Breathe is overrated thread

[KarlaAnne]

i like the "juju man juju man!" bit. it makes me giggle. otherwise, hasn't made a huge impression on me yet.

 

[shart1780]

So any of ya "critics" ever wrote a song as good?

Yeah man, I agree.

For example, the other day I went to a 5 star restaurant and ordered a $100 meal. It tasted horrible. I didn't complain, though, because I couldn't cook it any better than the top chef that went to culinary school for years and claims to make amazing food.

 

[BEVERLY56]

Heard it first on Letterman and loved it. That was this morning. Immediately went to WalMart to buy my copy and have been playing it all day, but it's definitely better live. I like the cockatoo part - it makes me smile (as does the jujuman). Can't wait to hear another one live tonight. Plus may I add that I really appreciate Boots more after hearing it in the context of the whole album, the energy level is just thru the roof compared to the rest of the songs. But that's a topic for another thread!

Wow, $100 for a meal? Who says we're in a recession? I was pissed because I paid $4 more for my cd at Walmart this morning than if I had just waited until after work and gone to Best Buy. Walmart was the only store open that early.

 

[Silence]

Yeah man, I agree.

For example, the other day I went to a 5 star restaurant and ordered a $100 meal. It tasted horrible. I didn't complain, though, because I couldn't cook it any better than the top chef that went to culinary school for years and claims to make amazing food.

I meant as good as breathe and ya you could cook it better than the top chef that went to culinary school for years and claims to make amazing food.

 

[onyourkneesboy]

What is it with Steve Lillywhite's production style these days? He's like a master of producing things that sound absolutely amazing on first listen, then get worse and worse after each succeeding listen.

I really want to love this song, but it just sounds, i dunno, neutored or something. And i was worshipping this as the second best song on the album after i first heard it!

I think Eno should've been the final word on this song, should've made it sound otherworldly and less BOMB-friendly. It's like a decent song that has been put thru the BOMB filter of mediocrity.

Fuck Lillywhite - don't let this guy anywhere near the studio.

And what happened to those crazy "breeeathee out...breeeaatthe" Bono shouts that we heard at the end of the beach clip? Why are we now subjected to what sounds like 4 measures of lame guitar looped 4 times. Way to ruin the climax. No catharsis after listening to this song. Just a feeling of "damn...missed opportunity" Not to mention it just sounds lost in between WAS and COL. Those 2 songs sound like a new, fresh, wiser, more world weary Bono, lived-in and experienced, no time for corny shit. Then this HTDAAB Bono crashes the party, and suddenly U2 sound like an MTV TRL NOW COMPILATION mainstream catering band again.

But stilll, i enjoy the song for what it is. Bittersweet song.

Exactly what i was trying to say...
It's not a bad song but it's 100% HTDAAB!!
And prior to the release of NLOTH, they (U2 & everyone around them) reassured us that that door was definately closed and they would begin a new chapter!

Now it's all fine if people love this track, that's not my point. But anyone who can't hear that this track would have suited best on HTDAAB, should have get his ears checked! It just sounds like a Lillywhite-HTDAAB-leftover... And this album supposed to be done with that sound!
And the terrible placement on the album makes it worse! If it was an Exit/Acrobat/Please-kind of song: fine! It would have fitted the deep beautiful mood of the songs around it (Fez-Being Born, White As Snow, Cedars Of Lebanon) But this song is too jangly, loud, harsh, and somewhat "a simple rocker". I've put it behind "Boots" also... and there it's at it's best place.

 

[astepcloser24]

It took me a while to get into the album, but Breathe quickly won me over. It starts off really slow in terms of my liking it, actually when it comes to the lyrics, but I can't help but the song by the end. The lyrics, "Walk out into the street, arms out, got a love you can't defeat. There's nothing you have that I need and I can breathe".... I'm totally a goner.

 

[Silence]

Amen

 

[AshTS]

probably the best u2 song since please.

This.

And Ax is right, I am in love with the entire album and I don't see any real overt weaknesses in it aside from it's tracklisting. I might get shot at but

1. MOS
2. Unknown Caller
3. White as Snow
4. Crazy
5. SUC
6. Breathe
7. No Line
8. Magnificent
9. Get On Your Boots
10. Fez
11. Cedars

 

[shart1780]

I meant as good as breathe and ya you could cook it better than the top chef that went to culinary school for years and claims to make amazing food.

What...? I could make fancy meal off the menu from a five star restaurant? I can barely male macaroni and cheese.

Of course we can't write U2 quality music, but we're not in a rock band either, much less one of the biggest bands in history. There are certain expectations that come along with being in a huge band, such writing great music.

 

[zbales]

Breathe is a great song. I like it much better than several of the tracks on the album: UC, WAS, Fez, and SUC. Most of the tracks are incredible though..

 

[Yahweh]

Great song I cant agree with this

 

[LemonMelon]

Overrated threads are overrated threads are overrated threads appreciation threads FTW.

 

[purpleoscar]

If anything is listened to 200 times in a short space of time it will sound "overrated".

 

[SecretFly]

I know for a lot of you this sounds like blasphemy, but I have a few problem with it (for now!)...

The difficulties with the song I seem to have are:

* The song doesn't sound "new" or innovative in what way whatsoever. To me, it sounds like a real HTDAAB-track.

* The pace/rhythm sounds like it drags and drags, Larry's predictable smash on the cymbal at all the same points underlines this dragging. Like the rhythm of "Trip Through Your Wires"... But here it works because it's a fun little song that's swaying instead of dragging.

