[Spoiler] has been played live

[Galeongirl]

It sounds absolutely correct to me.

If you're interested, here's my take on the lyrics. Hopefully people can correct what I can't make out so we can complete it. I'm sure Bono flubbed a couple of lines so we'll have to wait till they ever play it again. Or I guess i could compare it with the soundcheck clip.

http://www.u2interference.com/forums/f194/mercy-lyrics-140245-3.html#post6944716




I'm now listening to the original version. And I have to say, while I love they did it live, I REALLY miss the "rippin' the stitches' part. It was my favourite part of the entire song, and now it's gone. Especially the "you love me, too much" and then into the Rippin the stitches. There's just something about that part, the build up for the chorus. Some magic happening there!

 

[Yahweh_OMG]

How did the crowd as a whole react to it? It may determine whether it gets done again.

Pretty good in the circle....some people were singing (like myself), but at least 50% did not know it. Anyway, it will be played again, no doubts. Edge nodded after the song and seemed very happy and maybe more relaxed than before the song

 

[kkaider]

It sounds absolutely correct to me.

If you're interested, here's my take on the lyrics. Hopefully people can correct what I can't make out so we can complete it. I'm sure Bono flubbed a couple of lines so we'll have to wait till they ever play it again. Or I guess i could compare it with the soundcheck clip.

http://www.u2interference.com/forums/f194/mercy-lyrics-140245-3.html#post6944716


I'm now listening to the original version. And I have to say, while I love they did it live, I REALLY miss the "rippin' the stitches' part. It was my favourite part of the entire song, and now it's gone. Especially the "you love me, too much" and then into the Rippin the stitches. There's just something about that part, the build up for the chorus. Some magic happening there!

I liked that part too, but I think it will just take time to get used to. Right now I miss the simplicity of the original chorus - it seems too wordy now - "you wanna kill me and I wanna die" is a fine lyric, but it feels rushed and smushed together because I'm used to the previous cadence of "love hears when I lie".

 

[redhotswami]

Actually it was a joke in response to a certain poster.

Well, I did think of the poster in question when I saw that. Now I get it. I was wondering why noone else had responded to that part of the comment!

 

[U2girl]

The song could use a more clear link between the chorus (improvement over the original) and the verses, a longer solo and a less abrupt ending (perhaps this can yet change in the following live versions).

Other than these minor complaints, this is a keeper.

 

[Mrs. Garrison]

Well, I did think of the poster in question when I saw that. Now I get it. I was wondering why noone else had responded to that part of the comment!

 

[Clawgrabber]

I'm actually surprised so many people are focusing on the "because because because" part (which i don't mind) and ignoring what comes right before it (and what i see as the fundamental problem with this version

This song, based solely on the guitar part, is a surging stadium anthem, which is what U2 is great at, but I feel like replacing "Love hears when I lie" with "You wanna kill me and I wanna Die" is a big misstep

I get what Bono is saying. He doesn't mean it literally. I get it. They're a fighting couple at the start, and he mentions they are perfect for each other. its actually a clever lyric, but not for this song. It takes what should be a loud jubilant sing along moment like the "oh oh oh oh" at the end of Pride or any other innumerable moments in their lyrics and replaces them with something that seems a bit more dark add foreboding for such an exuberant song.

"Love hears when i Lie" could be improved upon, but honestly its not those words that matter, its the thought behind them when he sings them like that. When he sings "You wanna kill me and I wanna die" i feel like the song gets cluttered and upon misinterpretation, could go into "The Cure" territory (a band i absolutely adore, mind you)

Anyway, in a nutshell. Love both versions, don't think they should trim it down too much into a 3 minute single (since the song itself is a voyage after all) but i could sacrifice all of that if he just decided not to use the Kill / Die lyrics right at the start of the soaring anthemic burst of song during the chorus.

 

[powerhour24]

If they want to keep the new chorus that's their deal, but the 'love puts the blue back in my eye' line does not seem to fit in this new version.

 

[TheEdge25]

anyone have an mp3 copy of Mercy they could send my way?

seastwood9@gmail.com

 

[hasin73]

I am now flying over moon that Mercy is played live.

