Rate the Song: Mofo

[digitize]

Let's now begin voting on the first half of what is perhaps U2's most controversial album, Pop.

Please rate Mofo on a scale from 0 to 10, using whatever criteria you feel allows you to best evaluate the song as a whole. I will not set criteria for people to based on, but if you feel like your best evaluation of the merits of a song comes from voting only based on, say, the studio version, go right ahead and vote that way. Full information on the Rate The Song series may be found in this thread.

Have fun! This poll will close in 96 hours.

 

[waynetravis]

10

 

[An Cat Gav]

10

One of bono's finest lyrics. As heartbreaking and honest as Tomorrow.

Best song on the album.

 

[mikal]

 

[trojanchick99]

Bad ass song.

 

[nielsgov]

The bass is just incredible. The lyrics are great and Bono's rasping vocals work well. What more could you want? 10

 

[Nick66]

You've got to be kidding me. Decent lyrics and solid bass from Adam can't save this from being U2's worst tour opener ever. Though the live version is admittedly a marginal improvement, how often is it that the best "bathroom break" song is the first song they play? At least latecomers didn't have to miss much.

I won't rate any U2 song a 0, but this gets my first 1. Live it gets a 2, and the remix on the 90/00 B-Sides actually gets pushed up to maybe a 4 or 5.

 

[djerdap]

You've got to be kidding me. Decent lyrics can't save this from being U2's worst tour opener ever.

I think you're gonna need that bizarre disclaimer again.

 

[corianderstem]

Decent lyrics can't save this from being U2's worst tour opener ever.

 

[Nick66]

Number of times "MOFO" has been played by U2 (except snippets) in the three tours they've done since Popmart: 0.

 

[Nick66]

Cool GIF.

Bad song.

 

[corianderstem]

I think this is the first time I've rolled out that Buffy gif. Thank you for finally giving me the perfect chance to use it.

Number of times "MOFO" has been played by U2 (except snippets) in the three tours they've done since Popmart: 0.

Considering how little love they've shown anything from Pop, that doesn't tell us anything.

 

[Nick66]

That doesn't necessarily validate your opinion, considering how little love they've shown anything from Pop.

Oh, I know, of course not. I wouldn't look to the band to "validate" my opinion anyway. Though, based on their comments over the years, the lads and I do happen to agree on this record.

 

[corianderstem]

I KNEW my lack of decisiveness with my comments would lead to being quoted before I was done editing.

Woe.

 

[popacrobat]

Number of times "MOFO" has been played by U2 (except snippets) in the three tours they've done since Popmart: 0.

Number of times they rehearsed a new version of it on the third leg of Vertigo before not playing it live: many.

Had they come back for a stadium tour in the US w/ Vertigo, there would have been a full-on Pop encore with Mofo, Discotheque and Velvet Dress. That didn't happen obviously, but it means absolutely nothing that they haven't played it since Popmart.

 

[corianderstem]

I think had they wanted to go with a Pop encore on Vertigo, US would be the last place to get it, stadiums or not.

 

[popacrobat]

it's what they were planning.

edit: and no, it's not documented anywhere, just what I've heard through various channels.

double edit: and I realize that sounds vague, but I know I'm right, and I've no reason to lie about it, so if people don't want to believe me, that's okay.

 

[corianderstem]

I know they'd been rehearsing some songs. I just wouldn't have held my breath for it in the US, bearing in mind how the album/tour was received here. I know they haven't forgotten that.

Then again, I was sure they'd have dropped Zooropa from the 360 sets before crossing the Mexican border because someone somewhere probably thought the US wouldn't get/appreciate it, so .....

 

[djerdap]

Number of times "MOFO" has been played by U2 (except snippets) in the three tours they've done since Popmart: 0.

Yep. A Sort of Homecoming hasn't fared much better (2).

