It's no secret that Bono likes to change and improvise his song lyrics when U2 is playing live. He's been doing it since U2's early days and no song seems too sacred to get an occasional alteration.
"Beautiful Day" is one of the more common songs that gets changed, particularly the line in the middle of the song that's written as "see China right in front of you." During the Innocence + Experience tour last year, Bono often changed that line to tell the audience what he saw at the exact moment he was singing.
The @U2 Tours crew, led by Ross Perry with help from staffers Tassoula E. Kokkoris, Liseth Meijer, Arlan Hess and Brian Betteridge, went through all live versions of "Beautiful Day" from last year -- including the non-tour gig at the Roxy Theatre -- and make a list of the things Bono saw as he sung the song. It includes the names of U2 fans, celebrities like Dave Grohl and Emma Watson, geographic references and much, much more.
Here's the complete list of 2015 I+E Tour "Beautiful Day" namechecks, including a few that we couldn't figure out after repeated listens. If you know one we don't have, please let us know!
LEG 1: NORTH AMERICA
2015-05-14 - Vancouver - "...Nathaniel right in front of me" (fan Nathaniel Crossley brought on stage during the song)
2015-05-15 - Vancouver - "...British Columbia right in front of you"
2015-05-18 - San Jose - "... Bay Area's ??? right in front of you"
2015-05-19 - San Jose - "...Golden Gate Bridge right in front of you"
2015-05-22 - Phoenix - "...white/wild? desert right in front of you"
2015-05-23 - Phoenix - "...I wish your husband come with you"
2015-05-26 - Inglewood - "...see China right in front of you"
2015-05-27 - Inglewood - "See the world red, white and blue. The armed forces return safe for you."
2015-05-28 - West Hollywood - "...see China right in front of you"
2015-05-30 - Inglewood - "...see China right in front of you"
2015-05-31 - Inglewood - "...see China right inside of you"
2015-06-03 - Inglewood - "...space tech right in front of you"
2015-06-06 - Denver - "...Owen right in front of you"
2015-06-07 - Denver - "...see China right in front of you"
2015-06-12 - Montreal - "...see China right in front of you"
2015-06-13 - Montreal - "...see Canada right in front of you"
2015-06-16 - Montreal - "...Israel Palestine right in front of you"
2015-06-17 - Montreal - "...Saudi Arabia right in front of you"
2015-06-24 - Chicago - "...see China right in front of you"
2015-06-25 - Chicago - "...see Chicago right in front of you"
2015-06-28 - Chicago - "...rainbow colors right in front of you"
2015-06-29 - Chicago - "...Adam Clayton right in front of you"
2015-07-02 - Chicago - "...see China right in front of you"
2015-07-06 - Toronto - "...see China right in front of you"
2015-07-07 - Toronto - "...Dave Grohl right in front of you"
2015-07-10 - Boston - "...see China right in front of you"
2015-07-11 - Boston - "...see China right in front of you"
2015-07-14 - Boston - "...see China right in front of you"
2015-07-15 - Boston - "...see China right in front of you"
2015-07-18 - New York - "...Mariana right in front of you" (Adam Clayton's wife)
2015-07-19 - New York - "...see China right in front of you"
2015-07-22 - New York - "...see China right in front of you"
2015-07-23 - New York - "...Jimmy Page right in front of you"
2015-07-26 - New York - "...see China right in front of you"
2015-07-27 - New York - "...Julian Lennon right in front of you"
2015-07-30 - New York - "...Jessica Chastain right in front of you"
2015-07-31 - New York - "...Helena Christensen right in front of you"
LEG 2: EUROPE
2015-09-04 - Turin - "...??? right in front of you"
2015-09-05 - Turin - "...Zucchero right in front of you"
2015-09-08 - Amsterdam - "...Anton Corbijn right in front of you"
2015-09-09 - Amsterdam - "...see China right in front of you"
2015-09-12 - Amsterdam - "...Sal Serrano (???) right in front of you"
2015-09-13 - Amsterdam - "...see China right in front of you"
2015-09-16 - Stockholm - "...Princess Victoria right in front of you"
2015-09-17 - Stockholm - "...Melinda Gates right in front of you"
2015-09-21 - Stockholm - "...Niall ??? right in front of you"
2015-09-22 - Stockholm - "...Björn Ulvaeus right in front of you"
2015-09-24 - Berlin - "...??? right in front of you"
2015-09-25 - Berlin - "...Abel of the 'Weeknd' right in front of you"
2015-09-28 - Berlin - "...Global Goals right in front of you"
2015-09-29 - Berlin - "...Mrs. Green happy birthday to you"
2015-10-05 - Barcelona - "...Frankie and Guggi right in front of you"
2015-10-06 - Barcelona - "...digital interference gettin' to you"
2015-10-09 - Barcelona - "...Harry and Caroline right in front of you"
2015-10-10 - Barcelona - "...Andrea Corr right in front of you"
2015-10-13 - Antwerp - "...there's Lianna right in front of you" (a young girl brought on stage)
2015-10-14 - Antwerp - "...see China right in front of you"
2015-10-17 - Cologne - "...Nelson Lee right in front of you"
2015-10-18 - Cologne - "...Bill Gates right in front of you"
2015-10-25 - London - "...see China right in front of you"
2015-10-26 - London - "...see China right in front of you"
2015-10-29 - London - "...Paul and Kathy right in front of you" (Paul McGuinness and wife Kathy)
2015-10-30 - London - "...Damien Hirst right in front of you"
2015-11-02 - London - "...Brian Eno right in front of you"
2015-11-03 - London - "...Steve Lillywhite right in front of you"
2015-11-06 - Glasgow - "...Ashley Judd right in front of you"
2015-11-07 - Glasgow - "...Edge, Simple Minds are right in front of you"
2015-11-10 - Paris - "...see China right in front of you"
2015-11-11 - Paris - "...see China right in front of you"
2015-11-18 - Belfast - "...Emma Watson right in front of you"
2015-11-19 - Belfast - "...Liam Cunningham right in front of you"
2015-11-23 - Dublin - "...Dungarvan right in front of you" (or "Don Garvin right in front of you")
2015-11-24 - Dublin - "...Shane MacGowan right in front of you"
2015-11-27 - Dublin - "...Ali Hewson right in front of you"
2015-11-28 - Dublin - "...Nuala and Oisín right in front of you"
2015-12-06 - Paris - "...Damien Rice right in front of you"
2015-12-07 - Paris - "...Paul McGuinness right in front of you"
Coming soon: a complete list of who Bono asked to come out and play during "Cedarwood Road."
(c) @U2, 2016.
