What Song Benefits Most 'Live vs. Studio' Versions?

F Me In The Brain

hrd2imgn wrote:

personally Not For You is wayyyy better when you are there. I don't mean hearing it on a bootleg, I mean physically being there.

Best bootleg/live version is SNL 1994

I believe it was KROQ in LA that I listened to for a live show the band played right before they released that record....and the next day I kept playing Not For You over and over on my old Gibson classical...it stuck with me from that first listen. Thanks!

djklambake

F Me In The Brain wrote:

djklambake wrote:

I'd usually say either Yellow Ledbetter, because its such a fucking love fest when they play it live...

Or Elderly Woman behind the Counter in a Small Town... Just around the point in the song, "I just wanna scream HELLOOOOOOOO!"... Every time I hear that live it sends tingles down my spine...

Yup. I see you also flew up to the Vancouver show this year -- we got to see that open the show. Fantastic!

Yep! It was an OUTSTANDING opener!

riotact03

dwhite76 wrote:

In your condition, Im just surprised you had a thought at all

I would say that the Live Corduroy is better than the studio. I think most of early Pre-Binaural is all better live. Its just the kind of band they are

After reading the wall of text and then reading this, i just had to laugh so hard. +1. If i had to choose it would be Green Disease. I just love the light show that comes with the song!

drummerboy_73

Cavstarr313 wrote:

I like the way the changed "in my tree" during the Riot Act tour better than the studio version

:shock:

That is blasphemy!

I have to say Light Years, Do The Evolution, and Release are the ones I most prefer live.

Studio wise, there's never been a better performance of Breath than on the Singles soundtrack, in my opinion...

Sommerseth

I would have to say Porch. Wow.

Lament

I can't think of a single Pearl Jam song that I prefer the bootleg/live version to the studio version. In everybody's excitement over the never-ending stream of bootlegs from the last eleven years, it seems like a lot of people have seemed to lose sight of just how incredible a lot of their studio records are. The performances captured by the various producers over the years are nothing short of stunning, especially from 93-98. Talk about making a habit of catching lightning in a bottle over and over and over again...

(For the record, I'm not talking about being in the venue and listening to the song being performed right in front of you, I'm talking about listening back to live recordings. All of the various other, non-performance factors that come into play when you're present at a show make it too hard for me to genuinely compare studio vs. live in that case...)

Leezestarr313

I'm listening much more to live PJ than studio PJ and there are lots of songs that I prefer in the live versions. For example some stuff on Lost Dogs. I love each and every song of that album, but some of the studio versions sound kind of odd to me when compared to the live versions. Footsteps would be an example (sorry, thrilla :P ). Footsteps definitely benefits from being played live. And I loved In the moonlight in Alpine, that is also one song that I never really got into before I heard it live.
But maybe I feel like this cause I heard most of these songs in live versions before I listened to the album versions :shifty:
There are some songs where I prefer the studio versions, though. In my opinion, Indifference has never sounded better than on the album. There are great live versions of it, but to me, the studio version is perfect. (Although I must say, I'm spinning the PJ20 vinyl right now and Indifference is on and it's wonderful) The same goes for I got shit. This is one of my absolute faves and I went on a long search to find the perfect live version of it, but somehow never really found it. I prefer the early recordings of it, cause they used to play this song in a much slower pace. Loved to hear it in Toronto, though Corduroy or Nothingman are fantastic live, and I found a new love for Given to fly by listening to boots. And I equally love the studio and live versions of Release and Long Road.

In the end it's a matter of personal taste. I'd rather be at a PJ gig

PS: Please, PJ, re-issue Benny Hall on vinyl!

myra

Leeze wrote:

I'm listening much more to live PJ than studio PJ and there are lots of songs that I prefer in the live versions. For example some stuff on the second disc of Lost Dogs. I love each and every song of that album, but some of the studio versions sound kind of odd to me when compared to the live versions. Footsteps would be an example (sorry, thrilla :P ). Footsteps definitely benefits from being played live. But maybe I feel like this cause I got to listen to the live versions before I actually listened to the studio ones :shifty: And I love Benny Hall.
There are some songs where I prefer the studio versions, though. In my opinion, Indifference has never sounded better than on the album. There are great live versions of it, but to me, the studio version is perfect. The same goes for I got shit. This is one of my absolute faves and I went on a long search to find the perfect live version of it, but somehow never really found it. I prefer the early recordings of it, cause they used to play this song in a much slower pace. Nowadays it's one of the songs that is just played too fast, in my opinion. (I went crazy with joy, though, when they played it in Toronto, cause I was there.) Corduroy or Nothingman are fantastic live, and I found a new love for Given to fly by listening to boots. And I equally love the studio and live versions of Release and Long Road.

In the end it's a matter of personal taste. I'd rather be at a PJ gig

PS: Please, PJ, re-issue Benny Hall on vinyl!

Definitely agree with you there, Leeze !

I prefer most songs in their live renditions. This is especially true for Footsteps, probably for the same reason as you. My favorite rendition I guess will remain the first time I've heard this song, ie the 1993/11/17 New- Orleans version.
And Given to fly has reached anthem status live now - the build up is increased so much so that sometimes you even wonder if Ed will manage to 'bring it back home' and the studio version lacks the crowd input to me

Of the top of my head right now, the only songs I prefer the studio versions of are I got Id and Gone.
I disagree on Indifference though. I think I'd take the Bologna 2006 rendition over the studio version.

Vytis33

Do the Evolution gets my vote. Live dominates the studio version.

blueandwhite

Honestly, I find most PJ songs infinitely better live. If I had to choose though, Severed Hand, Not For You, Porch, NAIS, Long Road and Animal are songs I absolutely love live.

deserteddotse

All songs that gives Mike more room to do loooong solos are far better live...

Gold 26

Unquestionably Long Road & Sleight Of Hand.