The Plan to Leak Mercy to the Radio

[The_Edge89]

No, don't do it! The band may never finish it if it gets airplay now.

That's my exact opinion.
It's always exciting too see what they can do with a track like this.
I mean compare the Salome sessions and the achtung baby versions of the "same" songs, they've done quite remarkable changes with those, and it's also intresting to see how they fill in lyrics we're there's gaps and stuff, like Running to stand still on the album compared to the half done classic album documentary version.

 

[Axver]

Some of you are so blinded by your utter cynicism of post-Pop U2 that you've become fucking delusional.

That's all I have to say.

 

[Swan269]

That's my exact opinion.
It's always exciting too see what they can do with a track like this.
I mean compare the Salome sessions and the achtung baby versions of the "same" songs, they've done quite remarkable changes with those, and it's also intresting to see how they fill in lyrics we're there's gaps and stuff, like Running to stand still on the album compared to the half done classic album documentary version.

You can't compare Mercy to Salome or Take You Down or Morning Child or Heaven and Hell...........Mercy was going to be on the album in this form. the above mentioned songs had Bono calling out chord changes and sounds of the band laughing and dropping their instruments. Like I said in another post....this song had to have been mixed by Jack Lee because his "bug" sounds are in the beginning of the track. We will never know why it was left off the album until I ask Bono.

 

[Layton]

You may think radio stations will "profit" from playing Mercy but that's fuzzy math. Their advertisers (how they make their money) won't suddenly start pouring more ads to the station just because they played an unreleased U2 song.

It's not necessarily fuzzy math. It all depends on consumer demand. Hypothetically, if "Mercy" made it to a top 9 at 9 countdown type of thing that so many stations have it definenately would have to be considered an identifiable mark for the station and thus do it's part in defining the market that advertisers buy time to get to. An artist should always be compensated for that.

On the other hand, I think a legal argument could be made that the song in its current form may belong to the public domain as much as it belongs to U2. I'm no legal expert, but I'm wondering if public domain laws would usurp intellectual property laws, in this case. In other words, U2 could not 'cease and desist' other non-singles from being played because they fall under the public domain umbrella. There's never been any grumbling that I know of that takes the postion that "Mercy" was illegally put into the public domain. It seems that U2 have accepted the fact that it's 'out there'. If consumer demand brings it to the forefront than as long as the compensation stuff is fairly dealt with, U2 may not be able to stop "Mercy" from spreading.

Of course, I don't think any of this is going to amount to a hill of beans. I'd be exremely surprised if "Mercy" made any significant commercial impact.

 

[starsgoblue]

to starsgoblue:

Exactly.....it's the world's now. Ever hear the old saying "don't shoot the messenger"? It's out of our hands now. This was the fault of someone in U2's camp. I'm not saying I agree wth or totally condone whats going on with this song, but the fact is this: it's out and nothing can really stop anything that happens after that. They're the biggest band in the world, what do you expect? It's gonna get out and people are going to hear it. The internet and file sharing changed the landscape of music forever. Whether we like it or not thats something that all just have to accept.

I don't mind if fans are sharing it with each other through internet or whatever. But I do think there is a line that shouldn't be crossed when we're talking about radio 'leaking'.

 

[AtomicBono]

lazarus.... all I have to say is that I guess I have learned a valuable lesson through this whole thing. I wish I wouldve thought more about what I was doing...but in the moment, it was exciting and I didnt realize what a bad idea it was to put out there. I also did NOT believe I would be the only one to have it in my possession, actually Im sure there are other people that have it, but they just dont frequent these sites.
There is nothing I can do about it now.....but I do feel bad about it. I just want the song to be released now so that this mess will be over.

It makes me sad that all you were doing was trying to be nice and share it with fellow U2 fans but now you've got people jumping down your throat and trying to make you feel guilty. Fuck that. You meant no harm, and come on people, think about it. You stumble upon a BRAND NEW UNRELEASED U2 song and it's a fucking great song at that. Are you going to be a selfish bastard and not let ANYONE else hear it? I doubt that. You're going to at least send it to your best friend or something...it will find a way to spread, I can assure you. Plus, the CD you received was a copy, was it not? Meaning there are other sources out there. Interference isn't the only place on the internet where U2 songs can be obtained. The song would have gotten out sooner or later.

