U2 Bad (Wide Awake in America version) live in 1985

[DickieAnginson]

I have a ticket stub for U2 dated Monday, April 8, 1985 at the Capital Centre (since demolished) in Washington, D.C.

Price (including tax) - $13.50

Now THAT was a long time ago!

[slnhn]

oh, the mullet. Why???

[redfishradical]

How can you NOT respect a band who came out of the end of the punk rock era yet puts their trust in Brian Eno (a founding father of art rock) to create a song which is nothing but transitions between a couple of chords?! Really holds up well, still just a brilliant, simple piece of art.

[m06een00]

What is there to say, other than U2 were already at the top of their game musically. And they still had another 2 years to go before they really became 'mega'. Brilliant performance!

[simionTheOne]

the old U2 and this version in particular is what defines U2 in the first place, this is probably one of the best songs ever made and this live version is beyond any song (live recorded) i've ever heard

[antonioryck]

JUST DRIFT AWAY. LOVE IT, CHANGE IT, OR LEAVE IT! PERFECT LYRIC.

[misscucciolabella]

U2........ONLY!!!! THE BEST!!!!!!!!

[MrMathias112]

Whenever I turn on the radio and this song is on, I cry of happiness and joy. U2 is the greatest. Ever

[TheEmeraldDuke]

2 chords, 1 song, brillliance............

[LLLeagueSports]

This version was recorded at a soundcheck in Stockholm. The crowd noise was 'added' later. True story.

[Fakename70]

@LLLeagueSports

I think you mean "A Sort Of Homecoming" from the same EP, don't you? That version was reportedly recorded at soundcheck 15 November, 1984 at Wembley, with the crowd noise dubbed-in later by the great Tony Visconti. Regardless, Wide Awake In America --- 'though it contains but 2 "live" tracks --- is easily one of the best live releases by any band or artist from the 1980's. "The Three Sunrises" is another gem that wouldn't have been at all out of place on The Unforgettable Fire.

[ponybloke]

great song pity he turned into a total cock!!!!!

[9GodsMusic]

this was the first song I ever saw in a live performance- U2 is anthemic and powerful. they will always "set my spirit free"

[angeldelanoche155]

una de las canciones mas brillantes de u2

[TheEmeraldDuke]

2 chords, one song but a lifetime memory... brilliant

[LCONBEN]

Bono rockin' the power mullet



[Jeda1066]

A beautiful version. Full of the light vibration of love. Rock on U2. I was 15 when I watched this live on TV and will never forget it as long as I live. @ luieu - that's amazing - wow! you got your strength from this song and I know why. love to you.

[momolooooo]

saved ur life/ MY ASS

[feetboy67]

@momolooooo your ass need to be washed... shut up now and go listening Justin Bieber

[laurajasont1]

as a soldier in cold war europe this song changed my whole perspective on things. "If they should ask well maybe they tell me what I should say......" Very provacative!

[momolooooo]

save my life my ass beggin thumbs up retards

[darrenrawes]

one of the very best.......

[santiagokader74]

larger more than a song.... this song is with me from my 15 ´s ,its part of my life...

[tarquin402]

epic

[MyBestBUDDYIsAGoat]

chills...

[EssiacHempLaetrile]

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhh I LOVE THIS SONG :)

[vampireseras]

And this is live. Genius.

[thurin68]

this gives me goose pimples

[tomyavenda]

I will always feel free an live when I listen to U2. This band will last forever!! The best band ever!

[zooteraudio]

I will always know im alive when I listen to U2.

[doeberik]

let it go...let it faith away.

[superclaydude]

@doeberik FADE away :)

[MrShuggz]

even after all these years still world class



[Iluvbisquits]

I love crankin' up this song when I'm drunk off my ass and lovin' life!  SPOILER ALERT: I'm drunk off my ass!!!

[MissStringHappy]

i cant and never will find a BAD version 37yrs old now i was 11 when i got into U2 Live Aid 85 this stil puts shivers down my spine

[novaberbe]

best version of bad after the studio one... imo anyway...

[boomshanka9]

Best bloody song he ever wrote. I miss the old Bono, but, I suppose he's done what we've all done...gotten older. Still, this was such a high point. I guess that I'm one of the fans that gave up after Achtung Baby, and I liked that one with reserve. But this song...bliss.

[raeduarte]

@boomshanka9  DITO

[prestwoodwolf]

@boomshanka9 yep, the new stuff on Rattle and Hum was poor for me and Achtung Baby was a chance to ressurect, sadly in my opinion it didnt. But then again how can you top The Joshua Tree?

[MrUndercoverblues]

@boomshanka9 ??? Achtung was one of the defining and greatest rock albums ever... I know music is subjective, but Achtung conquered all when it came onto the scene and left all in its wake. It affected musicians from hip hop to metal and all parts in between.

