Come on guys. Much as I usually take any opportunity to slag Bono you can’t make that judgement on the basis of the tiny number of songs Edge has sung live.
Agreed.
Cheap Bono bashing.
I disagree.
Edge genuinely has a great voice. People tend to think Bono was a brilliant singer because he could belt out songs like pride. That, for me, doesn’t mean someone has a great voice. Personally, I prefer it when he reigns it in on U2 songs such as Velvet Dress, Your Blue Room and Promenade. Regardless, compared to bono getting all carried away, I prefer edges subtler singing style.
What’s funny is that no one mentioned Pride. You brought it up. As you always do.
Admit it, you LOVE the song.
No, it’s clumsy and lazy and designed to be populist in the exact same way songs like elevation are. Easily digestible radio fodder that does nothing for me at all.
Interestingly, U2 nearly threw out WOWY because they felt it wouldn’t work as a single. 5th member, Eno, or was it Gavin Friday, persuaded them otherwise. Proof positive, that you don’t have to write a clumsy tub thumping song like pride, to have a massive song on your hands.
Also, Adam Clayton had this to say about TUF where he addresses them being way too bombastic:
https://www.hotpress.com/music/happy-birthday-adam-clayton-revisiting-a-classic-1985-interview-22956701They were obviously aware but, sadly, hadn’t worked out by that point, that they could have released 4th July, and dropped pride, and still have been mega successful. I mean just look at the song TUF. It’s hardly conventional!
This is partly why some of War doesn’t work for me. Sunday Bloody Sunday, for example, has all the subtly of a brick.