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u2 song ....be there

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imedi:
never heard this song before where is it from. http://youtu.be/8c5EWrV9iO8

OnlyU2:
It's an outtake from War.

EnduringChill:
I randomly discovered this song last week. Not sure if I like it, but it definitely sounds like early 80's U2. :D

Canadanne:
Here's a feature I once wrote about Be There:

*****

This song appears to be surrounded by myth and mystery - everyone has a different idea about when and with whom it was recorded. The U2 Encyclopedia says it's "Believed to be an early U2 song from 1981 or 1982", recorded in New York with Jimmy Destri of Blondie fame. Someone on SongMeanings.net links it to the same studio session in November 1981, but reckons the producer was Sandy Pearlman, which corresponds with information given on U2tours.com. Matt McGee wrote in his U2Diary blog that the song was finished during a session with Jimmy Destri, but in March 1982. U2Wanderer.org calls it a "1982 War Era Outtake". @U2.com says it's from the Unforgettable Fire era, "and was never released, although it was played live once". Interference.com says it was recorded "around the time of the Joshua Tree", and was actually performed live on the BBC at one point. Confused yet? Yeah, me too!

I guess we'll go with the most commonly accepted theory - that it was recorded on 22nd/23rd November 1981 during the North American leg of the October Tour, when U2 spent a couple of days at the Kingdom Sound Studio on Long Island, New York. (According to this site, they were so tired after working all day in the studio that their show at The Ritz that evening wasn't up to much!) Apparently the band weren't happy with the outcome of this session, and never released the track. The Edge mentions that it was developed around the same time as a couple of familiar songs:
"The Unforgettable Fire started off as a short piano piece, which was written when we were doing some very rough demos with Jimmy Destri from Blondie. (One was called Be There and another eventually became Endless Deep, the B-side of Two Hearts Beat As One.)"

Meanwhile Bono revealed the song's origins during an interview with Spin magazine, discussing how he used to improvise lyrics onstage:
"Well, maybe it is a particularly Irish thing to do. I was aware of the work of Joyce and Yeats. And even the music would change from night to night. Someone can just play one note at a soundcheck -- there was one song, written in Holland, that came like that. This roadie handed the Edge a guitar that was supposed to be in tune, but was actually in a different tuning than usual even though it was still harmonious. Edge struck the guitar. Once. I just immediately stopped the band and asked Larry to play a beat, and we just went into it. The tape recorder was rolling, and five minutes later there was a song with verse, chorus, lyrics, theme -- everything. It was called "Be There." Our manager just freaked."

It definitely sounds like an early recording to me - Bono's voice doesn't yet have the maturity of the UF/JT era, although he's clearly beginning to grow up as a songwriter. Indeed, you can see lyrical hints of songs that would come later ("All I want is you" being a clear example!). I'd love to hear Bono re-record the vocals now; I like the contrast between the quiet, tender verses and the ones he belts out emotionally, but I think he sounded a little unpolished at the time.

The music is pleasant enough, if nothing to write home about... it vaguely reminds me of Vienna by Ultravox in one or two places, though I might be completely imagining that!

As for that rumoured live version, I have no idea. Anybody ever come across it?

*****

imedi:
thx for info :)

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