Should Mercy be the lead-off single for the new album?

[u2mad25]

Seeing as OOTS is most likely the last single from 'Bomb', and as far as I am aware, there is no official single release for it (with b-sides and the like, is that correct?), it seems Mercy is being held for the new album. Should it be the first single? Bono said in the latest Q interview that they want to explore some territory like they did in the '90s - with some tweaking and an edit, Mercy could be a good example of this new sound?

Another thing - does anyone know the official production credits for Mercy - was it done by Lillywhite or the other dude they fired b4 him? That may shed another clue on where it will end up...

 

[popacrobat]

no

 

[Hoodlem]

Mercy is way to good to be released as a single and thats part of what makes it great.

 

[Aygo]

It could be released as a non-album single a few months before the next album, and then be included in it, but not the 1st single of an album...

 

[Zoovation]

I don't want Mercy to be released as a single. It could be on the next album but that's not sure at all because we don't know what the band thinks about the song and what they want to do for the next album.

 

[dabiggestu2fan]

If they release Mercy as a first single in the new album I will not even buy the album! I still don't get what is the big deal about mercy. Just too long and plain if you ask me. Now Fast Cars would have been a way better choice if it wasn't released as an extra in HTDAAB

 

[Aygo]

Yeah! Fast cars should be on the album... and thatttt would be a great single!

 

[LMP]

If the song takes off live like 'Please', or 'Bad' did, I can see them doing a tour EP next year like PopHeart or Wide Awake and Mercy would be played like the Live Bad was in '85

 

[u2mad25]

Mercy is way to good to be released as a single and thats part of what makes it great.

This makes absolutely no sense to me - why hold back a single that is so good, just for the fans? If it's that good, let everyone hear it.

 

[u2mad25]

If they release Mercy as a first single in the new album I will not even buy the album! I still don't get what is the big deal about mercy. Just too long and plain if you ask me. Now Fast Cars would have been a way better choice if it wasn't released as an extra in HTDAAB

Wow - I didn't expect to get that reaction - I happen to think it's a pretty cool song the way it is. But I agree that if it were to be included on an album or as a single, t does need some more production and a snip, as I stated in the original post. But I think it would be quite a good choice, IMO.

 

[Canadiens1131]

Fuck. No.

 

[SunBloc]

The way I see it is that Mercy has already been unofficially released. It is already doing its time & getting its play. BTW, I love Mercy, and wish it had not been put out there so more people could have the opportunity to hear it & hear it the way it would've been in its finished state.

 

[thelaj]

if they did release it they might as well just say " we couldnt be bothered to write new material, so we reused leftovers from previous albums"
Mercy should be a) left to the ages or b) released as part of an EP

 

[monke]

hold it for best of 00-10, it would be like sweetest thing, a "suposed" b-side reworked

 

[mobvok]

if they did release it they might as well just say " we couldnt be bothered to write new material, so we reused leftovers from previous albums"
Mercy should be a) left to the ages or b) released as part of an EP

They do that all the time.

Wake Up Dead Man, IGWSHA, and HMTMKMKM were all "ready" by Zooropa but were left off for thematic reasons.

Mercy's really no different. Obviously it hit some stage of completion but for whatever reason it just didn't fit on HTDAAB.

 

[thelaj]

Had those songs been leaked to the extent that Mercy has though?

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

eh hem...



NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

 

[topplehatU2]

I love the song, and would like to see it get an album release, but don't think it's good for a single. They could release a "single version" that cuts off part of it, but I don't know which part should be cut off. I kinda like a long U2 song.

 

[onebloodonelife]

I don't think it should be a single at all. 1. It's too long. (for single purposes) 2. The main population more than likely wouldn't like it very much. 3. It's much too slow to be released as a first single.

 

[Aygo]

well, I doesn't have to be the lead single... I insist that it could be a non-album single and then included in the next one. All I want is you (6.30), Streets (5.35), MoFo (5.49), COBL (5.46), Le,on (6.56) and Please were all edited or remixed and were singles (successful or not).

 

[The John Tree]

I think it's a great song. But I don't think it's a song that makes people who AREN'T fans go "Hmmm...what's this about? I want to buy this album."

A single is supposed to be an appetizer. Mercy is part of the main course.

And I don't think it should be released on the new album because its sound is so HTDAAB. It should become a gem. Something U2 diehards get to enjoy, similar to Smile, Flower Child, and the Salome Outtakes.

 

[PrincessHalo]

Anyone know where I can hear it? Thanks in advance! Goldilocks84@gmail.com

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

do we really have to read nothing but mindless mercy threads for the next 4 years?

somebody shoot me...

 

[SunBloc]

...hanging onto a thread for mercy.....

 

[angelordevil]

Current Mercy 1/2

Future tweaked Mercy x 2

 

[XHendrix24]

Current Mercy 1/2

Future tweaked Mercy x 2

Eh, if they tweak it right.

I don't want many (if any) lyrical changes either. (Think "Mercy has a scent, like the top of a newborn baby's head.")

 

[Aygo]

"Mercy has a scent, like the top of a newborn baby's head."

AHAHAHAHAHAH

 

[U2girl]

Another thing - does anyone know the official production credits for Mercy - was it done by Lillywhite or the other dude they fired b4 him? That may shed another clue on where it will end up...

If I remember right from what people posted, the special edition booklet timeline marks this one as very late in the recording of Bomb, as well as Fast cars. So, most likely Lillywhite produced.

Despite the "best B-side you ever heard" comment it never appeared on the Bomb singles. I'm thinking it's going on the next album I don't think it will be a single.

 

[u2mad25]

do we really have to read nothing but mindless mercy threads for the next 4 years?

somebody shoot me...

Do you really have to respond in a 'mindless mercy thread' - twice?

 

[Lemonfix]

Re: Re: Should Mercy be the lead-off single for the new album?

Despite the "best B-side you ever heard" comment it never appeared on the Bomb singles. I'm thinking it's going on the next album I don't think it will be a single.

I agree. If they weren't saving it I think it would have seen the light of day in some official capacity by now. But it is NOT single material, especially in its current state. Of course this is coming from someone who finds it horribly overrated.