Please rank the different versions of 'Pop' songs

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I've never understood this thing of U2 fans dismissing both "Trying' to throw your arms around the world" and "If God Will Send His Angels." Can anyone tell me why people don't like these? They're two of my favorite tunes, and were amongst the first of each album to grab my ear. Great melodies, cool lyrics, nice choruses. What's not to like? Is it just because they're soft that people think they're poor?
 
Axver said:


SATS
1. Album version
2. Best Of version
Both dull. The only SATS I care for is the live electric version. Sure, it was a shambles, but it's the only time Edge's guitar sound gets my attention.


Man am I glad to hear someone say that. I thought I was the only one!

Hell, I listen to the Vegas version more than any other version.

I was at the Giants Stadium show on 5/31, and I thought SATS Electric version kicked ass. It turned out to be the last time they played it that way though. (You'd know)

The next night hey played it acoustic. It was alright, but nothing spectacular. That night, there was also a lot of interference- screeches and such.
 
Discotheque - I prefer the single version, which is essentially the album version, but with a quicker intro. The Best Of mix is horrible.

IGWSHA - the single version is superior to the album version, with the exception of the ending. I wish they had kept that on the single version. I'm trying to make an edit of the two where I can tack on that ending to the single version, but it's been tough.

SATS - album version by far. The Best Of mix is atrocious.

LNOE - single version. The album version is a wreck.

Gone - easily the Best Of mix. More forceful, more powerful, more everything.

Please - the album version is stunning, but doesn't have the guitar solo at the end. The single version has the solo but horrendous strings and just doesn't feel the same. If you edit the two together, it's better. I did this originally, and then namkcuR had a better placed edit that worked well (although I did my own version as the sound level on his mix changes). It's the best of both worlds.
 
I may be a little biased, since it is my favorite album, but I truly believe all the album versions are the best versions of the song. That's how they were made, that's how they should stay. I will admit though, that a lot of the other versions are good (especially acoustic live version of Staring at the Sun), but none of them live up to the magnitude of the album.
 
Rich79 said:
I may be a little biased, since it is my favorite album, but I truly believe all the album versions are the best versions of the song. That's how they were made, that's how they should stay.

But if U2 had had more time, that's not how they would have ultimately came out. They wouldn't have stayed that way.

I love the songs on Pop - it's an excellent album. But some changes here and there would make it an absolute masterpiece in my eyes.
 
I really have to say, that even though in U2 by U2, they all seem to feel like the album was never finished, it still seems like they're making an excuse for the reaction to the album.

If they really felt it was not complete, then why release it still? Just because the tour is coming up? Yes, but it's not completely unheard of for a band to start touring and the album be released during the tour. They would get to preview the new songs before they were released. Sure, fans might not have much patience for this plan of action, but look at how long it takes them to come up with a "finished" album now.

If they would've taken the time to make little changes here or there; I don't think we'd have the "Masterpiece" we do now. I know I'm one of the few that thinks this is their finest work, but I just have to wonder what kind of other good stuff we're missing out on by waiting until songs are "finished".
 
Rich79 said:
If they would've taken the time to make little changes here or there; I don't think we'd have the "Masterpiece" we do now. I know I'm one of the few that thinks this is their finest work, but I just have to wonder what kind of other good stuff we're missing out on by waiting until songs are "finished".

No need to wonder - it's out there already.

Take Please, for example. The album version is very good, but it's quite obvious how much better the song is with the guitar solo at the end. If there had been more time, it would be certain that it would have been included. Do you agree the song improves with the solo?
 
The guitar solo alone, would probably improve the song a bit...I just don't like all the other added stuff with the single version. The song kind of loses it's "darkness" in that version and that's one thing I love about it. If they could add that solo without messing with anything else in the song, I probably wouldn't complain too much; though the ending on the album works just fine how it is.
 
65980 said:
I've never understood this thing of U2 fans dismissing both "Trying' to throw your arms around the world" and "If God Will Send His Angels." Can anyone tell me why people don't like these? They're two of my favorite tunes, and were amongst the first of each album to grab my ear. Great melodies, cool lyrics, nice choruses. What's not to like? Is it just because they're soft that people think they're poor?

I don't group them together. I love TTTYAATW in the live setting when the guitar comes through in the mix, but I hate every version of IGWSHA.
 
