Why This Is a Perfect Melody
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- Опубліковано 16 вер 2021
- In this episode I break down my favorite song by another band everyone hates.
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The irish musical influence on U2 is generally overlooked. That kind of melody over changing harmonies is used a lot in Irish folk music, especially classic melodies with alternate chords thrown in. Great song.
It does sound very Irish/Celtic! Love their albums up through Achtung Baby. They really lost their identity along the way. Drowning Man is one of my favorites.
Yes...it's similar to some Clannad songs of the same era
This album was recorded contemporaneously with the Waterbots' "This is the Sea".
Now, this musical form is called Prog.
Was just going to comment on this. I don't think people realise how much diddly-dee affects us when we grow up. You can hear it in U2's themes.
I can't believe Rick is talking about "Drowning man" to me that is one of those songs that really separate casual listeners from people that (whether they like U2 or not) REALLY know the band... if they know this song. To me it has forever been a masterpiece... Cheers from Costa Rica!
Absolutely. It's like Heartland, Dirty Day, Fez/Being Born or Book Of Your Heart. You know you're in the presence of a real fan if they react to those songs in a more passionate way than to WOWY, Vertigo, One or Pride.
Easily of my favourites by them, War has some really good songs on it
Boy: Into the Heart, Another Time Another Place
@@fishtailfred8686 Into The Heart (and An cat Dubh ) have always been my least favorites from Boy, but ATAP is an absolute gem, just like Shadows And Tall Trees, Stories For Boys, Twilight and the more known ones (IWF, OOC, Electric Co). Boy is one of the best debuts album in rock history if you ask me.
@J Smith Tremendous story man, cheers from Costa Rica
Edge might be the most unique guitarist of his era. No one else plays like him.
Adam Clayton's bass work compliments Edge perfectly.
The man who inspired me to play guitar. I may be a shredder, but without Edge or _I Will Follow,_ I wouldn't be playing at all.
No one else plays like him
No one else plays like
No one
No
There’s no other way to cut it. This guy is a talented presenter and a great advocate for music. I hope kids are watching this and getting into music. The three attributes of a great teacher are to enthuse, inform and inspire. This guy does all that. Respect.
An alternate title could be “why you should listen to full albums and not just songs / playlists”. Beato talks about War as a great album and he’s spot on. At the time, it stood out as one of the few perfect albums - every song great and a perfect listen as each song transitioned to the next. I feel that’s a topic on its own, and one that I discuss often with a few friends. Very rare these days, but maybe coming back with the trend toward vinyl. Great video, Rick!
Track order is part of the art as well. A buddy of mine likes create playlists to reorder tracks on albums that he didn’t think quite nailed it.
This is one of the better deep cuts you will find.
I’d say the same about Unforgettable Fire. War/UF/Joshua Tree is one of the greatest three album sequences in music history.
@@ctbadger I was a U2 fan early on. I never heard any "I hate U2" from anyone until around Achtung Baby when Bono started acting like an overprivledged ass.
@@massivereader You obviously know nothing about Bono. If he heard you say that he would likely make a joke about it because anyone who has spent any time with him knows that he is anything but. I've spent enough time with him over the years to know first hand. Now, if you want to talk about an "overprivileged ass" then look no further than Chris Martin. He's a piece of work.
I have always felt that "Drowning Man" is pretty much U2's finest moment. So glad this was noticed. Stunning sonic architecture and tremendous vocal
party girl was my fave
Agreed. First heard this when I was a student. The album didn’t leave the turntable for a week. Nothing else got a look in. Still stands up as a great album in my mind. Don’t care what a tit Bono is, U2 smashes it out of the park here
Interestingly, one of my other favourite tracks at the time, was “The Drowning Man” on “Faith” by The Cure
@@markparris3890 became a tit. As many do. The man singing on this album was no tit.
@@NoName-to5xl agreed
Man, U2 IMO, is a top 5 R&R band of all time. No particular order but them along Beatles, Stones, Zeppelin and Pink Floyd are on another level. All members are just amazing players and Edge’s sound is so original and alongside Bono’s voice and lyrics make them a perfect band.
I've been a U2 fanatic almost my entire life. Not just my favorite band, they're a big part of my cultural development as a person. I LOVE them. To you: thank you so much for this lovely tribute to an underappreciated deep-cut. Seeing you break down the melody was a treat. Thank you!
I met Adam Clayton with a friend of mine in 1984 not far from where I live. I was a young teenage fan, he said he just finished recording the unforgettable fire. A real gentleman and very kind with his time,love his bass lines. Most down to earth guys you will meet... ☘️
UF is still my fave record of theirs.
Dundrum?
Good for you mate!
@@ThePeterako black horse Avenue, Navan Road, Dublin.He was at a former DJs house that lived along that road.
Personally I prefer tuf to tjt
With Bono singing "with wings like eagle, you run and not grow weary", the "take my hand" backing vocals, and that violin melody always gives me the chills.
It’s scripture from the book of Isaiah chapter 40
And it’s Scripture again in the lyrics; from Isaiah 40, which is one of their songs as well.
@@TeresaRussell49 Yep, Isaiah 40:31 - it was my mom’s favorite Bible verse, and I thought it was so cool that U2 used it.
This whole album spoke to me when I was a young teen in the 80’s. When I lost my firstborn son to brain cancer in 1996,it had been a few years since I had listened to War. When I got to Drowning Man,I just lost it and wept like never before .It was truly at that time I understood the loss Bono had with his mom at a young age.
Much love ❤
💜
💙
Love this song. 😊
This is the record that introduced me to U2. I was 16 back then (now I am 54) The first song I heard was Sunday Bloody Sunday and it just floored me! I could not believe what I was hearing; it was like a flood of fresh water, I was listening to new music that had a purpose.
