The Circle: Tracks better live?

Looking at the circle songs we've seen performed live, do you prefer the album version or the live performances?

A quick personal analysis:

1. We Weren't Born To Follow - Sounds heavier live but lacks energy. I'd go for the album version.

2. When We Were Beautiful - Looks incredibly atmospheric live. I'd say live version best.

3. Work For The Working Man - With the awesome graphics the song seems to take on a degree of believability that the album version lacks. Live version.

4. Superman Tonight - Not sure, Jons vocals seems decent live but the album version is awesome. I reserve judgement.

5. Bullet - Sounds less overproduced live and Jon voice doesn't dissapoint. Live version.

6. Thorn In My Side - Live it looks awesome: pounding drums, plenty of guitar and the final Jon/Richie solo is fantastic. Live version owns.

7. Live Before You Die - Not performed live yet.

8. Brokenpromiseland - Some people love it live but Jon doesn't deliver it live IMO. Album version does it for me.

9. Love's The Only Rule - I didn't think he'd pull it off live, yet Jon manages it time and again, passionate and unexpected - phenomenal live track.

10. Fast Cars - Not performed live yet.

11. Happy Now - Has more energy and meaning live IMO. Also a suprisingly inspired opener. Live wins it.

12. Learn To Love - Not performed live yet.

Out of 9 songs:
Prefer 6 Live
Prefer 2 On Album
Reserve Judgement on 1

From that, I think I find the circle an album that comes across better live overall than on the album, which contributes as to why it is superior to HAND. Many of the Have a nice day tracks seemed a bit lacking live but TC has given us some of the best live Jovi songs in years.

Thoughts?

Yeah, I'd pretty much agree with all of that except I'd also say that Superman Tonight is better live. I'd also imagine that Brokenpromiseland will begin to work well live if and when it begins to be played more often.

The album works incredibley well live. I would love to see a live album released like LH.

Well in all fairness both of those points are probably true. I was just in 2 minds about superman, I might wait till o2 and see how it goes down. As for brokenpromiseland, it probably will improve but it'll be hard to top the album version.

That is true, I just rewatched the live version and it really isn't that good. One of the problems with albums like Bounce and HAND was the overproduction. The songs had so many layers that they worked just fine as a studio track but they fell apart live. Jon was also going through some changes vocally so while he could sound great in the studio, live every night wasn't so great.

Now on The Circle Jon's vocals are back to being in line with what he can reproduce in a live environment and the songs aren't smothered by being overproduced.

Just thinking back over the catalouge, on every album to Bounce, I would take basically every live version of a song over a studio version but on Bounce and HAND it's probably about 50-50, on a good night. The Circle is back to where I'd take virtually every song live over the studio version.

1. We Weren't Born To Follow - Live. It's a little slower in tempo, but the chorus sounds pretty good with Richie and Dave helping on the vocals.

2. When We Were Beautiful - Live. There isn't as many layers. The album version is over produced, but live it sounds pretty cool.

3. Work For The Working Man - Album version. I hate all versions of this song I've heard so far.

4. Superman Tonight - Live. Sounds decent.

5. Bullet - Live. It sounds better with fewer layers. Jon sings it well.

6. Thorn In My Side - Live. I like the sound of the guitar. The solo sounds good. It's got good energy, maybe played a little quicker than the album version.

8. Brokenpromiseland - Studio This sucks live because Jon can't hit the notes. He's out of key the whole way through the chorus. On the album version he pushes himself to hit those notes. It's just a prime example of Jon playing it safe live like he does with a lot of the old stuff live. The production is also good on this track on the album.

9. Love's The Only Rule - Album version. This is a decent live version but for the same reasons as Brokenpromiseland I prefer the album version.

11. Happy Now - Live. This definately has more energy live. I don't like the song though.


So I prefer 3 album versions to 6 live versions. I tend to prefer a band live anyway than on record as you get a much rawer, less perfect version of the song. A lot of modern day albums are over-produced and though they might sound fantastically clean it can take away a lot of the power and passion.

I'd take the studio version of Superman Tonight over the live version and I thought WWWB live was terrible when I saw it in Montreal. Maybe I'm in the minority...

I think that the Circle and Lost Highaway sound much better in live.

1. Born To Follow - Studio. This song sucks live, because of the lack of good back vocals the chorus sounds weak comparing to the studio version. This song sounds much better acoustic, I hope they're gonna be performing acoustic version of this song on the latter legs of the tour

2. Beautiful - live. It sounds really good, the "shalala" parts sound very alive. My only complain is that I feel it should be in encores and not that early in the main set.

3. Working Man - studio. I'm one of few people here that like this song. It sounds good on album. Much like Working Man, it sounds weak live, especially chorus.

4. Superman - studio. It's a tough one, both sound good, but studio version is great so I'm going with it, but i like this song live.

5. Bullet - i hate this song so i didn't bother to listen to it live.

6. Thorn - live, Richie's on fire!

7. Live before you die - i guess we'll wait and see

8. Brokenpromiseland - there was only one performance, which was pretty weak, but it was very early in the tour and I thing after a few attempts Jon would sound much better, so I'm yet to judge this one.

9. Love's the only rule - live, both versions sound great and even though i hate that Jone lowered the key on chorus, the extended lenght is great

10. Fast Cars - we'll see

11. Happy Now - live. great song, Jon nails it.

12. Learn To Love - i like this one on album and i'm really curious to hear how it sounds live.


The best song live for me so far - Love's the only rule