[paddy9i99]

@MrUndercoverblues The accompanying ZOO TV tour wasn't too bad either!

[LLLeagueSports]

Third best Bad out there behind Self Aid and Live Aid



[9wicket]

Greg Carroll working hard in this clip.. RIP.

[beppetoer1950]

the best song ever!!!!!!!!!

I was so lucky to see them twice

[iHDAS]

Pure......



[moreland100]

adam clayton is unbelivable in this track, listen to him.

[GT1004]

Diggin Claytons Hair!!

[GT1004]

They played this often on Vertigo and Elevation tours.. Not on 360 (but did just play impromptu in Pitt on last US show

)

[ladyactor]

HOW COULD ANYBODY (IN THEIR RIGHT MINDS) NOT LOVE THIS BAND?!?! iT defies logic & reason!!

[morpoo05]

I was just at their concert in Pittsburgh, and it's AMAZING how much more technological their concerts have become. I still would have loved to see them back then, though.

[morpoo05]

@morpoo05 They played this song in Pittsburgh, by the way.

[TeleMA50c]

So disappointed they haven't been playing this as of late. This song (the live version anyway) is very possibly my favorite pre-Achtung Baby U2 song.

[mrsirsdog]

I bought the cassette "wide awake in america" when I was 14.  My sister and I wore the ink off it from playing it and flipping it until cd's were made available. Truly an incredible, emotional tune that can make your eyes well up !

[boabietugger]

My first U2 purchae at 16 was "Wide Awake In America". 4 tracks, the first of both are outstanding, it was my first realisation of just how powerful Bad is. The best ever live U2 song with so much power.

[MegaPoone]

The word live doesn't do justice to this.

[luieu2]

This song saved my life in 85 ,i was 16 suicidal but this song saved me and still does, till the day i die thanks U2 :-)

[ofthecosmos]

@luieu2 I'm glad you're still here. :)

[alexman24893]

@luieu2 I loved it man, it summons so much emotions, from the lyrics you can can take away the fact that people feel that when they loose something special.

[39LFC]

@luieu2 My fav u2 song and your's ;)

[bigpoppa2112]

back before U2 got all self important and bono needed to feel special and have the politicians kissing his ass.

[ricktwinxy]

16 ppl will never wided awake

[melcdn73]

LIKE this post if you really like Bono's mullet

[copirodi]

music can't get any better than this

[bribos99]

I mighta been one of the last people on the planet to jump on the U2 bandwagon...slow learner I guess. But I point to the first time I heard the live version of Bad from Wide Awake in America on the radio in LA as the eye-opener. It has all the ingredients to be the best song ever: Great road song...eats up miles. Great party song: couples gettin together, or the party crowd clapping and toking and drinking. Beautiful lyrics, great song to have playing in the background...it has it all!

[fastfreddy918]

this is by far U2's best song... loves it i does.. woo hoo so let it go

[ufewl]

Simply brilliant.

[sandyeagle62]

ALL TIME FAVORITE.. LOVE LOVE LOVE...i forced everyone to listen to U2 and converted all my friends and this song over and over and over and till today still blast Still the very best. like amontie69 i still get chills from this song. 

[nufcrg]

@sandyeagle62 best version of one of the greatest songs ever made. turn down the light and play. you just drift away. absolutely perfect

[paddy9i99]

Back when Bono sang like an Angel !

[Buurzalbai]

i say they are "even better than the real thing" - The Beatles. ;)

[amontiel69]

This song literally saved my life back in 1985. I mean it literally. Thank you, U2. I still get chills every single time I listen to this song. Thank you, I am still around thanks to this song

[marilynvibe]

the best band ever.absoultely wonderful.I love love love love love U2

[luieu2]

This song is U2s DNA !

[BonoWeCanBeOne]

U2 = the band that will forever be the greatest

[mick788194]

@BonoWeCanBeOne WRONG.

[magoo889]

Yes Greg Carroll was a roadie with U2 from New Zealand and Yes One Tree Hill was written in his memory. RIP

[ScooterandSparky]

Is that Greg Carroll (for whom One Tree Hill was written) @ 3:08 ?

[ScooterandSparky]

Think of how many roadies/ Cable wranglers were put out of a job once they went to wireless mikes? ;-) (Great video, thanks for posting and the memories!)

[luieu2]

This song saved my life thanks U2 :-)

[smithdvr]

i was 13 in 1985 and first got into U2 these guys have made the soundtrack to my life.

By far the best original Rock n Roll group in the world.

Awesome.