Well said... Sunday Bloody Sunday was like a "flood of fresh water!" UNMATCHED to this very day!!!
Absolutely.. Was also the same for me.
Same. I’m 53. I remember hearing the boy album and my life Changed forever. I heard wide awake in America. Love comes tumbling and it just ripped out my soul. Been hooked ever since. Soundtrack of my life. Even paid $5 to see them 12/19/87 @ sun devil stadium. Not knowing tracks from that stadium show would end up in a movie. Unreal
Same. 61. New Years Day. Lived in England during the beginning of Polish transition to democracy when Lech Walesa (Labor Leader and Union Electrician) was jailed by communist government.
I walked into a record store where the New Year’s Day video was playing. I was immediately in awe. Where all the other videos were “fun”, U2 sang with conviction.
I love Rick putting his foot down as the musical expert! Music is subjective but talent/skill cannot be denied
Dear Rick, you just fulfilled one of my life-long music bucket list accomplishments: I’ve loved ‘Drowning Man’ since the day I first heard it but I’ve never understood why. I can’t sing, hum or tap to it. The tuning (of that guitar) always confused me so when I tried to explain it to friends, I failed. In the summer of 1983 I lived on a sailboat. The fog buoy that sat outside our harbor signaled with a warning tone that was the same pitch, resonance and duration as the haunting background sound you hear start around the 0:24 mark. I always liked to imagine that U2 sampled that buoy for this song.
Thank you so much for finally bringing the attention to this song that it so much deserves. I couldn’t be happier.
Stay Strong,
Boston
Listening to U2 in their prime on foggy days, living on a boat, yours seems to have been a great experience. Care to elaborate?
I dig your story! I grew up boating on the south shore of LI, so I can really relate. We would take summer family cruises, making our way around Montauk Point and then stay at various ports of call on the LI Sound. Many were along the CT coastline, and we were fogged in many times.
Interesting the buoy foghorn analogy. Have a listen to the intro to The Bounty (the actual film soundtrack) by Van Gelis
drowning man is such an underrated track of theirs. there's not another song like it in their discography; that kind of magic only happens once.
I would say have a listen to Tomorrow from October. Similar haunting quality !
@@Oblique.strategy Yes! War and October are is such great records, remember when they came out and buying then... the great thing with October/War (and Boy, Unforgettable Fire) is that you really feel Ireland. October and War really sound like Dublin in those moments.... for me these records have so much meaning.
Love Comes Tumbling exists in the same mystical space as this song. It's my favorite U2 song ever.
Some years ago I rediscovered "Promenade" from "The Unforgattable Fire" album, another of those underrated magic songs. I agree this magic is rare (and even Drowning Man reappeared to me as a divine message in a dream after decades that I didn't listen to it and wouldn't even remember it existed), but then Promenade is a song that I always liked but it seems like I never REALLY listened to it. Then all of a sudden, 35 years later, fusshh!, it blew my mind away and had me kinda uplifted to another realm for two days. I'm not kidding.
”Walk to the water” has same magic also I think.
Rick is amazing, he doesn’t stop to surprise me! I’m a huge U2 fan and for me Drowning man was always an absolute masterpiece, for me it’s the best song in War and the second best being Surrender. I was looking for the war album on UA-cam and came across Rick’s video. It’s really great hearing him talk about this song so passionately. This song is so unique and mystical, it’s U2 at their best!
I agree with Rick this being one of the best rock albums ever made. I go a step further and say it is one of my favorite albums. I agree with both you and Rick about Drowning Man and Surrender. These songs are killer and they sound amazing. Certain albums just do it for me, this album, the Cure’s Disintegration album, REM’s Murmur, PE’s Nation of Millions, Floyd’s Dark Side, and Miles’ Kind of Blue. Personally, I think they are just great sounding and written albums.
I might throw "like a song" slightly ahead of "surrender". Nitpicking though. 😁
@@ScottH. agreed, but I’d say way ahead.
Exactly cheers to you my friend
Surrender is a criminally underrated song.
“Bono doesn’t need auto-tune. Ever.” You got dat right, Mr. Rick. Bono’s voice still makes my hairs stand up. Still. After SO many years….
This song was part of my young adult reality.
Listened to this cassette over & over.
Gorgeous voice.
Lyrics of love.
For me, born in 1965, the greatest rock band of my generation.
Bono uses vocal effects all the time, dummy.
@@curly_wyn when?
@@mysticedge4 Whenever U2 were recording in the studio for an album, Bono used effects to tweak his vocals to where the sounded to the producer’s liking, since Bono notoriously (and imo rightfully) hates his voice.
Rick, you are a music preservationist national treasure. Keep up the good work keeping these tunes alive for a new generation to discover.
Rick Beato Preservation Society
I think the other thing is that only a Celt could come up w that type of melody. To me it sounds like an old Irish hymn that no one outside of Ireland or Scotland would ever understand. Amazing! One of my fav records and songs
I can’t get over how brutal and haunting the song is. The lyrics and vocals have so much desperation in them. Those guitar strums are like knife slashes. Wow
This is FANTASTIC! I'm a music teacher, music theory nerd, and huge U2 fan and LOVE how you broke this down with the meter, modes and everything! Well done!
I always try to extract influences or at least previous songs out of the mix. So far, the best I can do with this one is to imagine this as similar to Nights in White Satin and Welcome to the Machine with an unusual more up tempo beat that's a combination of "Two Hearts Beat as One mixed with an almost Latin feel not unlike a song in a Clint Eastwood era western.
@Chris Kennedy In other words, pretty much totally original. LOL. Cheers, man.
Do you like "Yes" Wakeman? First 3 or 4 LP's by Yes I adored!! Have NEVER liked U2/Bono. I'm allowed an opinion!!
