New song: Underwater

[atreyu]

Yep, U from TIO...

 

everyting is getting shorter ...

[willywonka]

everyting is getting shorter ...

 

Everything, except Mika's one foot boy...that can't get any shorter than what it is now...

[idiviki]

Here is " Mika set list" and I see UNDERWATER. http://blog.naver.com/mzmania/10119206960 (last pic).

 

Ooh I guess we'll have to change the thread title then

 

and then I'll have to change video title on Youtube

[dcdeb]

I have a little question for native speakers : are we supposed to write 'Under Water' or 'Underwater'? Or is there no real answer to this?

 

I would say that underwater is usually used as an adjective so in this case it would be "under water".

 

That's what I would have said, too -- despite what Mika's set list may say.

[holysusie]

That's what I would have said, too -- despite what Mika's set list may say.

 

Yeah, I think we shouldn't trust Mika's setlist. I mean.. c'mon, he can't spell:naughty:

[krysady]

Thanks krysady for sharing the pics

 

My pleasure,love you too! Ohhh,so much love here,makes me wonder what is the Origin of love?:fisch:

[krysady]

And here is from Universal Music Korea and It's also Underwater in one word:http://www.universalmusic.co.kr/#/special/specialFeatureDetail?valObj.ctlm_seq=206

Edited September 25, 2011 by krysady

[GingerLujka]

Mika cannot live underwater because we cannot verb an adjective. I cannot kick a brown or lick a tiny or live underwater.

 

In the case of these lyrics, the word "under" is acting as a prepositional adverb, which is modifying the verb "live" and connecting the nouns "I" and "water."

 

The fact that the usage of the adjective "underwater" is sloppy is due to the lack of accurate proofreaders rather than due to the acceptability of trying to use an adjective in place of prepositional adverb. Even the best proofreaders miss mistakes; spell check is not going to recognize the difference between "under water" and "underwater" because both are correct spellings.

 

Hope that helps.

 

EDIT: It IS acceptable for the title of the song to be Underwater because the title can be an adjective modifying the subject of the song. It is a song about an underwater lover.

 

I got sidetracked by the lyrics.

over this post... *language nerd*

[suzie]

@GingerLujka

You might want to take note that 'I' is not a noun but a personal pronoun though...

 

PS: I agree that the title can and in fact probably should be 'Underwater' but the correct way to write it in the lyrics is 'under water' because of the context it appears in.

Edited September 25, 2011 by suzie

[Christine]

Yeah, I think we shouldn't trust Mika's setlist. I mean.. c'mon, he can't spell:naughty:

 

Mika cannot live underwater because we cannot verb an adjective. I cannot kick a brown or lick a tiny or live underwater.

 

This is the same as the discussion about "fall to my feet". What is correct/common usage in English has no bearing on what the actual lyrics are. If Camille wants to know what the correct word/phrase is in English I would still say that it's "under water" but that doesn't mean it's the title of the song. He can spell it whichever way he chooses and there is precedent for using underwater outside of an adjective in newspapers, books and even in song

 

[suzie]

Mika cannot live underwater because we cannot verb an adjective. I cannot kick a brown or lick a tiny or live underwater.

I am not sure if this expression exists in English but you actually can use verbs with adjectives. For example: it smells good, it looks nice, she turned red.

These verbs are called linking verbs. It is true that these are exceptions though and the general rule is that you use an adjective after a verb: e.g. she lived happily ever after (instead of happy) or lived well.

(The "kick a brown" or "lick a tiny" may not be the best examples to illustrate the point as you used them in place of a noun. However, I agree with the conclusion except that underwater can be used as an adverb, too.)

Edited September 25, 2011 by suzie

[Melisanda]

...it's also a bit like a lullaby ( to me)

 

if I had a child I would sing it to him/her...(with different thinking of course...)

 

 

and I like the instruments....

 

I think it would also sound good with more acoustic guitar like Martin did during acoustic tour....the water effect....

 

the song is magical....

[camille*]

PS: I agree that the title can and in fact probably should be 'Underwater' but the correct way to write it in the lyrics is 'under water' because of the context it appears in.