[MRBLAKFOX45]

Question: Why does the beginning of the video claim this one as the live aid version? This version of Bad was recorded in The National Exhibition Centere in Birmingham, England. Live Aid was live at Wembly Stadium, London. Also, this version was from a 1984 concert, not an '85 concert. I'm sorry, I'm not trying to be 'that guy" but I thought I'd just let you know :)

[GlissonL]

@MRBLAKFOX45 I'm not seeing Live Aid mentioned anywhere. This apparently doesn't allow the posting of links here in the comments but I suggest you find the u2gigsdotcom website and there you will be able to look up the songs performed at each show, more information about each show (this one was Nov 12, 1984 btw), and the occasions each song was performed. This was about the seventeenth time Bad was performed live at a concert (and obviously before the Live Aid performance.)

[magoo889]

@MRBLAKFOX45 This was from The EP Wide Awake in America, hense the American spelling of Center at the beginning. A classic has the same.....

[BaseballPie]

16 people ARE sleeping.

[dzcoke]

@BaseballPie the 16 ppl that dislike this are not sleeping...they are in coma

[simionTheOne]

try & find this live version on the wide awake in america mini lp or cd or wathever

the quality of this first song is just .. wow

best u2 song, for me this was their peak in their carreer.

[TonyMok66]

Bob Geldof at 3:08

[octobillyplatypus]

My first concert was a U2 CONCERT...I was 7 years old :D

[sugarbean13]

As soon as Edge comes in [so pretty much right away] I get chills. My favorite song by far!

[moorebuilder]

All time favorite!

[panchobriano]

one of the greatest songs ever..period

[Anfabiana]

En ARGENTINA TE AMAMOS BONO♥!!!!!!!

[murfbox]

:')

[kentishbloke]

I saw them perform this at Live Aid 85..in my opinion the most important turning point in their career :)

[DumpsDailyDump]

@kentishbloke

Great day, great performance for sure. I just wish the DVD release of Live Aid did not cut off the end of the performance to show Phil leaving for the States.

[twilightaddiction001]

I wish I was born somewhere in the sixties so I could have seen this. and all their other amazing concerts. seriously, I was totally born in the wrong decade...I missed the beatles, Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, The rolling stones, U2 and Nirvana, and got Lady Gaga instead.

anyways, this is AMAZING and one of my all-time favorites. U2 has the best music, I love them!

[mediblue9]

@twilightaddiction001 You are definitely not a minority?

[Green72Buick]

@mediblue9 Lady Gaga= ripoff copy of Madonna

[twilightaddiction001]

@mediblue9 I know that :)

[rainbowdragon131065]

Pure Magic.

[ryanzeelee]

That's some fine editing...Cos that's def studio sound!!

[HolaDeco]

@ryanzeelee Nope, Wide Awake in America was a *live* EP

[adribono]

@HolaDeco 2 live songs + 2 studio songs. Only 4 Songs but a brilliant work.

[HolaDeco]

@adribono Yes, but the live songs were left as is. It may have been recorded from the sound mix, but was not edited

[yarxi1]

To Looseliam...and so a band can't talk about herion addiction in their songs. I still stand pat about them being a christian rock band.

[reverb1974]

Amazing! Heard this in burnfield, Glasgow around 1985. A wee guy I knew played it out of his bedroom window on a summers day, it just floated through the park! Unforgettable. Mkaes me feel like crying, but also meks me feel that anything is possible! U2 best of all time

[YoMamaBeenLurkin]

Definitely wide awake

[yarxi1]

Christian music at it's best.

[looseliam]

@yarxi1 Christian? You know it's about heroin addiction, right?

[ChampBurgundy14]

Is this a new band?? These guys are pretty good.

[michirish1970]

i loooooooove u2

[Sloppify]

Incredible.

[magoo889]

I am 42 now and was in Dublin in 1985 and 87 when this live version was belted out. The hair still stands on my neck when I hear it. The best U2 song bar none.

[bworei]

@magoo889  THANK YOU! streets is amazing live, but bad is better still, IMO. it's my dream to hear it live. been to 4 shows, but no luck yet. holding out hope for oakland on june 7!

[ofthecosmos]

@bworei Any luck w/ bad in Oakland? :)

[bworei]

@ofthecosmos hey, thanks for asking! no, unfortunately. it seems they only play it when the vibe's just right. it definitely wasn't that night. the band was into it, but not the crowd. would have been the perfect ending to the week had they played it. in the 4 days prior to the concert, i got a chance to visit the harmony motel, 7th and main in LA (where streets was filmed), THE joshua tree, zabriskie point and bodie. well, there's always next tour. cheers!

[bworei]

@ofthecosmos nope, thus retaining its place at the top of my bucket list. :(

[taffyspark]

@magoo889 I fecking bet they were dude!!! G.

[thespiralgoeson]

@magoo889 I was fortunate enough to see them in Dublin in 2009 and when they played this song I was moved to tears. First time that ever happened to me at a concert.

