Why Mercy is the 20th Century's Bad

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I don't understand the arguments about how Mercy or Fast Cars wouldn't fit musically or lyrically on Bomb because to me the album doesn't flow. Just to play devil's advocate, isn't Mercy in the same vein as Miracle Drug and SYCMIOYO. Fast Cars fits with Vertigo. The album is a jumble. I can't find a collective thread that ties the album together. If you were to put Mercy and Fast Cars in and take out two songs like OSC and AMAAW, you would have a more complete album.
 
Screwtape2 said:
I don't understand the arguments about how Mercy or Fast Cars wouldn't fit musically or lyrically on Bomb because to me the album doesn't flow. Just to play devil's advocate, isn't Mercy in the same vein as Miracle Drug and SYCMIOYO. Fast Cars fits with Vertigo. The album is a jumble. I can't find a collective thread that ties the album together. If you were to put Mercy and Fast Cars in and take out two songs like OSC and AMAAW, you would have a more complete album.
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Me agree, although i would remove Yahweh instead of AMAAW.
 
ozeeko said:


Me agree, although i would remove Yahweh instead of AMAAW.
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Yahweh probably should go. The album bothers me so much because it could have been something really good. With these last two albums, U2 has put on some very subpar songs. Mercy could have been that final touch to put this album to what it should have been.
 
Screwtape2 said:
I don't understand the arguments about how Mercy or Fast Cars wouldn't fit musically or lyrically on Bomb because to me the album doesn't flow. Just to play devil's advocate, isn't Mercy in the same vein as Miracle Drug and SYCMIOYO. Fast Cars fits with Vertigo. The album is a jumble. I can't find a collective thread that ties the album together. If you were to put Mercy and Fast Cars in and take out two songs like OSC and AMAAW, you would have a more complete album.
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I think the collective thread is the atomic bomb aka Bono's father's death, as well as the post 9/11 world.

Vertigo - state of confusion and dizzyness, fear
Miracle Drug - yes, about Christopher Nolan, but can easily apply to losing Bob Hewson too.
Sometimes - obvious
LAPOE - post WTC, terrorism plagued world
COBL - about NYC after U2 were playing shows there after the attacks
ABOY - I see this one being about Bono's parents, possibly a religious theme too
AMAAW - reportedly about his marriage
Crumbs - inspired by his African travels
OSC - obvious
OOTS - originally started out on Bono's daughters
Yahweh - obvious

Can you sense the two themes prevailing the album?

Personally after all of this I don't see how adding a song about a broken romantic relationship or, worse yet, a song about mocking the rock and roll lifestyle, fits.
Yes, Bomb is like an amalgam of U2's career musically, but I don't see Mercy's AB-ish sound or Fast cars' Arabic flavour going along to the vast majority of Bomb's chimey, vintage 80's Edge sound. (same goes for the acoustic AMAAW)
 
lazarus said:
To my ears, the recording is very well fleshed out lyrically and in terms of instrumentation, and while it is a long track that takes its time to build up, it does not sound like a jam session with improved lyrics that goes nowhere. There is a distinct climax and ending to the song that is a logical and satisfying conclusion to what proceeds it.
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IMHO, "We're binary code, a one and a zero," is sufficient evidence that the song is unfinished. No way a sophmoric metaphor like that ever makes it onto a U2 album. The climax is decent, but Bono repeating "again and again" is not what I would call a satisfying ending. More like an ending that still needs some work.
 
There's a string of songs dealing with the loss of Bob Hewson - most notably Sometimes and OSC, but MD could qualify and I interpret ABOY being about his parents.
I can see Bono turning to his marriage (AMAAW) and faith (Yahweh) and kids (OOTS) for comfort.

On the other hand, there are songs dealing with the terrorism-plagued world after the WTC attack. LAPOE, COBL. Crumbs, while not dealing with terrorism, is also a part of this, less personal but more world-commenting side of Bomb.

Vertigo, of course, is the intro to all of this.

Know what I mean? It's like reading a diary of Bono's life in the last few years. Everything from his travels to Africa, to commenting on the state of the world, to the home issues.
 
Well, now that I've actually heard Mercy, I can give my opinion on it. While I think Mercy is a good song and has the potential to be a classic, it isn't anywhere near the status of Bad. I think the band should polish it up and put it on the next album. I don't think Mercy is the greatest song ever written but I also don't think that it's the worst ever written.
 
