Wtf happened to…Madagascar

FlashFlood

I remember being surprised this took so long to leak. Can’t really recall what the major differences were on the album version (outside of normal Axl/Caram/Ron stuff).

I know people complain about the roughness in Axl’s vocals, but I didn’t mind it. I can do without his “clean” voice.

AgesOfTheIce

One of the best tracks of the CD era. Majestic melodies and lyrics. Pitman was underrated for sure. I prefer the raw sound of the Village demo.

davegnfnr2k

The village version is the best version for sure. I do wonder if that extra guitar part we hear is Axl.
I do hate Axls vocals on the track, it is the only negative. It almost ruined the song for me but I got used to it.

The village versions for all the songs outside of TWAT and the missing CD extended solo are the best versions. They all sound so fresh and raw. If CD was released in 2002 with these versions, it would have been a different story, especially if they replaced the weaker tracks on CD with hard school, atlas and perhaps

James

Hearing a studio version of this song for the first time when it leaked is when I realized the perfectionist stuff was just fan fiction/blowing smoke.

Under no circumstances should that vocal take have been considered final...same with a handful of other songs, such as The Blues.

When he brings subpar vocals or lyrics to the table, it causes him to be the weak link in his own band.

Like with most of their songs, the superior version is from the Village discs.

They got it right the first time. It just needed a better vocal take... which wasn't coming.

davegnfnr2k

James wrote:

Hearing a studio version of this song for the first time when it leaked is when I realized the perfectionist stuff was just fan fiction/blowing smoke.
Under no circumstances should that vocal take have been considered final...same with a handful of other songs, such as The Blues.
When he brings subpar vocals or lyrics to the table, it causes him to be the weak link in his own band.
Like with most of their songs, the superior version is from the Village discs.
They got it right the first time. It just needed a better vocal take... which wasn't coming.

It makes you wonder if he tried a better vocal take and it was actually worse. Just listen to how bad scrapped vocals are and that was done much later.

The clean vocals in Madagascar sound good, he should have just used those for the whole song

Haters Gonna Hate

I always liked the Madagascar vocals idk but I can see why people don't. Village is the best version. Also this was an odd song to do at the VMAs I think Chinese Democracy would have been better.

exoterica

The Brain +3dB version is the best that we know of.

But the production here is so suspect. The vocals are trash as we’ve covered.

This song should be synth, strings, keys, drums, Axl’s clean voice, a guitar solo, and a quote montage. Instead we have electric guitars here… for some reason. And don’t get me started on Dizzy’s maracas.

monkeychow

Always found this song incredibly inspirational.

I know the bucket solo is one that people love but I always felt this song needed more of an old school slash solo in the middle or something.

I appreciate how the quotes add together to tell a story, but at the same time for casual listeners I don't think they follow it and it just sounds like a lot of samples...in away I would have liked to hear this song with a whole different middle section.

I remember there's a live version where Axl sang a different high part in the last verse too which is one of those things where you hear it once and you want it ever after too.

All those 'notes' aside - this is actually a masterful song overall.

jimmythegent

Agree with James - that is a rough vocal from Axl.
It was presented as this grand epic from the get go and it has it's moments but the fact remains it is a plodding, earnest affair that sounded dated in 2002 let alone 2008. Forever tied to the abomination that was the 2002 VMA's for me as well.. a turd.

Side note; was Scraped omitted deliberately?

elevendayempire

I don't really have anything against the Axl vocal on this one. It was a bit of a surprise when it first leaked ("okay, that's the direction he's going with it?") but it works for me.

I'll always have a soft spot for the demo of one, I remember wanting to hear a studio version of it ever since RIR III. Getting that demo onto my iPod and walking down the street with it blasting was… a moment.

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