I have a music teacher who I won’t name but who is in the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame as a drummer that was in a popular 90s group, has won a Grammy and has worked over the past 35 years as producer, mixer, sound engineer for many, many groups. He sometimes shares stories about artists. For example, he doesn’t like the lead singer of the RHCP (or Flea). Said you had to get permission to speak to them. That they never spoke to you or acknowledged you when you walked past them in the hallway. Basically jerks. On the other hand, he said U2 were the nicest of all the artists he’s ever worked with and especially Bono. Said he was at the console and you get a little nervous when Bono comes over and puts his hand on your should and asks, “Do you mind playing measures x and x again?” Said he goes out his way to make you feel comfortable. Before he said this, I’d never been a fan of U2 but admit this made me see them in a new light.
@@jkyles1000 Well that's very admirable of him. But just because a person treats others with respect, follows the golden rule, doesn't make me like their music, sorry.
The lyric references to Isaiah 40:31 are another example of how U2 can fold their faith into their earlier music (see also “40” - Psalm 40:2, and countless others). Drowning Man is a U2 masterpiece.
I'm obsessed with U2's earlier work. Can't believe how young and brilliant they were.
In 1985, as a 12 year old, I checked the War album on vinyl out of the local library and listened to this song over and over for 2 weeks.
U2 is the band of my lifetime. I feel sorry for anyone who "doesn't get" a catalog of amazing music of 40+ years and counting...
These younger people think you're not supposed to like em or something - I don't get it myself - they're a massive influence on Me
People tend to hate on anyone who makes it big. Also, the band, or at least Bono, transcends rock n roll with his politics and charity... some people think singers should just shut up and sing, especially if they don't agree with their politics. I love U2, but we live in a world where some people hate what some people love. "Haters gonna hate".
Something for the uninitiated to look forward to in the future. Like eventually reading a classic novel.
Lo que pasa es que es dificil que alguien pudiera superar la trayectoria y records de U2. Eso es lo que odian aunque no lo digan
They are an amazing band, but there is a clear line between their earlier stuff up to Joshua Tree and everything afterwards. I think some U2 diehards draw the line at Joshua Tree.
It’s crazy to me that these songs from 1983 are almost 40 years old and still sound relevant and current. Timeless stuff!
Goes to show how little has changed, in many ways, despite our naive, idealistic belief that we could change the world...
well. rap / trap has taken over the past 20 years - so things have changed
Nothing new under the sun
Listen to Joy Division and that is forever relevant! I’m a huge U2 fan by the way!!
it's not crazy ... Great music is always great ... these first 3 albums I think are their strongest, even if not as mature as the subsequent albums.
I agree. The song is stunning. I played this complete album daily for months and it remains one of my favorite albums of all time.
Early U2 was soulful, spiritual, panoramic, mystical, earthy and sonically a masterpiece up to and including The Joshua Tree. Absolutely tapping into desolation of the spirit, searching, wanderlust and finding an individuals soul.
You just put into words what I was thinking. Bravo!
I feel this mostly, yes. BUT, I feel also passionately about certain songs from Achtung Baby. In particular "Until the End of The World." It's the beautiful, dreamy place where U2 and Lanois meet and give us music that turns our insides out. Just my opinion...
@@KB-ku4um All of the above is true about the early albums up to Joshua Tree. Then Achtung Baby is my favorite album by U2.
oh yes. mee to!!11 While there are still good songs after Joshua Tree the albums up to and including it ware superiour.
100% Agree But I Adore Actung Baby- & Lemon too!
Bono pours his soul into every note...emotion, theatrics and technique always on display. And then there are the lyrics. Such a gifted artist. Thx for helping folks to see how great U2 is.
Man, I remember my 12 year-old self listening over and over and over to this track off vinyl on my parents' turntable. What an absolutely beautiful and powerful song. Great choice.
I was 13 then and know that connection that we will always feel when we hear these songs. Not the hits off the album (that you can’t avoid) but the ones you only hear by choice when you hit play. I am transported back to my 13 year old self.
Rick nailed this. I've always loved Drowning Man and this entire album. I will never stop loving Bono and U2!
One of my favorite U2 songs. Their music is so emotional to me. I feel everything through my body. Chills. I saw Steve Lilywhite in a restaurant once. Walked right up to him and told him he produced sone of my favorite music of all time. He was shocked I knew who he was.
I love this story.
Rick is so talented and skilled, but is doing well on you tube partly because he is so likeable. He’s so passionate about what he likes and never disparages anyone. He always makes me smile. And by the way, he’s preaching to the choir about Bono’s singing:)
"... and never disparages anyone" - except blockers.
@@laneadamson5686 Haha yes that’s certainly true.
This song sounds like they were just straight up jamming. Like everyone started playing together and Bono started singing lines he had written down. It all sounds so natural together.
kinda agree
'Guessinglly AGREE'!
I agree that it kind of sounds like that. I find a lot of U2 songs sound like that. As if they are just repeatedly playing the same short chord progression the whole time and and Bono just sings the first thing that comes to mind on top as in order to find an interesting melody, without the song really melodically progressing anywhere.
@@PowerRedBullTypology (( it's in the production as in 'Not too effective on just guitar and vocal or just piano and vocal' -unless Bono is singing it like an anthemn. Then, the song has a shine to it, especially with that guitarist (slash?).
Digressing for a minute, the world seemed a better place when the beast system was using superstar musicians to fraudulently 'save the world' than what has been both blatantly and confusingly been happening after that era. Like SURPRISE!
But Bono was one of them that was not fooled by the beast, whether morally right or not.
