Songs never played live.

[The_acrobat]

Can we get a comprised list of U2 songs never performed live?

 

[vaz02]

we could be here all day

 

[Pero]

Where's Axver when you need one?

 

[Popmartijn]

I'd just updated the list I'm keeping track of. So here it is.

OCTOBER:
Stranger In A Strange Land
Is That All?

WAR:
Drowning Man
Red Light
The Refugee

THE UNFORGETTABLE FIRE:
Promenade
4th Of July
Elvis Presley And America

THE JOSHUA TREE:
Red Hill Mining Town

RATTLE AND HUM:
Heartland

ACHTUNG BABY:
So Cruel *
Acrobat

ZOOROPA:
Some Day's Are Better Than Others

POP:
The Playboy Mansion

THE BEST OF 1980-1990&B-SIDES:
The Three Sunrises
Love Comes Tumbling
Bass Trap
Walk To The Water
Luminous Times
Hallelujah, Here She Comes
A Room At The Heartbreak Hotel
Endless Deep

ALL THAT YOU CAN'T LEAVE BEHIND:
Peace On Earth
When I Look At The World
Grace

THE BEST OF 1990-2000 & B-SIDES:
Electrical Storm
Lady With The Spinning Head
Your Blue Room
Salomé

HOW TO DISMANTLE AN ATOMIC BOMB:
A Man And A Woman
One Step Closer

OTHER:
J. Swallow
Treasure (Whatever Happened To Pete The Chop)
Boomerang I
Boomerang II
Deep In The Heart
Race Against Time
Alex Descends Into Hell For A Bottle Of Milk/Korova 1
Where Did It All Go Wrong
Two Shots Of Happy, One Shot Of Sad **
I'm Not Your Baby
Stateless
Always
Big Girls Are Best
Are You Gonna Wait Forever

* There is some confusion on whether or not a full version of this song has ever been performed. Snippets/couple of verses have been performed sporadically during the Zoo TV tour.

** The only recorded version of this song is a performance of Bono, The Edge and an orchestra. I don't count it as being played live by U2 though

And some of the songs mentioned here have been rehearsed or been snippeted in other songs. But U2 has never done a full live performance of them in concert.

 

[Axver]

Just a few comments/corrections of Marty's list:

So Cruel: this was performed essentially in full by Bono at a couple of ZooTV shows.
Peace On Earth: this is a difficult one. A few "snippets" of it before Walk On were pretty much the majority of the song. It's hard to decide whether to count those as snippets or a proper performance.
Two Shots Of Happy: I do count this. We don't say that SATS wasn't performed by U2 on the Elevation Tour just because only Bono and Edge were involved in its performance.

And of the album songs never performed live, Stranger In A Strange Land was snippeted once during The Electric Co. on the UF Tour, Drowning Man was snippeted a few times in 11 O'clock Tick Tock on the War Tour, Heartland has been snippeted once at the start of Streets on Lovetown, Playboy Mansion was snippeted regularly at the end of Streets on Popmart's first and second legs, and When I Look At The World was snippeted once during Bad on the Elevation Tour.

Oh, and although Acrobat was never played live, we do have a "live" recording of it: it was performed at a private rehearsal on 6 August 1992 that someone outside the venue taped.

 

[The_acrobat]

One time Bono was swimming, and he suddenly lost his ability to swim. He yelled to the Edge "HELP! I'm Drowning, man!!!!" So you can also count that as live version of Drowning Man.

 

[kramwest1]

Just a few comments/corrections of Marty's list:
When I Look At The World was snippeted once during Bad on the Elevation Tour.

This is an excellent version of an under-rated song, and at over 2 minutes is quite a significant snippet. It's on the Elevation Kansas City bootleg.
Just great.

Mark

 

[Axver]

One time Bono was swimming, and he suddenly lost his ability to swim. He yelled to the Edge "HELP! I'm Drowning, man!!!!" So you can also count that as live version of Drowning Man.

