The origins of Every Breaking Wave?

[PookaMacP]

Firstly, forgive me if someone has noticed this before. While working this morning, I had my iTunes on shuffle, when the U2.com clip 'Edge Back' from the 2008 videos for the NLOTH sessions came up - you know the one, it starts with Edge fiddling about on the guitar and Eno in the background on his Macbook. Then, at 50 seconds or so, you get that piece where the band, Eno and Lanois are playing in a circle - the one where Eno asks 'More cycles like that?' I'd always assumed that this was an early version of 'Magnificent', but on listening to it this morning, it now strikes me that the sound and chord progression is very much like 'Every Breaking Wave'. I'm not sure exactly where I'm going with this, except to suggest that 'Every Breaking Wave' may have been very much in the 'Magnificent' vein originally, or that it's another example of the 'Lady With A Spinning Head'-style branch out into a number of songs with the same root.

Again, this may be old hat to a lot of you, but have a listen at about 50 seconds in and see what you think:
http://media.u2.com/flash/highlights/edgeback.swf

 

[trevgreg]

I see what you're saying, but to me it sounded like he was just playing chords to Magnificent mostly. I can see where it's possible EWB fits over the slower arrangement for the song, but I'm not sure if it came from it since he wasn't playing that song's lead melody on the video.

 

[An Cat Gav]

That was definitely Magnificent.

 

[The Disciple]

The "origins" of EBW, IMO, is the intro used on "The Fly" during the Elevation Tour... listen & get back 2 me.

 

[JamietheEdgefan]

The "origins" of EBW, IMO, is the intro used on "The Fly" during the Elevation Tour... listen & get back 2 me.

I really think that's a coincidence - the transition from the first to the second chord in both songs sounds identical, i agree.
But they're completely different chords - the fly is C sharp minor, E, A,
whereas Every breaking wave is B minor, D, A, G
Even if you put EBW into the same key as the fly, the chords would be C sharp minor, E, B, A, so they're not technically the same.
I see where you're coming from, i agree the beginnings of both songs are very similar, and i'm sure it's possible Edge made the chords from the fly, but i've played these tunes a lot on guitar, and i felt the need to say they're quite different.

 

[Moser]

The "origins" of EBW, IMO, is the intro used on "The Fly" during the Elevation Tour... listen & get back 2 me.

Yeah, I disagree. Different arpeggio of chords.