This may not be completely relevant, but hopefully it will shed some light on the band's intentions for the next album...and how Bono is currently thinking of AB.
[Somewhere early in this thread someone pointed out that whether Mercy is or is not on the album is not of utmost importance (whether or not you love the song). What's important is that the band craft an album as a whole. A cohesive work of art. Bono was quoted in Rollingstone a while back (when his face was plastered on the cover and when he "reviewed" all their albums) as saying something to the effect: "the HTDAAB songs are some of the best we've ever written...but as a whole they don't come together to make a great album, and it f-ing pisses me off". I'm too lazy to go look up the exact quote, but that was more or less it. So the good thing is, Bono realizes that they were overconcerned with individual songs on Bomb. Which I ultimately agree with. I think that a lot of the people who trash Bomb would enjoy many of the songs much more if they were a part of a cohesive whole. Singles are great, but albums can change lives. But they need to have that "magic" that ties it together and makes you want to listen to it straight through again as soon as it's done. AB has this magic, HTDAAB doesn't. U2 knows this. It will be rectified and I have great hopes for the next album. If you want confidence that Bono knows very well the complaints that most of you have about the last 2 albums, please read the Rollingstone interview. It will give hope to the biggest cynics.
Ok, I found the real quotes. First on HTDAAB: "It's the best collection of songs we've put together--there's no weak songs. But as an album, the whole isn't greater than the sum of its parts, and it fucking annoys me". Now, I know many people will take issue with his claim that there are "no weak songs", but at least he realizes there's something missing. This is further fleshed out with: "We could've made a dramatic guitar-driven album. But we couldn't get to the magic. It was strange: We had the craft, but we hadn't the magic." Contrast this with what he says about AB: "It's a great album. Like all great albums, it's almost impossible to figure out how you could've made it. It is way beyond the sum of its parts". And finally I leave you with this regarding ATYCLB and HTDAAB: "They're full of better songs than AB and JT, but they're not sonically as sophisticated". Now, even though I like where Bono's head's at in this interview for the most part, I think he is somewhat mistaken here. Basically, he thinks his lyrics are getting better, and that the 80s are full of "unfinished lyrics". Well, no. There are many more cringe-worthy lines now. But honestly, if he thinks that and if that continues, that is not the most important thing. Because Bono realizes that sonically AB and JT are way ahead. With a little extrapolating, we can see that he wants this back for the band. We will see a more sonically cohesive and advanced album next. Or at least Bono's thinking that way. And you know that the Edge will be thinking that way. So if we're back into a 45-50 minutes sonic experience, I don't care as much if Bono sings about kissing newborns. To me, that is of secondary importance. Bringing this back to Mercy, I think that the song is one that would better fit into a larger whole. It could be one song on a 50 minute masterpiece. If it was on HTDAAB, it would not have accomplished much--just another (if extraodinary) great song in a different vein from the others. I don't think U2 will have need for it on the next album personally. I just like how Bono seems to be thinking in albums (at least as of Nov 05) and not as much in songs maybe. Cheers.]
