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By Conor FitzPatrick
2006.12
Legends are made through the art of storytelling. Through the written and spoken word, the slightly more than ordinary becomes the unbelievably extraordinary. John F. Kennedy left a legacy and a legend. Led Zeppelin’s entire career is a legend. Bob Marley made an album called “Legend.” And U2’s “Acrobat” is, in my opinion, the epitome of a (U2) legend.
In 1990 and 1991, U2 needed a new direction. They were holed up in Berlin’s historic Hansa Studios, where David Bowie had solidified his fame with a little song called “Heroes.” After weeks of argument and indecision, the band was brought back together as a cohesive unit with the creation of “One,” one of the most recognizable songs of the 90s.
Depending on which U2 fanatic you speak with, the greatest album of all time is either “Achtung Baby” or “The Joshua Tree,” although a few oddballs will claim that “The Unforgettable Fire” or “Pop” are better, but they are merely living in denial. For those who choose the former, their explanation usually breaks down the brilliance of songs like “One,” “Until the End of the World,” “The Fly,” “Mysterious Ways,” and really every track on the album. Most often, these explanations are more than justified.
“Acrobat” separates the men from the boys, the disciples from the mere so-called devotees. It is a musical masterpiece that begins U2’s message of “dreaming out loud,” which is continued on the title track of 1993’s “Zooropa.” It has a slow buildup as well as an earth-shattering and characteristically short solo by The Edge, and is the emotional climax of an album that redefined what many called “the band of the 80s.”
What makes “Acrobat” a legend, though, is that U2 has never played it live in concert. Not on the enigmatic Zoo TV tour, not on the blockbuster Vertigo tour, not ever.
This practice was not an entirely new one for U2. “Drowning Man,” a lovely ballad off of 1983’s “War,” and 1987’s “Red Hill Mining Town” from “The Joshua Tree” were never played live either. The former was a song driven by the Edge’s acoustic guitar work and the violin of someone who is now just a footnote in U2’s extensive history. It probably would not have sounded great live, and would have required an extra paycheck for the violin player needed to play that one song. “Red Hill Mining Town” was never played live due to its difficult vocals and the fact that three guitars were needed to do it justice. U2 is primarily a one-guitar band; even though Bono sometimes chooses to hold a second guitar (he may or may not be playing it).
As to why “Acrobat” has never had its big live debut, we may never know the full truth. There really isn’t a clear reason. It has guitar, bass, drums and vocals. It wouldn’t be terribly difficult to perform live for an experimental band like U2.
My suspicion is that U2 doesn’t care about the legend of “Acrobat.” In fact, they probably aren’t entirely aware of it. This is a band that, as demonstrated by their change in direction with “Achtung Baby,” does not dwell on the past. When Bono says that he forgets the lyrics to certain songs, it isn’t because he has no desire to sing them. It’s because he actually doesn’t remember the lyrics. “Acrobat” was important to U2 in 1991 when it was recorded, yet it wasn’t even a single. Hence there would be no significant reason to play it now.
Live is where U2 lives, but certain songs are better left in the studio. For reasons unknown, “Acrobat” will always be one of these songs. It will always be a legend.
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Published on
12-11-2006 at 02:56 PM |
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12-11-2006 04:59 PM -