Discothèque
#1 Live versions, U2 performed during 2005 – unfortunately this performence has not got the staple setlist spot, it deserved.
#2 Live versions in 1997/98 – some of them really great (with snippets a là "Whole Lotta Love")
#3 Live versions of 2001.
#4 Studio version from the orginal album (by the way, all later studio remixes from POP are far inferior, so they will be omitted here).

Mofo
#1 Live versions in 1997/98 – some of them really great, not depending on which leg. You find those performances even as early as on leg 1.
#2 Studio version from the orginal album.

Do You Feel Loved
#1 Studio version from the orginal album.
#2 Live versions in 1997, until this gem from POP suddenly was banned forever from the setlists. But Bono really struggled to get it right – and had it in Tempe, 9th May 1997. It never was a crowd pleaser though ...

If God Will Send His Angels
#1 Live versions in 1997, until this tune as a very official U2 single (!) was skipped forever as early as after the 1st leg. Especially the long full band performance in Las Vegas and some very inspired versions, e,g. including Jeff Buckley's "Hallelujah", deserve a very special mention.
#2 Studio version from the orginal album.

Staring At The Sun
#1 Studio version from the orginal album.
#2 Live versions in 1997, when the complete band still tried to perform this rocking tune in its full electric glory.
#3 Live versions in 1997/98, after the 2nd New Jersey show. All that remained, was the camp fire atmosphere of the acoustic sound – which still was beautiful.
#4 Live versions in 2001, when this tune was connected to Discothèque as part of a POP-Medley.
#5 Live versions in 2001, when SATS was played acoustic as during POPmart – a copy, that was blocking the spot of more interesting acoustic performances.

Last Night On Earth
#1 Live versions in 1997/98, especially those from the middle of leg 2 onwards: The song had a new middle & a new ending with Larry being the thunder and Edge, you name it, on fire ...
#2 Studio version from the orginal album.

Gone
#1 Live versions in 2001, with The Edge playing the heartbreaking solo at the ending, which in all other versions unfortunately doesn't show up.
#2 Live versions in 1997/98.
#3 Studio version from the orginal album.

Miami
#1 Live versions in 1997, especially those from the legs 1 & 2 – being one of the tour's highlight performances with Bono the actor, quoting one of his very early stage personas (The fool) ...
#2 Studio version from the orginal album.

Please
#1 Live versions in 1997/98, especially those from the middle of leg 2 onwards: The song had become transcendental then – the core of the show and of of the best band moments in U2 history.
#2 Live versions in 2001, when this tune really became a kind of fullfilled prophecy & a prayer for peace. U2 played it acoustic on US stages after 9/11 – a dark, hair raising moment of reflection for everyone lucky enough to attend these moments. One of the most intense minutes in U2's live history.
#3 Studio version from the orginal album.
#4 The single completely failed attempt to play the tune electric in 2001 – well under-rehearsed, it was perhaps a nice gag, but in reality it showed once again, that U2 have to rehearse hard, when they want to dust off older gemes ...

If You Wear That Velevet Dress
#1 Live versions in 1997/98, especially the long full band version from the very first night in Las Vegas, that showed all the intensity and poetry in this magical tune.
#2 Studio version from the orginal album.

Wake Up Dead Man
#1 Live versions in 2001, when Bono & The Edge performed it as a moment of reflection during these energetic & rocking shows.
#2 Studio version from the orginal album. It would have been very interesting, what the band might have made out of it as a full band electric version.
#3 Live versions in 1997/98, used as a snippet link to "One", to end the shows. That's not a show closer, I do expect from U2 shows. Always felt then: There's something missing ...
 
Rich79 said:
The guitar solo alone, would probably improve the song a bit...I just don't like all the other added stuff with the single version. The song kind of loses it's "darkness" in that version and that's one thing I love about it. If they could add that solo without messing with anything else in the song, I probably wouldn't complain too much; though the ending on the album works just fine how it is.

I agree.

Here's a mix I did a while back that is essentially the album version, with the guitar solo part from the single version added on at the end. The strings are only heard briefly.

http://www.ysi.com/transfer.php?action=download&ufid=8B9740AE3D996F78

Click the quote button to see the full link, and as always, replace ysi with the correct wording.

Disciple, you had requested this previously, so here you go.
 
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Aardvark747 said:
I agree with the ppl who say that the Please (single version) is miles better than the Pop track. Superb.

The strings kill it a bit, in my opinion, and I think the vibe on the album version works better.

They should have just remixed the album version with the guitar solo for the single instead of re-recording it.
 
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