Also, there is a BIG difference between spreading something on the internet and trying to force it onto radio or TV or whatever. And don't use the "you're hyprocritical, you think U2 fans deserve to hear it but not everyone" arguement. Bullshit. Anyone with a computer can get Mercy if they really want to...and who is going to want to get Mercy? U2 fans. Some random guy who is vaguely familiar with the song Vertigo doesn't care about Mercy. The fact is, Mercy is not a mainstream type of song, while it's possible it could do well as a single I don't think it would do great. It's not like Mercy is the fucking Bible where everyone needs to hear it and be saved or something. I DO think Mercy deserves a place on an album and to be heard live, which is exactly why I DON'T want people sending it off to radio!

 

[lazarus]

Stars, how is that not hypocritical? The radio and the internet are both open to the public. What you want is for the song to be more exclusive, and that goes against the populist code that the band has gone by for as far back as I can remember.

U2 does not want their music to be someone's little secret. They want it shouted from the rooftops, played in car radios, danced to, etc. If you want to talk about the ethics of someone introducing it to the internet in the first place, that's a separate discussion. But I'm having a hard time taking seriously the opinions of people who HAVE what they want, but don't want anyone else to. How elitist can you get? You think because you've poured so much money into the band's coffers you're entitled to rare and unreleased material over someone else?

Also, Mercy has NO chance of making some kind of radio rock countdown. That is ludicrous. They may receive a shitload of requests, but it would be played as a novelty, and never be in any kind of rotation. The song would more likely be pulled due to a cease and desist, and not because U2 doesn't want an unauthorized song being played, but because of quality control--it won't sound too great with the losses of generation.

 

[Hallucination]

So here's a naive question but do any of you think that U2 reliases how much positive feedback this song has gotten from the fans? Does anyone think that's it's possible that the guys may have stumbled upon certain threads regarding the song. Not that they spend their time browsing forums but surely word must've gotten back to the guys on how popular this song has become without even being released. Shit it was popular before HTDAAB came out. In my humble opinion this song will see the light of day and in a polished up clean version on the next album. The guys in U2 or at least U2 managment have to know this song is pure gold and that we all want it on an album.

 

[Hallucination]

...and who is going to want to get Mercy? U2 fans. Some random guy who is vaguely familiar with the song Vertigo doesn't care about Mercy. The fact is, Mercy is not a mainstream type of song, while it's possible it could do well as a single I don't think it would do great.

I would have to disagree with you AtomicBono on that last comment. Here's a post a made earlier in the thread:

True story: I played Mercy on Saturday night as my closeing song when I was djing. Not since I played the Sundays cover version of Wild Horses have so many people come up to me durring and after the song to ask who it was. 6 in all. 4 girls and 2 guys. Every single one of them said it sounded awsome. When I told them it was U2 they all said that's who they thought it sounded like but they had never heard the song before. I told them that it's never been released in any format other than a leak on the internet. Anyways I played it once and that was the response. Perhaps a glimpse into the future popularity of Mercy.

With that type of reaction on the very first time I've ever played Mercy while djing I think it shows the song would make an excellent single.

 

[AtomicBono]

Stars, how is that not hypocritical? The radio and the internet are both open to the public. What you want is for the song to be more exclusive, and that goes against the populist code that the band has gone by for as far back as I can remember.

U2 does not want their music to be someone's little secret. They want it shouted from the rooftops, played in car radios, danced to, etc. If you want to talk about the ethics of someone introducing it to the internet in the first place, that's a separate discussion. But I'm having a hard time taking seriously the opinions of people who HAVE what they want, but don't want anyone else to. How elitist can you get? You think because you've poured so much money into the band's coffers you're entitled to rare and unreleased material over someone else?

