VertigoGal said:
I've never liked this song much, studio or live. It's not the overplayed thing, because I wasn't around to hear it overplayed and have only been to one concert and everything. I just have never got the song. Even on the album the chorus seems so lame and the vocals kind of forced to me. It was fun to sing along to live, but...ehh.
I definitely prefer SBS. Not the album version because Bono sounds like he has a bad cold, but there are some pretty amazing live versions from all eras, imo.
"Pride" is my all-time favorite song! Not just U2 song, but song period. I highly respect MLK. The song isn't just about MLK, but all martyrs or people who died by trying to change the world for the better. It may be a simple rock song with a chorus, but Bono's passionate vocals (in the studio version) and Edge's guitar work (outstanding use of the delay effect), make the song sound unique and fresh, even today.
Trouble is, when I heard it live, even in the 80's, it just lost something. Bono couldn't sing the song like he did on the album - his voice couldn't handle that night after night. So it was dropped a key. And in doing so, the song just didn't have that passionate oomph I felt it had in the studio.
It's a brilliant song and over the years, often U2 have used it to great effect in concert, talking about MLK or other crucial events or people. For years, audiences have sang along without any prompting to the "oh, oh-oh, oh" ending. But, as I wrote, even in the 80's, the song lost something live that U2 were able to capture in the studio. They tried to make it come alive and to some extent it has, but IMO, it is one of the few songs that isn't as good in concert as it is on the album, even if it is easy to play. One main reason is that it's nearly impossible for Bono to reproduce his vocals.
WoWY in the 80's was brilliant in concert as Bono not only added an extra verse, but had the vocals to match. But come ZOO TV, it seemed that even Bono was tired of that song and a shortened version was played. I've felt the song has lacked the passion U2 had for it in the late 80's ever since. At times on this tour, it really seemed Bono was going through the motions on WoWY - one of the few songs I can say that about. It may be time for an extended WoWY break.
Over the years, "Bullet" has transformed quite a bit, from the scorching anti-U.S. song of the 80's, to the anti-gun song of the Elevation tour. But while it's meaning is open, I guess I've just never been a huge fan of the song and wouldn't mind seeing it take a much needed break from the setlist. It's open interpretation has made it a great song for U2 to keep in their tours, but after 18 years of hearing it live, it's time for a break.
SBS was a welcome addition after being gone for most of the 90's. Bono once said he'd never sing the song again, but apparently something caused him to change his mind as SBS returned in all its glory in the Elevation tour. So for a decade, the version we heard in the 80's was gone. As such, I'm still happy hearing SBS. However, even this can only last so long.
Bottom line is that U2 have a ton of hit or at least very popular songs in their catalog that they can pull out. Who wouldn't love to hear "One Tree Hill", "In God's Country", "Unforgettable Fire", "A Sort of a Homecoming", "Angel of Harlem", "Gloria", "Even Better Than...", "Mofo" or a plethora of other U2 songs? Hearing SBS, WoWY, "Pride", "Bullet", NYD and other classic staples is great. But I feel some mixing should be done and that some of these classics could take a more extended break.