[bellis78414]

@thespiralgoeson

Same thing happened to me back in April 01 during Elevation tour



[TooferMan]

@magoo889 Right there with you. BEST SONG EVER WRITTEN.

[CCubed1717]

15 people have no souls.

[bellybroom]

one of the few songs where the live version is better than the studio version.

[Sloppify]

@bellybroom

Agreed.

[boomshanka9]

What the hell happened to U2? I miss them like this. Best song ever, too.

[Christiaan25]

15 people are really sad.

[mowntainmancr]

Can you feel the love?

[DoctorAerogel]

absolutely the best version...even better than studio album

[ham123see]

epic intro with the edge

[reelglad4ever]

STELLAR!!

[SuperPizzo90]

the best version of bad for me!!!

[1loudguy]

The performance at the LA Sports Arena in 1987 was brilliant!

[ham123see]

15 people arent wide awake, they must be on heroin, here, its a song called bad, it will help ya!

[SuperAmullins]

i heard this song right before i went to my first AA meeting in 2006. almost five years later 20 months sober, moved across the country, starting over after leaving a family business, battling with my wife's cancer this song still gives me strength to keep fighting the good fight:) U2 for life!

[fmlaker1]

U2 is significant contribution to Irish famous and glamour music..

[BBQFanNo1]

5000 years from now Music from 1900 to 1999 will still be remembered the most. 2000 to Present will be long forgotten.

[BBQFanNo1]

Elvis Presley,The Beatles,The Rolling Stones,Led Zeppelin,and U2 will still be talked about 5000 years from now if God should tarry the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.

Justin Bieber and Lady Gaga will be hasbians little talked about if any in Music history many Centuries and Millenia before.

[BBQFanNo1]

Just as 1969 impacted the 1960's and history like no other year before or after, 1985 impacted the 1980's and history like no other year before or after.

[BBQFanNo1]

In my personal belief opinion this song will forever be my favorite U2 song.

In 1974 when you go to his biography life story you can seriously understand what he went through when you hear this most powerful song of U2

[Gplusrdsquared]

U2 were so great then. Someone may have doubled the black bar on this:)

[BBQFanNo1]

Although this song actually describes heroin addiction it can also describe another darkest reality of human nature and the universe.

[BBQFanNo1]

15 dislike people of this song are completely lost conscience very bad.

[metixaras]

amazing song...so real....you can almost feel his pain..

[freedumnevafree]

couldn't have picked a better band to like, and to look up to, growing up. THe greatest band to walk the earth and the best song in history.

[sspu512]

A perfect example of how U2 sound even better live

[magoo889]

I grew up listening to U2. Im 42 now, but this song always makes the hair on my neck stand up. A classic from a great band

[oisinparis]

@magoo889 I grew up listening to them too. I wish I had hair left on my head to stand up.

[umbertorock96]

This is the best song of the story of the music !

[bigua8190]

@umbertorock96 `

I coincide you.....

[5AmSuN]

U2. I love you! :)

[veddfer38]

Wow, thats Greg carrol looking up, watching and being protective, love ya Greg

[reverb1974]

Amazing.

Takes troubles and gives inspiration. SING - LET IT GO!!!!

[HelterSkelterSOR]

15 people are gay justin bieber fans

[ofthecosmos]

@HelterSkelterSOR I don't think Bono & Co. would appreciate a supposed fan using the word "gay" as an insult. . .and I why can't I go to a single thread on YouTube w/o the kid being brought up? He's irrelevant.

[sysrq120]

Sounds like slow version of where the streets have no name

[scottfaefife]

FAN FUCKING TASTIC

[bigua8190]

@scottfaefife

jajajajajajaja

[ccr10rug]

Amazing

[supposta200]

brividiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii

[babybluecebu]

what i wouldn't give to be in that room. just so the music wouldn't have to take me somewhere else. being right there would be enough.

[wkrp71]

The studio version of Bad doesn't do this or any live version justice. In ways, the live version has much more power and melody.

Though I'm not sure if it was intended, but I think it's cool this video features the band's roadies and the work they do behind the scenes. Thanks U2 for briefly highlighting the work these many people do behind the scenes, and as one who has done that kind of work (both as a drummer and tech), it's NOT glamorous.

not "Bad", but Fantastic!

[ishaan719]

AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[lhiannon82]

Stomping my feet to the music. I love this song!

[U2jr]

nice mullet

[clabotorcido]

Just genial music!!

[mintybartlam]

Bongo's such a fuckin ham. Bless him.

[Duncan038]

F*****g quality

[propanecan]

I got chills when I heard this song the first time back in '85 and I still get chills every time I hear it 25 years later.

[vickirussociplickas]

I do too! I was there and can still hear it.

[severina726]

@propanecan Same here. Brilliant