#42 - Every Breaking Wave (2014) Highest- 39 Lowest- 88 Songs of Innocence LP
Vulture-131/218 - Bono has said that while he might not understand certain things in the world, he understands relationships, & writes about them w empathy & nuance. He’s also drawn to using the sea as metaphor, which works here. The choruses are bright & impassioned.
Comment - Bye Bye SoI. Nice album track. May be a grower w more time. Surprisingly for a newer track I am equal lowest on it. I prefer 6 other tracks on this album to this 1. Its a nice song & all, but it lacks a spark.
Songfact:
U2 began recording "Every Breaking Wave" in Sydney, Australia, &
the song was originally intended to be included on U2's 2009 studio album No Line on the Horizon.
The track was ultimately left off NLOTH at the advice of Coldplay frontman Chris Martin, who told the band that the song "deserves to be finished."
In 2010, while on their 360 Tour, U2 performed the song live 3 times on their Europe leg.
Here is one of those original Aug 2010 concert versions
During that time period,
Bono mentioned tentative plans for the group to release a follow-up record, called Songs of Ascent, & said that the 1st single was intended to be "Every Breaking Wave". However, the project was continually delayed, as U2 struggled to complete an album to their satisfaction & were limited by other commitments.
In 2013, it eventually it was re-configured after Ryan Tedder was brought on as a co-producer & the Final Version was included on the 2014 Songs of Innocence album release.
Bono said of the song:
- "it went down the drain for 7 yrs, up the ####, as these things do."
- "Its bright synth sounds were influenced by OMD & "early electronica." "You don't hear indie bands doing blue-eyed soul like this".
- "If you hear it played on a piano, you just fall over. And if it doesn’t move you, you’re either deaf or dead, or you should be."
Here is how the song's lyrics were re-configured:
Final Version Lyrics Orginal song lyrics that were performed live
Every breaking wave on the shore Every breaking wave on the shore
Tells the next one there'll be one more Til the next one there’ll be one more
And every gambler knows that to lose Every gambler knows That to lose
Is what you're really there for Is what you’re really there for
Summer I was fearless Somewhere else, fearlessness
Now I speak into an answer phone Now I’m speaking to an answer phone
Like every silent leave on the breeze Every falling leaf on the breeze
Winter wouldn't leave it alone Winter wouldn’t leave her alone
Alone
Ay hey now
If you go Ay hey now
If you go your way and I go mine
Are we so I don’t know if I’m that strong
Are we so helpless against the tide I don’t know if I’m that strong
Baby, every dog on the street Don’t know if I’m that strong
Knows that we’re in love with defeat To be somebody
Are we ready to be swept off our feet To need someone
And stop chasing every breaking wave
Every sailor knows that the sea Every sailor knows that the sea
Is a friend made enemy Is a friend made enemy
And every shipwrecked soul knows what it is And every shipwrecked soul knows what it is
To live without intimacy To live without intimacy
I thought I heard the captain’s voice I thought I heard the master’s voice
It's hard to listen while you preach It’s hard to listen while you preach
Like every broken wave on the shore Like every broken wave on the shore
This was as far as I can reach This is as far as I can reach
If you go Ay hey now
If you go your way and I go mine Ay hey now
Are we so
Are we so helpless against the tide I don’t know if I’m that strong
Baby, every dog on the street I don’t know if I’m that strong
Knows that we’re in love with defeat Don’t know if I’m that strong
Are we ready to be swept off our feet Got to be somebody
And stop chasing every breaking wave To need someone
The waves know where are the rocks The waves know we're on the rocks
And drowning is no sin Drowning is no sin
You know where my heart is You know That my heart
The same place that yours has been Is the same place yours has been
And we know the fear to win We know Here with
And so we end before we begin The end before it begins
Before we begin
If you go The waves know
If you go your way and I go mine We’re on the rocks
Are we so Drowning is no sin
Are we so helpless against the tide You know That my heart
Baby, every dog on the street Is the same place yours has been
Knows that we’re in love with defeat We know Here with
Are we ready to be swept off our feet The end before it begins
And stop chasing every breaking wave
Videos:
Belfast-born filmmaker Aoife McCardle directed a short 13-minute film titled Every Breaking Wave based on this song & SoI's final track "The Troubles." The mini-movie tells a love story between a Catholic & a Protestant youngster. McCardle: "I wanted to make a film about what it was like to be a teenager in the early '80s in Northern Ireland. All the different pressures on you, the pressures of friendship, of falling in love for the first time, & all that in the face of huge troubles. Violence was inescapable on your doorstep. I remember very vividly what it was like to grow up when there were bombs going off & army everywhere, so I did draw on a lot of memories." The song's official music video
(JML's link) is a condensed, 4 1/2-minute version of the 13-minute short film.
U2 also released 11 videos directed by politically minded street artists to accompany the album under the title Films of Innocence. The clip for this song was filmed by South African-born Berlin based artist Robin Rhode. The filmmaker was inspired by the social issues in his home country & by U2's close connection. "It was an inspirational project especially as I fell in love w the song,
46 second Films of Innocence trailer (I wasn't aware of these....Has anyone on this board seen them?)
Every Breaking Wave - Bono & The Edge | On Ireland's The Late Late Show 2014
Every Breaking Wave, live from the MTV EMA's Nov 2014
With backing Orchestra-1
U2 With String section-2
An acoustic version of the song, recorded in Malibu, California, was included on the deluxe version of SoI. (features the Edge on piano & an orchestra accompaniment.....so it may be one of the links above).
In the US, EBW peaked at #34 on the Adult Top 40 Billboard charts.
EBW was voted 3rd best song of 2014 by Rolling Stone.
When Rolling Stone ranked their Top50 songs from U2, this song landed at #13.
Been played 108 times.......3 times on the 2010 360 Tour.....and mostly on the I+E and 2019 TJT Anniv Tour.
) but I’ll figure out a way to extract the info from her. She claims that her brain just doesn’t work this way, but really, how tough is this? It’s pretty clear she’s just being obstinate. 
)