Your point is moot. Dozens of fan favourites haven't been played for a long, long time. If a certain song doesn't get played, this hardly implies anything about its quality and about its live potency, or about the band's opinion about the song. Adam Clayton's favourite song has never been played live. Being such a huge band, U2 is bound to make a lot of compromises in designing their very static setlist. I find it hardly surprising that Mofo didn't find its way into any of the sets since Popmart, although most of us know that 360 begged for it.

 

[popacrobat]

Yeah, I'm not sure why they really scrapped the plans. Originally they were going to do it at MSG during that long run of October shows there (five in a little over a week?), but they got cold feet about it. Discotheque was definitely going to segue into Velvet Dress, again.

Mofo had been rehearsed throughout the leg as well. It's something they were definitely working on and didn't seem to have a problem doing it in the US. A shame they didn't end up at least playing more of that excellent Discotheque mix, and certainly a shame the new Mofo didn't see the light of day.

 

[Nick66]

it's what they were planning.

edit: and no, it's not documented anywhere, just what I've heard through various channels.

double edit: and I realize that sounds vague, but I know I'm right, and I've no reason to lie about it, so if people don't want to believe me, that's okay.

I believe you.

 

[djerdap]

There is a snippet from an earpiece recording of the Toronto 2005 soundcheck of Mofo floating around. Too bad we're probably never going to hear it in full.

 

[corianderstem]

Well, now I'm retroactively pissed off that I could have had the chance to hear Mofo again at a U2 concert.

 

[Nick66]

If a certain song doesn't get played, this hardly implies anything about its quality and about its live potency, or about the band's opinion about the song.

No, of course not. And I'm sure the decision to only release a "New" version of it on the 90/00 compilation album doesn't say anything about the band's opinion of the song either.

And BTW, as far as I know ASOH wasn't the opener for TUF tour...at least consistently (though I could be wrong about this). Meanwhile, Zoo Station, Elevation, and COBL are still rotated with regularity.

 

[djerdap]

No, of course not. And I'm sure the decision to only release a "New" version of it on the 90/00 compilation album doesn't say anything about the band's opinion of the song either.

And BTW, as far as I know ASOH wasn't the opener for TUF tour...at least consistently (though I could be wrong about this). Meanwhile, Zoo Station, Elevation, and COBL are still rotated with regularity.

Your point that an opener should be played again live if it was a "successful" one does not make a lot of sense, since there have been plenty of great openers that haven't been played in a long time (11 O'Clock Tick Tock - UF Tour opener hasn't been played since the Elevation tour, Hawkmoon 269 and God Part II since Lovetown etc.). Second, none of the three songs you've mentioned were openers after their selective tours, so I don't think their live reputation is defined by them being successful openers. Third, Zoo Station was not played on 360 and it was played scarcely after the first 2 Vertigo legs, so I wouldn't call that song as being rotated with regularity.

 

[theedgeu2]

Not quite as good as the live version from PopMart (which was insanely sick live) but it still is a quite interesting song. Big departure for U2. Gets a 9.

 

[lemonfly]

A dark bubbling cauldron of catharsis. Fantastic beats, piercing lyrics. Bono not only bares his soul, he damn near dissects it. And of course it was an absolute humdinger live, one of their best openers (blows poop like Elevation out of the water). 10

 

[waynetravis]

Closest I got to hearing Mofo live was Sam playing it on drums during the Rose Bowl soundcheck on 360

 

[Nick66]

Your point that an opener should be played again live if it was a "successful" one does not make a lot of sense

I never said that. I merely made an observation.

Second, none of the three songs you've mentioned were openers after their selective tours, so I don't think their live reputation is defined by them being successful openers.

I never said that either. Though I don't think many would argue that all were successful live openers.

Third, Zoo Station was not played on 360 and it was played scarcely after the first 2 Vertigo legs, so I wouldn't call that song as being rotated with regularity.

It was played a lot more than Mofo.

In any event, geez, I don't like Mofo. Some people were giving One 0's for crying out loud.

Thanks for your, um, feedback. Next time though, try to respond to what I actually said.

 

[mama cass]

I think you're gonna need that bizarre disclaimer again.

this song