From the Album to the Show – Best Song “Upgrades”

BWU2Buffs · 04-25-2005, 09:29 PM

I think there is a special forum for this, but “it is official” – I should have known better.

As background, looking back at my first few spins through HTDAAB, I was a bit skeptical as to how the songs would play live. As usual, U2 found a way to make these songs crackle, rock, and zip – even fans in the bleeders for Denver 2 danced all night long. I should have known better.

That said, here are my top few songs considering the following: which songs we’re better live than on the CD, past few albums, recent tours, not necessarily ranked in order:

Zoo Tour – UTEOTW – Just OK on the CD, holy cow live – “Is this rock and roll!”

Elevation – Stuck In A Moment – hmm, kind of a yawner on the album, and I never understood why it was the second single (I think) but wonderful and soulful live.

Vertigo Tour - Miracle Drug – like the CD, loved it live.

Elevation – New York – probably a polarizing choice here, but the album version nearly felt like a throw away, but for me, this song rocked live.

Zoo Tour – the three song trifecta of Zoo Station, Trying to Throw Your Arms Around the World, and Love is Blindness – especially the latter two, relatively slow and simple on the CD, but much more fun live.

Finally, not sure if I should count it, but the album to live translation of Streets is still pretty amazing.

What are your thoughts?

*Ally* · 04-25-2005, 09:36 PM

oh this is tough... i'll give it a shot, though.

HTDAAB: "Love and Peace" no question here- i didn't like it all that much on the album, but think it's amazing live. drums and bass...

ATYCLB: tie b/w "In a little while" and "Kite". both were fantastic live... good on the album, but better live imho.

Achtung Baby: oh jeez... i love this whole album, so it's hard. have to go w/ "Trying to Throw Your Arms..." I LOVE the whole pulling a girl onstage, spraying her w/ champagne, having her videotape bono/edge... this song is infinitely better live.

Pop: "Gone". great on the album, but even BETTER live...

hmm, that's all i can think of for now!

JulioArca · 04-26-2005, 08:20 AM

Dirty Day: Very good on Zooropa, exceptional live.

OffAxis · 04-26-2005, 10:17 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by JulioArca
Dirty Day: Very good on Zooropa, exceptional live.

Amen!!

Other notables...

Exit
Bullet the Blue Sky
Bad
Stay
Please

Agreed with others...

UTEOTW
LAPOE
New York
Gone

BWU2Buffs · 04-26-2005, 03:28 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by OffAxis

Other notables...

Exit

Ugg, can't believe I spaced Exit -- agreed 100% -- guess I was going for the more recent tours, but yes; Exit rocked live relative to the album version.

No spoken words · 04-26-2005, 03:35 PM

For me, and this is not from any particular tours, just from general memory:

Electric Co, while good on the album, is better LIVE.

Same for Gloria.

Zoo Station, again, like it a lot on the album, but it's better LIVE, to me.

Until the End of the World, another song I liked a lot, but then loved LIVE.

Exit makes a big leap LIVE.

City of Blinding Lights does too.

New York was much better Live.

Please was kind of ho-hum for me on Pop, but Live it was much more moving.

But, the biggest leap of all, always, for me, will be Bad. That's a pretty good studio tune, but, Live, well, it's pure ecstasy for me.

That's my list!

Dr. Lemonseed · 04-26-2005, 03:36 PM

We did a vote on this a couple months ago. Most people stuck with Bullet the Blue Sky as best upgrade ever. (Does anyone even listen to JT version anymore?)

e.g. Gone and The Fly were great upgrades, but they were awesome to begin with...

No spoken words · 04-26-2005, 03:37 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Dr. Lemonseed
We did a vote on this a couple months ago. Most people stuck with Bullet the Blue Sky as best upgrade ever. (Does anyone even listen to JT version anymore?)

e.g. Gone and The Fly were great upgrades, but they were awesome to begin with...

That's what makes forums like this interesting, because vote or no vote, Bullet is better on the album than Live. Again, just my opinion, obviously. And, yes, I still listen to the Joshua Tree, will never not listen to it.

Dr. Lemonseed · 04-26-2005, 03:42 PM

there is a certain exciting restraint on the album version... a very pointed, refined bite, rather than the "unleash hell" passionate style that's live.

U2ElevatesMe415 · 04-26-2005, 04:01 PM

Yahweh

Actually, I have no idea. COBL, Miracle Drug , L&P, and Yahweh were great

xellente · 04-26-2005, 05:46 PM

streets has such an energy 'Live' i can hardly listen to the album version. I liked to be moved and shaken up...and the live version really turns it up.

u2girlcj · 04-26-2005, 05:54 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by xellente
streets has such an energy 'Live' i can hardly listen to the album version. I liked to be moved and shaken up...and the live version really turns it up.