Interestingly, this happened on the 4th of July while Adam was hanging around with an acrobat on the nearby promenade. Is that all?

 

[Blue Room]

Just a few comments/corrections of Marty's list:

So Cruel: this was performed essentially in full by Bono at a couple of ZooTV shows.

Oh, and although Acrobat was never played live, we do have a "live" recording of it: it was performed at a private rehearsal on 6 August 1992 that someone outside the venue taped.

So Cruel was done in full by Bono twice (meaning all the all the verses and choruses). Detroit September 9, 1992 and Chicago September 15, 1992. I can verify this because I was at both shows. He essentially did half of it at the August 22, 1992 Foxboro show. So it was played 2 1/2 times to get super technical. Of note, he planned to play it at the September 13, 1992 Madison show but changed his mind on stage and did All I Want Is You instead. If you listen to the recording of that show you hear him hesitate and then say "I was gonna play something else but.." Then starts into All I Want Is You.

If you count that rehearsal recording of Acrobat, then you can count a full band So Cruel as it was worked on several times at soundcheck in Foxboro with Larry on drums and there are a couple of recordings of that version out there as well.

 

[U2FanPeter]

Weren't thse soundchecked only at one point or another?

4th of July(4/2001 in California!!!!)
Red Hill Mining Town(3rd leg 1987)
Electric Storm(Brussels 2005, no Bono)

Also, the exclusive ipod songs are not listed.

Looking at this thread I'm surprised Bono never snippeted Salome in Zoo Station.

u2fp

 

[bono_man2002]

maybe 2 1/2 and 1/4

There was a bit after Bad, and Before Bullet in Milan. (Where AIWIY usually went)

 

[Axver]

Weren't thse soundchecked only at one point or another?

4th of July(4/2001 in California!!!!)

But yes, RHMT was soundchecked on 1987-11-28 in Murfreesboro.

 

[tryan101]

Just a few comments/corrections of Marty's list:


Peace On Earth: this is a difficult one. A few "snippets" of it before Walk On were pretty much the majority of the song. It's hard to decide whether to count those as snippets or a proper performance.

I was at Oakland 11/15/01 - Peace on Earth was definitely more than a snippet - as I remember it was quite extended - I'd say half the song or more.

 

[Blue Room]

maybe 2 1/2 and 1/4

There was a bit after Bad, and Before Bullet in Milan. (Where AIWIY usually went)

See, this is where I would probably definately disagree with Axver, I would count that version as a snippet not as the song being played.

 

[Axver]

See, this is where I would probably definately disagree with Axver, I would count that version as a snippet not as the song being played.

I consider that example a snippet too. It's clearly an extension of and dependent upon Bad, not a performance of So Cruel itself.

 

[Blue Room]

Weren't thse soundchecked only at one point or another?

4th of July(4/2001 in California!!!!)
Red Hill Mining Town(3rd leg 1987)
Electric Storm(Brussels 2005, no Bono)

4th of July was just Adam playing the bass riff. No Edge, not sure if that counts as it being played though. I'm not getting into the Electrical Storm rehearsal debate again.

 

[Blue Room]

I consider that example a snippet too. It's clearly an extension of and dependent upon Bad, not a performance of So Cruel itself.

 

[Blue Room]

I was at Oakland 11/15/01 - Peace on Earth was definitely more than a snippet - as I remember it was quite extended - I'd say half the song or more.

OK, so I'm bored and I went and checked. POE clocks in at 59 seconds at the Oakland Nov. 15th show. Bono just does the first verse leading into Walk On. I would definately say that is just a snippet.

 

[Axver]

OK, so I'm bored and I went and checked. POE clocks in at 59 seconds at the Oakland Nov. 15th show. Bono just does the first verse leading into Walk On. I would definately say that is just a snippet.

Here's the three I've marked on U2VT as uncertain:

· 2001-11-20 - Sacramento, California - Arco Arena
· 2001-11-27 - Kansas City, Missouri - Kemper Arena
· 2001-11-28 - St. Louis, Missouri - Savvis Center

If I remember correctly, they're pretty lengthy.

