comparing live and studio versions

[stuart7]

Looking at the Cincinnati set list, here's what I think are better live versions than the studio and vice versa:

Better live:
Juniors Farm
All My Loving
Jet
Sing the Changes
Let Me Roll It
Long & Winding Road
1985
Here Today
Dance Tonight
Mrs. Vanderbilt
Obla di Obla da
Back in the USSR (close call)
Let it Be
Live & Let Die
Helter Skelter
Golden Slumbers/Carry That Weight/The End (by a mile)

Better in the studio
Hello Goodbye
Drive My Car
Paperback Writer
Let Em In (close call)
Maybe I'm Amazed
I've Just Seen a Face
I Will (close call)
Blackbird (close call)
Something
Band on the Run
I've Got A Feeling (needs John's voice)
Day in the Life
Hey Jude
Lady Madonna (needs brass)
Day Tripper (Paul's voice can't quite do it now)
Yesterday (needs real strings)

So, it's 50:50

[panposs]

Maybe I'm Amazed is definitely better live!

[Awesoman]

I always preferred hearing the Band On The Run tracks live (especially with his current band) to the studio versions. The studio version of "Let Me Roll It" bores me; it sounds tedious and sparse. It works much better live and is probably one of my favorite McCartney songs based solely on said live performances. Yes, it is over-played at the concerts, but McCartney and band have always managed to breathe new life into this tune with each tour. The studio version of "Jet" is decent but I never cared for the jarring production. It was always meant to be played live.

[bravefan]

Maybe I'm Amazed from the WOA tour is as good as it gets live.

[chris]

maybe i'm amazed absolutely works better live. even now it is better than the studio version.

and let me roll it is a crowd favorite. there is an audible gasp when he starts this gem live in concert. and this band continues to evolve while playing it, it is just a wee bit different every time he does it.

just to throw my two cents in, nearly every song he chooses to do live will be better. even now. the atmosphere, the sounds, the smells (seriously, have you ever been to wrigley?), the people...it is just better.

[ProgRocker]

Let 'Em in was definitely better live!

But otherwise, I agree with that list.

[hbb28]

Gotta disagree on 1985- studio version way better!

[derekjdavis]

I'd say almost all of the songs he does live are better sounding than the studio. The best version of "Maybe I'm Amazed" is on the Back in the U.S. album. That's just fact. Listen to it. It's basically almost the only version I listen to anymore. The only one I'd agree with is "1985". It's awesome live, but the studio version is better.

His voice can't 'do' Day Tripper?! He friggin' rocks that song harder than any studio performance could. "Band on the Run" from the Back in the U.S. album is definitely better. Actually almost all of the recordings from that C.D. His voice was prime. Jet, Back in the USSR, Lady Madonna, and Hey Jude are all better than the studio versions. That version of "Jet" is perfect and is definitely his strongest vocal performance of that song on record.

Just as an opinion, I love the version of 'Sing the Changes' from GENYC. However, actually during the concerts I've been to (Hollywood Bowl 3/31/2010 & AT&T Park 7/10/2010) that song sounded very poor. Even people I went to see the concert with have still said they remember that being a bad highlight of the concert.


Derek

[efghijiloveyou]

All My Loving is far better in the studio with all four Beatles than Paul live with his current band . As for the other songs I'll take the studio versions as well.

[james1985]

The best version of "Maybe I'm Amazed" is on the Back in the U.S. album. That's just fact. Listen to it. It's basically almost the only version I listen to anymore.