**Very long winded rant by yours truly**
I think with a few notable exceptions on other albums (Pride being the most often mentioned), U2 are better live than studio. Still, even as someone who firmly believes this, I still say the gap is reasonably small and I greatly enjoy the studio versions on most albums. On Pop, however, I think the studio-live gap is the largest by far.
And different. I think gaps with other albums say very little if anything about U2's work in the studio and everything about how great of a live band they are. Pop is the only album where the gap speaks as much to their lacking in the studio as it does to their abilities as a live band.
I hate to ramble, but I guess I'd say most of their songs, as a general rule, go from excellent in studio to transcendent/in another world live, while Pop songs as a general rule go from "good but clearly need work" to transcendent/in another world live!
Bono's vocal is indeed haunting and passionate on the studio version of Gone. I think Gone is one of U2's best songs, for sure. But I still strongly dislike how after the "Goodbye....." start to the chorus, the Edge just starts doing some bell effect or maybe piano?? The energy builds up, both lyrically and musically, throughout the verses, then when the chorus comes, your expecting an explosion, a climax, then a come down and build up in tension again. Instead, to me anyway, it fizzles out with whatever that sound is.
(0:46-47 and 1:46-47 here is what I am talking about)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jW1B117tbEc
What is this?
I just have never liked it and thought it deflated things at the wrong time.
(In the same parts, at almost the same count as the studio version conveniently)
YouTube - U2 - Gone live from Boston
Here, Edge keeps that powerful riff going and even kicks it up a notch throughout the "goodbye, you can keep this suit of lights, I'll be up with the sun....." chorus.
It's noticeable here, but especially noticeable in the PopMart versions, which kicked all kinds of ass
It actually hits on my main issue with the entire album. I heard some great, new rhythms from Larry and especially Adam and great use of different effects and especially power chords by Edge. I think they should have gone with this raw, power chord heavy sound for more of the album. I quite enjoy Miami and Playboy Mansion, but for most people, it contributes to their negative perception of the album. For this reason, and for coherence, I would have made both b-sides or bonus tracks or what have you and brought in Holy Joe(K-Mart style) and Hold Me....Kill Me to replace them.
