Let's say the band wanted to play Lemon...

[frozenmuze04]

If you can't sing a song live in a live concert, then you shouldn't be playing the song. End of story. There's really no room for debate, as far as I can see.

 

[Chizip]

The backing track on "Crumbs" is analogous to the backing track on "Beautiful Day". You don't really think Edge suddenly has the ability to sing like a choir, do you?

I don't buy that at all. The part in Crumbs is a part that Bono should be able to sing by himself without the help of a backing track if his voice was at his best. It's just normal lyrics in a high falsetto voice. The choir part of Beautiful Day is not actual lyrics, more of just a noise that is not possible for one person to reproduce in a live setting.

 

[impy13]

They change song arrangements all the time. Who's to say they couldn't pull off a version of Lemon sans falsetto?

It's no secret around here that I love me some Lemon, and I love the falsetto the way it is. But I think if Bono's incapable of pulling that off now and they decided to change the song a bit and let Bono sing it in his regular voice, I wouldn't be disappointed.

I think a backing track does compromise the integrity of it a bit. Something just seems less than genuine about it. That being said, I'm sure if I was in the arena I wouldn't care at all, because I'd be seeing one of my favorite songs be played for the first time in many many years.

 

[MrBrau1]

Another strange thing, Bono is now singing the falsetto in BeautifulDay, something he didn't do on the Elevation tour.

 

[Utoo]

I knew this thread was going to be leading to something else...

Ditto.

Not rippin' ya, Chizip, but I am fascinated by how anything Bono does (or doesn't do) seems to consistently annoy you...


As for the backing track in Crumbs, I haven't heard the boot that everyone's talking about. But how is it in the album version? Isn't there some sort of double-voice or voice alteration for most of the song on the album? That's the way it's always sounded to me.

 

[MrBrau1]

As for the backing track in Crumbs, I haven't heard the boot that everyone's talking about. But how is it in the album version? Isn't there some sort of double-voice or voice alteration for most of the song on the album? That's the way it's always sounded to me.

Yes. The album version is a double track vocal.

 

[U2Man]

shaun can do the falsetto in lemon. Believe me, I've heard it.

 

[Utoo]

Yes. The album version is a double track vocal.

That's what I thought. So, shouldn't we expect some sort of backing track for it? I don't quite see the issue there.

 

[ouizy]

I will say however, that the backing track for With or Without you is terrible.

I remember someone posted here that they thought that Larry was not drumming during the song and everyone else said there was a backing track, well after seeing it, i think the backing track for that song has been amped up with some more sounds and to see Larry just pick up his sticks and start playing to it, well,





















kinda sucked.

 

[WildHoneyAlways]

They change song arrangements all the time. Who's to say they couldn't pull off a version of Lemon sans falsetto?.

But really, the falsetto is an integral part of Lemon. Why bother doing it without the falsetto??

I don't think Bono can pull off a falsetto anymore and that's why it hasn't been done.

 

[Chizip]

That's what I thought. So, shouldn't we expect some sort of backing track for it? I don't quite see the issue there.

There is pretty much a double voice track for the whole song though, yet they only use it to help Bono with the high parts. U2 uses a lot of double voice tracks on their albums to make Bono's voice sound better. Listen to All Because of You, that is a double vocal track too, but they don't use a backing track in concert. Anyway, this isn't a big deal as apparently they tried it once, it got fucked up and now they have dropped it.

But I do think there is a good discussion as to where do you draw the line with backing tracks. My line is probably when the backing tracks are used to help/enhance actual lyrics, others may draw the line somewhere else though.

 

[U2Man]

I will say however, that the backing track for With or Without you is terrible.

I remember someone posted here that they thought that Larry was not drumming during the song and everyone else said there was a backing track, well after seeing it, i think the backing track for that song has been amped up with some more sounds and to see Larry just pick up his sticks and start playing to it, well,





















kinda sucked.

indeed

 

[Utoo]

But I do think there is a good discussion as to where do you draw the line with backing tracks. My line is probably when the backing tracks are used to help/enhance actual lyrics, others may draw the line somewhere else though.

I think that's a pretty good line. I'd clarify "help/enhance," though. If you're using them to 'enhance' the performance to add vocal parts or effects that were done on the album and can't be done live (due to microphone technology or lack of people, etc.), then it's okay. If you're using them to cover up for something the vocalist can no longer do--but would ideally be able to do--then you've crossed my line.