Oh hell no. This is VERY well rehearsed. The bass in is 6, the drums are in 4, and the melody is a 24 beat phrase so it all comes around like a Swiss watch. That doesn't happen by accident.
U2 took a massive jump when making the War album.Still my personal favorite.Haunting and genius.
Me too. Sometimes I feel like Achtung Baby is my fave of theirs but I find myself listening to War more often. It’s one of those albums (for me at least) where I can listen to every song and not skip any of them.
Thank you for this, Rick. I’ve always wondered why this song was so under appreciated. It’s nice to see there are a bunch of people who hear what I hear.
Nailed it, Rick - this is a U2 ”deep track” for sure, and it’s pure genius. It’s one of those rare songs that still grabs me by the heart and gives me chills after all these years. In my mind, it is the soundtrack from US Army Ranger school 1990, then straight into Desert Storm. Every step was a ‘gut check’ for three months in Ranger school. Waiting to see my girl again. Waiting to go home. Just trying to survive. Then Sadaam invaded Kuwait just as we finished. Get on the plane, LT. You’re not going home any time soon. Then a year in the desert. “Hold on - don’t let go of my love. The storm will pass. It won’t be long now. Rise up, rise up - with wings like eagles - you run, you run, you run and not grow weary.” Powerful stuff.
Great story Sir, my Ranger school album was Joshua Tree but about 25 years after you! When I was in mountain phase I had Country Roads by John Denver stuck in my head every single day. Probably the longing and desire for home and the beautiful Mountains that surrounded us. For SFAS I had a lot of Foreigner stuck in my head for some unknown reason, not even that big of a fan of them. It’s funny what your mind does when you are deprived of the music you love and what gets stuck in your head. Thank you for your Service and God Bless!
Back in the day you had to buy the whole album...and then were rewarded by discovering songs like this one.
Lmfao. Still have my vinyl of it.
Glad I bought the full album anyway to give it a try. The best songs are often the least well known.
That’s the reason I’m buying the whole album if I like a single song, you get to find little gems like these
I can't imagine anyone not liking U2. But I totally agree with the analysis here. Bono is just flat out awesome on every song he sings.
U2 and Bono live is POWER. Seen a lot of bands/artists live, but NO ONE reaches the level U2 does.
The song on Joshua tree called red Hill town gives me the same feeling. The Melody sends chills up my spine in the same powerful way. And I don’t hate U2!!
Yes
The b side of Joshua tree is absolute perfection
My husband and I drove near Arches National Park recently and of course had to plan our Joshua Tree listen to hear Red Hill Mining Town as we wound our way through the literal red mining towns. Still my favorite song from Joshua Tree. Sometimes I think it’s too bad they never figured out how to translate it to concerts, but on the other hand, the vocal performance is just about perfect and couldn’t be equaled or better than what was captured in studio.
Greatest U2 song!
@@jakez5227 My favorite b-side of any album
For me, it's the layering that makes this song so awesome. Their taking simple parts and piecing them together to make something sound immense. It really does sound like a hymn, and Bono's voice cuts through that so well that you just get lost in the music.
Very much agree, and it is great to see you commenting on a Beato video. The comics/culture/music crossover I'm thrilled to see!
Agreed. There is something haunting and other worldly about early U2 stuff. War has always been one of my favourite albums. I know it sounds silly to say that a band as successful as U2 are underrated as songwriters but sometimes I think it’s easy to overlook their abilities.
@@DoctorDave5 Absolutely. They also have been one of my favourite bands of all time since I came across Boy way back in early 81. I went off them when they released The Joshua Tree as it felt like a sell out to what made them great. Even Bono seriously considered calling the record pressing plant to pull production. It's grown on me over the years but for me Boy and War were where I felt the most connected.
@@jakefallon2335 I still love the Joshua Tree and Achtung Baby but I definitely lean towards the earlier stuff. Boy, October, War and the magnificent Unforgettable Fire. I wore them all out on my turntable!
@@DoctorDave5 Its Ireland in the late '70s / early '80s...haunting yes but also cold, hollow, bleak, chaotic...
bono's always been so good at putting that sense of desperation, calling out to god sort of feeling into his voice
"drowning man" is so enthralling and emotional to me - one of u2's absolute best.
Thank you, thank you Rick for reminding us why U2 is so good and Bono is a great singer!
To me the song is rooted to an Irish folk song. Some heartache blended with hope.
Takes me straight back to the early 80s.
The way the musical parts swirl around each other is much like water or mist, the singer and lyrics very much a drowning man, brilliant. Kudos to Rick for showing 'how' it works.
Yes, The song evokes imagery of a mist that impairs sight, or a metaphorical mist of confusion or despair. And Bono's voice is like an anchor of steadiness perplexingly, but decisively, reaching out to and speaking to the listener out of that mist.
War, Unforgettable Fire, Joshua Tree, and Achtung Baby are U2 at their best. If you haven’t listened to much of them, those 4 albums are works of genius, and I can’t recommend them enough!
You left out Boy. That will always be my favorite of theirs, probably because it was so different from everything else out at the time. It made a huge impact on me, though, I guess most people weren’t ready for it yet. It has a tonal quality War approaches but doesn’t quite repeat.
Rattle and Hum, great music also!
100% agree with you @Googerstein
Even with the "fall off" after Achtung Baby, Bono is still one of the best lyricists.
plus the atomic bomb album. number 1 in 27 countries for a reason!!!!
Proud to be the owner of one of the original 1983’s album “War”!!!
The face of that child is still hunting me
(Steve Wickham at the electric violin 🎻)
also I consider Bono one of the greatest lyricist EVER. On almost every song I find lines that touch me deeply or lines that make me shout "THIS IS SO TRUE". He is a master of allegory
The Irish are rather fine storytellers, are they not?
