California (There Is No End To Love) - Song Discussion

[bonocomet]

me too.

 

[jeevey]

So glad I'm not the only one. I still hate the bar-bar-bar-ba-ra's like crazy, but the song just gets me.

 

[DaveC]

So glad I'm not the only one. I still hate the bar-bar-bar-ba-ra's like crazy, but the song just gets me.

Agreed.

Of course when they release the Best of 2010-2020 in ten years they'll remix it to take out the bar-bar-bar-ba-ra's and everyone will lose their collective shit.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Maybe they'll replace them with BOOM chas

 

[Earth_Angel]

Bar-bar-bar-ba-ra doesn't bother me nearly as much as the countdown on Vertigo. Also love this song!! But have found after repeated listens, I'm a fan of the entire album.

 

[jeevey]

If they released that as a single right now, the bar-bars would already be out--they must have known those were a mistake almost immediately. I will accept BOOM-chas in replacement though.

 

[Montrose]

The BarBarBarbaras work for me. Helps the intro build, is a gentler reference to the song's subject and setting than Bono yelping 'California!' to kick things off, and is an homage to an influential band from their early days. It doesn't sound bad either.. I think it being very different for U2 is off-putting to a lot of people, but it was refreshing to me.


Sent from my fingertips.

 

[CosmoKramer]

Still don't understand how this song isn't being played every night.


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[popacrobat]

I'm guessing they don't like the way the song sounds live. Seems like they wanted it to work but just can't figure out a way at the moment.

 

[Gonna Run 2 U]

I'd like to see them slow this down and try it acoustically. It's been flat live so far full band in my opinion.


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[DevilsShoes]

By far my favourite up-tempo song on the album, I don't even mind the Ba-Ba-Barbara intro and that whole metaphor about 'no end to grief, no end to love' seems to be the heart of SOI.

The live version doesn't quite work though, and its the chorus that lets it down for me. Whereas the album version keeps ascending, on stage the thing just seems to plateau and you don't get that same sense of lift-off or accelerating momentum.

So far, the album version remains definitive IMO.

 

[bonocomet]

By far my favourite up-tempo song on the album, I don't even mind the Ba-Ba-Barbara intro and that whole metaphor about 'no end to grief, no end to love' seems to be the heart of SOI.

The live version doesn't quite work though, and its the chorus that lets it down for me. Whereas the album version keeps ascending, on stage the thing just seems to plateau and you don't get that same sense of lift-off or accelerating momentum.

So far, the album version remains definitive IMO.

Agreed. I love the album version, and it's one of the acoustic versions I care least for. I wish they'd keep working on it live, rather than drop it completely.

That said, I'm overjoyed that I got to see it performed live in LA, I feel really lucky since I'd hoped to hear it so much. And standing just feet away from them performing it made it all the better. Was having so much fun there was no way to notice anything negative.

 

[malchik_petya]

California has grown on me tremendously since the release, but to me the ending feels like a bigger problem then the 'ba-baras' - a bit underwhelming and rushed both on the record and live (maybe it's just me).
Anyway the song deserves to be played every night in my opinion. Hopefully they haven't dropped it for good

 

[jeevey]

Chicago 5!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIHKJqXoc3c

 

[catlhere]

I still love this song. The Santa Barbaras don't really bother me. I think it sounds great live, but I wish the band felt the same. The fact that it's been played only 4 times so far on the tour, and half of those weren't even in California annoys me.

 

[The_acrobat]

I really think the band is making a serious mistake by not playing "California" at least every other night. I saw that Chicago performance in person, and I can without a doubt say that it was the best received of all the SOI songs the whole night. The response from the crowd was pretty electric. Before the song Edge, Adam and Larry all kind of shook hands, as if to say "okay guys, good luck... let's not fuck it up!' So maybe they find it difficult to play? Sounded great in Chicago. I think this and "Volcano" should have a permanent rotating spot in the setlist. I definitely don't think "Lucifer's Hands" deserves to be played more than either California OR Volcano.

 

[jeevey]

That handshake info is great. Maybe we'll see it in Boston 4 tonight?

 

[dudeman]

I saw the Edge, Larry, and Adam do the handshake thing while Boner introduced the Crystal Ballroom at Chicago 4 as well, fwiw.


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[onemoresolo]

I always thought this sounded flat when they played it a Jools Holland, but just listened to the boot of Chicago 5 and it seemed to go over really well. It is a bit baffling it's not been played more - thought when the album came out this was a lock for when we saw them in LA!