Bono: shrinking violet

from Slate.com-snippet from a Jody Rosen review of Mary J. Blige’s new album, The Breakthrough.

…Toward the end of the album, Blige encounters a heretofore immovable object: Bono. In a live recording from the Hurricane Katrina relief telecast, she joins U2, one of the few acts in the world with a comparable mastery of the grandiose, to perform “One.” Bono sings the song’s first verse beautifully. Blige then steps forward and steals the song from him completely-swooping, growling, leaping into a supple falsetto and unleashing spiraling melismas-recasting U2’s anthem as a troubled sister’s condemnation and lament. Bono may have planned to sing another verse; he doesn’t bother. What do you call a woman who can storm U2’s stage and reduce rock’s biggest ego to a shrinking violet? Diva seems too mild a word.

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7 Responses to “Bono: shrinking violet”

  1. kevhutch 13 January 2006 at 11:45 am permalink

    It’s true. Bono’s an amazing lyricist and unbelievable performer, but he needs to watch his step when he’s doing duets with great singers like her.

  2. JennJam 14 January 2006 at 1:00 pm permalink

    I may get flamed for this, and so be it, but I did not like the way Mary J. sang “One” during the relief concert.

    However, I was at the 10/8 show at MSG when she came on stage to sing with the band and I thought she did an amazing job, there. I think her performance that night blew the relief concert’s away . . .

  3. Tassoula 14 January 2006 at 9:16 pm permalink

    Jennjam, I actually had the same reaction.

    I was very underwhelmed by the Katrina relief concert performance, then U2 brought her out at the November 5 Vegas show (which I attended) and I loved her. She was incredibly powerful in person…

  4. Kelly 15 January 2006 at 6:11 am permalink

    Really? When she sang at the Katrina performance, I felt like I was hearing the song for the first time. Framed in that context and with her delivery, the lyrics took on a new meaning for me as well. She became the voice of the survivors, and the sorrow, rage, and power in her vocals were a revelation to me.

  5. m2 15 January 2006 at 7:26 pm permalink

    I’m with Kelly - loved the Katrina performance. But I also need to get around to buying the version on her album, too. I’m curious about it.

  6. AJ 16 January 2006 at 4:46 am permalink

    The version on her album is the same one as from the Katrina relief concert. The vocals when compared to the one released on the DVD of the relief concert are identical.

  7. Kelly 16 January 2006 at 5:59 am permalink

    A gospel choir has been added into the mix near the end of the song, but they’re not a huge presence.

    I really like her new album. One song, “I Found My Everything”-wow. 21st century Aretha right there.