Mary J Blige / U2 Version of One

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"One" is not a song that was meant to be belted out. There's no belting out in the studio version, and live, the only time there's any belting out is in the 'knockin' at your door' coda. It is a song that is best served by vocal subtlety and the ability to express emotion with voice without going into vocal acrobatics and screaming. It is supposed to be a soundscape-y alternative pop/rock ballad, not the kind of over-the-top power ballad MJB tried to make it.

How the hell would you know how it is 'meant' to be sung or what type of song it's 'supposed' to be? Is it completely lost on you that the makers of the song did it in this manner with her many times over? And let her release it on her album? You don't own the song, no fans do. U2 does, and they did what they wanted with it. The only person who has the right to dictate how a song is 'meant' to be done is the writer.
 
Although I think the version is arguably worse than the original, Friday is an international thing. Let's all find some frosty pints of lager and smooth roaches and do some of that good time agreeing, hey guys?
 
I work weekends :( Tuesday is my Friday :happy:
Never was a fan of this version myself, but after hearing what some of you have said here I will give it a new listen.
 
OK I totally read that as EARS when I first read it, I even thought it had been altered when I just saw these last posts. Huh... :ohmy:
 
I actually listened to the two versions back to back on my Ipod earlier today....

I love each version on thier own....

In the original, it was raw - almost quiet pleading, with Bono's raspy voice... more of a cultural quest....

MJB's is gospel.... soul music with loud pleading, building up .. she has a lot of feelings and emotions in that vocal.

I think you just need to take them as two totally different songs...
If you want to see it live, you tube her performance with u2 at the Grammy Awards.... amazing from both...
Catrin
 
These 4 minutes are the worst abomination in the history of U2. The less I think about it, the better.
 
This version was absolutely horrible!!!

The only good it did was that poeple that heard it wanted to hear the original again as soon as possible so the song weas'nt ruined for them.
 
Charts don't say shit Gabe, you know that... same with grammy awards..

:shrug: popular opinion doesn't make a song good or bad..
 
Charts don't say shit Gabe, you know that... same with grammy awards..

:shrug: popular opinion doesn't make a song good or bad..

Actually, I don't know that. I like quite a bit of what's on the charts, I've always been able to find good in most types of music. :shrug:

While I do agree that popular opinion isn't everything, songs go number 1 for a reason. Usually it's because many people like the song, and that is the case here.

Just because a small, (and I stress very small), number of whiny close-minded internet U2 fans don't like a song, that doesn't mean the song is bad, either.
 
I like it fine, and I loved seeing her come out to sing it with the band at the second Vegas show.
 
Actually, I don't know that. I like quite a bit of what's on the charts, I've always been able to find good in most types of music. :shrug:

While I do agree that popular opinion isn't everything, songs go number 1 for a reason. Usually it's because many people like the song, and that is the case here.

Just because a small, (and I stress very small), number of whiny close-minded internet U2 fans don't like a song, that doesn't mean the song is bad, either.

yes, but how many of the songs that went to number one do we still hear about?? how many one day flies have there been? WAY too many to see a chart as a representative way of what's good and what's not.
In top 100 charts One always ends up as U2's highest song, but has it even been no. 1? No, it has never reached no. 1 when it was originally released.

I'm just saying it's only representative for a short time, but not for longevity. It'doesn't mean anything for people 10 years later, only the songs they still know have a meaning, and usually those aren't the number 1s!
 
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