POLL - 'One' at the Grammys

The friendliest place on the web for anyone that follows U2.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

What did you think of U2/Mary J Blige's performance of 'One'?

  • Amazing, powerful performance

    Votes: 72 40.0%
  • Um...yeah...what was that about again?

    Votes: 108 60.0%

  • Total voters
    180
Freedom of U2 Speech :cool:

I have it on tape, haven't actually watched it yet, but I can only imagine how awesome and ground-breaking the performance is.

Always willing to cut it down after further viewing, but I wouldn't want to go with the flow and popular opinion here...I guess most seem to think it "madspit" blew.

Hooray for the 5 out of 5 + 1 for Lillywhite! :applaud:
 
It was interesting to hear it that way but overall I thought she kind of took over the song and ran away with it towards the end. I was hoping Bono would get back into it more. One time hearing it was enough for me. :|
 
I liked it a lot better when I saw it at MSG last fall.

I think a lot of people who aren't diehards liked it because it's U2 "anthem" and hearing it done different was refreshing.

I would have preferred it had it been just the boys, or another song altogether, like Original of the Species.
 
Didn't like it.

I much prefer it performed by just U2. MJB is amazing on her own, but in my opinion, she made an incredible song sound not so incredible.

It still is awesome to see them play live, no matter what.
 
I like U2's interpretation of the song better. It's less about theatrics and more about sincerity. I think if the band keeps letting MJB sing it publicly, it will actually hurt the song.
 
Last edited:
I'm not a fan of it, but I have to say that I appreciate an artist like MJB singing this and making some exclusively R&B fans exposed to U2. It is a cross-over that only futher secures U2's immortality.
 
Thought it sucked.

And I'm kind of tired of people saying that those of us who don't like it are simply resistant to change. Give me a new version/arrangement/etc. and I'll decide if I like it or not based on my own personal tastes. I can think a new arrangement is good even if it's not the original---if I think the performance, etc., is actually good.

One is powerful because it's like Edge's music in general----it has this slow, dry, electric build in intensity that just barely gets you to the climax by the end, leaving your whole body energized & wanting more. You can change it a little....throw in some vocal acrobatics...sure...it can still be good. But when you simply belt a dozen extra notes and writhe your body and scrunch up your face-----that kills the power of One. Premature ejaculation, if you will.

Listen to Johnny Cash's version of One. Different genre. Different arrangement. Kick ass version. An understated yet emotional performance--matching the intended power of the song. Imagine an old, old Johnny Cash..in his final years...singing it. I'm not a country fan, just like I'm not an R&B fan....but Johnny Cash was able to recognize and keep the power in One. MJB jumped the gun in power and ended up stripping it all away.

Here's the Cash version: http://www.save file.com/files/8664334
 
Last edited:
Utoo said:
Thought it sucked.

And I'm kind of tired of people saying that those of us who don't like it are simply resistant to change. Give me a new version/arrangement/etc. and I'll decide if I like it or not based on my own personal tastes. I can think a new arrangement is good even if it's not the original---if I think the performance, etc., is actually good.

One is powerful because it's like Edge's music in general----it has this slow, dry, electric build in intensity that just barely gets you to the climax by the end, leaving your whole body energized & wanting more. You can change it a little....throw in some vocal acrobatics...sure...it can still be good. But when you simply belt a dozen extra notes and writhe your body and scrunch up your face-----that kills the power of One. Premature ejaculation, if you will.

Listen to Johnny Cash's version of One. Different genre. Different arrangement. Kick ass version. An understated yet emotional performance--matching the intended power of the song. Imagine an old, old Johnny Cash..in his final years...singing it. I'm not a country fan, just like I'm not an R&B fan....but Johnny Cash was able to recognize and keep the power in One. MJB jumped the gun in power and ended up stripping it all away.

Here's the Cash version: http://www.save file.com/files/8664334

:love:


Utoo :drool:
 
I was talking to someone today who said it should have sounded like the power of a choir, instead it sounded like a late night karaoke fest in midtown Manhattan.
 
I thought it was pretty damn awesome. I kept hearing on hear about how bad it was, but I just saw it and thought it was great.

I'll agree Mary J. Blige's bouncing got a little annoying, but she seemed REALLY into the spirit of the song which I dug a lot.
 
It was ok. I just hope I dont think of Mary J. Blige everytime I hear the song now. That would really suck. :(
 
She put an awful lot of emotion into it, which was neat to see, but she was putting way too much more into it than the band was. Overall, I liked it, but now that they keep playing it with her (guest performances, tv, etc...) it's loosing the spark that it originally had when she first started playing it with them.
 
Every person i have talked to who is not a big u2 fan thought it was INCREDIBLE. I guess I wasnt able to really enjoy it as i was worried about Bono's voice after the first notes of vertigo and wasnt able to really relax and enjoy it...
 
Back
Top Bottom