Every Breaking Wave - Song Discussion

[brooklynmike]

Right now I'm pretty meh about the album version. My least favorite song on the album right now. Probably because I enjoyed the acoustic version and my head keeps hearing the old lyrics.


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[gvox]

I don't give a shit what Lanois says, if anyone can't recognize the verse and hugely obvious chorus of WOWY, not only should they be lobotomized they should also give up trying to analyze music forever.


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[sue4u2]

Second song I played back to back after Sleep like a Baby. I keep going back and forth with both being the favorite. I do fully believe it (EBW) should be the next single.

 

[corianderstem]

I think this one finally clicked for me as I gave it a listen on the way home from work. Hmmmm.

 

[Moser]

This song...

It smells like a timeless classic.

 

[Rachel D.]

It's pretty.

 

[artdirector]

Second song I played back to back after Sleep like a Baby. I keep going back and forth with both being the favorite. I do fully believe it (EBW) should be the next single.

me too

 

[Niceman]

If this isn't a big hit, then the world won't ever let U2 have a hit again.

 

[Musikwala]

This song reminds me of Happy Home by Garbage.

 

[deltau922]

Interesting. Sleep like a Baby reminded me a little of a Garbage song.


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[prbiker15]

If this isn't a big hit, then the world won't ever let U2 have a hit again.

I agree. This is still my favorite song off Songs of Innocence.

 

[Tim Wallach]

I love the Song and it's my fav on the album so far, but every time I listen to it I keep expecting The Edge to go into an epic guitar solo after the bridge, and then an epic outro. That would have made it perfect IMHO.

Hopefully edge works those into the song when they do it live.
Great song though. Instant classic.


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Is it me or is this album full of those songs where you just want Edge to blow it up at the end? I can think of at least 3 or 4 songs that appear to be begging for Edge to lay it down at the end.

 

[Gonna Run 2 U]

This and Song For Someone are the weakest on the album in my opinion.


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[owl]

Is it me or is this album full of those songs where you just want Edge to blow it up at the end? I can think of at least 3 or 4 songs that appear to be begging for Edge to lay it down at the end.

I think that's one SOI's many qualities. It doesn't go over the top just where you might expect it too.

 

[jay canseco]

I think that's one SOI's many qualities. It doesn't go over the top just where you might expect it too.

This is why I much prefer the original album version of please.... Live is where 'going off' fits better.

 

[LarryMullenFan]

I love the album and this song in particular. There's one small thing that is bothering me: starting at 2:53 there's a build-up in the song. The drums are doing the same for some 16 seconds, building up in volume. All is well, but then all of a sudden, on 3:08, there's a copy/paste thingy in the drum track that imo shouldn't be possible on a production like this. They seem to drop in volume again. It's like the producer was editing this the night before it was released.

Anyone else noticed it?

 

[Aygo]

I love the album and this song in particular. There's one small thing that is bothering me: starting at 2:53 there's a build-up in the song. The drums are doing the same for some 16 seconds, building up in volume. All is well, but then all of a sudden, on 3:08, there's a copy/paste thingy in the drum track that imo shouldn't be possible on a production like this. They seem to drop in volume again. It's like the producer was editing this the night before it was released.

Anyone else noticed it?

Now I did. It reminds me of the "Last Night On Earth" 2:15 hiccup.

 

[thavidesco]

I wholeheartly loved Every Breaking Wave from the very first live performance. I thought, I will be disappointed after the changes they made from the live versions. But I´m not and that says it all. It´s fantastic.
I only wonder why they decided to sound the first 20seconds like WOWY pt. 2, I hope the song won´t be stigmatized for it.

 

[last unicorn]

Yeah, that WOWY feel is also kind of disturbing for me, I wish they'd gone for another intro.

I basically enjoyed the acoustic version for its simplicity, Edge played a very subtle guitar and it was, for me, more about spiritual love whereas now it's more about romantic love (but we know that it's one and the same for Bono). I really like the song and think it has a good build-up and chorus, but it's a little sugary, so I'm not quite sure if it lives up to the live version which was less pompous but more intimate. I hope they include the acoustic version on the CD.

 

[flixonase]

One of my favorite songs on the album. I keep on playing the first 20 seconds over and over again! If this song doesn't become a massive hit ill be really surprised.


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[topplehatU2]

Yeah, that WOWY feel is also kind of disturbing for me, I wish they'd gone for another intro.

