[Spoiler] has been played live

[popacrobat]

Do songs really need a liner note with Mercy being written by Bono and The Edge? As far as I know that booklet was officially released, and inside that booklet were the lyrics to what Bono called Mercy. Thus, logic ensues you to put 1 and 1 together and add them up to understanding that there is a song called Mercy with the lyrics written on that page. And well bite me! We HAVE a song with those lyrics called Mercy that was leaked on the internet. WHAT A COINCIDENCE!



Well played!

that's pretty faulty logic though. Lyrics for all the songs that are officially released were printed. mercy's are just artwork in a deluxe book. to say that the lyrics were officially released is a huge stretch. we have the song only because it was leaked. that's not even remotely official. what about the lyrics to the rest of the song? is only the first verse and chorus considered officially released then?

if you want to consider those lyrics 'officially' released then by all means, don't let me stop you. but to tell somebody it's bullshit that they've not been officially released because of this is, well, bullshit.

 

[Galeongirl]

You're wording that exactly right. Lyrics for all the songs that are officially released were printed. We're not talking about that here, since Mercy obviously has not been officially released.
The only thing I stated was that its lyrics were released officially, namely, they were written in the HTDAAB book. Which is the truth isn't it? They were written down, and the thing they were written in was officially released.

And actually as far as I know it was the whole song that was written on those pages...

 

[Z00rop@83]

WHo cares about all this lyrics stuff? Do i like the old version more? yes

atleast they're playing the damn thing, we always knock U2 for not mixing up the setlists or trying new things like DMB or Pearl Jam...IMO i'd imagine the band is thrilled to be playing something new and not just doing the run of the mill songs. If you woulda told me before 360 started that we'd see Electrical storm, Unforgettable fire, Ultraviolet, HMTMKM and 3 new songs which now includes the infamous mercy, I woulda thought you were crazyyyy...I am so happy, it really almost seems like someone in the band's inner circle checks these forums now, so we should start crying for some more pop songs...at the very least play Gone

And the icing on the cake is, to me it seems like we may finally have a studio release of Mercy eventually

 

[Popmartijn]

I wonder how it would've been if the Internet as we know it had been around in 1984. When U2 started to play Bad, with Bono not (yet) attempting the "I'm wide awake..." part and other lyrical changes in that song.
I guess many people would have given up on them here on Interference.

 

[gareth brown]

Definitely agree with you Z00rop@83. Whatever they've done with Mercy, the setlists on this leg of the tour are the kind of setlists I've always wanted U2 to do. Songs from the new album, classics, rarely played "gems" and brand new songs.

I always thought U2 were really weird in the way they would never play new songs like most other bands would and the internet obviously put them off even more with people sharing new songs even easier online this last decade. It's really unlike them really and I'm hoping they'll catch up with the times a bit where releasing new songs online etc is concerned.

 

[nirniva]

Previously posted in the Paris setlist party thread, but I'll put it here as well, as it seems relevant:

You know, if Mercy's going to be a setlist staple (which is totally awesome, BTW), I think it's time they give it some cool visual effects. Any ideas?

 

[U2Fan101]

Oh yeah? Well I say YOU'RE not officially released!

This officially made me laugh out loud.

 

[nirniva]

Mercy in Paris:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jag3C0_kWTE

 

[Z00rop@83]

the fact that...as of right now they keep on playing it every night..leads me to believe they love playing this song

They're probably like " see Bono we told ya it'd rock and go over well"

 

[JoRu]

the fact that...as of right now they keep on playing it every night..leads me to believe they love playing this song

I hope so, they just keep getting better at performing the song and it's probably a good idea to play it in many different locations to make more and more people aware of it, especially if it's going to be a single. People hear the song, grow fond of it (well, hopefully) and once it's released people will be excited to hear how it sounds on record and buys it. SUCCESS!

 

[nirniva]

I hope so, they just keep getting better at performing the song and it's probably a good idea to play it in many different locations to make more and more people aware of it, especially if it's going to be a single. People hear the song, grow fond of it (well, hopefully) and once it's released people will be excited to hear how it sounds on record and buys it. SUCCESS!

Agreed. Mercy HAS to be a single.
Also, here's the U2gigs video of Mercy at Paris:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLRxjC_9ffE

 

[U2girl]

As always, U2 is consistently horrible judges of their own material. They took a great song and neutered it.

U2 fanbase is consistently overreacting. And often wrong.

 

[Salome]

consistently

 

[BoMac]

Oh yeah? Well I say YOU'RE not officially released!

I officially released last night during a hot date.

I'm sorry, was that too much information?

U2 fanbase is consistently overreacting. And often wrong.

I'm going to report this post for using a generalization to describe someone's (hopefully) subjective opinion as "wrong."

