Right - it is time to have this out once and for all....
I know that people here rate the single version of Please above the album version, but I have just never subscribed to that view.....I really prefer the album version and by a long way too.
From when this has cropped up in chats before I know I am in the minority, but I want to 'have it out' on here now and make the case for the album version and discuss why we take the side we do in this.
For my money the album version is better because:
Right off the bat with it's steady disorientating build at start it hooks me more than the cheesier single opening.
It is rawer
It has due to the wonky bassline that they cleaned up for the single an uneasy, tense feel to it, that gives it an edge.
It feels tougher and more bruised.
It conveys the emotion and the feel of the song more honestly.
I love the metallic sounding lead into the 'September, Streets capsizing' part....which is polished away on single, dialled right back.
Edge is then playing a pretty 'funky' part to accompany that part...again gone on single.
The single version has been polished up too much.
It is not as good for me because:
The strings towards end after the 'november december, remember are we just starting again' are cheesy and spoil what was a really nice bit of work by The Edge which is pushed back in mix which again lended a tension and a feel to the song that felt rawer and had more grit.
The strings right at the end feel superfluous to me.
The rawness is gone.
Edge is more subdued in his delivery and that subdued state does not create the same tension and enough contrast, which the live version that they were trying to recreate had.
Bono sounds cleaner and this IMO takes away from the song....it is better with the grittier vocal of the original.
The join to the 'cos love is big' part is jarring and it is just suddenly there....the album version has a really nice lead into where it builds for that pay off. It feels badly edited in single.
Larry sounds quieter, but not in a good way....he is crisp and cracking on the album version, he is muted on single.
The single has the bigger near finish Edge riff, but it just does not work like it did live for me and i prefer the nervier, tenser less obvious album version run in to the end.
So there you have it......i fully expect to be in the minority as already discussed....
Let 'battle' commence...
We all know them - but maybe back to back listens might inform the chat...
Album:
Single: