Subdued Ed vs. Happy Ed Options

[LiveForNow]

It's no secret Ed's voice has changed over the years, but one factor that explains why Ed just doesn't sound the same is that, to me, he used to sing more subdued than he does now.

Here's Ed in 1994 singing All Over You. Subdued.

http://youtu.be/Ph_W7bvlyD8

Now here's him in 2008. Happy as a whistle, smiling, singing it loud and proud like the song is a celebration number.

http://youtu.be/OzwKBemT5xg

As you can hear, the notes change as he changes his mood. The song just isn't the same.

But here's the thing. Ed still has the ability to sing subdued. Here's an example of Ed singing Lightning Crashes in 2012, happy:

http://youtu.be/LSfN6qpdLUE

Now here's him in 2014, subdued:

http://youtu.be/WzY8Z30oWH0

It's a NIGHT AND DAY DIFFERENCE. Ed singing joyfully sounds terrible, but when he sings subdued, it's much much closer to the old Live we know and love.

This isn't just true for old Live stuff. It's true for Ed's solo stuff too.

Here's subdued Ed singing his 2013 single Seven:

http://youtu.be/foWSThaHyNE?t=28m35s

Now here's happy Ed singing Seven:

http://youtu.be/pE1X5t5YkSA

Again, subdued Ed blows the pants off Happy Ed, and the subtle difference makes him sound much more like Live-era Ed.

This does give me hope that Ed will return to singing in his old style. The videos I was seeing between 2008-2012 tend to feature happy Ed. But in the last year I've seen more and more vidoes of subdued Ed making a comeback.

One important thing to point out. The videos I posted of subdued Ed singing Seven and Lightning Crashes came from a 40 minute interview on Rover's Morning Glory. It's the only interview I've seen where Ed was really pressed hard about the breakup and why they don't get back together. Maybe it takes getting under Ed's skin to get him to sing that way. Or he was just tired. Or he was trying something different. Who knows?

[sellingthdrama]

I think you're on to something. This year I've noticed a difference in his live performances. I wouldn't have described it as subdued, but - different - and better - and closer to old Ed.

Yeah, there was something about this super-happy-fun Ed where the singing wasn't nearly as good as it used to be. Checkout his pinkpop 2014 on youtube, you may like it (some of it, not all of it). Fair warning, though, it does have a full orchestra. I like it but others may not.

He did a chill-inducing Lightning Crashes for a radio station called Triple M recently but the video on the website is down. It was the closest to old-Ed I'd heard in a while.

This post has been edited by sellingthdrama: Aug 13 2014, 3:06 pm

[LiveForNow]

I think you're on to something. This year I've noticed a difference in his live performances. I wouldn't have described it as subdued, but - different - and better - and closer to old Ed.

Yeah, there was something about this super-happy-fun Ed where the singing wasn't nearly as good as it used to be. Checkout his pinkpop 2014 on youtube, you may like it (some of it, not all of it). Fair warning, though, it does have a full orchestra. I like it but others may not.

He did a chill-inducing Lightning Crashes for a radio station called Triple M recently but the video on the website is down. It was the closest to old-Ed I'd heard in a while.

Yeah I looked for the Triple M version when compiling the post but was bummed to see it taken down. The Radioactive cover is awesome.

I hear what you're saying about Pinkpop but the orchestra was such a distraction for me. I'll give it another shot though.

I really want to hear him sing All Over You subdued. I love the studio version because I always interpreted the song as a sad/painful love he's describing, but the way he sings it now it's as happy a love as the love he feels in Heaven.

A super nitpicky note on his Lightning Crashes performances: The line in the studio version is "The confusion that was hers, belongs now, to the baby down the hall," but for awhile Ed changed it in concerts to "some baby down the hall," which drove me crazy because they mean totally different things. "The baby" really connected the two distinct hospital scenes: the birth and the death. But "Some baby" implies they're disconnected. Any who, this year Ed changed it back to "The baby," so all is well with the world again.

I will also say that his band is much better than it was when I saw him three years ago. The drummer especially keeps with the pacing much better than the previous one, who looked like he was holding on to dear life at times. Zak Loy is also a great guitarist, although he moves around like crazy on stage, which plays weird on YouTube. Maybe it works well in person though.

[sellingthdrama]

Actually, sorry pinkpop 2014 is not a great example now that I'm re-watching it. He's a bit more happy-poppy than I recalled. But checkout TDB at pinkpop, that's pretty chill.

I know what you mean, though, with the videos mentioned above and that now non-existent Triple M performance. I do feel something has changed for the better.

Overall, basically, he's changed the tone of the performance. Mostly now it's happy-poppy, whereas before it was more serious and dramatic. I feel like before Ed's focus was on the music and the performance, and now it's more about him enjoying his time on stage by smiling and gyrating - but at the cost of the music and performance. Almost like he doesn't give the songs their due; like he doesn't respect them - or feel them.

I know a lot of people think CS with CCP is like karaoke, but Ed today sounds like karaoke of Ed 20 years ago. And if you watch CCCP, CS feels the songs. He takes it seriously. I just don't get that from Ed nowadays.

[alexou]

Actually, sorry pinkpop 2014 is not a great example now that I'm re-watching it. He's a bit more happy-poppy than I recalled. But checkout TDB at pinkpop, that's pretty chill.

I know what you mean, though, with the videos mentioned above and that now non-existent Triple M performance. I do feel something has changed for the better.

Overall, basically, he's changed the tone of the performance. Mostly now it's happy-poppy, whereas before it was more serious and dramatic. I feel like before Ed's focus was on the music and the performance, and now it's more about him enjoying his time on stage by smiling and gyrating - but at the cost of the music and performance. Almost like he doesn't give the songs their due; like he doesn't respect them - or feel them.

I know a lot of people think CS with CCP is like karaoke, but Ed today sounds like karaoke of Ed 20 years ago. And if you watch CCCP, CS feels the songs. He takes it seriously. I just don't get that from Ed nowadays.

Exactly! Good post. The proof is when he performs songs like TDAOC or WD for example. A happy Ed can't gice these songs justice. Just impossible. But at the same time, some of his performnces of the song "Stage" are quite alright, or at least enjoyable. He performs nowadays without getting too tired or emotionnally burned by a show.

On his last record, he gives some good singing line with a good rocking voice. Doesn't happen often enough, sadly.

[Bremang]

That subdued 2014 version of Lightning Crashes still sounds like Ed's voice is sappy and worn out to me. His voice has not remained as well as you suggest IMO.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhwYaEGCpG4

This post has been edited by Bremang: Sep 3 2014, 5:45 pm

[Badman]

Wow LiveforNow... this is the best post I've seen from this site in years. You are totally correct! I wish there was some way to let him know this. This makes me excited because I was thoroughly convinced Ed couldn't sing like he used to.