So true. His singing ability & tone are so exceptional that at times that has overshadowed his lyrical genius. He’s actually underrated in this regard. Bono is one of the best lyricists ever.
Well how about that lol
"Drowning Man" is my favourite U2 song (and I am a big fan of theirs), and straight up one of my favourite songs of all time. The way that hypnotic bassline and beat rock back and forth, the perfectly placed guitar harmonics and strings, soul-searching lyrics and arguably Bono's finest vocal performance on record. I've just never heard anything else like it. So glad to see there are others that feel the same way about this hidden gem that I do.
This is what I listened to with some of the Joshua tree in my depressive moments of my life, in the wilderness living off the land. Unfortunately, those times I feel are upon me again, time to take my dog, music a little food and dislocate to the wild
@@funkysawmanwright5077 that sounds like a good way to deal with depression. Especially the dog part of it. Hope you're feeling better soon!
As someone who only recently discovered U2, thank you Rick for introducing me to such a beautiful song. Love your channel. It is fascinating.
Aewsome again! I remember hearing an interview with the Bono years ago where he said it was too difficult to play live.
I find interesting how Bono and Eddie Vedder approach singing. They make melodies sort of jumping between notes making intervales wider than others. Usually picking notes from an octave above to emphatize and make you feel more intensity. Love it!
This is one of the greatest albums of all time. The energy and drive is just incredible. Steve Lillywhite OMG. I'm not a crying man, but when I went to see U2 live in the 80's and they played this song, "40" and "Into the Heart" (off of the Boy album), I found myself wiping some tears from my eyes...amidst a crowd of 18,000 at MSG. Talk about connecting with your audience! No other rock band ever made me cry. But U2 did. And I'm not even Irish.
Don’t want to be “that guy” and I’m not trying to spoil your memory, but drowning man has never been played live.
A little more helpful response here- although they have never played the full song live, they have thrown in a snippet of drowning man on occasion, mostly in the 80s. I looked up every MsG U2 show in the 80s and in none of them did they play Into The Heart. However, digging deeper… on 5/11/83 they played the Palladium in NYC and performed Into The Heart, 40, and (wait for it) 11 o clock tick tick with a drowning man snippet. Success! So I think you are misremembering that it was at MSG, but everything else was spot on!
An Cat Dubh/Into the heart is one of the most beautiful, emotional songs ever put on tape by any solo-musician or band!
At a track meet in Norcross, Georgia we had a lot of down time between events. I laid in the infield grass and listened to this album on cassette on my little Sony Walkman. I agree War is a classic record. I so appreciate the respect he shares for U2. It’s funny how music can remind you of when and where you were in your life. I love these guys. So talented and my favorite rock band period.
This is one of the most interesting vids you've done. So much passion from the music resulting in passion in the video.
Bring back passion, humanity and imperfection to music which makes the music perfect.
Love it Rick.
This and the song The Unforgettable Fire are wonderful compositions.
Oh man The Unforgettable Fire gives me chills!!
I was just saying that I’ve always loved this song, because it has that ethereal feel like Unforgettable Fire, my favorite song of theirs.
It is very pleasant to see in Rick’s videos how he can’t keep emotions when his loved song is playing . When he admires every note of Bono’s phrase without any theoretical comments I am really with him at that moment ! because I’m dying about this u2 song too, it is just unspeakably amazing and touching …..
Love this era of music not because I was 15 but because the bands like U2, REM, Smiths, Cure, Replacements sold out stadiums not because of the power of record labels but the power of passionate fans who shared mix tapes. When I saw U2 on cover of Time magazine it was a proud moment as it was simply the result of the power of teenagers buying records.
Ohh yea. Mixtapes were life! Class of 1988 here. Wouldn’t change a thing. Soundtrack of my life
2 years now and I'm still watching the breakdown of my number 2 favorite song ever. Almost need another thumbs up option because I would definitely like this video twice!
We NEED more of this series. I don't see how any lover of music can "hate" anyone who is putting this much emotion into their music. Maybe U2 aren't fashionable anymore, but they are certainly not lacking in soul - or ambition. Kudos for digging deep!
If you don't like a band you just don't listen do it. Simple.
I don't think the U2 haters hate the band because of the music or the vocals.....their prejudice is mainly because of Bono and his message.....preachy.....Christian preachy.....not there's anything wrong with that message or belief but I think it is a reflection of the nature and essence of the haters rather than on U2 or Bono.
I guess a lot of the "haters" are actually old fans, disappointed in what they see and hear today.
Agreed. The song pick being one of the bands' deep cuts is refreshing and shows why this series has so much potential. Interestingly, U2 seems to be growing in popularity again...at least with a certain age group: Just as Millennials tended to reject them in backlash to Gen Xers & Boomers love for them---Gen Zers that hear them tend to like their music.
If they would have gone kaboom in an airplane right after Joshua Tree, they would be sainted.
Early U2 is underrated and this song is a great example of their music prowess when they were young and still had that hunger to prove themselves and fire for their music. Great stuff. Please do more of these.
I think their first four albums are their best. Maybe it's because I was experiencing them through my mid-teens to my early young adult years. In any case, they left a strong impression.
War is one of my top ten all time best albums of all time.
Wow I dont know this song. Yes Bono has one of the best voices in rock. So emotional and beautiful. Ive seen u2 play live a couple of times they are awesome and they are an amazing band. One of my faves.
Always loved this one! All the early U2 stuff was amazing! Bono’s vocals on “Tomorrow” is absolutely fantastic.
Hey Rick, your videos have got me to love music again. Some depression stopped me from listening to my favourite bands, and the fact that you constantly have them on your channel has brought me back to music. Hope you are well!
Hey, I consider music the glue that keeps my sanity together, when all hope is gone, don't let silence fall!
