1993-early '94 version of Better Man

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thefin190
thefin190 Posts: 918
edited May 2011 in The Porch
I was listening to the bootleg of the Boston '94 show, and the version of Better Man that they play live is noticeably different than the studio version. Mainly, the first chorus includes the full band the way that the latter part of the song does.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wI4_OvVoEh8

This was one of the many songs from the show not put into the Vs./Vitalogy re-release. What are your thoughts on this version? I assume that Ed or the band must not like this version, but I find it preferable to the studio version. At the time, I think Ed struggled with the idea of even including it in an album, just because it sounded like too much of a pop song. He even wanted to donate the song to Greenpeace, or something like that.
Member Number: 437xxx

Pearl Jam:
Key Arena - Seattle, WA - Sep 21, 2009
Pacific Coliseum - Vancouver, BC - Sep 25, 2011
Key Arena - Seattle, WA - Dec 6, 2013

Eddie Vedder Solo:
Benaroya Hall - Seattle, WA - Jul 15, 2011
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  • Newch91
    Newch91 Posts: 17,560
    I think on the Vs/Vitalogy re-issue trailer, Brendan said Ed sent him a note that said the version they had recorded was "too fuckin' poppy". They re-recorded it with the organ intro. I think Brendan also talked about this on AET when he was on there.
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  • EvieVedder
    EvieVedder NW Indiana Posts: 461
    I went to the Ed solo show at the Auditorium theatre in chicago a couple years ago. He did a lullaby version of Betterman. It was so beautiful. I'm hoping he'll add it to the set when he comes back to chi-town in June. ;)
    Feel the sky blanket you with gems and rhinestones...
  • thefin190
    thefin190 Posts: 918
    EvieVedder wrote:
    I went to the Ed solo show at the Auditorium theatre in chicago a couple years ago. He did a lullaby version of Betterman. It was so beautiful. I'm hoping he'll add it to the set when he comes back to chi-town in June. ;)

    I heard an Aussie bootleg of his shows from a couple months ago. I believe he played the lullaby version at that show, so I think odds are he will play it again.
    Member Number: 437xxx

    Pearl Jam:
    Key Arena - Seattle, WA - Sep 21, 2009
    Pacific Coliseum - Vancouver, BC - Sep 25, 2011
    Key Arena - Seattle, WA - Dec 6, 2013

    Eddie Vedder Solo:
    Benaroya Hall - Seattle, WA - Jul 15, 2011
  • EvieVedder
    EvieVedder NW Indiana Posts: 461
    thefin190 wrote:
    EvieVedder wrote:
    I went to the Ed solo show at the Auditorium theatre in chicago a couple years ago. He did a lullaby version of Betterman. It was so beautiful. I'm hoping he'll add it to the set when he comes back to chi-town in June. ;)

    I heard an Aussie bootleg of his shows from a couple months ago. I believe he played the lullaby version at that show, so I think odds are he will play it again.

    I am def going to have to research that! I would love a copy for my collection. The only other place I could find the song was a crappy youtube video.
    Feel the sky blanket you with gems and rhinestones...
  • thefin190
    thefin190 Posts: 918
    Newch91 wrote:
    I think on the Vs/Vitalogy re-issue trailer, Brendan said Ed sent him a note that said the version they had recorded was "too fuckin' poppy". They re-recorded it with the organ intro. I think Brendan also talked about this on AET when he was on there.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8nlgr2H7 ... re=related

    Here's a link to that trailer incase anyone else was curious.

    It makes more sense after seeing that, even though I think the song would be considered poppy regardless of the intro. It managed to be one of PJ's most popular songs without being released as a single, so that should say something.
    Member Number: 437xxx

    Pearl Jam:
    Key Arena - Seattle, WA - Sep 21, 2009
    Pacific Coliseum - Vancouver, BC - Sep 25, 2011
    Key Arena - Seattle, WA - Dec 6, 2013

    Eddie Vedder Solo:
    Benaroya Hall - Seattle, WA - Jul 15, 2011
  • Divka
    Divka Posts: 200
    The early version sounded like the Bad Radio version of the song. I used to have a copy of it somewhere, but lost the tape. Don't have a tape player anymore, so I guess it wouldn't do me much good if I had it anyway.

    The first time I heard that song was the radio broadcast of the Atlanta show in 1994. Man, that was a lifetime ago.
    When the stars exploded billions of years ago, they formed everything that is this world. Everything we know is stardust...
  • GD274660
    GD274660 Posts: 514
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MU-dPK78U0E

    updated version of the lullaby version from last year's Bridge show with the full band
    San Jose 10/93, San Francisco 6/95, San Jose 11/95, St Louis 4/03, Columbus 5/10, MSGII 5/21/2010, Alpine Valley 09/03/2011 and 09/04/2011
  • Evacuation Rules
    Evacuation Rules Posts: 2,162
    The version on the album is the Atlanta performance, with overdubs and a new studio-recorded intro.
  • DriftingByTheStorm
    DriftingByTheStorm Posts: 8,684
    Divka wrote:
    The early version sounded like the Bad Radio version of the song. I used to have a copy of it somewhere, but lost the tape. Don't have a tape player anymore, so I guess it wouldn't do me much good if I had it anyway.

    The first time I heard that song was the radio broadcast of the Atlanta show in 1994. Man, that was a lifetime ago.

    Yup.
    Bad Radio - Better Man

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