 

[corianderstem]

I officially released last night during a hot date.

I'm sorry, was that too much information?

Um.

I'm voting 'yes.'

 

[nielsgov]

I'm going to report this post for using a generalization to describe someone's (hopefully) subjective opinion as "wrong."

The internet police!

 

[Rob33]

Agreed. Mercy HAS to be a single.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLRxjC_9ffE

that's kind of what's so lame about the new version...they took the demo and dumbed it down with predictable and obvious song structure...it's like they sat down and said "hmmm...how can we turn this into a hit single?" and then proceeded to fuck up the demo....I mean I like the new version just cause I love this song so much, but they still fucked it up.

 

[collapse]

They've definitely gotten better at playing it. First version was shaky; Bono ditching the guitar was a wise choice.

Still lovin the new version. I do miss parts of the old one (I really liked the violins/Nero line, and at least the first part of the bridge) but given that the song is 6 years old (or more, who knows when they first wrote it?) I'm just happy most of it is the same, and I really love the new chorus. And taking Edge's part from the original prechorus and turning it into a solo for the bridge was cool imo. I like the prechorus just fine, but I don't know why everyone misses it so much...

 

[TheEdge1967]

I've been listening to the Munich version in the car a lot recently and I personally think this song is going to be a huge single. At first I missed the old version but the new one seems more uplifting and does build towards the end. The new version is going to be a scorcher as a single. Everyone needs to get used to it because it's going to be played on the radio a lot when a studio version is released.

 

[ramblin rose]

I agree with you. Today I was listening to both versions back to back on repeat and realized that I was liking the new version better, (even though I had been a big fan of the original).

 

[Rob33]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UsN-8oJMpZc

I really like what Larry is doing...great video...this version is growing on me...I think it'll be a great song in the end, but I'm still hoping they listen to the demo and add the pre chorus before the first chorus...and add "we're binary code, a one and a zero, you wanted violins, and you got nero"

also, the demo chorus is just so incredibly passionate and beautiful on the demo version...all due to the phrasing, I think. If they could find a way to incorporate it into the new version, I think it'd do the song wonders...

Love is the end of history
The enemy of misery
Love has come again

Love is justice, a charity
Love brings with it a clarity
Love has come again
I'm alive again
Alive...

The demo version has more character to it...more variation in the melodies, better phrasing in the chorus (though I still think the current chorus works)...why they took all this out is still mind-boggling....

Also, I really hope they're able to capture the same passion of the demo version when they finally record this...seriously, what an amazing vocal the demo is...I wish we had a better quality recording.

 

[nirniva]

Just had a thought: Maybe Bono could sing the "ripping the stitches" part over Edge's solo? It'd strengthen the solo, reducing the complaints on that; and, of course, adding the line back in would appease a lot of the people unhappy with the current song.

 

[mama cass]

i know, why don't we get the fans to write the songs and just get the band to play em eh?

 

[catlhere]

I just still can't get on board "you wanna kill me, and i wanna die ... we were meant for eachother, you and I."
I'm trying my hardest though since it seems they are going to change the song for good. Goodbye old version

 

[JoRu]

Just had a thought: Maybe Bono could sing the "ripping the stitches" part over Edge's solo? It'd strengthen the solo, reducing the complaints on that; and, of course, adding the line back in would appease a lot of the people unhappy with the current song.

Good idea, but the chords used for the "ripping the stitches"-part and the ones during Edge's solo are different, so he'd have to change things there as well to make it fit, which in turn would create even more unhappiness here.

 

[nirniva]

i know, why don't we get the fans to write the songs and just get the band to play em eh?

Well, we do know everything.

Good idea, but the chords used for the "ripping the stitches"-part and the ones during Edge's solo are different, so he'd have to change things there as well to make it fit, which in turn would create even more unhappiness here.

Oh, right. I just thought I read somewhere that Edge's solo was basically the guitar solo from the prechorus, but I could have been wrong.

 

[nielsgov]

I don't think many people want Bono to sing over a guitar solo. I don't.

 

[The_Edge89]

I don't think many people want Bono to sing over a guitar solo. I don't.

I agree, sometimes it works but far from always.
Here's one of those examples when it actually does work quite well:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RcWHUE5-jjA

EDIT: Oh hey, he actually mentioned/confirmed the title of the song that's cool!

 

[Galeongirl]

Mercy is quite pleasant live. Certainly rocked my socks off!
The only disappointment was the idiots who squashed in behind me(with numbers in the 400s..) didn't even have a clue what it was. You wanna be up front and you don't even know a song that's been on the internet for 6 years? Fail.
Either way, pit went wild and most front rail people sang along as well.

 

[gvox]

I don't think many people want Bono to sing over a guitar solo. I don't.

I don't want him to even have a mic when Edge is playing his solos.