"Live from Paris" - U2

Digital Album

Track Listing:

Background Information

On November 20, 2007, U2 released a remastered version of The Joshua Tree to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the album. Included in the deluxe box set was a DVD of their performance from Paris France, recorded July 4, 1987 at Hippodrome de Vincennes. It was the first official release of any material from this concert although parts of the concert had been previously broadcast live on British Television as part of the Island Records 25th Anniversary Celebration in 1987. The initial broadcast of the concert did not feature the entire performance.

A few months later, on July 22, 2008, the concert appeared for the first time in the iTunes store available as an audio download. The concert was initially released in 128kbps format, but was later upgradable to 256kbps format through the iTunes Plus program. Both the DVD that accompanied “The Joshua Tree” and “Live from Paris” feature the same 18 tracks. There are three songs which are not included from the Paris concert, “Stand By Me” (opening song of concert), “C’Mon Everybody” (second song of concert), and “Help!” (played between “The Electric Co.” and ““Bad”). All three songs edited out of the track listing are cover songs, and are likely not included due to rights issues.

During “With or Without You” someone ignites a smoke bomb of some sort and Bono reacts thinking that it is tear gas. He stops the show after singing the “Shine Like Stars” verse of “With or Without You” and after dealing with the tear gas incident goes on to sing more of the song, making up new lyrics as he goes, and eventually heading into “Love Will Tear Us Apart”. Other snippets included in this performance are “Exodus” during “I Still Haven’t Found”, Van Morrison’s “Gloria” during “Exit” and a bit of “Break on Through” during “The Electric Co.”

The release reached #54 on the U2 Billboard 200 charts in the week after its release based on digital sales alone. A unique cover was designed to accompany this release on iTunes using a photo outtake from the desert sessions photos by Anton Corbijn.

Liner Notes

Recorded at the Hippodrome de Vincennes, Paris on July 4, 1987. Music mixed by Richard Rainey

Artwork

Photograph by Anton Corbijn.

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