Take care!
@@apathtrampledbydeer8446 Thank you, mate. I'm also going to assume you did a Slipknot reference there :-)
@@stokes71 Welcome back, and I hope you can stay for a long long time! (you didn't reply to me personally but still) :)
@@40g33k Not Slipknot actually, but it Says When all hope is gone, don't let silence fall on my In Mourning shirt, Swedish melo death band. :) (stealing shirt quotes)
@@apathtrampledbydeer8446 Thank you, very much appreciated. I too hope I will be around for a long time ;-) Best to you and yours!
I saw U2 with The Alarm opening at Pier 84 in Manhattan on Jun 29, 1983. They were promoting War, which had been released earlier that year. What a concert! For anyone who remembers the Pier 84 concerts in the 80s, it was an outdoor venue with room for about 4,000 next to the aircraft carrier Intrepid on the Hudson River. (at 44th Street) U2 was a very young, up-and-coming band and you just knew they were going to be huge. Bono was about 23 years old and already had such a mature and captivating stage presence. What a time to be alive and young!
The Alarm… another great band no one ever talks about. Met Mike Peters and Eddie in Boston the night they recorded “Electric Folklore Live”. Great guys.
I remember Pier 84 - I saw The Smiths there back in the mid 80s. Also saw The Alarm and U2 (Nassau Coliseum in '85) on separate occasions. The Alarm concert was at small college venue, and they were fantastic.
That had to be amazing, I know the area well, yes, the 80's were magical in almost every area of life.
I saw U2 at the Red Rocks on the War tour. Amazing, on absolute fire 🔥 show! Not a single audience member didn't know that U2 was going to be gargantuan? The after show local buzz ran for Months...no joke..
One (if not #1...) of my favorite concerts....
Man, you can’t imagine how lucky you were to be at THAT show! Back in those days, we lived for Under a Blood Red Sky! It was the soundtrack of our sweet teenage revolution.
One of the few bands that is far better live than in the studio, I first saw them in play in 1987 and it's still a tradition for my friends and I go to see them in concert, it's always an amazing show. And yes, Rick, they actually did play Drowning Man live!! I recall they did this in 2009 during the 360° tour and there is even an audio version of their full live rehearsal of this song available on YT if you're interested.
I would love to hear that on YT
Yes One, With Or Without You and Miss Sarajevo live in Modena all sound better live. The band have honned their craft
Rick that was one of the best breakdowns I have seen you do. I have been a subbie from when ya had about 8000 people. You just demonstrated what good old rock and roll is.
I used to listen to U2's War album in 1990 repeatedly, when I was 16 on my way to my after school activity on my Sony Walkman. As you know, there were no streaming services back then and I could only listen to very few albums on cassette tapes, so I used to carry about three to four cassettes with me. War was definitely one of the gems I'd listen to constantly and repeatedly, all of the other used to rotate, I think they included Jethro tull, Zeppelin and perhaps the Police and Rush...can't remember...
Drowning Man was just a piece in the collage of the album, so I'd consider this song and back then it sounded like laid back stoner ballad. kind of nice-to-have track in this War album repertoire.
Around 1992 or 1993 I played drums with my back then band. We were inspired by emerging rock and grunge bands and went rehearsing late at nights and end up at my guitarists house, getting stoned and inspired by songs. At some point, he put War into his CD player and played this track as all of the band members were out of service...let's put it this way...
"You gotta listen to this," he said "...this song is phenomenal!" Then I thought to myself I know this song, but never deep dived into it, and indeed marvelous song but never understood why...
Damn you Rick! It is a pity I just got to better understand this song, 32 year later!! Wish I had the chance to know you back then to explain this to me what makes this song so ingenious. Well, never too late to learn new things.
Thank you so much for driving this channel!! Keep it up!!
We have quasi-similar stories. I was introduced to WAR in 1989 when in graduate school, and it was the album that made me a U2 fan (for life since then). And "Drowning Man" was the song that cemented that fandom. I borrowed that cassette for so long from my housemate that he eventually demanded its return and said, "You have to get your own copy." But before he took it back, it was the soundtrack to my student teaching experience in a town on the edge of Appalachia.
U2 rules. Bono is an amazing singer. That whole band is incredible. I can’t wait until people stop hating on them so much. Sadly, I have a feeling it’s going to be after a member of the band passes away, or after they split up. It will be one of those scenarios where people don’t realize what they had in front of them until it’s gone,
Well said
Split up? U2? Nevarrrrrrrr
Scott Masson They've been together as a band since 1978, and the two times they came close to parting ways was after Live Aid. Bono decided to go off on his own into the crowd without telling the other band members. Larry and the Edge were pissed and were going to fire Bono over the incident. They believed that Bono blew the performance, and the band's opportunity to make a breakthrough. The next day, reviews of their performance came out. Instead of ruining the opportunity for the band to make a breakthrough, the performance propelled them to superstardom. A lot of people felt that U2's performance at Live Aid was second only to the immortal Freddie Mercury and Queen. The second time the band came close to breaking up was after the somewhat disastrous 'Rattle and Hum' Tour across America. The band came to the point of feeling that they had lost their way. While working on 'Achtung Baby' in Berlin, the band came closer than they ever have to calling it quits. The song, 'One', was born out of that tension. U2 continued on and 'Achtung Baby' was the reinvention of the band. I say all that to say that I don't think they will break up. They have remained together, not only as a band, but good friends all these years. I have no idea how many more albums they have in them, and, let's face it, their most iconic work is behind them, I believe. All of the band member, except Larry are either 60 or 61. Larry is 59. Hopefully they have a couple of more albums in them. Hopefully a few more tours. I think the band will end on their own terms. It may come at the end of some future tour where Bono announces, 'Thank you. This is it. We are done This time we are not coming back.' It will be a sad day indeed.