 

[hasin73]

U2 can do whatever they want with their songs. And since about 98% of people going to that Zurich concert have certainly never heard Mercy or even heard of Mercy before I don't think anyone there is complaining about whatever changes U2 have done to that song. It's sensational they even considered playing it, let alone play it. Obviously they like the song and continued working on it, and whatever U2 comes up with is fine for me. I'd love to be at a concert where they play it, I don't care about the changes. It's alway easy to analyse stuff when you're sitting at home, staring at a computer screen. I've heard from a lot of people who were at the show yesterday and they all say it was an amazing experience, very special, pouring rain and all, and they are totally extatic about the set. No one is complaining about Mercy not sounding like it sounded 6 years ago. U2 shouldn't stop moving forward and working on songs and bringing them into the set as surprises. They should do whatever they feel should be done to the songs. I can't wait to hear all that stuff live myself. Love the guitar on Mercy a lot

 

[mama cass]

u2 really blew this one imo. They obviously are trying too hard to write bad lyrics and a boring melody without enough politics and once again they are taking sides with Israel instead of Palestine. Obviously Mercy is a prayer and u2 are clearly taking sides on the west bank.

What i would really like to see is u2 take a good long look at the remake of 'Willie Wonka & the Chocolate Factory' before they write anymore songs. Surely if they watch WW they would know that there's more to life than milk and honey.

More importantly, next tour they can re-create the chocloate factory complete with the glass elevator & Oompa-Loompas.

I really hope u2 might read this and rain chocolate milk down on our parade with the udders of a thousand brown mother cows, thus quenching our disappointment.

lmfao!!!!!

 

[JoRu]

I'm pleased with the changes they made to the song instrumentally. The added piano sounds nice, and the new solo is pretty decent too (although the solo on the early version sounded a bit more powerful). However, it's clear that they want this as a single, and a 6 minute song with constant melody changes with no clear chorus and no real pattern doesn't work for that purpose. It's a shame that the industry works that way, because I think the early version is the best they've done in a very, very long time.

It's still a good song and they kept a lot of good stuff, so I'm not too sad about it.

 

[popacrobat]

I get what Bono is saying. He doesn't mean it literally. I get it.

He might if you look at it through a religious lens.

 

[md87]

So disappointing, IMHO. I'm just so thankful the better version got leaked all those years ago and that I'll have it forever! Bono, if you're reading this, CHANGE IT BACK!

 

[corianderstem]

Hey, Bono! If you're reading this,

Spoiler

Hi.

 

[bono_man2002]

Also,

Spoiler

You're starting to look like Kramer!

 

[Muldfeld]

Not that I'm at all affected by this, but I think it's a pretty crummy thing to put a spoiler in a thread title in a part of the forum that is unrelated to the tour. I'd be pretty upset if I had been avoiding the tour section to keep away from spoilers, and saw this thread. Especially if I was planning on seeing the next show.

I wasn't even thinking about the spoilers issue because the tour is so far off for me and I'm so North America-centric. You're absolutely right. That's why it's been so hard to find this thread! I completely forgot that so many Europeans read this site.

I totally sympathize with those who want to not know, as I'm usually one of those people. I'm actually not going to listen to any U2 albums until the tour next year.

 

[Muldfeld]

AHHHHhh people like you drive me fucking crazy!!! I love how you hear this and they think the original is better and get all pissed. You've heard the "original" now for what? 5 years now? and they have chaged it yes, but you've have heard the new version like once? and jump all over it. Why, why, why, why, are these some many idiots on this planet?

You're right. I could change my mind, but I very likely won't. I listened to this a few times. It's because I've heard the original so many times that I could judge quite clearly what they did in the new one.

Don't get too upset, bub. I just don't see the song getting better. However, I will admit that the older version was inferior in using the word "love" so often and maybe this one has a better chorus.

 

[Muldfeld]

Ah, Muldfeld, whatever would we do without your rambling?

I don't get how the early version was "experimental".

You're welcome. I thought I enunciated my problems with the new version fairly well.

The early version wasn't experimental for 90s U2, but, for 2000s U2, it was. To not have an obvious chorus and to have lyrics during which Bono wasn't trying so hard to be cool was quite a thing.

I'm actually surprised so many people are focusing on the "because because because" part (which i don't mind) and ignoring what comes right before it (and what i see as the fundamental problem with this version

This song, based solely on the guitar part, is a surging stadium anthem, which is what U2 is great at, but I feel like replacing "Love hears when I lie" with "You wanna kill me and I wanna Die" is a big misstep

I get what Bono is saying. He doesn't mean it literally. I get it. They're a fighting couple at the start, and he mentions they are perfect for each other. its actually a clever lyric, but not for this song. It takes what should be a loud jubilant sing along moment like the "oh oh oh oh" at the end of Pride or any other innumerable moments in their lyrics and replaces them with something that seems a bit more dark add foreboding for such an exuberant song.

