U2: St Patrick's Day: Reimaginings

[Gilly Goodness]

The holiday/holyday 2021 has already given us a reimagined In a Lifetime by Clannad without Bono but with Denise Chaila, so the universe has decided to redress this with 40 newly recorded reimagined U2 songs called Songs of Surrender. Released March 17 2023.

https://youtu.be/wco-jGrqCfU

Songs should be the titlechapters from his memoir or thereabouts. The audiobook already has snippets. This reflective,older,wiser approach durin' lockdown will be now followed by a heavy rock album accordin' to the short,hunched wee fella.

[Homemade Parachute]

I'm sure Bono will be added to Fly From Here: Stranded edition in short order…

[Frumious B]

I’ve bought every new U2 album on release day starting with Rattle And Hum. Songs Of Surrender will be the first one that I’ll mainly be buying because I’m a completionist as opposed to being actively excited to hear it. None of these “artist re-records old songs” albums ever turn out great. It’s a sure fire recipe for mediocrity. It’s especially kind of a bummer knowing that they have a real U2 record called Songs Of Ascent sitting in the can unreleased.

[Homemade Parachute]

Of all the albums I have where someone essentially re-records/re-arranges old material, sure, the results are often far less than essential, but there are occasionally gems hidden in there:

Oysterband, Trawler: I prefer the re-recorded, more muscular, versions on this "best of" to the originals, but they really put a stamp of "this is who the band is, now" on it.
Marillion, Less is More and With Friends from the Orchestra: pleasant enough, between new albums.
Saga, Symmetry: my second favourite of the bunch, where the re-arrangements are really something.
Kate Bush, Director's Cut: yeah, I don't really get this one at all. Nothing that replaces the originals on it for me.
Yes, Fly From Here: ditto.
David Bowie, Toy: well here's the oddball, one which I thoroughly enjoy, but the trick is in the title: it's a toy, and fun.
ELP, "Pictures at an Exhibition", from Return of the Manticore: this one I really like, there's something about Greg Lake's older voice that adds a lot of depth to the song, more reflection, a gaze backwards at a life long lived.
Jethro Tull, Beacons Bottom Tapes. Quirky. Kind of what it says: effectively a live album at that moment, done in the studio.
Peter Gabriel and Tori Amos, New Blood and Gold: yeah, not for me.

Anyways, I don't expect a revelation from U2's reworking, but as something to tide me over until a new new album, it might be ok. If nothing else, the choices they make now might make me (and them) reflect on the choices they made then.

[Mr. Holland]

I’ve bought every new U2 album on release day starting with Rattle And Hum. Songs Of Surrender will be the first one that I’ll mainly be buying because I’m a completionist as opposed to being actively excited to hear it. None of these “artist re-records old songs” albums ever turn out great. It’s a sure fire recipe for mediocrity. It’s especially kind of a bummer knowing that they have a real U2 record called Songs Of Ascent sitting in the can unreleased.

Couldn't agree more. Sting's "My Songs" comes to mind. None of the reinterpretations of his old songs beat the originals, nor do they offer a real new spin or something daring and exciting. I don’t see the point, apart maybe trying to connect a newer audience with your old work?

[Somis Sound]

Couldn't agree more. Sting's "My Songs" comes to mind. None of the reinterpretations of his old songs beat the originals, nor do they offer a real new spin or something daring and exciting. I don’t see the point, apart maybe trying to connect a newer audience with your old work?

I agree. And when Sting called it "MY Songs", I found that a bit tacky. But it did reveal how very much Summers and Copeland added to his songs!

The only redo album I can think of that had some very interesting different versions was The Fixx "1011 Woodland" album. Some really nice acoustic rearrangements there.

[Gilly Goodness]

OK. Rubber really hits the road....their best song



PRIDE (IN THE NAME OF LOVE)

https://youtu.be/thmcVMobt0s

What some have feared has taken place. Strangely muted demo like attempt. Stripped of passion. Which has been U2's secret power.

So. What do we get?
Gotta think Bono was embarrassed by his strident vox throughout the original. Something The Edge teased him about.

Here he is restrained. Simple acoustic guitar. Then. Some nice minor key piano. Dramatic. Edge's backin' vox more prominant.

