The Beautiful Letdown
Encyclopedia
The Beautiful Letdown is the fourth studio album
by alternative rock
band Switchfoot
. Released in early 2003, it launched the band into the mainstream on the strength of two top 20 singles: "Meant to Live
" and "Dare You to Move
." The album was hugely popular and remained a staple on the Billboard 200 album charts for a considerable amount of time. The album sold over 2.6 million copies in the US and was eventually certified double platinum
by the RIAA
.
The album won an Album of the Year award at the 2003 San Diego Music Awards
. It was ranked #195 on Billboard
s Hot 200 Albums of the Decade.
/Sparrow
having expired with the completion of Learning to Breathe. Bassist Tim Foreman
has said that "this was the most freedom we had ever felt while tracking an album - no record labels, no distractions, just four guys making the record we'd always wanted to make." They finished recording in two weeks, but shortly afterwards, were signed to the major record label Columbia Records
/Red Ink
. This ultimately delayed the release, as the label submitted the album for further mixing and marketing. "Sony is a big battleship of a company," said lead singer Jon Foreman
. "It takes a long time to turn it around. It's like parallel parking a Buick." It was finally released February 25, 2003 as The Beautiful Letdown.
as a full-time band member. Contributing more to the recording process by filling in with his added instrumental versatility prompted Foreman to note, "I feel like Jerome is a great team player. I mean the same thing where live he just kind of fills in, is the same thing on the album. He's just a wonderful guy to have around." The sound was also influenced by the fact that "these were songs that we'd played live countless times, songs that we'd lived with." "This was also the most prepared we'd ever been for a record," bassist Tim Foreman
has commented.
Lyrically, the songs on the album speak of hope in spite of an imperfect world. "The Beautiful Letdown is about real life: the good, the bad, and the ugly," said Jon Foreman. "It's an honest attempt to reflect on the great and terrible aspects of being human, the tension of existence." "Meant to Live
" expresses this in the lyric, "We were meant to live for so much more/have we lost ourselves?/We want more than this world's got to offer/We want more than the wars of our fathers."
The first few promotional copies of the album were printed with the song "Monday Comes Around" on it. When the wide release version went to print Foreman removed the song as he felt it didn't match the tone of the album. The song can now be found on the 2004 re-release of "The Beautiful Letdown" on the accompanying DVD, on the b-side of the Meant to Live vinyl single released, in copies of the Japan release of Nothing Is Sound
, and in the 2007 iTunes Deluxe re-release of The Beautiful Letdown.
. The original intention was "to light it on fire, but the place wouldn't let us light things on fire, so we were going to break it in half." But after playing it a few times, Foreman became too attached to it, thus leaving it intact at the bottom of the pool. The photo used on the cover was taken at a "sketchy hotel" in North Los Angeles. Several variations of the cover exist. The original 2003 pressings of the record featured black lettering on the artwork, while the 2004 re-issues featured larger white letters and/or a sticker with the title font superimposed onto an image of a drum set.
The CD/DVD edition featured a DVD that included a few bonus-features, including the entire album in 5.1 Surround Sound.
It also featured a Making of “Dare You to Move” video, as well as Version 1 of the music video itself, an acoustic impromptu performance of “On Fire,” and two previously unreleased bonus tracks, “Monday Comes Around” and “Meant to Live (Live).” For some reason, these bonus tracks were inexplicably included only on the DVD, and not on the audio side.
. The audio side remained the same as the 2004 re-issue, and the DVD side featured all of the same features, but also included the second version music video of "Dare You to Move."
on December 25, 2007 exclusively on iTunes. It contained all the tracks on the previous releases, but included these three bonus tracks, available for purchase for the first time:
except where noted.
Additional musicians
's Smallville
used This is Your Life
and the 2007 film The Ultimate Gift
incorporated On Fire
into one of its scenes. Dare You To Move
was also featured in three episodes of One Tree Hill
and the A Walk To Remember soundtrack.
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
by alternative rock
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
band Switchfoot
Switchfoot
Switchfoot is an American rock band from San Diego, California. The band's members are Jon Foreman , Tim Foreman , Chad Butler , Jerome Fontamillas , and Drew Shirley .After early successes in the Christian rock scene, Switchfoot first gained mainstream...
. Released in early 2003, it launched the band into the mainstream on the strength of two top 20 singles: "Meant to Live
Meant to Live
"Meant to Live" is a single by alternative rock band Switchfoot. It peaked at #5 on the US Modern Rock chart, #6 on U.S. Top 40 radio, and #18 on the U.S. Hot 100. It is the first track on the group's 2003 major-label debut album The Beautiful Letdown, and was also featured in a UK version of a...