Also, Mercy has NO chance of making some kind of radio rock countdown. That is ludicrous. They may receive a shitload of requests, but it would be played as a novelty, and never be in any kind of rotation. The song would more likely be pulled due to a cease and desist, and not because U2 doesn't want an unauthorized song being played, but because of quality control--it won't sound too great with the losses of generation.

what the fuck? I don't even know where to start on this...

Okay, first of all you're contradicting yourself saying "the radio and the internet are both open to the public" and then "you want the song to be more exclusive." If they're both open to the public then it's not very "exclusive" if it's on the internet, right? As for the band's "populist code," did you ever think that maybe this applies to OFFICIALLY released songs? Think about it. U2 has never been happy about something being leaked. Are you trying to suggest U2 wants us to spread Mercy to the radio and whatnot?! That's ridiculous. If U2 wants people to hear Mercy, they'll release it themselves, officially. U2 probably isn't happy that it leaked at all (assuming they know). However a song in the hands of some diehard fans won't hurt them much if at all, since the diehards will buy anything that says "U2" on it anyway.

How is anyone being "elitist" here? It's not like anyone here is downloading the song and refusing to send it to anyone else. If someone on Interference asks for Mercy, they'll get it. As for people not on Interference, well for one it's on the p2p programs, so basically anyone on the internet can get it, although it's true most people don't know about it...so your logic is everyone deserves to hear the song because it's good? Okay, then how about you not do anything that will make the band not release it? Admittingly we're walking a tight rope here already sharing it on the internet, it is possible the band won't release it because of this, but I doubt it. However, if it gets on the radio at all and somehow gets press, even a small blurb in Rolling Stone...U2 won't be happy.

If Mercy has no chance making it on the radio beyond maybe some small indie play, why do you want it sent out at all?

Hallucination - That's awesome, seriously, I'm glad other people liked it. It doesn't seem like the kind of song the average non-U2 fan would like, but good for them! I think that's all the more reason to for now keep it quiet, if it indeed has single potential! Of course who knows it may end up as the b-side to OOTS...we will have to see.

 

[Hallucination]

Hallucination - That's awesome, seriously, I'm glad other people liked it. It doesn't seem like the kind of song the average non-U2 fan would like, but good for them! I think that's all the more reason to for now keep it quiet, if it indeed has single potential! Of course who knows it may end up as the b-side to OOTS...we will have to see.

I agree again. It's not likely that an old song with previous radio play would ever be considerd as a single. But like others have also mentioned it's open to anyone who wants it on the internet now so.... The whole problem would've been solved had the band decided to put it on HTDAAB. The reasoning behind omitting the song still confuses me. What was the reasoning?

 

[EPandAmerica]

Exactly. The song is more than available now to anyone.

People may think people are being hypocritical by saying 'Yeah, upload it for us' then saying 'Don't send it to the radio', if you think about it that's not very hypoctical at all...by uploading the track, U2SJ's made it available to everyone. It's not as if it's being traded round here and we're telling each other to keep it hushed...if anyone wanted the track, all they'd have to do is look and they'd find it...

Anyone can get the track nowadays anyway via P2P programs, people are playing it everywhere and their friends are taking interest...I'm just saying leaking it to the radio will just make things worse for both the band and fans...not to mention put fansites/forums in danger of being overrun by the RIAA...

Exactly! If people want to hear it, there are plenty of places to find it. Mercy is not a radio song,and who would want it to be? Have you people listened to fucking radio lately?

Anyway those of you who are dead set on this can't be stopped anyway, but good luck finding any radio station to listen to you. Radio is not about good music anymore, it's a CORPORATION.

Marissa, thank you so much for giving us Mercy and please don't worry about any of this. I highly doubt that if it does or does not get played on some radio station somewhere that it will change the course of what the band has planned for this song.

 

[AtomicBono]

I agree again. It's not likely that an old song with previous radio play would ever be considerd as a single. But like others have also mentioned it's open to anyone who wants it on the internet now so.... The whole problem would've been solved had the band decided to put it on HTDAAB. The reasoning behind omitting the song still confuses me. What was the reasoning?