But the theme of "Mercy" flows a bit with AMAAW. And "Fast Cars" is very open to interpretation, IMO. In fact, not only have I not really found a meaning to it, but I reject some of the interpretations I've heard. In my mind, "Fast Cars" is the closer to "Vertigo's" opener. It's the conclusion of this fast paced, confusing, hectic "ride". So I really feel the song should have remained. And "Mercy", tweaking or not, would have helped AMAAW shine (as I feel the song is not only a loner in the midst of songs dissimilar to it, but not that great of a song either).

HTDAAB, like ALL of U2's albums, does have songs I do not enjoy. I would rather have seen a few tossed and others included. But, what can we do? The best is create our own version of the album. :yes: And we can do that for all of them, IMO.
 
I keep hearing about this song Mercy. Where can I get a listen. I've never heard it before and I keep reading rave reviews about it.
 
Peterrrrr said:


I think it has been a "cool" thing to say that the song is overrated, that some members only thinks it overrated because it is a so popular song by all members.
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Newsflash: it's a "cool" thing to hate U2 here. Not just Mercy. U2 in general. Especially post-Pop U2.

You can't really compare an unreleased song to a live classic, but I do love Mercy and think it's an absolutely brilliant song. I hope it does end up on the next album and played live.

I really like the "we're binary code, a one and a zero" line - it suggest the infinite possibilities of a simple combination of two. The only line that is meh-worthy is the weedkiller/sugar honey line. I could do without that one. overall though it has some absolutely brilliant lyrics, especially the opening lines and "Happiness is for those who don't really need it"
 
Danny Boy said:


IMHO, "We're binary code, a one and a zero," is sufficient evidence that the song is unfinished. No way a sophmoric metaphor like that ever makes it onto a U2 album.
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I thought sophmoric metaphors were Bono's forte?
 
If Mercy weren't a good song it hasnt got so many threads that it have got. I don't know any other song that has so many threads on this forum.
 
Peterrrrr said:
If Mercy weren't a good song it hasnt got so many threads that it have got. I don't know any other song that has so many threads on this forum.
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yeah...

Mercy is an amazing song. Since it's an unreleased song, people around here treat it as a gem and talk about it a lot more, and that annoys who doesn't like the song. if mercy was released on htdaab there wouldn't be so much talk about it.
 
MacPhistoPT said:


yeah...

Mercy is an amazing song. Since it's an unreleased song, people around here treat it as a gem and talk about it a lot more, and that annoys who doesn't like the song. if mercy was released on htdaab there wouldn't be so much talk about it.
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Then again, if it had been on HTDAAB it may have become a live standard, and it may have become a live CLASSIC, and then this thread may actual be worth discussing, and maybe then more people would be able to appreciate the song, but then again, it's an unreleased gem as you put it, so people are gonna bitch and moan, and they're gonna wipe their asses with Mercy, so to speak.

Oh well, it still kicks ass. ;)
 
AtomicBono said:


You can't really compare an unreleased song to a live classic, but I do love Mercy and think it's an absolutely brilliant song. I hope it does end up on the next album and played live.

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:up:

At this moment, I think it outshines anything on HTDAAB. There, I said it. I love the length, the stream of consciousness sense of it all, and the way it builds to a gripping crescendo with about a minute to go.

It's quite simply U2 at their meandering best.
 
Being somewhat of an "expert" on BAD I have to say I disagree that MERCY is on the same grand scale. Maybe you should say "Mercy COULD BECOME 20th Century Bad" - with a little work this song could very well become a classic live song. U2 must work on the song - by work I mean re-record the song with more punch and emotion. The version I've heard just doesn't quite have it yet.
 
I'm envisioning a Harry Vest/Axver death-match on Bad. :drool:

Just for the record, I'm somewhat of an "expert" on Mercy. I've been studying its great emotional pull in a tiny university in Tibet for weeks now.
 
finding love through mercy is one of the aspects of love that aren't on the album. I wish it was there to complete it.
 
mercy in that stage of development as we know it is nor flesh nor blood. imo mercy as i know it is a boring repetitive song.
BAD is a standout classic, MERCY is way too overrated and yet has to prove it someday - if it will be released at all -.
 
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