" and "Dare You to Move
Dare You to Move
"Dare You to Move" is a single by the alternative rock band Switchfoot from the band's fourth studio album, The Beautiful Letdown. The song was originally called "I Dare You to Move", and was on the album Learning to Breathe, but the band decided to remix it and put it on The Beautiful Letdown...
." The album was hugely popular and remained a staple on the Billboard 200 album charts for a considerable amount of time. The album sold over 2.6 million copies in the US and was eventually certified double platinum
RIAA certification
In the United States, the Recording Industry Association of America awards certification based on the number of albums and singles sold through retail and other ancillary markets. Other countries have similar awards...
by the RIAA
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...
.
The album won an Album of the Year award at the 2003 San Diego Music Awards
San Diego Music Awards
The San Diego Music Awards are an awards show held annually in San Diego, California to recognize the best bands and artists in local music. The awards have been held since 1991 and were originally organized by the city's main local music publication, , which eventually became the alternative...
. It was ranked #195 on Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
s Hot 200 Albums of the Decade.
Recording and history
In 2002, the band entered the studio to begin recording of the follow-up to their 2000 gold record, Learning to Breathe. They were unsigned at the time, their contract with re:think RecordsRethink (record label)
Re:think was an imprint label of under EMI. It signed several acts, including This World Fair, The Colour, Sarah Masen and Switchfoot. Re:think is well-known for supporting the ONE Campaign as well as the lowercase people Justice Fund.-History:...
/Sparrow
Sparrow Records
-Background:Sparrow Records was founded in 1976 by Billy Ray Hearn, then A&R director at Myrrh Records. Purchased by EMI in 1992, it is now part of the EMI Christian Music Group, and has been named by Billboard Magazine as "America's Best Christian Music Record Label"...
having expired with the completion of Learning to Breathe. Bassist Tim Foreman
Tim Foreman
Timothy David Foreman is the bassist for the band Switchfoot. He was born in Lake Arrowhead, California but grew up in Boston, Massachusetts and Virginia Beach, Virginia...
has said that "this was the most freedom we had ever felt while tracking an album - no record labels, no distractions, just four guys making the record we'd always wanted to make." They finished recording in two weeks, but shortly afterwards, were signed to the major record label Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
/Red Ink
RED Distribution
RED - An Artist Development Company is a Sony Music Entertainment-owned sales and marketing division that handles releases for over sixty independent record labels....
. This ultimately delayed the release, as the label submitted the album for further mixing and marketing. "Sony is a big battleship of a company," said lead singer Jon Foreman
Jon Foreman
Jonathan Mark Foreman is the lead singer, lead guitarist, main songwriter and co-founder of the alternative rock band Switchfoot. He started Switchfoot in 1996 with drummer Chad Butler and bassist Tim Foreman ....
. "It takes a long time to turn it around. It's like parallel parking a Buick." It was finally released February 25, 2003 as The Beautiful Letdown.
Music and lyrics
The album featured some of the band's most intricate work to date, and featured a departure from the lo-fi indie rock sound of their previous three albums. This shift to a more layered, heavier rock sound with occasional electronica influences can be attributed to the addition of long-time touring member Jerome FontamillasJerome Fontamillas
Jerome Earl Fontamillas is a Filipino American musician. Jerome has played in several bands notably with industrial rock band Mortal and Fold Zandura, with long time musical partner Jyro Xhan. He currently plays with alternative rock band Switchfoot as a guitar and keyboard player.In 1985...
as a full-time band member. Contributing more to the recording process by filling in with his added instrumental versatility prompted Foreman to note, "I feel like Jerome is a great team player. I mean the same thing where live he just kind of fills in, is the same thing on the album. He's just a wonderful guy to have around." The sound was also influenced by the fact that "these were songs that we'd played live countless times, songs that we'd lived with." "This was also the most prepared we'd ever been for a record," bassist Tim Foreman
Tim Foreman
Timothy David Foreman is the bassist for the band Switchfoot. He was born in Lake Arrowhead, California but grew up in Boston, Massachusetts and Virginia Beach, Virginia...
has commented.
Lyrically, the songs on the album speak of hope in spite of an imperfect world. "The Beautiful Letdown is about real life: the good, the bad, and the ugly," said Jon Foreman. "It's an honest attempt to reflect on the great and terrible aspects of being human, the tension of existence." "Meant to Live
Meant to Live
"Meant to Live" is a single by alternative rock band Switchfoot. It peaked at #5 on the US Modern Rock chart, #6 on U.S. Top 40 radio, and #18 on the U.S. Hot 100. It is the first track on the group's 2003 major-label debut album The Beautiful Letdown, and was also featured in a UK version of a...
