Native Son

[vaz02]

I must admit i buzzed of it for months after ^

 

[Addicted To Bad]

For me, this is the answer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZbsTQgjPiZ0

SalU2!

Best answer.... Just amazing!!!!

This is the U2 I love...

Best band ever.....

 

[Morgoth321]

Vertigo is a great pop song, and obviously it works excellently in a live setting. I read somewhere that, when U2 were still working with Chris Thomas on HTDAAB, they were performing Native Son as a full band in the studio, possibly working on an arrangement or whatever. But, Bono just stopped singing. He claimed that he couldn't imagine performing the song live for the next two years as he had no enthusiasm for it in that form. So this led to the band basically scrapping those sessions and starting again with a different producer.

Where did I read this though? I can't remember, don't think it was U2 by U2. It may have been in Q Magazine from last year. Anyone else remember reading this article? I'm pretty sure I didn't imagine it!

EDIT: Did a quick search but no joy so far. I did find this though, from a Rolling Stone article where Bono comments on 'Native Son' (2004):

"RS: How would you describe your first set of lyrics to 'Vertigo'?Originally, it was called "Native Son" - a reference to the jailed American Indian activist Leonard Peltier.

BONO: It was a new-journalism approach. I don't think this man should be in prison. But the song just didn't change the molecules in the room. We made the mistake of sending "Native Son" to Interscope, because we were jumping up and down over it at first. And they started jumping up and down. And then we sort of stopped. It wasn't as good as we thought."

Whether fans like 'Native Son', I guess the band themselves just didn't.

 

[Zoots]

Nice... interesting quotes there, Morgoth!

 

[Reggie Thee Dog]

I agree with the assumption that Vertigo is a better single, whereas Native Son might...MIGHT be a better overall song.

But seriously, the chorus sucks...in a big way. Like I said it sounds forced and contrived, and they're trying too hard to make NS a 'big song'. Wherease when I first heard 'Vertigo' the one thing I felt was the looseness of the song. I could picture U2 just jamming this song out and having fun doing it.

Music being so subjective I can pick apart NS and others can do the same to Vertigo...so I'll leave by saying that Vertigo was a better vehicle for became HTDAAB...

 

[phillyfan26]

I can't see how ANYONE would find Vertigo's utterly stupid chorus better than Native Son's. It's not as much about Native Son, it's just how dumb Vertigo's chorus is.

 

[popacrobat]

Vertigo is their best song of the decade thus far.

 

[last unicorn]

Vertigo is a great fun and live song, great concert and album opener, very dynamic and energetic. I can totally see why they went with this instead of Native Son.

 

[xaviMF22]

Vertigo is their best song of the decade thus far.

beautiful day > HTDAAB

 

[Rob33]

For me, this is the answer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZbsTQgjPiZ0

SalU2!

right on

greatest fucking band on Earth

 

[popacrobat]

beautiful day > HTDAAB

Beautiful day is great too yes. one of their perfect songs. i guess im just saying it's myfavorite song of the decade so far. I guess that differs with "best."

 

[Visiongfx]

I much rather sing "Hello hello (hola) im at a place called vertigo (donde esta)" rather than saying "officer put down the gun, native son, i never wanted to own one, native son"

But i would much rather have the intro to native son on vertigo than the counting, but then the kids can't sing along =P

 

[Flying FuManchu]

I much rather sing "Hello hello (hola) im at a place called vertigo (donde esta)" rather than saying "officer put down the gun, native son, i never wanted to own one, native son"

I agree. I think Native Son sounded forced in terms of its music. Too much overdubbing that didn't work for me.


I've been to Vertigo a lot after getting sick of it when it came out. It's one of HTDAAB's better songs though the lyrics sometimes sound weak.

 

[Earnie Shavers]

Too much overdubbing that didn't work for me.

I wouldn't judge Native Son at all sonically. It would have zero treatment. The version we have would be a rough/fast edit put together on the fly, a work-in-progress edit. It sounds choppy and crap, yes, but it's not meant to sound clean and finished, the song just never got that far. You have to listen to Native Son (and Xanax and others) with a bit of imagination - imagine 10% more spit and shine.

 

[bonocomet]

Bono: (on Native Son) "But the song just didn't change the molecules in the room."

That's a great quote from Bono, and I think sums up a lot of why Vertigo was the right choice, whether Native son is liked by some or not.