The album was too long. That's the only reason we were really given. It was Larry's suggestion

I really think a song as good as this ought to be more than just a b-side, and the fact that it hasn't turned up officially yet and there's no word...of course there is one more single but I suspect Mercy is being saved for the next album. If you compare it to all the other songs on HTDAAB it sorta has this different feel to it, perhaps an indication of the direction U2 is headed in. I honestly do think it will show up on a future album, though perhaps in another form. Or some people have suggested soundtrack, that's possible, and I guess some official release is better than none...I just want to hear it live

 

[Hallucination]

The album was too long. That's the only reason we were really given. It was Larry's suggestion

I really think a song as good as this ought to be more than just a b-side, and the fact that it hasn't turned up officially yet and there's no word...of course there is one more single but I suspect Mercy is being saved for the next album. If you compare it to all the other songs on HTDAAB it sorta has this different feel to it, perhaps an indication of the direction U2 is headed in. I honestly do think it will show up on a future album, though perhaps in another form. Or some people have suggested soundtrack, that's possible, and I guess some official release is better than none...I just want to hear it live

I totally think it'll be on an album. Most definately. I also read in Spin that the album was too long and it was Larry's idea(Damn you Larry lol) but also in the article/interview Bono was quoted as saying it's the best "B-Side" ever recorded, so maybe that hints that the band knows the song is a gem worthy of future life on an album. True the album does have a different feel than Mercy. Honestly I think Mercy leans towards a more Achtung Baby sound in the sense that it combines a drakness with somewhat of an uplifting sound.

 

[gareth brown]

You meant no harm, and come on people, think about it. You stumble upon a BRAND NEW UNRELEASED U2 song and it's a fucking great song at that. Are you going to be a selfish bastard and not let ANYONE else hear it?

Hahaha!! Just imagining the mass of angry threads calling for the ceremonial burning of U2SJ for keeping the track to herself and saying stuff like 'Hey, guys...you should really check out "Mercy", it's great...OH WAIT!" makes me chuckle... I kind of wish she'd never released it now, that would have been fun...

 

[gareth brown]

U2 does not want their music to be someone's little secret. They want it shouted from the rooftops, played in car radios, danced to, etc.

So, by the same token, they will be delighted to hear that 'Mercy' is being 'shouted from the rooftops' when it's not even supposed to be in the public domain?

 

[Hulk Hogan]

Hey brother... no radio station owned by a major corporation will play an unreleased song without permission from the band's management, so that rules out 95% of american radio today.

and the other 5% are either too insignificant or too afraid of getting sued to even bother.

say your prayers, eat your vitamins.

brother.

 

[U2SJ]

gareth your last post was funny Next time I'll do that instead

 

[The_Edge89]

You can't compare Mercy to Salome or Take You Down or Morning Child or Heaven and Hell...........Mercy was going to be on the album in this form. the above mentioned songs had Bono calling out chord changes and sounds of the band laughing and dropping their instruments. Like I said in another post....this song had to have been mixed by Jack Lee because his "bug" sounds are in the beginning of the track. We will never know why it was left off the album until I ask Bono.

I can see what you're saying, I can see the difference between a demo and a finished song.

I'm not saying it's still in it's demo stage, what I wanted to say with my last post was that U2 can, with some help from producers and more time to work with the song, rework the song.

I mean "Always" isn't a demo, it's a complete unique song that shouldn't be seen as Beautiful Day in it's early stage, even if that may be the case. Always is a song, not Beautiful Day, but perhaps it's twin.
Always is different from Beautiful day in some ways but still have the same "bones" if you like, as BD. It has different lyrics, melody and also guitar parts.

Back on topic: I like Mercy as it is at the moment, I can't deny the fact that it's actually one of U2's strongest songs of the last 10 years, but U2 may change the song for the next album if it's going to be on there, or maybe not, that's something only time will tell. The band left Mercy out of the album for a reason, and maybe that reason was to see what they can do with the song or perhaps save it for the next album so it can get more attention.
I'm not saying Mercy wasn't planned for the bomb, I've seen the sketches in the Special edition book.
I've learned this band doesn't do things without having a reason for their acting.

