Song of the day 12-08-05: Bad

[Cassis]

Bad

If you twist and turn away
If you tear yourself in two again
If I could, yes I would
If I could, I would let it go
Surrender, dislocate

If I could throw this lifeless
Lifeline to the wind
Leave this heart of clay
See you walk, walk away
Into the night
And through the rain
Into the half-light
And through the flame

If I could through myself
Set your spirit free
I'd lead your heart away
See you break, break away
Into the light
And to the day

To let it go
And so to fade away
To let it go
And so fade away

I'm wide awake
I'm wide awake
I'm not sleeping
Oh, no, no

If you should ask then maybe
They'd tell you what I would say
True colors fly in blue and black
Bruised silken skies and burning flack
Colors crash, collide in blood shot eyes

If I could, you know I would
If I could, I would let it go

This desparation
Dislocation
Separation
Condemnation
Revelation
In temptation
Isolation
Desolation

Let it go
And so to fade away
To let it go
And so fade away

Oh, no
I'm wide awake
I'm wide awake
I'm not sleeping
Oh, no no

 

[Ellay]

This desparation
Dislocation
Separation
Condemnation
Revelation
In temptation
Isolation
Desolation

Has Bono ever sung this in the right order live? Just wondering.

 

[chickadee]

This song is beautiful, haunting, brilliant. I adore the drums in this song!

 

[MsMofoGone]

The performance at Chicago 4 was so-ooo AWESOME !!
I've now rediscovered how GREAT this song is ... totally rocks !!

 

[hedgehog]

Easily in my top 5 U2 songs, great song indeed...

 

[WildHoneyAlways]

If I could, you know I would,
If I could, I would let it go....

 

[phanan]

Along with One Tree Hill, probably my favorite U2 song.

 

[MacPhistoPT]

my 2nd favourite U2 song awesome

 

[Theedge070]

My favorite live performance of Bad is definitely the Boston DVD from the Elevation Tour. Breathtaking. And then Bono gets everyone into "40" for a few moments, and into Streets after that.

 

[VertigoGal]

Permanently in my Top 3...possibly my favorite song ever. The R&H performance...words can't describe the emotion, it's just so beautiful and amazing. Really, really love this song.

I like the idea that Bono isn't singing from the PoV of his addicted friend (letting go of the drug), but actually from his perspective (letting go of his friend).

I love this song.

 

[RavenBlue]

I'm wide awake
Wide awake
I'm not sleeping

 

[#1bonofan]

My favorite song and the best song ever written and performed!

 

[Irishteen]

U2 third favourite U2 song

 

[lazarus]

One could make an argument for Streets, but this still remains the band's most overall powerful song. One is more of a universal anthem, bur this one's an epic, and just sounds SO U2. It couldn't have come from any other band.

The qualifier here is that it's rather weak on the album, Bono's voice sounding a bit awkward at times, and the percussion sounds underwhelming without the live sequencer.

That Rattle and Hum version deserves to be recognized again, as it is the most powerful footage of music I've ever experienced in my life. Bono looks like he is in a trance, possessed. He's on some other plane at that point, in my opinion.

The thought that this isn't an automatic inclusion on every setlist is strange to me. It sounds just as indispensible as Streets to me, although granted it wasn't a single.

Perhaps the fact that it's still a bit of an underground classic is why it's still the fans' favorite.

 

[MacPhistoPT]

to let it go...
and so to fade away...
not fade away...
NO...
NOT FADE AWAY...
NOT FADE AWAY...

 

[chickadee]

This song is better than Streets in my opinion.

 

[SiW87]

Absolutely brillant song. One of the best U2 has ever made.

 

[AtomicBono]

I don't think I really "got" Bad until I experienced it live on May 7th, 2005. Bad shot the hell up in my song rankings after that. Incredible performance. Amazing song. As lazarus said, this song is SO U2. Only U2 could come up with this "zenith of minimalism" as Axver likes to call it.

 

[cobl04]

Why can't we have more than 10 drools?!?!

 

[Palace_Hero]

Permanently in my Top 3...possibly my favorite song ever. The R&H performance...words can't describe the emotion, it's just so beautiful and amazing. Really, really love this song.

 

[Zoots]

L I V E A I D

 

[AtomicBono]

Why can't we have more than 10 drools?!?!

because then ponkine would be unstoppable.

The versions of Bad I've heard this tour are some of the best yet. Anyone else agree? I know most people hold the Live Aid performance on a pedastal, and it was quite brilliant, but I like Bono's voice so much better now...

 

[Zoots]

I know most people hold the Live Aid performance on a pedastal, and it was quite brilliant, but I like Bono's voice so much better now...

Wanna disagree with me now?

 

[AtomicBono]

Wanna disagree with me now?

n-no...

but i will anyway

 

[u2granny]

My favorite, Rotterdam, Jan. 10, 1990.

http://s48.ysi.com/d.aspx?id=0T45QTUSRR8570E8RUP31T73CG

 

[dandy]

the song that started it all for me, and it's still my favourite.