BREATHE Appreciation - Discuss

[digitize]

I got the entire album today.... don't ask how. Finally they let the Edge go lose.
On Breathe.... an out of this world guitar solo. As far as the rest of the album.
For a Band who has been around for 30 years this new sound ... sounds fresh but with the traditional sound of Edge's VOX. Most bands who have been around this long can;t come up with nothing new... the sound is new.
For the true U2 fans it will bring a smile to your face as it did for me.
The songs have dense layers to them. Bono .... his voice is back. This time they delivered the goods. I now I thank them..

Just FYI, we've had the album for almost a week now.

 

[Yahweh]

Yes for me this is certainly one of the top 3 songs on a very strong album....and its impressive that they placed it near the end of the record between 2 slower tracks it fits there well too

 

[Jdelbove]

love this song and it was even better live - my only problem is with the album version - i really dont like how edge harmonizes with bono on the last BREEEEEEEATH in the chorus - it just sounds wrong to me and edge's backing vibrato just takes something away from Bono high pitched notes - dont know why they chose to leave that harmonizing in - what do u guys think about it?

 

[AtomicBono]

hearing this song live just bumped this song way up for me.

Same!!

I've decided this has to be a single. It was amazing live and it has one of U2's best choruses, plus the song's got swagger and attitude. I feel like the mixture of badass verse + uplifting chorus should be an instant win situation.

Today, this is my favourite song.

 

[razredge]

Honestly I think you're reaching here,I could be wrong....I know what a Cockatoo is but in this reference I just think Bono means...."coming from a long line of traveling salesmen,I wasn't just going to buy anyone's BULLSHIT"

Cockatoo being slang here for bullshit

That could also be true, is cockatoo slang for BS.
I haven't heard it used that way before though.
This page of Australian idioms lists it as slang for a police lookout
The Australian Idiom

However there is research that shows pets can help people 'live a bit longer' Notice Bono's choice of words there as well, it supports the theory.
HowStuffWorks "Can owning a pet help you live longer?"

So does anyone else think the cockatoo line refers to the salesman peddling the bird as a live longer gimmick?

 

[nadie]

So happy to see all the love Breathe is getting post-performance

 

[mikal]

Same!!

I've decided this has to be a single. It was amazing live and it has one of U2's best choruses, plus the song's got swagger and attitude. I feel like the mixture of badass verse + uplifting chorus should be an instant win situation.

Today, this is my favourite song.

yes. on the ranking thread, Breathe literally went from #9 to #4 after the live performance.

the only songs i have ranked above it are FBB, Cedars, and UC.

 

[Sleep Over Jack]

I've always liked the way the anthemic chorus is juxtaposed with the rambling verses on Breathe, I don't see it as "U2 by the numbers" at all.

 

[RademR]

I've always liked the way the anthemic chorus is juxtaposed with the rambling verses on Breathe, I don't see it as "U2 by the numbers" at all.

ya never understood when i saw a few of those comments. dont think they've ever done a song like this...

 

[gweeps]

Hooked on this one. Everything about it, especially Larry, is awesome.

 

[RademR]

all the youtube videos have been removed....anyone know where i can stream it?

thanks!

 

[Chief43]

That could also be true, is cockatoo slang for BS.
I haven't heard it used that way before though.
This page of Australian idioms lists it as slang for a police lookout
The Australian Idiom

However there is research that shows pets can help people 'live a bit longer' Notice Bono's choice of words there as well, it supports the theory.
HowStuffWorks "Can owning a pet help you live longer?"

So does anyone else think the cockatoo line refers to the salesman peddling the bird as a live longer gimmick?

I'll speak from an Australian perspective and say no. Illogical as Bono likes to be sometimes I think it simply means somebody's puppet/bullshit.

Although maybe he does want to live longer and play into his century

 

[thug]

First time I heard it, I thought 'meh... NEXT'

Then I listened to what he was saying.

Absolutely AWESOME.

 

[BoyOnTheHorizon]

Fucking brilliant livee!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Dispached everything from Bomb and Leave Behind!!

 

[BoyOnTheHorizon]

Maybe the best live song since the 80's!!!!!!

Edited: Probably yeeesssss!

 

[csimpok]

I have to admit that I didn't really like Breathe until yesterday, but now I watched the live version at least 4 times in a row

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

I got the entire album today.... don't ask how.

seriously though... breathe has to be the next single.

 

[Jeannieco]

^^^^

 

[LarryMullen's POPAngel]

seriously though... breathe has to be the next single.

Yes. Definitely.

 

[vaz02]

The intro is also quite cool. Live in a stadium it be like 40

 

[AtomicBono]

I've always liked the way the anthemic chorus is juxtaposed with the rambling verses on Breathe, I don't see it as "U2 by the numbers" at all.

I think the anthemic/uplifting chorus could be construed as U2-by-numbers since that's pretty much what U2 are known for, but that's certainly not a bad thing! And the verses definitely give it a different feel.

 

[mama cass]

maybe it's like the Monty Python sketch where he's trying to sell a dead cockatoo or maybe it was a parrot or a budgie?

 

[PowerSurge]

Breathe = my fav song on the album by far

it's got balls, man!!! Love it.

 

[RademR]

that rocked. bono did really good on the lyircs

edge's solo sounds better live.

 

[scottyT]

Yeah the edge solo was great. This song is amazing and the chorus's lyrics are brilliant and so perfect.

 

[sadisticpenguin]

Didn't really hit me till I saw it live...and I really wish I hadn't.

Now I can't stop listening to the damn thing.

 

[PowerSurge]

Breathe = crack for my ears


I can't stop taking hits of it.

 

[zoocarolina]

It's bad ass, intro is great!

 

[dafish1234]

So is June 16th in this song a reference to Bloomsday from Joyce's Ulysses? The day Joyce "walked out" with Nora and the day Ulysses took place?

 

[astepcloser24]

I've really started to appreciate this song. It's catchy, it's heartbreakingly beautiful... I can't wait to hear it live.