* The song doesn't seem to know where it wants to go at several moments. It sounds like 3 or 4 songs chopped up and merged back together again.

* The sound is to "in your face" ...ehm....like 3 cats fighting between 4 tin rubbish cans.. or something like that... Just too loud and almost annoying like the sound of "All Because Of You" and "Crumbs"...

I might change my opinion but for now the song hasn't landed yet for me, and I don't get all the "Hallelujah's" about it... sorry.

Totally agree. This song is a shocker. The worst on the album just behind Crazy tonight.

 

[solemole]

Well, I think I'm the one who brought up the questionable point of message.

I think if the supposed "characters" were more defined, as in how many and who they are, and add some punctuations to the written lyrics, we might get a clearer picture of what the song's about.

But I don't think this is a character song. Obviously, that line about coming from a family of traveling salesman is direct reference to Bono... So I think Bono's singing about himself, though he might deny it.

In any case, I think Bono's just venting a lot of nonsense on the surface level... he must have a lot of driven and brooding madness he had to get off his chest.

Other than that, I'd say the chorus is great, especially the Walk Out ... Sing Out part, though it seems IMO that some lines in the chorus is a bit menacing, given it's supposed "joyful" atmospheric sound.

 

[santiago]

I agree that i's a bit of a HTDAAB throwback in that it is a bit of a Bono as Bono song.

However, it is a wonderful song. The album version is good, but I actually preferred the eze version (the backing vocals were much louder on the last chorus).

And live (as in Letterman), the song just takes off in an amazing way.

I suppose U2 have always gone for "releasing the best songs available" rather than "releasing the songs that fit the album concept".

It's annoying in a certain way, but at the same time I'm just happy the good songs are actually released!

 

[stealthboy]

Breathe was one of those songs that I liked on first listen, but wasn't blown away. Then, yesterday, with the real CD I listened on earphones and concentrated on the lyrics. Man, what a song! It totally came alive for me. Now one of my favs.

 

[sweetie]

I'm listening to it now for the first time. don't like it yet. I hope it grows on me. How was it live? I find that I tend to like songs more after I've heard them live

 

[LPU2]

One of the best songs on the album but I still can't get over them moving the "the songs are in our eyes" chorus to the back of the song and burying it under Edge's solo. The newer chorus good, the lyrics are even better, but it's choppier now and consequently doesn't have that sweet, smooth, "head through the clouds" moment that the beach clip chorus had. JMO. If they're smart, they'll revisit that on a remix.

 

[mikal]

I'm listening to it now for the first time. don't like it yet. I hope it grows on me. How was it live? I find that I tend to like songs more after I've heard them live

let it grow. listen to it loud. if that doesn't work, download the live version.

 

[yenlard]

wasnt fond of the "these days" part that was added after the beach clips. however...it's not enough to make a difference now. this song needs to be played loud.

 

[roy keane]

These days are better then this thread.

 

[cstar]

Bono really sold the song on Letterman and the performance was awesome... Bono killed it! But it still sounds disjointed to me... I need more time with it.

 

[jecofficial]

don't like it, can't believe they're leading with it

 

[stagman]

They chopped and changed this song around.. listen to the beach clip again.
But still it is a great song!

 

[Airseven]

I think it's overrated because the chorus sucks. The lyrics are a joke. Although the piano in the "these days" segment helps.

That said, the bluesy dirty verses are fantastic.

 

[PowerSurge]

I think it's overrated because the chorus sucks. The lyrics are a joke. Although the piano in the "these days" segment helps.

That said, the bluesy dirty verses are fantastic.

The chorus = quintessential U2

I fail to understand how it could suck so bad that it would warrant being called "overrated".

I'm starting to think that some U2 fans either must have short memories or haven't heard most of the band's previous work.

 

[sue4u2]

The chorus = quintessential U2

I fail to understand how it could suck so bad that it would warrant being called "overrated".

I'm starting to think that some U2 fans either must have short memories or haven't heard most of the band's previous work.

First time I heard the Breeeath part - in the clips from Wal-Mart - I didn't like it that much. Hoped he would get it in key. lol
But since I've heard the album and then seen it multiple times, live, I love it.
I will say it was still a grower over some of my favorites.
Mondays performance on DL, chiched it for me.
I really like this song. It keeps getting stuck in my head.

 

[CosmoKramer]

I think it's overrated because the chorus sucks. The lyrics are a joke. Although the piano in the "these days" segment helps.

That said, the bluesy dirty verses are fantastic.

Personally, I LOVE the chorus. I think it is one of their better chorus' in a long time. I guess its all subjective.....

 

[razredge]

Well, anything's possible, but it's definitely as not as overrated as MoS, that's for sure

And the lyrics are good, just because the don't suscribe to the MoS 'look how angsty I am' school doesn't mean they're crap.
They're better than Moment anyway; very fresh, lively, topical (chinese stocks, new asian virus) and work perfectly together..

It reminds me of a rock musical playing out in my head.
You can almost visualise the song's persona opening the door at 9am, to find a salesman peddling some cockatoo as a pet claiming that it will let you 'stay alive a bit longer'. Instead the guy just walks (with arms out) into the street, telling the salesman he is perfectly content with his life ('you have nothing I need") and implores him to "breathe now".

It has it's share of 'experimentation' too (at least for a U2 rock song), we have piano squaring off with that fantastic arabic cello, and Bono's 'stream of thought' rapid lyrics and vocals.