"Love hears when i Lie" could be improved upon, but honestly its not those words that matter, its the thought behind them when he sings them like that. When he sings "You wanna kill me and I wanna die" i feel like the song gets cluttered and upon misinterpretation, could go into "The Cure" territory (a band i absolutely adore, mind you)

Anyway, in a nutshell. Love both versions, don't think they should trim it down too much into a 3 minute single (since the song itself is a voyage after all) but i could sacrifice all of that if he just decided not to use the Kill / Die lyrics right at the start of the soaring anthemic burst of song during the chorus.

I kinda know what you mean, but I don't think U2 should be doing anthems -- not in the conventional way they've been doing them the last 10 years, anyway.

I think a great song is a great song.

Cure fans sing the first line of "Pornography"'s "One Hundred Years" like an anthemic moment: "It doesn't matter if we all die" and to me it's speaking from a more honest place emotionally than Bono's phoney, "Let's be happy" crap.

Bono gets suicidal; Robert Smith doesn't; yet one of them is afraid to speak to his darker side.

I think the problem is the lyric is a little different and more ambitious than just singing "love" over and over, but it's halfway there; U2 needs to push this further and write about social anxiety and depression and suicide -- perhaps even without the salvation.

That'll get this band into new territory. I WANT to hear Bono sing about what he really feels underneath all the sound-bytes and pretense. I want his lyrics to emotionally contain the same thing as his psychologist's notes.

 

[Ellay]

Love the new version - simply cos they've got around to playing it.

Shame they've dropped the Violins/Nero line though, Cos I always thought that was one of the cleverer lines of the song.

 

[BVS]

To not have an obvious chorus and to have lyrics during which Bono wasn't trying so hard to be cool was quite a thing.

Which Bono lyrics are him trying hard to be cool? I can think of a few 90's ones...

than Bono's phoney, "Let's be happy" crap.

What song is this?

Bono gets suicidal; Robert Smith doesn't; yet one of them is afraid to speak to his darker side.

 

[Blue Room]

When did U2 and The Cure become the same type of bands? I like The Cure, but its apples to oranges with U2 for me. The Cure/Robert Smith does what they do well and U2/Bono do what they do well. So I don't get the comparison really or wanting Bono to write like Robert Smith.

Mercy is a good song, we haven't heard the finished product (we may never). So I wouldn't get super carried away after one live performance of the song.

 

[Popmartijn]

Mercy is a good song, we haven't heard the finished product (we may never). So I wouldn't get super carried away after one live performance of the song.

You are making a lot of sense. But then again, this is Interference...
(though, to be fair, I also saw all this opinionating ( ) of this up to now only live rendition on other non-U2 forums)

 

[Blue Room]

You are making a lot of sense. But then again, this is Interference...
(though, to be fair, I also saw all this opinionating ( ) of this up to now only live rendition on other non-U2 forums)

I can see having an opinion on whether you like it or not or like the old version versus the live one and expressing that. But the complete dissection of the song in minute detail based on one live performance is a bit much to me.

 

[collapse]

I think the problem is the lyric is a little different and more ambitious than just singing "love" over and over, but it's halfway there; U2 needs to push this further and write about social anxiety and depression and suicide -- perhaps even without the salvation.

That'll get this band into new territory. I WANT to hear Bono sing about what he really feels underneath all the sound-bytes and pretense. I want his lyrics to emotionally contain the same thing as his psychologist's notes.

ummm what?

I think you want U2 to be something they're not...

There are plenty of bands that address these topics. U2 has written many dark songs, but ultimately hope is always going to be a part of their message. There's nothing "phony" about it; it's what they (or at least Bono) believe in. You seem to be implying that underneath it all Bono is some angst-ridden misanthrope. While none of us can say for sure, pretty much every interview he's ever given implies the opposite, especially given his faith in God.

 

[powerhour24]

ummm what?

I think you want U2 to be something they're not...

There are plenty of bands that address these topics. U2 has written many dark songs, but ultimately hope is always going to be a part of their message. There's nothing "phony" about it; it's what they (or at least Bono) believe in. You seem to be implying that underneath it all Bono is some angst-ridden misanthrope. While none of us can say for sure, pretty much every interview he's ever given implies the opposite, especially given his faith in God.

U2 does delve into the dark and cynical for artistic or ironic reasons, but optimism is their MO.

 

[nirniva]

Oh, hey, speaking of Mercy: They played it again at Munich! Videos should be up shortly.

 

[Moser]

The verses and choruses are good. They need to work on a better ending. Because, because, because doesn't do it.

 

[corianderstem]

Ha! I was just coming in here to comment on that part.

I just watched the Munich version, and I really do like the song. The changes don't really bother me, I like it this way just fine .... except for that "because because because" bit is weird.

Not even just as an ending - it's just weird whenever it pops up.

But overall, it's lovely.

Here's the video from today:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2rBZK6ow40