Every Breaking Wave - figuring out the lyrics

[JoRu]

The song has only been out there in the open for a few hours, but I think it's a good time to begin to figure out the lyrics for the entire song. I've tried my best to hear what the lyrics are, but I'll need some help to complete it.

This is not finished in any way obviously, so in some places it may be completely wrong and there are still a lot to uncover:


Through every wave on the shore
Doesn't ??? there will be one more
Every ??? knows that to lose
Is what you're really there for
Somewhere ???
Now I'm speaking to the ??? phone

Like every ??? on the breeze
???

Hey now
Hey now
I don't know if I'm that strong
I don't know if I'm that strong
Don't know if I'm that strong
To be somebody, to need someone

Every sailor knows that the sea
Is a friend made enemy
Every shipwreck sold knows what it is
To live without intimacy
I thought I heard the mast ???
We tried to listen ???

Like every broken wave on the shore
This was as far as I could reach

Hey now
Hey now
I don't know if I'm that strong
I don't know if I'm that strong
I don't know if I'm that strong
To be somebody, to need someone

???
Where are the rocks
To drown it is no sin
And you know my heart is
The same place yours has been
We know the fear will win
So we end before we begin

Oh, oh
Oh, oh

???
Where are the rocks
To drown it is no sin
And we all know my heart is
The same place yours has been
We know the fear will win
So we end before we begin


Here's a link to the song if you want to listen to it: http://twaud.io/BkS

So, let's begin everybody.

 

[GibsonGirl]

My attempt:

Every breaking wave on the shore
Tells the next one there'll be one more
Every gambler knows that to lose
Is what you're really there for

Somewhere I was fearless [???]
Now I'm speaking to an answerphone
And every [flowering leaf?] on the breeze
[Winter wouldn't be there long?]

Hey now
Hey now

I don't know if I'm that strong
I don't know if I'm that strong
Don't know if I'm that strong
To be somebody to need someone

Every sailor knows that the sea
Is a friend made enemy
And every shipwrecked soul knows what it is
To live without intimacy

I thought I heard the master's voice
It's hard to listen while we preach
Like every broken wave on the shore
This was as far as I could reach

Hey now
Hey now

I don't know if I'm that strong
I don't know if I'm that strong
Don't know if I'm that strong
Enough to be somebody who needs someone

[The waves know we're on the rocks?]
And drowning is no sin
You know my heart is the same place yours has been
We know fear wins, so we end before we begin

Oh oh oh oh...
Oh oh oh oh...

[Waves know we're on the rocks?]
And drowning is no sin
And we all know my heart is the same place yours has been
We know that fear wins, so we end before we begin

The first line of each of the final two stanzas is waaay too difficult to decipher. I think the rest of it is fairly accurate, though. Moving song.

 

[dan_smee]

Every breaking wave on the shore,
Tells the next one there'll be one more,
Every gambler knows that to lose,
Is what you're really there for.

Some are ?? fearlessness
Now I'm speaking to an answer phone
Like every ?? leaf on the breeze
Winter wouldn't leave it alone

Hey now, hey now
I don't know if I'm that strong
I don't know if I'm that strong
Don't know if I'm that strong
To be somebody to need someone

Every sailor knows that the sea
Is a friend made enemy
And every shipwrecked soul knows what it is
To live without intimacy

I though I heard the masters voice
It's hard to listen while you preach
Like every broken wave on the shore
This was as far as I can reach

Hey now, hey now
I don't know if I'm that strong
I don't know if I'm that strong
Don't know if I'm that strong
To be somebody to need someone

The waves know we're on the rocks
And drowning is no sin
And you know my heart is
The same place yours has been
And we know the fear of winning
So we end before we begin

Oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oooooooo

The waves know we're on the rocks
And drowning is no sin
And you know my heart is
The same place yours has been
And we know the fear of winning
So we end before we begin

 

[buzzkill27]

well done Gibson and Dan...think you've nailed almost all the lyrics there

 

[Jeannieco]

I am floored by this song.
I feel like Bono has been living in my soul or something.
Those lyrics are incredible. They make me cry...
Wow.