 

This is the same as the discussion about "fall to my feet". What is correct/common usage in English has no bearing on what the actual lyrics are. If Camille wants to know what the correct word/phrase is in English I would still say that it's "under water" but that doesn't mean it's the title of the song. He can spell it whichever way he chooses and there is precedent for using underwater outside of an adjective in newspapers, books and even in song

 

I agree with you two, based on the answers I got from natives here and on what I found on the Internet, it should be written 'under water' in the lyrics. But for me there is a clear distinction between what should be written in the phrase 'I can live under water' and what the title of the song is. That's why even though I had made my mind up about using 'under water', I still wondered how Mika chose to write it.

 

I have another (more subjective) question about the song; do you think he will/should add new lyrics in the 2nd verse? The only changes are 'bright blue' and 'I've left' and the more I listen to this song the more it makes me think about Rain in Parc des Princes.. He sang the same verse twice and added a new one to the album, do you think it will be the case with Underwater (in one word ) too?

[mikahepburn]

I think that "underwater" is actually a word..

[Christine]

I think that "underwater" is actually a word..

 

Yes it is a word, it's just not what some of us would use in this instance. I would say that I have an "underwater camera" but that "I use my camera under water".

 

I have another (more subjective) question about the song; do you think he will/should add new lyrics in the 2nd verse? The only changes are 'bright blue' and 'I've left' and the more I listen to this song the more it makes me think about Rain in Parc des Princes.. He sang the same verse twice and added a new one to the album, do you think it will be the case with Underwater (in one word ) too?

 

I'd like to see him add more lyrics, but I guess it depends at what stage he is in the development of the song as to whether he will actually change it or not. He must have written it in January or February (? I think it was) if he did it with Empire of the Sun so he may have recorded it already.

 

I could be wrong but I am getting the impression that he is approaching the creation of this album differently than TBWKTM and is not writing/demoing all the songs and then taking the lot to Greg to produce in one go. He keeps saying that he's got x number of songs done and he has just mentioned that he is going to be writing again even though the album should be more or less finished in just 3 months if it's going to be released in February. So Underwater may be a fait accompli at this point...or...not.

[Marilyn Mastin]

Yes it is a word, it's just not what some of us would use in this instance. I would say that I have an "underwater camera" but that "I use my camera under water".

 

 

 

I'd like to see him add more lyrics, but I guess it depends at what stage he is in the development of the song as to whether he will actually change it or not. He must have written it in January or February (? I think it was) if he did it with Empire of the Sun so he may have recorded it already.

 

I could be wrong but I am getting the impression that he is approaching the creation of this album differently than TBWKTM and is not writing/demoing all the songs and then taking the lot to Greg to produce in one go. He keeps saying that he's got x number of songs done and he has just mentioned that he is going to be writing again even though the album should be more or less finished in just 3 months if it's going to be released in February. So Underwater may be a fait accompli at this point...or...not.

I also think that the reason he only sang one verse of Underwater, is that he doesn't want the whole song out there on the internet. He will know that vids would appear on YouTube and that we will clamour like hungry velociraptors around anything new on YouTube.

So he's given us the song, but not the whole of it, so that we know how it goes, but are still waiting for the completed product.

He did the same thing with Rain in 2008, at the PDP gig. That first performance wasn't the complete song either.

[Christine]

He did the same thing with Rain in 2008, at the PDP gig. That first performance wasn't the complete song either.

 

Rain was a year away so I think perhaps he just hadn't written it yet. But I hope you're right and there is more to come.

[dcdeb]

I have another (more subjective) question about the song; do you think he will/should add new lyrics in the 2nd verse? The only changes are 'bright blue' and 'I've left' and the more I listen to this song the more it makes me think about Rain in Parc des Princes.. He sang the same verse twice and added a new one to the album, do you think it will be the case with Underwater (in one word ) too?

 

I hope he DOES add different lyrics to the second verse, but as you can see

in songs like Big Girl and Dr. John, he doesn't always -- in the latter,

there's very little difference between the two verses, just enough to

broaden the meaning of the song a bit.

 

Even if he doesn't, though, I'll still love this song. It just speaks to me

[IngievV]

I am not sure if this expression exists in English but you actually can use verbs with adjectives. For example: it smells good, it looks nice, she turned red.