I agree on Streets. I freak out when they play it live and especially on Sunday night in Seattle (GA) the people around me were tired or something - just bobbing their heads - and I was the only one going all out - it caught Adam's eye and he lingered as he walked by

I got that cute smile-to-devilish-smirk look from him

total eye contact, total Adam moment

My other upgrade vote is for Love and Peace - there seems to be a consensus on that. Freaking amazing. *insert smilie of Bono in headband beating a drum here, please!*

And I still love Bullet live, I know a lot of people here are sick of it, but I just adore it - especially the "shortened" version on this tour.

BWU2Buffs · 04-26-2005, 08:23 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Dr. Lemonseed
We did a vote on this a couple months ago. Most people stuck with Bullet the Blue Sky as best upgrade ever. (Does anyone even listen to JT version anymore?)

e.g. Gone and The Fly were great upgrades, but they were awesome to begin with...

I missed that vote -- though I agree Bullet is a great upgrade, but I'm in the "tired of it" camp today.

If I had a vote, I'd probably go with UTEOTW -- for me the album version is just so-so, kind of a muddy dunt dunt du duh sound. The first time I heard it live in Phoenix I freaked -- totally different for me, and much much better. Maybe it was just the 'wow' factor or suprise of the live translation.

Fun thread, thanks for chiming in.

scarlet october · 04-26-2005, 08:40 PM

HTDAAB - Miracle Drug , COBL , and LAPOE

ATYCLB - Beautiful Day , Kite , and New York

Pop - Gone , Staring At The Sun

Zooropa - Stay

Acthung Baby - UTEOTW , One , WGRYWH

Joshua Tree - WTSHNN , ISHFWILF , WOWY , Exit , In God's
Country , Bullet

The Unforgettable Fire - Pride , Wire , The Unforgettable Fire , MLK , Bad

War - SBS , NYD , 40

October - Gloria , I Fall Down

Boy - I Will Follow , Twilight , An Cat Dubh / Into The Heart ,
Out Of Control , The Electric Co.

... Misc. - Silver and Gold , 11 O'Clock Tick Tock

blueyedpoet · 05-02-2005, 05:29 PM

um, don't all songs sound better live with U2

Westport · 05-02-2005, 05:32 PM

LAPOE....

Is it just me or is Miracle Drug a bit of a bore in concert???

corianderstem · 05-02-2005, 07:02 PM

I think I actually prefer the studio version of Miracle Drug. But what I do like about it live is a teensy-tiny change Bono does vocally: when he sings "I've had enough of romantic love," he comes in about a half beat earlier than the album version, and for some reason, I really dig it.

teamchachi · 05-02-2005, 11:45 PM

HTDAAB - Love and Peace
ATYCLB - Kite
Pop - Gone
Zooropa - Dirty Day
Achtung Baby - Ultraviolet
Joshua Tree - Exit

04-25-2005, 09:29 PM	#1
BWU2Buffs War Child Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Omaha, NE USA Posts: 918 Local Time: 04:55 PM	From the Album to the Show – Best Song “Upgrades” I think there is a special forum for this, but “it is official” – I should have known better. As background, looking back at my first few spins through HTDAAB, I was a bit skeptical as to how the songs would play live. As usual, U2 found a way to make these songs crackle, rock, and zip – even fans in the bleeders for Denver 2 danced all night long. I should have known better. That said, here are my top few songs considering the following: which songs we’re better live than on the CD, past few albums, recent tours, not necessarily ranked in order: Zoo Tour – UTEOTW – Just OK on the CD, holy cow live – “Is this rock and roll!” Elevation – Stuck In A Moment – hmm, kind of a yawner on the album, and I never understood why it was the second single (I think) but wonderful and soulful live. Vertigo Tour - Miracle Drug – like the CD, loved it live. Elevation – New York – probably a polarizing choice here, but the album version nearly felt like a throw away, but for me, this song rocked live. Zoo Tour – the three song trifecta of Zoo Station, Trying to Throw Your Arms Around the World, and Love is Blindness – especially the latter two, relatively slow and simple on the CD, but much more fun live. Finally, not sure if I should count it, but the album to live translation of Streets is still pretty amazing. What are your thoughts? __________________