 

[coolian2]

So, who else was not at all impressed by Vertigo when they first heard it?

Hello.


(Hello?)

 

[The Sad Punk]

Hello.


(Hello?)

I can always count on you.

 

[U2girl]

For me, this is the answer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZbsTQgjPiZ0

SalU2!

"Mike....Michael....Andy"

Who's Bono talking about here ?

 

[Zoots]

Sorry, I know this is not the place for it but I had to update a couple of things here.

1. Love And Peace (cheesetastic "or else" removed )
2. City Of Blinding Lights
3. Native Son
4. All Because Of You (alternate version)
5. Miracle Drug
6. Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own
7. Original Of The Species (single version)
8. Yahweh (alternate version)
9. Fast Cars
10. A Man And A Woman
11. Crumbs From Your Table
12. One Step Closer

Yeah, I think I'm gonna replace ABOY alt. version with the album ABOY cos it just sounds a lot more finished and is good fun! And also Native Son with Vertigo cos it's just better overall.

1. Love And Peace
2. COBL
3. ABOY
4. Vertigo
5. MD
6. Sometimes
7. OOTS
8. Yahweh
9. Fast Cars
10. AMAAW
11. Crumbs
12. OSC

There, it's good now.

Okay sorry, carry on with your Native Son discussion.

 

[LemonMelon]

"Mike....Michael....Andy"

Who's Bono talking about here ?

Not completely sure either. Someone on youtube said it's from Ballroom Blitz by The Sweet, which I can tell you is probably accurate.

 

[U2girl]

Thanks.

Is there a member of REM named Andy ? U2tours.com does say Mills and Stipe were at both Milan shows.

 

[LemonMelon]

Thanks.

Is there a member of REM named Andy ?

See my edit. I had read the REM thing somewhere, but that doesn't sound right.

 

[Zoots]

There has never been an Andy in REM!

 

[U2girl]

Just checking, that's what I thought too.

 

[Addicted To Bad]

U2 and REM = I love them !!!!!

(U2 much more....indeed... always....forever..)

Cheers for the best leader singers in the world

 

[elevated_u2_fan]

Maybe Bono can't remember Edge, Adam and Larry's names like he forgets the lyrics sometimes

 

[Zoots]

Maybe Bono can't remember Edge, Adam and Larry's names like he forgets the lyrics sometimes

I didn't know his memory problem was that bad!

 

[elevated_u2_fan]

I didn't know his memory problem was that bad!

he can't even remember his own name half the time...

fyi:

Mike = Edge

Michael = Adam

Andy = Larry

 

[rihannsu]

Vertigo is a great pop song, and obviously it works excellently in a live setting. I read somewhere that, when U2 were still working with Chris Thomas on HTDAAB, they were performing Native Son as a full band in the studio, possibly working on an arrangement or whatever. But, Bono just stopped singing. He claimed that he couldn't imagine performing the song live for the next two years as he had no enthusiasm for it in that form. So this led to the band basically scrapping those sessions and starting again with a different producer.

Where did I read this though? I can't remember, don't think it was U2 by U2. It may have been in Q Magazine from last year. Anyone else remember reading this article? I'm pretty sure I didn't imagine it!

EDIT: Did a quick search but no joy so far. I did find this though, from a Rolling Stone article where Bono comments on 'Native Son' (2004):

"RS: How would you describe your first set of lyrics to 'Vertigo'?Originally, it was called "Native Son" - a reference to the jailed American Indian activist Leonard Peltier.

BONO: It was a new-journalism approach. I don't think this man should be in prison. But the song just didn't change the molecules in the room. We made the mistake of sending "Native Son" to Interscope, because we were jumping up and down over it at first. And they started jumping up and down. And then we sort of stopped. It wasn't as good as we thought."

Whether fans like 'Native Son', I guess the band themselves just didn't.

I already posted about this in this thread. It was NOT with Chris Thomas, it was when Lillywhite was going through what the band had so they could get a feel for what they needed to do. I came across it in and interview with Steve Lillywhite. Look for my post earlier in this thread.

Ditching Thomas had nothing to do with Native Son but rather with an embarrassing session with a 45 piece orchestra where they realized they weren't really finished writing the songs.

Dana

 

[shaun vox]

Vertigo is their best song of the decade thus far.

do you think "vertigo" is a masterpiece or is just as good as "Bad" or "ONE"?