Best Thing (Kygo vs. U2)

[slaneman]

Ok. I just listened to a nice 320K full copy and the first thing I noticed is that this new remix by Kygo is not the one he first played at the Cloud Nine Festival a while ago that got pulled from YT over and over (but everyone got a copy...)

(Kygo vs. U2) is essentially a remix of the single version. The first remix was from an earlier U2 mix. Let's call that Kygo I.

You'll need to read Aaron's account to make some sense of the history (so far) of YTBTAM

http://www.u2songs.com/discography/u2_youre_the_best_thing_about_me_single

Kygo I had a faster tempo and apparently used earlier, different lyrics.
Wonder if that version will ever see some kind of 'official' release?

[George]

Ok. I just listened to a nice 320K full copy and the first thing I noticed is that this new remix by Kygo is not the one he first played at the Cloud Nine Festival a while ago that got pulled from YT over and over (but everyone got a copy...)

(Kygo vs. U2) is essentially a remix of the single version. The first remix was from an earlier U2 mix. Let's call that Kygo I.

You'll need to read Aaron's account to make some sense of the history (so far) of YTBTAM

http://www.u2songs.com/discography/u2_youre_the_best_thing_about_me_single

Kygo I had a faster tempo and apparently used earlier, different lyrics.
Wonder if that version will ever see some kind of 'official' release?

I can't imagine it coming up in anything by an archival release many years from now.  Really, we've only ever got a handful of "demo" versions ever released (I'm thinking of The Complete U2 HTDAAB rarities and the "Kindergarten" versions of the Achtung Baby tracks), let alone what was essentially a demo remix of a demo track.

But we can hope.  My "demo" hope remains an EP of whatever of all the new songs that were debuted on the 360 tour.

[miryclay]

Ok. I just listened to a nice 320K full copy and the first thing I noticed is that this new remix by Kygo is not the one he first played at the Cloud Nine Festival a while ago that got pulled from YT over and over (but everyone got a copy...)

(Kygo vs. U2) is essentially a remix of the single version. The first remix was from an earlier U2 mix. Let's call that Kygo I.

You'll need to read Aaron's account to make some sense of the history (so far) of YTBTAM

http://www.u2songs.com/discography/u2_youre_the_best_thing_about_me_single

Kygo I had a faster tempo and apparently used earlier, different lyrics.
Wonder if that version will ever see some kind of 'official' release?

Slaneman, I wouldn't put too much thought into mixes or versions in the 21st Century. These mixes are like crumpled paper in a dustbin compared to a finished manuscript. There could be hundreds of tweaks and boosts and none of them really mean anything.

[Brad]

I imagine they asked him to remix it once they finalized the vocal track.

They had a "final" studio version meant for release last fall and then cancelled it, IIRC.

[morgan1098]

In addition to the fact that Kygo I is based on an earlier version of U2's track, I also think there's a certain degree of "improvisation" that occurs during a live DJ mix. So it's not likely that the remix that was released last week would sound exactly like the live version anyway.

I have another theory about the mixes of this song. In a couple of the radio interviews, both Bono and Edge mentioned that the version of "You're the Best Thing" they were planning to release was more smooth and polished, and at the last minute they stripped it back to more of a band sound. I think the "Sci Fi Soul Mix" is probably the smoother version. In other words, I wouldn't be surprised if the "sci fi soul mix" was actually the planned album version until they changed course at the last minute.

[Brad]

Yeah, I have wondered the same thing. I actually like that mix.

[Aaron]

In addition to the fact that Kygo I is based on an earlier version of U2's track, I also think there's a certain degree of "improvisation" that occurs during a live DJ mix. So it's not likely that the remix that was released last week would sound exactly like the live version anyway.

I have another theory about the mixes of this song. In a couple of the radio interviews, both Bono and Edge mentioned that the version of "You're the Best Thing" they were planning to release was more smooth and polished, and at the last minute they stripped it back to more of a band sound. I think the "Sci Fi Soul Mix" is probably the smoother version. In other words, I wouldn't be surprised if the "sci fi soul mix" was actually the planned album version until they changed course at the last minute.

The earlier version of "YTBTAM" that was intended for the record, and was heard through listening sessions this summer remains unreleased.  The version released was a result of a last minute recording session, and the Sci-Fi Soul Mix came out of that same session.  I've confirmed with people present at those listening sessions that what we got is not what was being played up to the start of August.