So starts slow and strange. Then subtley adds flourishes. Piano. Harmonies and outro is Bono again wild and passionate.

Does grow on you. They will take some heat for this. Some lyrics changed.

No more betrayed by a kiss. Now. The boy washed onto the beach. The Boy who will never be kissed. ????? WTF Maybe has to do less with Jesus, than a refugee boy drowned at sea, if I remember.

[Olorin]

I wonder if Songs of Ascent will ever see the light of day....

[Frumious B]

OK. Rubber really hits the road....their best song



PRIDE (IN THE NAME OF LOVE)

https://youtu.be/thmcVMobt0s

What some have feared has taken place. Strangely muted demo like attempt. Stripped of passion. Which has been U2's secret power.

So. What do we get?
Gotta think Bono was embarrassed by his strident vox throughout the original. Something The Edge teased him about.

Here he is restrained. Simple acoustic guitar. Then. Some nice minor key piano. Dramatic. Edge's backin' vox more prominant.

So starts slow and strange. Then subtley adds flourishes. Piano. Harmonies and outro is Bono again wild and passionate.

Does grow on you. They will take some heat for this. Some lyrics changed.

No more betrayed by a kiss. Now. The boy washed onto the beach. The Boy who will never be kissed. ????? WTF Maybe has to do less with Jesus, than a refugee boy drowned at sea, if I remember.

Man, that was tepid and 40 tracks of this stuff seems a bit much. At least when Yes did something comparable it was just an EP tacked onto the end of a greatest hits compilation.

[Mr. Holland]

OK. Rubber really hits the road....their best song



PRIDE (IN THE NAME OF LOVE)

https://youtu.be/thmcVMobt0s

What some have feared has taken place. Strangely muted demo like attempt. Stripped of passion. Which has been U2's secret power.

So. What do we get?
Gotta think Bono was embarrassed by his strident vox throughout the original. Something The Edge teased him about.

Here he is restrained. Simple acoustic guitar. Then. Some nice minor key piano. Dramatic. Edge's backin' vox more prominant.

So starts slow and strange. Then subtley adds flourishes. Piano. Harmonies and outro is Bono again wild and passionate.

Does grow on you. They will take some heat for this. Some lyrics changed.

No more betrayed by a kiss. Now. The boy washed onto the beach. The Boy who will never be kissed. ????? WTF Maybe has to do less with Jesus, than a refugee boy drowned at sea, if I remember.

Why on earth would you put that out on a studio album/studio version, when there's the original?! I can understand a band doing an acoustic set as part of their live show, as many acts have done, and then do this. But is there really anyone who will say in future when wanting to listen to this song: well, yeah, there's the original, but man forget about that, let's listen to the Songs of Surrender version?! Perhaps when they suffer from narcolepsy.....

[Gilly Goodness]

Twitter has spoken:

[Somis Sound]

This, and now talk of possibly touring without Larry? Take a vacation guys....

https://www.irishcentral.com/news/irishvoice/adam-clayton-u2-tour-larry-mullen

[Olorin]

U2 is pretty remarkable in how long they’ve been together and how successful they’ve been, without any changes in lineup, other than the one time Adam passed out right before a concert, like the article mentions. I really think that they should give Larry the time he needs to have rhe surgery and recover, and not go out on the road with some fill in in the meantime. Even though Larry might say he would be OK with that, it couldn’t not hurt, and that would undoubtedly have repercussions down the line.

[Gilly Goodness]

NEW SONG DROPPED

With or Without You

https://youtu.be/B6dvvpKZYh8

Bono quietly, close to the microphone, years of experience, even some Innocence but this doesn't "pop". No fire, boy, it's humdrum.

Gettin' ripped apart on Hoffman's forum.

Most underwhelmed.

One wag suggested they are doin' these reimaginin's to provide Netflix with moody content for teen dramas.

Surely they wouldn't???? 😉

[Homemade Parachute]

Oh, wow, that, um, that is, well, "suboptimal", as we say in the biz… The original is such a slow burn of a song, but does actually build to something (anyone remember its use in the final episode of The Americans?), while this one, uh, doesn't…