The album version of the U2 song New Year’s Day is different than the video and every live performance. Usually, in the days of top 40 radio, the album version was usually longer. It was considered the “real” version of the song. Except U2 seems to think it isn’t, or they don’t like it, or something.
The verse that has “And so we are told this is the golden age…” was not in the original official video, and every time I’ve seen or heard U2 live, they omit this part if the song.
Does anyone know why they don’t seem to like their own song? Did the record company make them make it longer?
It’s been a long time since I saw any music videos at all, but I would think concerning a music video (or a song on the radio), there would be a shortened version, simply for time. Like ‘Light My Fire’ - I hear that on the oldies radio and always hope it will be the long version . Movies shown on tv advise they have been edited or whatever - probably just to fit in more commercials.
What else could it be? I can’t imagine U2 saying ‘nah, we don’t like our lyrics right there, take them out when you show the video or play the song on the radio’. It’s in order to fit in more songs and/or commercials.
I wish I knew. I get that in the 70s, everybody was forced to have A.M. radio versions. Ever hear the 3:35 version (as opposed to the album’s 8:30!) of the Who’s Won’t Get Fooled Again? It’s quite jarring. But The Who plays the full version in concert. They ignore the short one. Unlike U2.
The version of NY’sD on War is listed as 5:38 (song). The variations occur after the "uh oh"s. Everything from “And maybe the time is right” (4:11) through “…nothing changes on New Year’s Day” to the end is replaced with a repetition of “I will be with you again” fade out.
I just hoped that someone had read some interview or something somewhere with Bono where he said why. Can’t believe no one asked them in all these years.
I’d be curious if there’s a canon answer, but I think the obvious answer is that U2 is a band focused on making hits and not too precious about their material. They probably think the short version is the version the audience wants.
I was a U2 skeptic for a LONG time until I had a chance to see them live in 2017 (with general admission tickets no less). They do a fantastic job of playing to their audience.