I basically enjoyed the acoustic version for its simplicity, Edge played a very subtle guitar and it was, for me, more about spiritual love whereas now it's more about romantic love (but we know that it's one and the same for Bono). I really like the song and think it has a good build-up and chorus, but it's a little sugary, so I'm not quite sure if it lives up to the live version which was less pompous but more intimate. I hope they include the acoustic version on the CD.

I think this hinges all on the chorus, really. That's where the sugar/cheese factor is ramped up a bit. I do prefer the live version because of this.

 

[KUEFC09U2]

If we are going that way surely the "I don't know if I'm that strong, I don't know if I'm that strong, to be somebody to need someone" is equally as cheesy if not more so?


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[Earnie Shavers]

I’m really interested to see how EBW does when it’s pushed – and I’d bet it will be starting around the ‘commercial’ album release in October. It’s been 14 years since Beautiful Day, which was the last song they dropped on the public with the public organically responding with a collective “ooh, I like this”. 14 years. For any big band that’s a crazy amount of time. For U2 in particular, with their obsession about having their songs achieve exactly that reaction, and their dedication to achieving it, it’s an insane amount of time.

EBW is, I think, the closest they’ve come in that time to recording a song that could have some legs with the unwashed masses. A dozen other bands could send it to the pop stratosphere with very little help. Just look at its producer for a perfect example - imagine it was the follow up One Republic single behind Counting Stars (did I get that right?) It would be very very big. But it will be interesting to see if it can get any traction despite being a U2 song.

Not to put too much pressure on it, but I think that those 4-songs up front are the singles, the album is likely tracklisted with them up front for that reason – the band reckon those are the ‘hits’ and they wanted their iTunes hostages to get them all in a row (and it probably will be in that order) – and I just think it will be really fascinating to see what happens if absolutely none of them get off the ground. It would be a wake up call of some sort - could be good, could be a fucking disaster.

 

[Moser]

I think this hinges all on the chorus, really. That's where the sugar/cheese factor is ramped up a bit. I do prefer the live version because of this.

Oh nooooooo.

This supercedes the live version in all aspects, especially in regards to that boring, awfully slow chorus.

 

[corianderstem]

Totally agree.

 

[jeevey]

It's like the producer was editing this the night before it was released.

Edge, give us the masters.

No. It's not done yet.

I said give us the fucking masters.

Just a little more!!

Break his arm.

 

[Reggie Thee Dog]

It’s been 14 years since Beautiful Day, which was the last song they dropped on the public with the public organically responding with a collective “ooh, I like this”. 14 years.

I have to politely disagree, I think Vertigo was the last BIG single they released that captured the public in mass. Sure they had the Apple push, but I remember a lot of positive reaction in the press and on the radio too. Still that was 10 years ago...

EBW is a great U2 song...hopefully it will translate to radio today.

 

[Musikwala]

If Magnificent wasn't a hit single (it wasn't, right?) I would be surprised if EBW became a hit. Magnificent is catchier, more tuneful and sounds like the quintessential soaring U2 song. EBW is good but it takes a few listens to warm up. Initially it sounds like a Joshua Tree B-side. Whereas Magnificent has instant appeal.

So I'd honestly be surprised if EBW became a hit single.

 

[CMIS]

I stopped myself from posting immediately because it is a little scary to like a song so much after the first listen. It is truly beautiful lyrically. I'd say it could well turn out to be my favourite u2 song since Kite (chronologically speaking). And the chorus is killer. To those saying this album does not have a u2 classic, EBW is it. It hits the spot.
I would be very surprised if this doesn't become their next big thing, but they have to be smart about it. No messing around with anything else for the first single. This has to be it, they have got a sure thing here. Release it with a good video, preferably not one featuring Bono too prominently, ala electrical storm or AIWIY.
Because, whisper it, he is not too popular in non-U2 spheres.

EDIT: made a small alteration to keep it grammatically correct, to please Cori, whose high standards keep me typing the 's in the donts and itses. #

 

[CMIS]

Oh and someone said that this change in chorus makes it more about romantic love. I disagree; the chorus grounds it more as a song about conflict. The line "are we so helpless against the tide" really clinches it for me. There is a very coherent and consistent expression in this song. Waves happen, keep happening with a regularity that is somehow not altogether monotonous. It's a perfect metaphor for troubled relationships, be it a friendship, a blood relation or a romantic relationship (just play boston elevation kite, it's what bono says before the song). It's about the atrophy that many (or as a cynic may say, all) relationships go through. Things just seem to fall apart because people are just being themselves, because they are helpless against the tide