" expresses this in the lyric, "We were meant to live for so much more/have we lost ourselves?/We want more than this world's got to offer/We want more than the wars of our fathers."
The first few promotional copies of the album were printed with the song "Monday Comes Around" on it. When the wide release version went to print Foreman removed the song as he felt it didn't match the tone of the album. The song can now be found on the 2004 re-release of "The Beautiful Letdown" on the accompanying DVD, on the b-side of the Meant to Live vinyl single released, in copies of the Japan release of Nothing Is Sound
Nothing Is Sound
Nothing Is Sound is the fifth studio album by American alternative rock band Switchfoot. It was released on September 13, 2005, and début at number three on the Billboard 200. The first single from this album was "Stars," which was the number one most-added song on Modern Rock Radio, and received...
, and in the 2007 iTunes Deluxe re-release of The Beautiful Letdown.
Artwork
The guitar that appears on the album cover at the bottom of the pool is actually a guitar that Foreman bought at a pawn shop in North DakotaNorth Dakota
North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
. The original intention was "to light it on fire, but the place wouldn't let us light things on fire, so we were going to break it in half." But after playing it a few times, Foreman became too attached to it, thus leaving it intact at the bottom of the pool. The photo used on the cover was taken at a "sketchy hotel" in North Los Angeles. Several variations of the cover exist. The original 2003 pressings of the record featured black lettering on the artwork, while the 2004 re-issues featured larger white letters and/or a sticker with the title font superimposed onto an image of a drum set.
2004 CD/DVD release
In 2004, "The Beautiful Letdown" was re-released in two different forms: A standard CD-only reissue featuring a slightly tweaked audio mix, as well as new artwork, and a CD/DVD package.The CD/DVD edition featured a DVD that included a few bonus-features, including the entire album in 5.1 Surround Sound.
It also featured a Making of “Dare You to Move” video, as well as Version 1 of the music video itself, an acoustic impromptu performance of “On Fire,” and two previously unreleased bonus tracks, “Monday Comes Around” and “Meant to Live (Live).” For some reason, these bonus tracks were inexplicably included only on the DVD, and not on the audio side.
2005 Dual Disc release
In 2005, the album was released yet again, this time as a DualDiscDualDisc
DualDisc was a type of double-sided optical disc product developed by a group of record companies including EMI Music, Universal Music Group, Sony/BMG Music Entertainment, Warner Music Group, and 5.1 Entertainment Group and later under the aegis of the Recording Industry Association of America...
. The audio side remained the same as the 2004 re-issue, and the DVD side featured all of the same features, but also included the second version music video of "Dare You to Move."
2007 iTunes Deluxe Edition
A deluxe edition of the album was released by SonySony
, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
on December 25, 2007 exclusively on iTunes. It contained all the tracks on the previous releases, but included these three bonus tracks, available for purchase for the first time:
- "Monday Comes Around"
- "Dare You to Move" (alternate version)
- "Meant to Live" (Acoustic)
Track listing
All songs written by Jon ForemanJon Foreman
Jonathan Mark Foreman is the lead singer, lead guitarist, main songwriter and co-founder of the alternative rock band Switchfoot. He started Switchfoot in 1996 with drummer Chad Butler and bassist Tim Foreman ....
except where noted.
- "Meant to LiveMeant to Live"Meant to Live" is a single by alternative rock band Switchfoot. It peaked at #5 on the US Modern Rock chart, #6 on U.S. Top 40 radio, and #18 on the U.S. Hot 100. It is the first track on the group's 2003 major-label debut album The Beautiful Letdown, and was also featured in a UK version of a...
" – 3:20 (Jon Foreman, Tim Foreman) - "This Is Your LifeThis Is Your Life (song)"This Is Your Life" is a popular song by the alternative rock band Switchfoot, and their third single. "This Is Your Life" first appeared on the group's 2003 album The Beautiful Letdown and peaked at #30 on the US Modern Rock charts. The single also hit the U.S. Top 40 peaking at No...
" – 4:18 - "More Than FineMore Than FineMore Than Fine is a song by the alternative rock band Switchfoot. It was released on their 2003 double-platinum record, The Beautiful Letdown. It was released as the album's lead single to CCM market through Sparrow Records, while the song "Meant to Live" was shipped to mainstream and alternative...
" – 4:14 - "Ammunition" – 3:45
- "Dare You to MoveDare You to Move"Dare You to Move" is a single by the alternative rock band Switchfoot from the band's fourth studio album, The Beautiful Letdown. The song was originally called "I Dare You to Move", and was on the album Learning to Breathe, but the band decided to remix it and put it on The Beautiful Letdown...
