it were something like this:

1. Desire
2. Trip Through Your Wires
3. Hallelujah Here She Comes
4. She's A Mystery To Me
5. Slow Dancing
6. Promenade
7. A Sort Of Homecoming
8. The First Time
9. Wake Up Dead Man
10. One Step Closer
11. Tomorrow
12. Drowning Man
13. Summer Rain
14. Heartland
15. Spanish Eyes
16. Two Hearts Beat As One
17. In God's Country
18. When I Look At The World
19. Acrobat
20. Seconds

 

[namkcuR]

For the sake of discussion, I'd be more interested in an acoustic set if it were something like this:

1. Desire
2. Trip Through Your Wires
3. Hallelujah Here She Comes
4. She's A Mystery To Me
5. Slow Dancing
6. Promenade
7. A Sort Of Homecoming
8. The First Time
9. Wake Up Dead Man
10. One Step Closer
11. Tomorrow
12. Drowning Man
13. Summer Rain
14. Heartland
15. Spanish Eyes
16. Two Hearts Beat As One
17. In God's Country
18. When I Look At The World
19. Acrobat
20. Seconds

I had most of those songs in my original post. Interestingly, your first track, Desire, is one track I don't want to see unplugged. No Desire, no SBS, no Pride, no Streets, no Vertigo.

 

[Axver]

I had most of those songs in my original post. Interestingly, your first track, Desire, is one track I don't want to see unplugged. No Desire, no SBS, no Pride, no Streets, no Vertigo.

My main motivation for picking Desire is that I think it would be a good opener. Not the Elevation Desire bullshit, but the original version, complete with the intro notes and "yeah" done like on the album, just on an acoustic guitar. As fast paced and rocking as it can be. The kind of thing to get your attention, which is what I think an opener should do.

But if we're going nuts and cutting anything with a hint of being a hit, I'd move Spanish Eyes to being the opener in Desire's place.

 

[namkcuR]

But if we're going nuts and cutting anything with a hint of being a hit, I'd move Spanish Eyes to being the opener in Desire's place.

Well, one of my main motivations for wanting to see U2 Unplugged is that I think it would be a great medium with which the band could discover songs live that they don't normally play or don't play at all, without having to learn the complexities that normal versions of such songs would require.

But I'm not really all that interested in 'U2: Greatest Hits Unplugged'.

 

[Axver]

Well, one of my main motivations for wanting to see U2 Unplugged is that I think it would be a great medium with which the band could discover songs live that they don't normally play or don't play at all, without having to learn the complexities that normal versions of such songs would require.

But I'm not really all that interested in 'U2: Greatest Hits Unplugged'.

Heh, you and I both know that if the unlikely happened and U2 did an acoustic set, songs like Desire and ISHFWILF would be almost 100% certain to be in the set.

 

[Salome]

I think the acoustic mtv sessions worked for:
1. bands who have a bit more going on in one song (soft-loud, chorus and verse being very differen, etc)
2. bands who don't have much ambition with the session but having a good time (which is why I do tend to like R.E.M.'s acoustic ventures)

I don't think many would disagree that U2 is not the sort of band to fit option #2
they do want to be the biggest adn best in all that they do

and personally I don't think U2 songs fit profile #1
U2 needs the rush of Edge's electric guitar (and the added backing tapes)

if they would do it I'd buy the dvd though (which probably will be released in 2 different formats and I'd go for the cheaper option )