No Argentina or 3D, this song now unfortunately only is a shadow of its former self. A crowd pleaser, an encore closer, a mass howling party anthem with everybody being so happy or pretending to be.
But that's not, what this tune was and is about: Maybe the best bitter sweet, sinister ballad, U2 ever wrote – a tune musically building up and down, living from intensity of musical subtle, shimmering sounds & effects and a frontman delivering lyrics, that are simply breathtakingly beautiful, but so full of pain and desperation in the same time.
When U2 performed this tune during TJT tour, the song had its peak (take Paris '87 as one of the best examples, next to the en par Croker version from the same year). Bono was rocking, stretching the tune, playing aditional (acoustic) guitar sounds. Do you really want to compare this once 'outing on stage' with today's routine?
In ZOO TV the band re-invented the during LoveTown not always performed hit single. The most important part was to give the "Shine Like Stars" part a new musical home, with The Edge playing also a stellar solo very apropriate to the emotional coda.
With the POP era the tune transformed from the bitter sweet classic to the crowd pleaser, it is today. Forever buried in the encores now, Bono tried to sing the melody anew, other rythm elements were tried and forgotten – but all of the attempts didn't do any good; in the end they damaged the song, that now had its highlight in the big fans' choirs around the globe. Another tune, that lost its meaning to the mass phenomenon.
During ELEVATION the tune was cut shorter – long gone were the jams with two guitars and the band playing lose to a sea of lighters. Played nearly every night in the same perfuncory way, this trend obviously would have stopped. Why? Because finally U2 decided to throw this oldie, that was obviously not challenging any more for them, out of the setlists.
And you know what? During ELEVATION 3rd leg and VERTIGO 1st leg a lot of people saw the band – and the gigs were great, even greater without WOWY. For me definitely also, because they finally made the cut. So how disappointing, when I witnessed the return of the lacklustre, let's-dance-with-a-girl-pleaser in Europe. Runour goes, it was the decision of the management ...
And how shocked I was to hear at least one great version: On the last VERTIGO leg Melbourne's 1st night was nearly a return to old glory. Intense singing, subtle playing – and the snippets for Michael & especially Ian, I have missed so much. WOWY became a gem, at least for one night.
But that's not enough, folks - Bono, pick up your guitar again, take inspiration from your '87 performances – or let this tune R.I.P.
) that would have been much better imo, "fan favorites" be damned...