 

[purpleoscar]

Some are ?? fearlessness
Now I'm speaking to an answer phone
Like every ?? leaf on the breeze
Winter wouldn't leave it alone

It's a hard one.

Some are (all/our) fearlessness
Now I'm speaking to an answer phone
Like every silent leaf on the breeze
Winter wouldn't leave it alone

Just my guess.

I am floored by this song.
I feel like Bono has been living in my soul or something.
Those lyrics are incredible. They make me cry...
Wow.

I know. It's like fear of death or loss keeping you from going forward. It's dark without being depressing. It's almost serene.

 

[Catman]

It really is a pretty heavy number, and it definitely should not be relegated to NLOTH b-side material. If the band has other tunes in a similar thematic vein, by all means, reeeleeeaaaaase theeeemmm

 

[purpleoscar]

It really is a pretty heavy number, and it definitely should not be relegated to NLOTH b-side material. If the band has other tunes in a similar thematic vein, by all means, reeeleeeaaaaase theeeemmm

They did want to keep it in but hopefully they felt thematically there was enough other songs it could fit with better. If this is the tip of the iceberg I agree. Release SOA!

 

[Jeannieco]

It's a hard one.

Some are (all/our) fearlessness
Now I'm speaking to an answer phone
Like every silent leaf on the breeze
Winter wouldn't leave it alone

Maybe it's "SUM" of all our fearlessness???

And I think you are right .... Silent leaf on the breeze

My other guess would be "SUMMER" leaf on the breeze???

Who knows? He wasn't sure of himself there...

I bet he made some of them up on the fly...

 

[purpleoscar]

I could be Bongolese.

 

[ozeeko]

I think the first two lines of the song are two of the best lines Bono has written since after POP.


Every breaking wave on the shore
Tells the next one there'll be one more

I don't even know what that means, but it sounds heavy, and I fucking love it, haha!

 

[stratocaster]

Maybe it's "SUM" of all our fearlessness???

And I think you are right .... Silent leaf on the breeze

My other guess would be "SUMMER" leaf on the breeze???

Who knows? He wasn't sure of himself there...

I bet he made some of them up on the fly...

Sounds a bit like "summerhouse fearlessness"

 

[dyami]

I am floored by this song.
I feel like Bono has been living in my soul or something.
Those lyrics are incredible. They make me cry...
Wow.

same here, have been playing it over and over again since last night
have the same feeling as when i heard moment of surrender en orginal of the species the first time. very touching and goes right in my heart and soul!

 

[JoRu]

Some are ?? fearlessness

That line is hard, that's for sure.

Sounds like "Somewhere I was fearlessness", but that obviously wouldn't work grammatically. Hopefully they'll play it soon again, I can honestly not hear what it is.

 

[Swan269]

i love the HEY HEY NOW...so fuckin awesome. Crowd singing that along with him would be amazing.

 

[Purplereign]

I am floored by this song.
I feel like Bono has been living in my soul or something.
Those lyrics are incredible. They make me cry...
Wow.

this

like at first listen . . . hearing it yesterday morning (my time) I felt my stomach drop and was covered in gooseys . . . it is just such a gorgeous song

(it was on repeat for the better part of my Sunday)

thanks for taking the time to put down the lyrics

 

[Jeannieco]

this

like at first listen . . . hearing it yesterday morning (my time) I felt my stomach drop and was covered in gooseys . . . it is just such a gorgeous song

(it was on repeat for the better part of my Sunday)

Me too. I can't stop listening to it!

 

[mama cass]

it tugs at the heartstrings this one and leaves you with a hollow feeling in your tummy

 

['RoomOnFire]

it tugs at the heartstrings this one and leaves you with a hollow feeling in your tummy

It really does. I think theyre onto something special with this.

 

[zooropop40]

It really does. I think theyre onto something special with this.