I think the hating is because of Bono's persona. I am sure he is self aware enough to understand and not care.
I loved that album! And the kid is Peter Rowen, who actually became a photographer and photographed bands, including U2.
Rick, your authentic passion and encyclopedic music knowledge never cease to amaze! Thank you for this deep cut on an amazing track on an all-time record.
Would love to hear you do more on Alt/Indie rock standouts like The Wedding Present, Luna, Wilco, The Posies, My Morning Jacket, Spoon, The New Pornographers, etc. So much great music that deserves more recognition!
In 1983, I was 10, & blessed that my Sister, four years my senior, had a voracious appreciation and knowledge for INCREDIBLE music & musicians.
When she felt like having her lil sis in her room, I entered an Odyssey of Undeniable Sounds. I remember this song with my soul. I just want to publicly thank her for expanding my DNA.
I recall when he was
BONO VOX!!! 🇮🇪
This song takes me back so hard.
It IS PERFECT.
Thank you, Rick Beato.
You & my Sis are correct.
I was too. At 10.
U2 called me like a Siren.
I had a GIFT to see them live, and I almost died from the sheer majesty of their ART. ❤
I bought War after seeing the New Years Day video on a local cable channel. Drowning Man and Like a Song quickly became my favourite cuts, but this is one of those albums that is a whole, not just a group of songs. It’s amazing to me that they’re still going, still producing great music, but this will always be THE album of theirs for me.
Never understood the hostility towards U2, I get that Bono can be a little like marmite, but they have consistently released excellent (sometimes astonishing) music for over 40 years, with the same 4 members. One of the most important and relevant bands in the history of rock.
I think it comes from the fact that they have released the same 5 songs for those 40 years. No hate from my side tho
Marmite is also you either hate or love, (your comment made me laugh) ,still give him props for his talent, but something about that guy makes me cringe..
Maybe it has something to do with Bono being a billionaire and pretending to be one hell of a samaritan by raising funds and development aid whilst avoiding taxes by having his company domicile on Cayman Islands. Apart from his music he is just a f****** hypocrite!
I think part of it is that U2 is undeniably powerful and effective, so if you don’t like what they are doing or (as has often been the case for me) just aren’t in the mood for it, when U2 comes on, you are going to hear a version of whatever you weren’t in the mood for that’s impossible to ignore.
He's an absolute ass, but their early stuff was really good. Not a fan of their more recent works personally, generally think the more recent stuff sounds like hollow imitations of their first three albums
Rick- great video and song! Have heard it many times before, as I love that album too. However, never appreciated that song all too much. Thank you for highlighting the amazingness of it!
I have a music teacher who I won’t name who is in the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame as a drummer in a popular 90s group, has won a Grammy and has worked over the past 35 years as producer, mixer, sound engineer for many, many groups. He says with the lead singer and Flea of the RHCP you had to get permission to speak to them. That they never spoke to you or acknowledged you. On the other hand, he said U2 were the nicest of all the artists he’s ever worked with and especially Bono. I’ve never been a fan of U2 but admit this made me see them in a new light.
Bono is without a doubt one of the greatest melodic singers of all time. Love the song. By the way, a snippet of Drowning Man (Hold on. Hold on tightly) was used in 11’o Clock Tick Tock live version during the War Tour.
another great song
I am so immensely happy to see this love and recognition for one of my absolute favourite songs of all time! I've never seen or heard anyone acknowledge this song before, and now Rick acknowledges this song with the same enthusiasm that I feel for it. I can listen to this song forever, and never grow tired of it. The combination of what all the instruments and the vocals are doing in this song just creates this absolutely magical, hypnotic soundscape that sounds otherworldly to me. A pure masterpiece. Thank you Rick, for this wonderful video. It truly made me so immensely happy!
It's not hate, they can't handle the fact that a band gets so big and so popular. It's envy.
Yeah, the same way they despicably treated the Bee Gees. Poor boyos.
They're the New York Yankees of rock. People hate them because they're so successful.
Truth, just like they hated the Bee Gees, so gifted and magical. Always happens.
Why is it always envy? Where is the problem that some people don't like them?
Fans cannot handle the fact, that not everybody likes their idols
@@bettinajoseph3758 it's not the people who don't like them. I get that. It's the people who hate them so much that they think that no one should like them at all and so any time someone mentions U2 off they go with trashing them or whining about a free album on their iPhone from 9 years ago.
This is one of those videos that reminds me of why I love your channel. You've got an eye/ear for details and minutiae (chords, meter, structure), while never losing sight of the big picture (melody, feel, etc.). It's so clear you love music for all the right reasons.
‘’War is one of the finest rock records ever’’. Absolutely. The writing, of course, was top. The recording and mixing was even better. And what about the sound? Those drums on Like a song or tWo Hearts…those riffs and licks, those bass lines… A monumental record. After that, it had to be something else, less… This was rock climax.
War is one of those records that I can still remember exactly how it made my 15 year old self feel when I heard it for the first time in 1983. They didn’t play U2 on the radio where I lived, and I bought the album because the cover was so compelling, as I did with lots of other records back then. It still hits hard and this was a great dissection and celebration , as usual from Rick.
I feel the exact same way. Joshua Tree and Achtung Baby get all the attention and praise, but for me nothing they made ever topped War. It is the first album I recommend to people who dislike U2 because it has such a unique, powerful, but still delicate sound and includes the best Bono vocal performances ever. Plus, most of the songs aren't ballads like their later albums, which is always great.