 

[starsgoblue]

Stars, how is that not hypocritical? The radio and the internet are both open to the public. What you want is for the song to be more exclusive, and that goes against the populist code that the band has gone by for as far back as I can remember.

U2 does not want their music to be someone's little secret. They want it shouted from the rooftops, played in car radios, danced to, etc. If you want to talk about the ethics of someone introducing it to the internet in the first place, that's a separate discussion. But I'm having a hard time taking seriously the opinions of people who HAVE what they want, but don't want anyone else to. How elitist can you get? You think because you've poured so much money into the band's coffers you're entitled to rare and unreleased material over someone else?

Don't pretend to think you know what I want. And since when do you know what the band thinks/feels about this anyways.

 

[gareth brown]

 

[phanan]

This is the first time I'm reading through this thread.

I hate the idea. This song would never be considered a single. It's a classic epic that could stand the test of time with others in the band's canon once it is released on an album, like Bad or One Tree Hill or even Hawkmoon 269. Were those songs ever singles? No (except for One Tree Hill in ONLY Australia and New Zealand). They stand out as genius album tracks loved by true U2 fans, not someone who knows U2 via only the hits. And U2SJ was kind enough to share it with true fans like ourselves. Most people who aren't into U2 as much as us aren't going to care! And radio certainly won't, either. It would amount to nothing, if you ask me.

I hope U2SJ doesn't feel so bad about all this, because the majority of hardcore fans here appreciate Mercy for what it really is - a forthcoming classic U2 song that will eventually see the light of day on an album.

On a side note U2SJ, does Mercy sound the same as the other songs on the CD you have? Just curious.

 

[Swan269]

I'm not saying it's still in it's demo stage, what I wanted to say with my last post was that U2 can, with some help from producers and more time to work with the song, rework the song.

I

Cool-I think the only thing they need to do is maybe trim some of the fat; that being said-the song will always be good enough for me.

 

[discothequeLP]

I think we should just write to the band/their management and let them know what the hell is going on?! I don't like the idea of this track going any further than communities like this one for the time being, and there's a chance they could just scrap the track all together because people started fucking around and trying to force it into the public eye, what would we do then?!

because of many people's, specifically SJ's oppostion to the whole radio thing, i'd be glad to write a letter to the management to explain/ask what's up.

 

[gareth brown]

hang on...weren't you instigating a huge radio leak complete with specimen letter on the first page?!

 

[Ellay]

Cool-I think the only thing they need to do is maybe trim some of the fat;

Yeah you're right there, it starts to wander a bit, half way through

(just like they trimmed xanax to be honest!!)

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

hulk hogan speaks the truth

 

[Swan269]

Yeah you're right there, it starts to wander a bit, half way through

(just like they trimmed xanax to be honest!!)

I am torn because I like some of the wandering aspect of this track.

 

[lazarus]

I am torn because I like some of the wandering aspect of this track.

It is precisely the "wandering" that makes this track so majestic. It's not overproduced and trimmed to some listener-friendly nugget.

I'm hoping U2 doesn't get into the same mindset as some of the people who feel Mercy "needs work". They felt the song was ready for inclusion on the album, and it was dropped for time reasons along with Fast Cars. There's no need to revisit it or try to make it "better", let alone shorter.

The whole point of the "radio leak" idea was to get the song appreciated on a larger scale, to PREVENT any further tinkering. If the band saw the favorable response, they might conclude there's no reason to fuck with it. I'd rather have Mercy left off the next album than see this version replaced for all time by some watered-down redux.

 

[Axver]

Laz, would you be happier if U2 hadn't touched Take You Down?

If no, why would you be happier if U2 don't touch Mercy? No-one here has the faintest idea how that song may evolve. Indeed, considering the fact it was considered for inclusion on the album, what we have is potentially close to the final version, so if U2 hold onto it for another album, it may not even change and this hysteria that it will be butchered is misplaced! Or it may evolve into a couple of legendary songs that we like more than Mercy itself. NO-ONE KNOWS and making pessimistic predictions is just stupidly cynical.

Let's not force U2's hand here. They're the artists. They have the creative licence, not any of us.