I've seen the odd comment here and there regarding the album version of Pride and how it's actually a sped up version of the original recording, hence Bono's clean vocal on the chorus, etc. etc.
Now, I consider myself a pretty hardcore U2 fan and I haven't seen or heard anything to reinforce this theory other than some around here pointing it out. Just listening to it I could imagine it being the case, I mean it's probably Bono's best vocal performance...ever..but obviously studio magic and this and that. Still, the suggestion that he never actually hit those notes and performed that recording bothers me in a way that makes me feel uncomfortable. I've always looked to that album version to say "damn, Bono was (and is, obviously) a fantastic vocalist".
So, without further ado, evidence that Bono was in fact able to sing that clean and in that key and at that pitch in 1984. We've all seen this video before, but my favourite part of it has always been when they show the band working on Pride in (what I've always thought to be) Windmill Lane.
Start this video at about 14:15:
And compare with the album version (if you wanna just get to it, skip to 1:00:
Now, there may be evidence to point to the fact that Pride was recorded at a slower speed and was sped up (hence the pitch being higher), but you can clearly see there that Bono was able to hit that note in a clean way. The single version of the song might point to something else (there's the final chorus when the performance suddenly sounds more "live" and Bono's voice sounds a lot raspier), but to me the proof is in the pudding.
Finally, where's the evidence that it was sped up? Haven't been able to find it anywhere.
Thanks for reading. folks
Alex