Thank you for your comments.. I completely forgot about that album and it came out when I was in the 8th grade it's great. You are correct. Absolutely epic album.. Unlike anything going on at that time, and for a long time after
I discovered U2 in August 1984. First time I heard them was live, in Perth WA, at the Entertainment Center. I still remember everything of that night, especially New Year’s Day, Sunday Bloody Sunday, and the magnificent 40 at the end of the concert.
That was the only time I bought the LP after hearing the live performance, instead of the other way around.
I first saw U2 on this tour and it was like a religious experience! Then again, so were the next two tours!
I was absolutely blown away by this song when I first heard it. And this from a guy who first got introduced to U2 through 'Achtung Baby.' I spent every penny I had on their older records within months and I just adored this song. I wish I could sing that good. I love this band. I sincerely hope the band will do an interview with you!
Im 42 years old and I love U2 since I was 10! My favourite band. U2 songs are the soubdtrack of my life. This is one of my favourite songs! Thank you for this video
Thank you for breaking down this song Rick. Back in 1985, It brings back memories of when I was in the Navy and my friend Brian and I would listen to this song. We would talk about the emotion and feeling of the song and how powerful it was. The last time we listened to it together he went out with some friends and was killed in a car accident that evening. Now when I hear this song it takes me back to the day's on the ship with Brian listening to this song. Again thank you Rick I really needed this tonight and I know Brian is listening as well.
I can’t imagine the feelings this must bring back. Sorry for your loss. Music certainly has a way...... the HARDEST way to tie us to a day and time.
I'm so glad that you're pointing out how good U2 are. Not just Bono's vocal/melody's but the clever understanding that the band had on the earlier records.
Agreed! Gave me goosebumps to hear someone else say what I've always said.
Bono is a fantastic singer. All the emotion, and he just gives it. On records and live.
Simply Haunting! The undulating "Lydian/Aeolian" melody seems to defeat the conscious mind, and then drag the subconscious thru the somber mesmerizing tension of the minor/flat chords.
This was me and my late, great love and girlfriend at the time, Mia Zapata's(RIP) favorite album when it came out. Hard for me to listen to this song without thinking of her and how much I love and miss her..
You dated Mia Zapata?
@@josephgreble5 , yes, for five years..
The combination of your technical, musical prowess combined with a nearly unhinged passion in your delivery makes your videos an absolute delight. Thank you so much for sharing the joy. 😁❤️
This! Exactly!
Period.
"nearly unhinged passion"
Thankyou so much for reviewing this song; 💖 💓 💕 many, many years since I've heard it and was still so emotive, cheers 👏
I agree with you so much Nick, I've always loved this song, the edge with these harmonics on the acoustics is perfect!
simplicity is an art in music!
Rick's passion and appreciation has the power to reserrect a song from almost 40 years ago. Thank you Mr Beato.
Their Best Tune and Bono's Best Vocal Performance (still gives me goosebumps after 100s of listens). A reminder that very few could touch them back then. Credit to Steve Lillywhite, has a very Eno vibe to it. Steve Wickham from The Waterboys does a great job on Violin filling out the sound. Finally Cheers Rick for being a true fan of music, before being a great scholar in noticing this song in the first place.
Ha! I just listened to the "This is the Sea" album this morning.
I enjoy Rick's passion over this song more than the song itself.
New Year's Day was a game changer for me, esp the 12".
Surrender, Like a Song. 40. Fell asleep to the cassette in high school multiple times.
The passion in Bono's voice is intense. The slightly off set vocal to music. The electric violin. They've never played it live. It's my all time favorite of theirs. I remember hearing it when I was about 12 yrs old. Before I understood what angst and longing were. But even at that young age, it moved me to the core.
Have always been a big fan of U2's opening "trilogy" in Boy, October and War...the latter being the culmination of the three and the band's first real classic. The Joshua Tree is great, of course, but there is something about the first three - and then Under A Blood Red Sky - that displays the bands true uniqueness and rawness.
I'd also include "The Unforgettable Fire" and call it a day on U2's discography!
@@sergiosaunier U2 was unassailably great from 1980 to 1991. After that their albums still have some good songs on them but are no longer masterpieces in their entirety.
Well said, there was an essence of shooting for the moon without any calculations in those first 4 albums
So true. U2 today is a tribute band of this original U2 but from Boy -> Achtung Baby they were brilliant. All You Can tLeave Behind had a few great moments as well. Since then has been trash sadly.
@SmashedB Totally agree with you. The first three albums are what U2 are all about for me, and then likewise, Live Under a Blood Red Sky. First live album I bought and I played that to death until every note, nuance and even crowd noise on that album became second nature. And of course, the video is classic U2.
Wow, seriously?! This is a deep cut on that album and I love it! Can't believe Rick's depth of recall on these albums, and then to take the time to analyze it too. Is there any artist, song or album this guy hasn't heard of? I'm blown away that he found this little gem. :)
I saw U2 twice in 1983 while living in California. So much energy. I then dated a woman for 8 years who absolutely hated them. I was not a huge fan but I too, could not understand the strong dislike some people had. Great lesson.
1982 - War; 1983 - Under a Blood Red Sky (Live); 1984 - The Unforgettable Fire; 1985 - Live Aid / Wide Awake In America (Live); 1986 - Conspiracy of Hope (Live); 1987 - The Joshua Tree, 1988 - Rattle and Hum (Live) --- for my money, this is one of the greatest runs of albums and records in musical history and to have it all capped with the seminal 1991 Achtung Baby? Forget it, that period made U2 my all-time favorite rock group! The only greater period for a band? 1963-1970 The Beatles.
I love Steve Lillywhite’s production on that record. He was one of the best back in those days, and I bet he had a lot to do with the sound of this track.
I would hate to hear what it would have sounded like if didn't produce it. I guess U2 had to find someone who could polish a turd.