These verbs are called linking verbs. It is true that these are exceptions though and the general rule is that you use an adjective after a verb: e.g. she lived happily ever after (instead of happy) or lived well.

(The "kick a brown" or "lick a tiny" may not be the best examples to illustrate the point as you used them in place of a noun. However, I agree with the conclusion except that underwater can be used as an adverb, too.)

 

I know at least smell is an exception to the rule and doesn't take an adverb.

[IngievV]

Mika cannot live underwater because we cannot verb an adjective. I cannot kick a brown or lick a tiny or live underwater.

 

In the case of these lyrics, the word "under" is acting as a prepositional adverb, which is modifying the verb "live" and connecting the nouns "I" and "water."

 

The fact that the usage of the adjective "underwater" is sloppy is due to the lack of accurate proofreaders rather than due to the acceptability of trying to use an adjective in place of prepositional adverb. Even the best proofreaders miss mistakes; spell check is not going to recognize the difference between "under water" and "underwater" because both are correct spellings.

 

Hope that helps.

 

EDIT: It IS acceptable for the title of the song to be Underwater because the title can be an adjective modifying the subject of the song. It is a song about an underwater lover.

 

I got sidetracked by the lyrics.

 

Isn't under water an Adverb of Place?

 

I | can | live | under water

S P P A

[camille*]

I hope he DOES add different lyrics to the second verse, but as you can see

in songs like Big Girl and Dr. John, he doesn't always -- in the latter,

there's very little difference between the two verses, just enough to

broaden the meaning of the song a bit.

 

Even if he doesn't, though, I'll still love this song. It just speaks to me

 

I hadn't thought about Dr John Thanks for pointing it out, it's very much the same pattern in Underwater at the moment.

I'm in the same state of mind, I hope he does add lyrics but I'm ok if he doesn't because the song is already magical as it is

 

I know at least smell is an exception to the rule and doesn't take an adverb.

 

I think it might be all the verbs around the senses that are exceptions? (it smells/he looks/it tastes/it feels/it sounds good) Just a quick thought

[IngievV]

I hadn't thought about Dr John Thanks for pointing it out, it's very much the same pattern in Underwater at the moment.

I'm in the same state of mind, I hope he does add lyrics but I'm ok if he doesn't because the song is already magical as it is

 

 

 

I think it might be all the verbs around the senses that are exceptions? (it smells/he looks/it tastes/it feels/it sounds good) Just a quick thought

 

Yeah, you're right:thumb_yello:

[Mary]

*is totally lost in the whole adverb/adjective thing*

 

I'm in the same state of mind, I hope he does add lyrics but I'm ok if he doesn't because the song is already magical as it is

 

Who knows, he did perform Rain at PdP and the final version was completely different, with more lyrics and totally different arrangements! Thank God!

[Mary]

OK, based on this new video, I'm fairly confident in these lyrics now --

except that one line after "port of my call"...

 

Bursting in a blood red sky

A slow landslide

and the world we leave behind

there's a way to lose your head

and disappear and not return again...

 

When I fall to my feet

Wearin' my heart on my sleeve

All I see just amazes

 

You are the port of my call

You shot and leavin' me raw (?)

Now I know you're amazing

 

'Cause all I need

Is the love you breathe

put your lips on me and

I can live under water,

under water, under water!

Under water!

 

Bursting with a bright blue sky

A slow landslide

and the world I've left behind

there's a way to lose your head

and disappear

and not return again

 

When I fall to my feet

Wearin' my heart on my sleeve

All I see just amazes

You are the port of my call

You shot and leavin' me raw (?)

Now I know you're amazing

 

'Cause all I need

Is the love you breathe

Put your lips on me and

I can live under water,

under water, under water!

Under water!

 

Bursting with a blood red sky

A slow landslide

and the world I've left behind

 

 

[macboll]

I also think that the reason he only sang one verse of Underwater, is that he doesn't want the whole song out there on the internet. He will know that vids would appear on YouTube and that we will clamour like hungry velociraptors around anything new on YouTube.

So he's given us the song, but not the whole of it, so that we know how it goes, but are still waiting for the completed product.

He did the same thing with Rain in 2008, at the PDP gig. That first performance wasn't the complete song either.

 

 

I also believe this. I love the music and his voice but I would love it even more with some different verses