Karen Dancing In The Rain (Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Osheaga 2009 Montreal) by Anirudh Koul
Rarely am I at a loss of words. Rarely is “wow” the only thing I am able to express audibly. “Hysteric,” when played live, is one of the few songs that make the words fall out of my head and out of my reach.
I was fortunate enough to catch “Hysteric” live at one of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ famously hyperactive shows this summer, and I was spellbound by the beauty of this track in a live setting. Through the sea of sweaty bodies, ran through a warm calm and a sense of camaraderie. It was a beauty not fully realized on the album version of “Hysteric”. This song was meant to be experienced live and not at Urban Outfitters.
The Yeah Yeah Yeahs have just released an iTunes Originals album, which features studio tracks, an interview, and a handful of acoustic versions of tracks you already know. It’s not much of a release, but the acoustic “Hysteric” bundled in there is, as I have tried to explain, beyond words.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Hysteric (iTunes Originals version)
Tags: Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Great song…. but I don’t remember any raining during the YeahYeahYeahs’ performance at Osheaga ..
Luis!! It’s SO TRUE. It was a highlight beyond highlight of their live show… my friends and I talked about it nonstop after the show. You’re so on the money with this one.
there’s a similar version on the iTunes Deluxe Its Blitz! that has violins playing in the background… the end of that one brings it to a whole new level
i was AT osheaga when that picture was taken… it was amazingggg:
it had been raining all day, but the rain had stopped by the time YYY came on. Karen O was singing “…wear them on another rainy day…” from Cheated Hearts when the roof to the stage gave way to some of the water that was sitting on top of it, dripping onto her. she gave a little smile as she continued to sing on… that was the moment i fell in love with Karen O.
Strong candidate for their best song yet.
This version of Hysteric is gorgeous. Thank you for posting this.
if a dream was a song, this is how it would sound
every one of their album has “that song”… on LP1 it was “Maps”, LP2, “Cheated Hearts”… Lp3 i think it’s a tie between “Hysteric”, “Soft Shock” and “Skeletons”
the song is so pretty but sad sounding. Its a good song i wish there was more to it though. the lyrics don’t make much sense, except for the obvious spots.
best song from its blitz
and that picture is fantastic.
Aw, so sweet and beautiful