Last Breath

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07. Missing Piece
08. Last Breath
List of Unsound Methods songs
09. Shunt
Last Breath
AlbumUnsoundMethods.jpg
Song Last Breath
By Recoil
Songwriter Alan Wilder
Ernest Gold
Pat Boone
Produced by Alan Wilder
Recorded at The Thin Line (Sussex)
Mixed by Alan Wilder
Mixing assistance Paul Stevens
Simon Shazell
Mastered by Ian Cooper
Studio assistance Hepzibah Sessa
Published by Mute Song
Not Normal Music
Zoetrope Music Company
Carlin Music Corp.
Chappell, Inc.
Warner/Chappell Music Ltd.
Recorded September 1996 - June 1997
Originally released 27 October 1997
Live performances as Recoil 0 times *
Total live performances 0 times *

"Last Breath" is a song from the 1997 album Unsound Methods by Recoil.

Lyrics


Last Breath

There's a song that tells you

About the sounds you hear in the night

The animals crying because they're hungry

And the child crying at night

Because he's hungry and lonely


So take my hand

And walk this land with me

And walk this lovely land with me


Songwriter: Alan Wilder/Ernest Gold/Pat Boone
Publishing Information: ℗ 1997 Reprise Records

Dates where Last Breath was played

Last Breath has never been played live.

Composition

Sample sources

"Last Breath" - Recoil
1997
Sample overview

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Self-made samples
Sample Notes Audio
E-bow guitar A series of e-bow guitar parts originally recorded for use during the middle eight and outro sections of "Walking In My Shoes" are re-used for the outro of "Last Breath".

Sample sources
Sample Source Status Notes Audio
Vocal elements Jimmy Scott, Ernest Gold, Charles E. Boone - The Source - "Exodus" - 1969
Official
A series of manipulated vocal samples derived from American jazz musician Jimmy Scott's 1969 recording of "Exodus" by Ernest Gold are selectively utilised as a layer to accentuate Recoil collaborator Hildia Campbell's lead vocal throughout "Last Breath".[1]

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Synthesizer, electric piano elements David Bowie - Low - "Subterraneans" - 1977
Confirmed
A sample derived from David Bowie's 1977 "Subterraneans" is utilised throughout "Last Breath".

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Piano, orchestral elements Paul Robeson - The Voice Of The Mississippi (20 Great Songs) - "Take Me Away from the River" - 1996 (originally recorded 1933)
Confirmed
A piano and orchestral strings sample derived from the opening moments of Paul Robeson's 1933 "Take Me Away from the River" is utilised sporadically throughout "Last Breath".

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Orchestral elements Paul Robeson - The Voice Of The Mississippi (20 Great Songs) - "Mighty Lak' A Rose" - 1996 (originally released 1929)
Confirmed
An orchestral sample derived from the opening moments of Paul Robeson's 1929 "Mighty Lak' A Rose" is utilised mid-way through "Last Breath".

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Orchestral elements Paul Robeson - The Voice Of The Mississippi (20 Great Songs) - "Just Keepin' On" - 1996 (originally released 1929)
Confirmed
An orchestral sample derived from the opening moments of Paul Robeson's 1929 "Just Keepin' On" is utilised sporadically throughout "Last Breath".
Orchestral elements Gustav Mahler, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Zubin Mehta - Symphony No.5 in C sharp minor - 4. Adagietto (Sehr langsam) - 1977
Confirmed
A section of orchestral strings derived from a 1977 performance of the fourth movement of Gustav Mahler's Symphony No. 5 in C sharp minor is utilised throughout "Last Breath".

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Woodwind elements Ry Cooder - Music by Ry Cooder - "Goyakla Is Coming" - 1995
Confirmed
A reversed woodwind phrase sampled from "Goyakla Is Coming" as featured on the 1995 film soundtrack compilation album Music by Ry Cooder is utilised for atmospheric effect in "Last Breath".

