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U2 - Heartland
 Album:
Rattle and Hum (1988)
  1. Originally posted by KieranU2:[..]
    Well no, the same point couldn't be made to RHMT not being played in 1987 because I said "there's probably a reason why they never played it". I can only assume you're under the presumption that it's because of the same reason as RHMT being too difficult to sing at the time. But the song arrangement might have not suited live or they've just never found space for it in the set. It's also probably a song they've forgotten about now - it doesn't have the fan appeal Acrobat did when everyone was chomping at the bit wanting it played.

    I think we'll never get it. Because now, as discussed, it would be too much of a pressure on his voice. May as well attempt the full thing rather than cop out with an acoustic one.
    I’m pretty sure it is there difficulty to sing that was there reason both songs were left out in the past. Bono knew no other way than to go for it back then which would have been too difficult to achieve night after night I’m sure. I don’t know that for a fact however but it makes sense. They have performed it for TJT movie so and calling it Heartland so they will be fully aware of the song but whether they feel the need to bring that on to a new tour is a different matter. But the fact they’ve performed it even acoustic means that Bono has put a vocal to it which means it can be performed electric as well.
  2. I wonder if that film is ever gonna come out
  3. Originally posted by deanallison:[..]
    I’m pretty sure it is there difficulty to sing that was there reason both songs were left out in the past. Bono knew no other way than to go for it back then which would have been too difficult to achieve night after night I’m sure. I don’t know that for a fact however but it makes sense. They have performed it for TJT movie so and calling it Heartland so they will be fully aware of the song but whether they feel the need to bring that on to a new tour is a different matter. But the fact they’ve performed it even acoustic means that Bono has put a vocal to it which means it can be performed electric as well.
    You're pretty sure but don't know for a fact? Okay. I'm just saying that while it could be his voice, there are potentially a range of other reasons why it wasn't played as mentioned in my previous comment. But I also forgot about the movie, so thanks Paul for providing that link.

    Also, just because he's put a vocal to it, it doesn't mean it can be played electrically. Acoustic is a different arrangement - see, for example, Staring at the Sun and Stay.
  4. I think the performance in the film will be quite good. Although the album version is obviously the best version. I think Heartland would be one of those songs, like Stay and ISHWILF that sound better on the album than live.

    Just thought I'd share this too:

  5. Originally posted by KieranU2:[..]
    You're pretty sure but don't know for a fact? Okay. I'm just saying that while it could be his voice, there are potentially a range of other reasons why it wasn't played as mentioned in my previous comment. But I also forgot about the movie, so thanks Paul for providing that link.

    Also, just because he's put a vocal to it, it doesn't mean it can be played electrically. Acoustic is a different arrangement - see, for example, Staring at the Sun and Stay.
    Yes I’m pretty sure but don’t know for a fact. Stay has been played electrically very well on 2 different tours. SATS they just gave up on too early electrically. But the vocal can be put to the acoustic and electric versions the same way.
  6. Originally posted by Welsh_Edge:I think the performance in the film will be quite good. Although the album version is obviously the best version. I think Heartland would be one of those songs, like Stay and ISHWILF that sound better on the album than live.

    Just thought I'd share this too:

    [YouTube Video]
    This is great
  7. Every time my family went on a long road trip from Kansas to California, this was the song I played. Especially when we’d drive through Arizona. Really got the whole concept that Bono talked about as America the landscape from that song.
  8. There is a fair amount of delay on that track. I don't suppose Edge would get that unless he was playing that in front of the Grand Canyon.
  9. Originally posted by deanallison:[..]
    Yes I’m pretty sure but don’t know for a fact. Stay has been played electrically very well on 2 different tours. SATS they just gave up on too early electrically. But the vocal can be put to the acoustic and electric versions the same way.
    The band are the only ones that know for a fact so all we can do is speculate

    Heartland is hard to sing, no doubt. But it's not the hardest of their catalogue, not even the hardest in its own album... So there must be another reason why didn't they even attempt it (like they did with Hawkmoon 269 for example, just a handful of times).

    My bet is that they thought there were enough mid-tempos in the standard Lovetown setlist: AIWIY, One Tree Hill, MLK, RTSS, Van Diemen's Land, Love Rescue Me, WOWY - that's over 1/3 of the average setlist.

    And also they must have felt quite disattached to the song by the time the Lovetown tour was up and running - it had been written for 3 years by then!
  10. Originally posted by Welsh_Edge:I think the performance in the film will be quite good. Although the album version is obviously the best version. I think Heartland would be one of those songs, like Stay and ISHWILF that sound better on the album than live.

    Just thought I'd share this too:

    [YouTube Video]
    @Welsh_Edge This is very nice, is that you playing?
  11. Unless there's something I don't know about my fella crew member, no he's not That's Mick, a famous U2-cover guitarist. He plays in a tribute band called Unforgettable Fire iirc. IMO Mick struggles a bit with timing/rhythm but truly nails tones when he wants to get close, and also his "different" arrangements like this Heartland version are really cool.
  12. Originally posted by LikeASong:[..]
    Unless there's something I don't know about my fella crew member, no he's not That's Mick, a famous U2-cover guitarist. He plays in a tribute band called Unforgettable Fire iirc. IMO Mick struggles a bit with timing/rhythm but truly nails tones when he wants to get close, and also his "different" arrangements like this Heartland version are really cool.
    Now you mention it, something felt 'off' timing-wise after the bass and drums kick in, it's like they're a half bar late..?