Which was your favourite TIMTTMY album track performed live?

[LA ex]

As the main tour is now complete I thought it'd be interesting to see which TIMTTMY album track people most enjoyed hearing performed live - due to the ten poll option limit I've cut out the four singles and I've counted Prologue to History as an album track for the sake of the poll.

Discuss away...

[Son of Stopped]

I loved The Everlasting so much more than I last heard it as acoustic.
You Stole The Sun From My Heart was great to sing to.
It was great pretending to be Richard Burton for Ready For Drowning.
Tsunami knocked me on ass as expression goes. Wish all previous complaints about it in setlists struck from the record.
I had a great bit of physical comedy participation for My Little Empire.
But got back as I'm Not Working sheer triple guitars made me stand there open mouthed.
You're Tender And You're Tired was quite anonymous for me.
Born A Girl was well played and hello whoever bloke stormed past me to get to bar or away from the playing!
Be Natural was astounding and if the extra musicians are kept on should be a live fixture.
Black Dog On My Shoulder I preferred to the album version. The musicianship of the night was really sparked off from the second half of the album.
Prologue To History was amazing to see as it'll never appear again!
And although the respectful quiet audience clapped after the first end chord of SYMM, that was a substantial live reading. Made me notice the xylophone on it!
And it was thrilling to see Tolerate recreated in front of me.

Still haven't voted! Just went over my truth. Tsunami or I'm Not Working...
My Little Empire for memories.
I'm Not Working for musicianship
Tsunami for jumping.
Be Natural for noisiest.
Black Dog On My Shoulder for smoothest.

Not voting yet but working out which was the best from them. And even then they all have a case!

[Suicide Aldi]

Gotta be Be Natural for me, although SYMM sounded amazing, and it was hilarius watching the guy next to me refuse to sing along to Born A Girl!

[kevoutus]

I wasn’t expecting much from ‘I’m Not Working’ but was very surprised at how rich and full it sounded. Much better live than the album version and the only time I guess James will play a Coral Sitar on stage.

[Red]

Be Natural for me. The climb and release into and with the "grown up, or backwards-born?" part is the album, and the gig's, single most gloriously euphoric moment, and it's something so rare to hear, unlike most the rest of TIMTTY's key songs.

SYMM was my second-favourite. It's James' single finest guitar solo, and watching him deliver the goods live was an absolute treat.

[centralscrutiniser]

Be natural was stellar. Black dog perhaps most surprising as something that worked well live. Much lighter version I thought,

[Europa Gluten Free]

Black Dog was the biggest disappointment for me sound wise. Not sure about the arrangement or Jimbo playing a telecaster. Solo needed humbuckers.

[Marconi Delorian]

Definitely Be Natural, real nice to sing along to and the pre-chorus is so good - I can now see why they considered it for the first single! I'm Not Working worked (lol) surprisingly well live, but did lose a little atmosphere from the recorded version. SYMM was another highlight, they pulled it off pretty well.

[deadmartyr]

Another choosing Be Natural.

SYMM, Prologue and You're Tender and You're Tired were close though

[Gusto]

Biggest plus for me was Be Natural and SYMM. Both sounded immense live. I hope they come back for future set lists.

[Son of Stopped]

How does everyone feel about the acoustic break going? I loved it!
Born A Girl proved the Nicky change. But the continuous onslaught made the quieter acoustic singalongs not obsolete but not needed just yet.

[FacelessSenseOfVoid]

I've said it for years but I've always felt that Be Natural is one of the best songs on the album, full stop.

Why they stopped considering it for a single release is anyone's guess, especially ahead of some of the other dross they released from the album - I've always liked it way more than Tolerate, which is only superior lyrically but as a piece of music, Be Natural blows it away, much more complex and interesting to listen to and I think the live version has proved that theory correct. I'd also say the song benefits from being played quicker in a live situation, particularly the fast bits before the chorus. I wish they had played it 10 years ago when James' voice was amazing, he does struggle a little to hit some of the higher notes now.

I haven't managed to go to any of the gigs on the main tour this time round but I will be going to Cardiff and I'm looking forward to it. It sounds absolutely amazing on the videos and audio recordings I've heard.

[LA ex]

I agree that Be Natural was fantastic live, but I'm not convinced it would have made for a particularly radio friendly single. I think it's been obvious over the years that the Manics actually do care about chart placings.

[FacelessSenseOfVoid]

Originally Posted by LA ex

I agree that Be Natural was fantastic live, but I'm not convinced it would have made for a particularly radio friendly single. I think it's been obvious over the years that the Manics actually do care about chart placings.

I dunno, it would have been popular in a Radiohead style way I think (even though I'm not a fan of theirs). I don't think the general public had any idea apart from the single cover that Tolerate had anything to do with Spain or a civil war and it's not a particularly catchy song, unless you count repeating the title twice as a chorus catchy. Tsunami and YSTS are the two most catchiest songs they released as singles from TIMT - Tolerate and The Everlasting, not so much.

[mishima]

Be Natural was a real surprise for me, loved it, and on hearing it live I realised how 'prog' it was!