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Woodwind elements Ry Cooder - Music by Ry Cooder - "Theme from Southern Comfort" - 1995
Confirmed
An exotic woodwind phrase sampled from "Theme from Southern Comfort" as featured on the 1995 film soundtrack compilation album Music by Ry Cooder is utilised for atmospheric effect throughout "Last Breath".

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Woodwind elements Ry Cooder - Music by Ry Cooder - "Swamp Walk" - 1995
Confirmed
A manipulated exotic woodwind phrase sampled from "Swamp Walk" as featured on the 1995 film soundtrack compilation album Music by Ry Cooder is utilised in the intro section of "Last Breath".

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Guitar, ambient elements Ry Cooder - Music by Ry Cooder - "Cruising with Rafe" - 1995
Confirmed
A manipulated section of audio featuring ambient guitar and atmospherics sampled from "Cruising with Rafe" as featured on the 1995 film soundtrack compilation album Music by Ry Cooder is utilised in the intro section of "Last Breath".

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Guitar elements Ry Cooder - Music by Ry Cooder - "Feelin' Bad Blues" - 1995
Confirmed
A guitar lick sampled from "Feelin' Bad Blues" as featured on the 1995 film soundtrack compilation album Music by Ry Cooder is utilised in "Last Breath". A separate sample derived from "Feelin' Bad Blues" would later be utilised for a guitar element heard throughout Recoil's "Jezebel".

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Woodwind elements Ry Cooder - Music by Ry Cooder - "Goose and Lucky" - 1995
Confirmed
An exotic woodwind phrase sampled from "Goose and Lucky" as featured on the 1995 film soundtrack compilation album Music by Ry Cooder is utilised in the outro of "Last Breath".

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Drum elements Beastie Boys - "Looking Down the Barrel of a Gun" - 1989
Confirmed
A drum loop sampled from "Looking Down the Barrel of a Gun" by the Beastie Boys is utilised throughout "Last Breath". The drum loop derived from "Looking Down the Barrel of a Gun", itself a sample, was originally recorded by The Incredible Bongo Band for the 1973 track "Last Bongo In Belgium".
Drum, scratch elements Beastie Boys - "3-Minute Rule" - 25 July 1989
Confirmed
A scratch sound derived from "3-Minute Rule" by the Beastie Boys is utilised mid-way through "Last Breath".

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Drums, guitar, bass guitar elements Rage Against The Machine - Evil Empire - "Revolver" - 16 April 1996
Confirmed
A manipulated, partly-reversed sample of audio derived from "Revolver" by Rage Against The Machine is utilised throughout the outro section of "Last Breath".

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Guitar elements Rage Against The Machine - Evil Empire - "Without a Face" - 16 April 1996
Confirmed
A manipulated, looped sample of audio derived from "Without a Face" by Rage Against The Machine is utilised throughout the outro section of "Last Breath".

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Drum elements Portishead - Numb - "Numbed In Moscow" - 6 June 1994
Confirmed
A manipulated drum loop audible throughout "Last Breath" is derived from "Numbed In Moscow" as featured on the 1994 Portishead single Numb.

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Ambient elements, whale sound effects AMG - HITCD08 - Pascal Gabriel's Dance Samples - Track 64 - "Whale 3", "Whale 2", "Whale 5" - 1991
Confirmed
A series of edited whale vocalization sound effects utilised throughout "Last Breath" are derived from AMG's 1991 sample CD HITCD08 - Pascal Gabriel's Dance Samples. The whale sound effects derived from HITCD08 originally appeared on "Solo Whale", a track featured on bio-acoustician Roger Payne's 1970 environmental album Songs of the Humpback Whale.

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Synthesizer elements Korg Inc. - Korg 01/W Bank A, Voice #27: "AnalogPad"
Confirmed
An ambient pad utilised throughout "Last Breath" is performed using Korg 01/W Bank A Voice #27 "AnalogPad".

Notes

References

  1. www.recoil.co.uk - "Q+A / RECOIL / UNSOUND METHODS" - Alan Wilder: The words for ‘Red River Cargo’ are taken from an old gospel song called ‘Take My Hand Precious Lord’ and ‘Last Breath’ uses part of a song called ‘Exodus’.