Not sure why you're trying to disagree with me (and why you're shrugging my comment?) but I think you're splitting hairs without realising the point I'm making. My statement was (I thought quite clearly) referring to the point that it's "quite possible" substantial new work was done on at least some AB songs after Hansa (namely One, MW & ZS). Detailing how there are similarities in 9 other songs that I didn't even mention doesn't really prove me wrong does it?
I shrugged because I didn't understand your reasoning. What I reacted to was how you said: "There is
nothing on those bootlegs that resembles" those three songs. That was my main objection.
Just like yourself, I see these as demos, inspiration and early starting points for most of the songs, including those three.
U2 have their habit of working on songs for a while and now that you've clarified your statement I understand your point.
Yes, Hansa was the starting point and obviously they must have done some work after the recording of those sessions that were leaked for it to sound like the end result since there are dramatic differences in some songs - perhaps the most so in the three you pointed out. I agree.
But even so, I can still hear hints in these tracks of most songs that ended up on Achtung Baby (hence the list), and that qualifes as "resemblance" to me. Similarity and resemblance are synonymous with one another as far as I'm concerned though. To say there is
no resemblance to those three is not something I agree with tough. Then again, English is not my native tongue so perhaps I need to find myself a dictionary.
Even U2 themselves commented on the Hansa tapes a couple of years ago and how for instance Zoo Station, Ultra Violet, The Fly and Lady With The Spinning Head came from one and the same song. Evidently, Zoo Station and Lady With The Spinning Head are vastly different in sound, but if they say there might be a common ancestor for both in Take You Down, then I have not reason to doubt it.
Moreover, I also think that there are no really alternate versions of those three songs (as for instance with Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own/All Because of You/Yahweh) on the Hansa Tapes - if that is what you meant, then we can agree, I hope.
(FWIW: The alternate One is not a Hansa recording, it was a different vocal take of the album version accidently released on a promo cassette and MW/WDIAGW are no the same songs, both were released).
That's right, that version is not from the Hansa tapes.
However, I had forgotten about where it came from though, thanks for reminding me!
I never said Mysterious Ways and Where Did It All Go Wrong were the same songs, just that it had similar guitar sounds. Beautiful Day and Always aren't to be seen as one and the same song because they sound alike, right?
Look, I'm not trying to be arrogant, all right? This is my point of view and I'm glad you clarified yours. I hope mine is a little bit clearer as well.
thanks for those songs breakdowns simon-- it'll help me go to the songs i first that I still haven't listened to yet!
You're welcome. Behind the scenes/outtakes/alternate versions is something I take great interest in. It's fun to see how things progress and songs develop.
fyi it's silence, not promise.
I just quickly copy/pasted whatever it said from the Sira Vista Achtung Baby Working Tapes compendium. Of course, I knew it's "silence" in Ultra Violet
love
, but Bono has his ways of changing lyrics over time when working on songs and I haven't listened to that demo version for a while so that's why.