I think what I didn't get with the Crumbs thing is whether there was a backing track used live to provide the double voice effect--and Bono maybe couldn't hit the notes he was supposed to, but the track wasn't there to cover for him---or if the track was there solely to cover for him & not to produce the double voice effect.

 

[dezmaas]

I do not see how this would be any different than them singing Elevation from the last tour. They walked on stage while the song was playing as a backing track, picked up their instruments and played along with it.


That was just the intro for the show, they were not playing along to a backing track with Elevation.

 

[Axver]

Edge can and should do Lemon. I really don't see why they can't pull it out - a little swapping behind Edge and Bono here, a little reinvention there, and you have yourself some Lemon.

 

[phanan]

If it's just some background enhancement, and he's not trying to lip-synch it, that would be fine with me.

And then they should incorporate a snippet of Led Zeppelin's The Lemon Song.

 

[flangerchorus]

indeed

relax, they just want the album snare sound during the first part of the song, its not a big deal, its an artistic choice, its not like larry cant play that part, a 2 year old could, they just want that certain snare sound

 

[Partyslammer]

When "Lemon" was played a handful of times near the end of the Zooropa tour, I'd say about 50% of the vocals *and* the instruments were pre-recorded. The entire chorus was pre-recorded, just like the chorus is normally for "Beautiful Day" when played live. All the keyboards (which is most of the song right there) for Lemon were either loops or played offstage as well and there was a noticably click track that sounded like a shaker, no doubt for Larry to keep strict time with. Just watch the officially released ZooTV live show from Sydney.

IMO, doing the falsetto voice really isn't that tough for Bono - it's holding and sustaining long notes while staying in key or even keeping his voice from cracking. I don't think Lemon is outside of Bono's ability to sing live, I just think it's too tough of a song for the band to go to the trouble ofprogramming, learning and playing live at this late stage of the tour.

T.B.

 

[fullautoreverse]

what i'd like to see is The Edge walk down to the end of the ellipse, by himself, sit down on a chair and give us a little Numb action. complete with some kick ass visuals on the nets in the distance.

that would be awsome..

 

[thrillme]

As long as the bass is live.

 

[fullautoreverse]

mofo into numb, that could be interesting..? some sort of bridge between the two...or vise versa, numb into mofo

 

[Earnie Shavers]

Numb into Mofo would bring me to my knees. That would be fucking incredible.

As for Lemon.... if Bono can still do that falsetto, he should fucking pull it out all the time. Just last night I was listening to Passengers, mourning the loss of the falsetto. It's brilliant. However, I doubt he can and I doubt we'll ever hear Lemon live again ever.

 

[MrBrau1]

Where did this notion come from that his falsetto is gone?

The falsetto he did in Stuck intros on the Elevation tour was his best ever. Listen to Slane.

And he's still pulling off a pretty good one on Sometimes and Beautiful Day.

 

[Earnie Shavers]

Yeah, it's falsetto, but it's not *the* falsetto.

 

[popacrobat]

as per crumbs from your table backing track

bono sang along with it as well, he didnt just rely on the backing track. he hit the high notes thesmselves along with the backing track, its almost kind of like the wooo ooo ooo's in city of blinding lights.

 

[Utoo]

Yeah, it's falsetto, but it's not *the* falsetto.

The Tina Turner one?

 

[ascender_RS]

I think Bono's voice has never sounded so good in many a year, certianly better than on the Elevation tour IMO. I'm sure there's a load of other reasons they're not playing Lemon on this tour other than the arrangement. Remember, they only played it a (relatively speaking) handful of times ever and that was at the tail-end of the Zoo TV tour(s) which was what, 12 years ago now?

I knew where this thread was going to end up, so I'm not surprised, but U2 don't hide the fact that they use all manner of effects and tracks to flesh out the live songs. Hell, we've even seen that Dallas selects some of Edge's effects for him as the tour goes on so that he doesn't have to worry about it himself. Who really cares????

Bono is singing live. I'd love to see proof that there is a lead vocal backing track that he is miming along to at any of the live gigs. It strikes me as something that U2 would just not do. They can easily re-arrange songs to work in a live environment and as the tour has been going on this long they are obviously much more relaxed so even less likely IMO to be bothered about f*cking up a song they've not played much live.

 

[ascender_RS]

Oh, forgot to add, before the tour kicked off there were quite a few people on here saying they'd love to see how Bono's voice holds up to songs like SYCMIOYO. Lots were saying there's no way he could sing the bridge part night after night and give it his all.

Amazing how many members with lots and lots of posts just seem to knock the band at any opportunity.

 

[popmart86]

g-d, just lower a damn key