All Fall Down
There are two versions of this song, which is a reworking of the song Falling At Your Feet written by Bono and Daniel Lanois, which was on the soundtrack of the movie The Million Dollar Hotel. Although released first, version 1 was recorded after version 2
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Version 1 is a full studio recording, recorded in 2004
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Version 2 is a studio demo, and is musically significantly different. There are lyrical differences too
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The Colossus Of Roads
The liner notes title the song Falling At Your Feet, though the rear inlay calls it All Fall Down |
lyrics version 1
Every leader in the news
Every pop star hurling abuse
Every drunk that's back on booze
Will be falling, falling at your feet
Everyone who needs a friend
Every knee that will not bend
Every life that has no end
Will be falling, falling at your feet
We'll come crawling, falling at your feet
(All fall down) All fall down [x7]
(All fall down)
Every terrorist who can't be found
Every woman who puts men down
Every genius, every clown
Will be falling, falling at your feet
Every rapist on the street
Every cop out on his beat
Every player who tries to cheat
Will be falling, falling at your feet
They'll come crawling, falling at your feet
(All fall down) All the wealthy, all the poor
(All fall down) Every orphan who needs more
(All fall down) All the righteous gone before
(All fall down) All the unborn still in store
(All fall down) Every senator on the floor
(All fall down) Every preacher, every whore
(All fall down) All are guilty to the core
(All fall down) Mercy abounds all the more
Every teenager with acne
Every face that's spoiled by beauty
Every spirit tamed by duty
Falling, falling at your feet
Every dancer at the ball
Every prisoner behind the wall
Charles and Larry, Daniel and Paul
Will all be falling at your feet
We'll all come crawling, falling at your feet
(All fall down) Adam shakes off the pretender
(All fall down) Evie stares down the abyss
(All fall down) Ancient wisdom newly rendered
(All fall down) Knowing what's not and what is
(All fall down) Faded lyrics half remembered
(All fall down) All the hopes and big ideas
(All fall down) Grant forgiveness to the sinner
(All fall down) Grace and mercy they are his
Shoot your television, open up the book
Clear your mind of self and take a deeper look
Keep my eyes away from treasure
Bless the children, let love spill
Teach my heart to firmly measure
Not my will, but thy will
Every pop star hurling abuse
Every drunk that's back on booze
Will be falling, falling at your feet
Everyone who needs a friend
Every knee that will not bend
Every life that has no end
Will be falling, falling at your feet
We'll come crawling, falling at your feet
(All fall down) All fall down [x7]
(All fall down)
Every terrorist who can't be found
Every woman who puts men down
Every genius, every clown
Will be falling, falling at your feet
Every rapist on the street
Every cop out on his beat
Every player who tries to cheat
Will be falling, falling at your feet
They'll come crawling, falling at your feet
(All fall down) All the wealthy, all the poor
(All fall down) Every orphan who needs more
(All fall down) All the righteous gone before
(All fall down) All the unborn still in store
(All fall down) Every senator on the floor
(All fall down) Every preacher, every whore
(All fall down) All are guilty to the core
(All fall down) Mercy abounds all the more
Every teenager with acne
Every face that's spoiled by beauty
Every spirit tamed by duty
Falling, falling at your feet
Every dancer at the ball
Every prisoner behind the wall
Charles and Larry, Daniel and Paul
Will all be falling at your feet
We'll all come crawling, falling at your feet
(All fall down) Adam shakes off the pretender
(All fall down) Evie stares down the abyss
(All fall down) Ancient wisdom newly rendered
(All fall down) Knowing what's not and what is
(All fall down) Faded lyrics half remembered
(All fall down) All the hopes and big ideas
(All fall down) Grant forgiveness to the sinner
(All fall down) Grace and mercy they are his
Shoot your television, open up the book
Clear your mind of self and take a deeper look
Keep my eyes away from treasure
Bless the children, let love spill
Teach my heart to firmly measure
Not my will, but thy will
lyrics version 2
Every leader in the news
Every pop star hurling abuse
Every drunk that's back on booze
Will be falling, falling at your feet
Everyone who needs a friend
Every knee not ready to bend
Every life that has no end
Will be falling (falling), falling at your feet
We'll come crawling, falling at your feet
All fall down [x8]
Every terrorist who can't be found
Every woman who puts men down
Every genius, every clown
Will be falling, falling at your feet
Every player who tries to cheat
Every rapist on the street
Every cop who's on his beat
Will be falling, falling at your feet
Oh they'll come crawling, falling at your feet
(All fall down) All the wealthy, all the poor
(All fall down) Every orphan who needs more
(All fall down) All the righteous gone before
(All fall down) All the unborn still in store
(All fall down) Holy rollers on the floor
(All fall down) Every preacher, every whore
(All fall down) All are guilty to the core
(All fall down) Mercy abounds all the more
???