I cannot think of any other band, that has been around as long as U2 has, and that has the ability to write absolutely hauntingly beautiful songs and melodies consistently throughout their careers... and then can still write more. unbelievable.

Thanks Larry for posting that flier at school. Seriously.

 

[Jeannieco]

I cannot think of any other band, that has been around as long as U2 has, and that has the ability to write absolutely hauntingly beautiful songs and melodies consistently throughout their careers... and then can still write more. unbelievable.

Thanks Larry for posting that flier at school. Seriously.

Yes indeed!
That is why I totally believe that the songs and this one in particular come to him from a devine source.
That's what I think anyway... Bono especially is so inspiried it's impossible for me to think otherwise.
But that's just me.

 

[Birdlover]

Inspired indeed

it tugs at the heartstrings this one and leaves you with a hollow feeling in your tummy

Yes! It makes me think of a breakup, but with hope, the waves saying they'll be one more.
I can't stop listening to it, but every time I do I feel sadder.

 

[Galeongirl]

I listened to it consecutively while going to work yesterday. Damn, this song is pretty deep dark and haunting. I'm not usually a big fan of U2's slower songs, but this one keeps creeping in my brain. Great job figuring out the lyrics.

 

[last unicorn]

I'm in love with that song! I was in total shock when I heard they debuted it live in Helsinki. I listened to the song several times on earphones last night, so beautiful. Can't wait to hear a proper studio version of it. Still, it cracks me up everytime I listen to the Helsinki bootleg. Bono is so much into the song, then shortly steps out to tell Edge how to play the chords, then immediately steps into the song again and gets lost in it. Only Bono can do that

 

[JoRu]

Still, it cracks me up everytime I listen to the Helsinki bootleg. Bono is so much into the song, then shortly steps out to tell Edge how to play the chords, then immediately steps into the song again and gets lost in it. Only Bono can do that

Loved that. He kinda ruined the magic there for a second, but managed to get back in there and end it with style.

 

[Jeannieco]

^^ I like it when they screw up, it's like they are in their own living room.playing for a few thousand of their closest friends.

 

[Purplereign]

Yes! It makes me think of a breakup, but with hope, the waves saying they'll be one more.
I can't stop listening to it, but every time I do I feel sadder.

there really is something about a bittersweet song that gets you in the belly every time . . . I can not believe how quickly this song has got it's hooks into me . . . really really really hoping we get lucky and hear it at a few more shows this leg

 

[Galeongirl]

I just.. had a thought. A lyric kept popping in my head afte rthe line "I thought I heard the master's voice".. "and if he listened, to what I said"..

And I could nto figure out what song it was, nor why my brain seemed to link those two lines. I just realised that it's The Ocean. Kinda ironic seeing these two song titles.

 

[dan_smee]

OK...

I think The verse goes (bear in mind that he may have made a few errors on the night, as he tends to do with new songs):

Summer I was fearlessness (IE personification of the emotion)
Now I'm speaking to an answer phone
Like every summer leaf on the breeze
Winter wouldn't leave it alone.

I think they are BOTH summer. It makes sense. It's like saying "once everything was fine, I was fearless(ness)", now I resort to desparate attempts to just hear your voice.

The seasons seem to be important, and using summer in the second line you woul;d imagine that a summer leaf floating on the breeze in Winter would be being strung along, or dragged along in an uncomfortable climte (Winter wouldn't leave it alone).

I wish they had dropped Boots and SUC now, and had this and winter in there.

Themeatically, We've got the girl who's like the sea, and Every Breaking Wave seems to be the climax of their relationship (now the RELATIONSHIP is like the see, and he explains what that means).

Also, Winter gives his backing story, and in this context, takes the war theme out of the song, but works equally well here.

Seems that an album with

NLOTH
Mag
MOS
UC
CT (or Diorama)
F-BB
WAS
Breathe
Winter
COL
EBW

would be an epic.

 

[purpleoscar]

We haven't heard the other SOA songs so remember the meditative spiritual theme probably is the reason to move EBW off NLOTH.