And when on earth did Adam do 4th Of July in a soundcheck? I'd never heard about that before! That strikes me as really bizarre.

 

[Blue Room]

And when on earth did Adam do 4th Of July in a soundcheck? I'd never heard about that before! That strikes me as really bizarre.

San Jose April 20th, 2001

I think he was just messing around warming up. I dont think it was a planned out thing.

 

[Axver]

San Jose April 20th, 2001

I think he was just messing around warming up. I dont think it was a planned out thing.

Still, it surprises me that he'd actually remember the 4th Of July bass line, especially given its origins as just an improvisation.

 

[The_acrobat]

Well it's not like 4th of July is a very difficult bass line. I've never tried playing it, but I imagine if I picked up a bass, I could figure it out in a minute or two. And Adam is a much more talented musician than I am, so it's probably cake for him.

I just want to say to you Axver, that I am damn glad that you are here, doing what you do. I am a setlist nerd as well... I am obsessed. But I don't have the time or resources to keep up on it like you do. As far as I am concerned, you are Pimm's successor. Thanks for your great information.

 

[Axver]

Well it's not like 4th of July is a very difficult bass line. I've never tried playing it, but I imagine if I picked up a bass, I could figure it out in a minute or two. And Adam is a much more talented musician than I am, so it's probably cake for him.

Oh, true, but we all know what U2's collective memory of their own songs is like.

Maybe we should put Adam in charge of setlists, if he's pulling out songs with the rarity calibre of 4th Of July in rehearsals.

I just want to say to you Axver, that I am damn glad that you are here, doing what you do. I am a setlist nerd as well... I am obsessed. But I don't have the time or resources to keep up on it like you do. As far as I am concerned, you are Pimm's successor. Thanks for your great information.

Wow, that's a pretty high compliment, thank you! I try to stay on top of the sets as best I can - it's a fun hobby even if everyone looks at me like I have three heads!

 

[bono_man2002]

it's a fun hobby even if everyone looks at me like I have three heads!

 

[allbecauseofu2]

i was just asking in the wrong place, (sorry) was POE realy done. my u2 live book says , in the way its written, that was done for real just realy short. but then it keeps saying it only like a gofied snippet. i don;t care about rehearsals casue that was realy not meant to be heard. i have so cruel live, its kinda half ass, but it was performed. i was intrested in hearing or getting a POE or some version of it.

 

[U2FanPeter]

Oh, true, but we all know what U2's collective memory of their own songs is like.

Maybe we should put Adam in charge of setlists, if he's pulling out songs with the rarity calibre of 4th Of July in rehearsals.
!

Adam was also started playing Seconds at some of the 3/2005 rehearsals in Vancouver

 

[Alisaura]

Wow. Do you guys keep all those facts and figures and dates in your heads for instant access at all times??

 

[Axver]

Wow. Do you guys keep all those facts and figures and dates in your heads for instant access at all times??

I do, but that's because I've spent far too much time working on U2VT.

 

[djerdap]

I would hardly count Peace on Earth as the full song performance, since it had some brief strumming on the guitar and Bono not singing the whole part.

Wake Up Dead Man is the biggest mystery, but I do consider this as a song being played, since it was stand-alone; it did not serve (as Peace on Earth did) as an intro or outro to another song.

When I Look at the World obviously a snippet. So Cruel intrigues me, since I don´t believe we have this rumored full version that Bono played on bootleg, do we?

Biggest frustrations lie in amazing songs like Acrobat and Heartland that didn´t get the chance they deserve. Red Hill Mining Town, Drowning Man, Your Blue Room...

Well, at least we get to hear Pride for the 1000000000000000th time.

 

[bgmckinney]

J
Oh, and although Acrobat was never played live, we do have a "live" recording of it: it was performed at a private rehearsal on 6 August 1992 that someone outside the venue taped.

Learn something new every day.
Is this floating around on any of the bootleg sites?