Every ???
Every dancer at the ball
(Falling, falling at your feet)
Every prisoner behind the wall
Every dancer at the ball
Every prisoner behind the wall
Charles and Larry, Daniel and Paul
We'll all be falling at your feet
Oh I come crawling, falling at your feet
All fall down [x2]
All fall down (All the information)
All fall down [x2]
All fall down (All the information)
All fall down (All the big ideas)
All fall down (???)
All fall down (???)
All fall down (Turn the TV off)
All fall down (Open up the book)
All fall down (Clear your mind of self)
All fall down (Take a different look)
All fall down (In whom shall I trust)
All fall down (How can I be still)
All fall down (Teach me to surrender)
All fall down (Not my will, but thy will)
OK
Every pop star hurling abuse
Every drunk that's back on booze
Will be falling, falling at your feet
Everyone who needs a friend
Every knee not ready to bend
Every life that has no end
Will be falling (falling), falling at your feet
We'll come crawling, falling at your feet
All fall down [x8]
Every terrorist who can't be found
Every woman who puts men down
Every genius, every clown
Will be falling, falling at your feet
Every player who tries to cheat
Every rapist on the street
Every cop who's on his beat
Will be falling, falling at your feet
Oh they'll come crawling, falling at your feet
(All fall down) All the wealthy, all the poor
(All fall down) Every orphan who needs more
(All fall down) All the righteous gone before
(All fall down) All the unborn still in store
(All fall down) Holy rollers on the floor
(All fall down) Every preacher, every whore
(All fall down) All are guilty to the core
(All fall down) Mercy abounds all the more
???
Every ???
Every dancer at the ball
(Falling, falling at your feet)
Every prisoner behind the wall
Every dancer at the ball
Every prisoner behind the wall
Charles and Larry, Daniel and Paul
We'll all be falling at your feet
Oh I come crawling, falling at your feet
All fall down [x2]
All fall down (All the information)
All fall down [x2]
All fall down (All the information)
All fall down (All the big ideas)
All fall down (???)
All fall down (???)
All fall down (Turn the TV off)
All fall down (Open up the book)
All fall down (Clear your mind of self)
All fall down (Take a different look)
All fall down (In whom shall I trust)
All fall down (How can I be still)
All fall down (Teach me to surrender)
All fall down (Not my will, but thy will)
OK
After I came home from the senior care facility, I had heard a song Bono sang on the radio, and they said Daniel Lanois had co-written it with him. That song haunted me more than any song I've ever heard. I couldn't get it out of my head. I asked my friends to try to find it on a U2 album but no one could find it. So in 2002 I tried recording it, putting together the verses as well as I could recall and in the order which seemed to be correct. One reason I recorded it was because I could not stop singing it, over and over again. It described the way I had now come to think about life and we who live here. And I felt obsessed with the harmonic blends and textures that I could remember hearing, but I didn't really know what the vocal parts did, because they slipped around each other, forming chords in surprising ways. I hoped that once I recorded the song I would finally stop singing it as I tried to fall asleep