" – 4:15 - "Redemption" – 3:06
- "The Beautiful Letdown" – 5:21
- "GoneGone (Switchfoot song)"Gone" is a song and single by rock band Switchfoot. It was released on the 2003 double-platinum record, The Beautiful Letdown. Despite not being released as an official mainstream radio single, the song achieved solid success on Christian radio due to its Christian-based references, though they...
" – 3:45 (Jon Foreman, Tim Foreman) - "On FireOn Fire (Switchfoot song)On Fire is a song by rock band Switchfoot from the 2003 double-platinum record The Beautiful Letdown. It was never released as a single, but is a prevailing fan favourite and is played at almost every show...
" – 4:39 (Jon Foreman, Daniel VictorDaniel VictorDaniel Victor is a Canadian recording artist and producer who is most famous for his work in the collaboration of Neverending White Lights.-Early life:...
) - "Adding to the Noise" – 2:50 (Jon Foreman, Tim Foreman)
- "Twenty-Four" – 4:52
Charts and certifications
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Australian Albums Chart | #45 |
| 2004 | U.S. Billboard 200 Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
#16 |
| 2004 | Top Internet Albums | #16 |
| 2004 | Top Christian Albums | #1 |
| Country | Certification | Sales/shipments |
|---|---|---|
| United States | 2x Platinum | 2,000,000+ |
| Canada Canadian Recording Industry Association Music Canada is a Toronto-based, non-profit trade organization that was founded 9 April 1963 to represent the interests of companies that record, artists, manufacture, production, promotion and distribution of music in Canada... |
Gold | 50,000 |
Personnel
Switchfoot- Jon Foreman – guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, vocals - Tim Foreman – bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, backing vocals - Chad Butler – drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, percussion - Jerome Fontamillas – guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, keyboardKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, backing vocals
Additional musicians
- Ameena Maria Khawaja – celloCelloThe cello is a bowed string instrument with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is a member of the violin family of musical instruments, which also includes the violin, viola, and double bass. Old forms of the instrument in the Baroque era are baryton and viol .A person who plays a cello is...
- Stephan Hovsepian – violinViolinThe violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
- John FieldsJohn Fields (producer)John Fields is an American record producer and musician. Fields has produced for a number of musical artists, including the Jonas Brothers, Switchfoot, Pink, Andrew W. K., Har Mar Superstar, Miley Cyrus, and Demi Lovato...
– keyboardKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, FX, percussion
In TV and film
Many of Switchfoot's songs have been used in various TV shows and movies. The WBThe WB Television Network
The WB Television Network is a former television network in the United States that was launched on January 11, 1995 as a joint venture between Warner Bros. and Tribune Broadcasting. On January 24, 2006, CBS Corporation and Warner Bros...
's Smallville
Smallville (TV series)
Smallville is an American television series developed by writers/producers Alfred Gough and Miles Millar based on the DC Comics character Superman, originally created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. The television series was initially broadcast by The WB Television Network , premiering on October...
used This is Your Life
This Is Your Life
This Is Your Life is an American television documentary series broadcast on NBC, originally hosted by its producer, Ralph Edwards from 1952 to 1961. In the show, the host surprises a guest, and proceeds to take them through their life in front of an audience including friends and family.Edwards...
and the 2007 film The Ultimate Gift
The Ultimate Gift
The Ultimate Gift is a film based on author Jim Stovall's bestselling novel released on March 9, 2007 in 816 theaters in the USA. The film was not well attended in the USA and produced low box office receipts, though DVD sales were quite high in relation to its theatrical receipts.-Plot:When his...
incorporated On Fire
On Fire (Switchfoot song)
On Fire is a song by rock band Switchfoot from the 2003 double-platinum record The Beautiful Letdown. It was never released as a single, but is a prevailing fan favourite and is played at almost every show...
into one of its scenes. Dare You To Move
Dare You to Move
"Dare You to Move" is a single by the alternative rock band Switchfoot from the band's fourth studio album, The Beautiful Letdown. The song was originally called "I Dare You to Move", and was on the album Learning to Breathe, but the band decided to remix it and put it on The Beautiful Letdown...
was also featured in three episodes of One Tree Hill
One Tree Hill (TV series)
One Tree Hill is an American television drama created by Mark Schwahn, which premiered on September 23, 2003, on The WB Television Network. After its third season, The WB merged with UPN to form The CW Television Network, and, since September 27, 2006, the network has been the official broadcaster...
and the A Walk To Remember soundtrack.