04-25-2005, 09:36 PM	#2
Ally New Yorker Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: New York, NY Posts: 2,714 Local Time: 05:55 PM	oh this is tough... i'll give it a shot, though. HTDAAB: "Love and Peace" no question here- i didn't like it all that much on the album, but think it's amazing live. drums and bass... ATYCLB: tie b/w "In a little while" and "Kite". both were fantastic live... good on the album, but better live imho. Achtung Baby: oh jeez... i love this whole album, so it's hard. have to go w/ "Trying to Throw Your Arms..." I LOVE the whole pulling a girl onstage, spraying her w/ champagne, having her videotape bono/edge... this song is infinitely better live. Pop: "Gone". great on the album, but even BETTER live... hmm, that's all i can think of for now! __________________

05-02-2005, 11:45 PM	#18
teamchachi Babyface Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 3 Local Time: 09:55 PM	HTDAAB - Love and Peace ATYCLB - Kite Pop - Gone Zooropa - Dirty Day Achtung Baby - Ultraviolet Joshua Tree - Exit __________________

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04-26-2005, 08:20 AM	#3
JulioArca Acrobat Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Oslo Norway Posts: 367 Local Time: 09:55 PM	Dirty Day: Very good on Zooropa, exceptional live.

04-26-2005, 03:35 PM	#6
No spoken words Blue Crack Supplier Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Where do YOU live? Posts: 43,261 Local Time: 02:55 PM	For me, and this is not from any particular tours, just from general memory: Electric Co, while good on the album, is better LIVE. Same for Gloria. Zoo Station, again, like it a lot on the album, but it's better LIVE, to me. Until the End of the World, another song I liked a lot, but then loved LIVE. Exit makes a big leap LIVE. City of Blinding Lights does too. New York was much better Live. Please was kind of ho-hum for me on Pop, but Live it was much more moving. But, the biggest leap of all, always, for me, will be Bad. That's a pretty good studio tune, but, Live, well, it's pure ecstasy for me. That's my list!

04-26-2005, 03:36 PM	#7
Dr. Lemonseed The Fly Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: NC, USA Posts: 192 Local Time: 09:55 PM	We did a vote on this a couple months ago. Most people stuck with Bullet the Blue Sky as best upgrade ever. (Does anyone even listen to JT version anymore?) e.g. Gone and The Fly were great upgrades, but they were awesome to begin with...

04-26-2005, 03:42 PM	#9
Dr. Lemonseed The Fly Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: NC, USA Posts: 192 Local Time: 09:55 PM	there is a certain exciting restraint on the album version... a very pointed, refined bite, rather than the "unleash hell" passionate style that's live.

04-26-2005, 04:01 PM	#10
U2ElevatesMe415 Refugee Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Stuck in a moment Posts: 1,538 Local Time: 02:55 PM	Yahweh Actually, I have no idea. COBL, Miracle Drug , L&P, and Yahweh were great

04-26-2005, 05:46 PM	#11
xellente The Fly Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 64 Local Time: 09:55 PM	streets has such an energy 'Live' i can hardly listen to the album version. I liked to be moved and shaken up...and the live version really turns it up.

04-26-2005, 08:40 PM	#14
scarlet october Acrobat Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Maryland Posts: 467 Local Time: 04:55 PM	HTDAAB - Miracle Drug , COBL , and LAPOE ATYCLB - Beautiful Day , Kite , and New York Pop - Gone , Staring At The Sun Zooropa - Stay Acthung Baby - UTEOTW , One , WGRYWH Joshua Tree - WTSHNN , ISHFWILF , WOWY , Exit , In God's Country , Bullet The Unforgettable Fire - Pride , Wire , The Unforgettable Fire , MLK , Bad War - SBS , NYD , 40 October - Gloria , I Fall Down Boy - I Will Follow , Twilight , An Cat Dubh / Into The Heart , Out Of Control , The Electric Co. ... Misc. - Silver and Gold , 11 O'Clock Tick Tock

05-02-2005, 05:29 PM	#15
blueyedpoet Refugee Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: LA, California, USA Posts: 1,349 Local Time: 09:55 PM	um, don't all songs sound better live with U2

05-02-2005, 05:32 PM	#16
Westport Refugee Join Date: May 2001 Posts: 2,151 Local Time: 02:55 PM	LAPOE.... Is it just me or is Miracle Drug a bit of a bore in concert???

05-02-2005, 07:02 PM	#17
corianderstem Blue Crack Distributor Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Seattle Posts: 64,498 Local Time: 02:55 PM	I think I actually prefer the studio version of Miracle Drug. But what I do like about it live is a teensy-tiny change Bono does vocally: when he sings "I've had enough of romantic love," he comes in about a half beat earlier than the album version, and for some reason, I really dig it.