"Lemon" has always been a favourite of mine. Great job by Adam and Larry in the rhythm section and by The Edge's distorted keybordish guitar sounds. From the very first second, you want to move, to dance. Bono's lyrics a fine as is his (then still high) voice. The band singing chorus is simply beautiful, then the "drifting from the shore...swimming out to her" part with the astonishing piano, counter singing, falsetto "midnight" part – and there we are in the heart of one of U2's gems. Unfortunately it didn't hit the setlists that often (*smile*) and unfortunately I don't see it return there with the so multi layeres sounds (the needs of backups) and especially the very demanding falsetto parts.
I wish I had witnessed this tune back then on my tour through Europe (fourteen years ago now, I'm getting old, friends). But at least there was a brief, a cappella snatch, I heard in Naples/Napoli on 9th July 1993 – I still freak about it, "Lemon"'s first outing ever.
When I then saw the real, full band performance I was didvided: The performance killed the slot of "Ultra Violet (Light My Way)" – which I still hold as one of ZOO TV's live masterpieces – and seemed somehow very artificial, very technical, very choreographed. It was fine, but didn't give me the shivers as the studio – until, just until Bono lost himself in the "midnight, midnight, midnight" opera like crescendo. A beautful addition to the tune. Less beautiful was not the transition to WOWY, but the effect it had on this tune. It had to be completely now MacPhisto's kingdom including the strange accent, slowed down singing and a cut down, shortened version – no Bono guitar anymore, no chance stretching the tune by snippets. WOWY becoming a standard in a crooner's repertoire, finding its new territory as a karaoke, mass sing along for the fans only. Musically it lost from there on (with a few exceptions on "Vertigo" though, take Melbourne 1st night ...).