What makes a hit song | Elvis Presley’s road to success | Blurred Lines Controversy | Walk on water |

I am not sure why this song bombed, it was written by Jared Leto and performed by “30 seconds to mars.” The song is patriotic, not too “in your face” and it has good strong rhythm however not really a good dance song.

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Song Bio

Source

“Walk On Water” is an electronic anthem encouraging us to join together rather than building walls (literal or figurative) and seeing each other as right or left.

Jared Leto released a statement regarding the song upon it’s release:

Walk On Water is a song for all of us. It’s a song about freedom, about persistence, about change and about fighting for what you believe in. It is a call to arms but also full of all the optimism and hope that is such an integral part of the American Dream.

Lyrics

… Oh oh, oh oh
Oh oh, oh oh
Oh oh, oh oh (do you believe?) walk on water
Oh oh, oh oh

… Can you even see what you’re fighting for?
Bloodlust and a holy war
Listen up, hear the patriots shout
“Times are changing”
In the end, the choice was clear
Take a shot in the face of fear
Fist up in the firing line
Times are changing

… Oh oh, oh oh
Do you believe that you can walk on water?
Oh oh, oh oh
Do you believe that you can win this fight tonight?
(Do you believe?)

… Look at the sky, see a dying star
White lies, it’s a man on fire
Making love with the devil hurts
Times are changing

… A thin line, the whole truth
The far right, the left view
Breaking all those promises made
Times are changing

… Oh oh, oh oh
Do you believe that you can walk on water?
Oh oh, oh oh
Do you believe that you can win this fight tonight?
Oh oh, oh oh
Do you believe that you can walk on water?
Oh oh, oh oh
Do you believe that you can win this fight tonight?

… Do you believe? Walk on water
Do you believe? Walk on water
Do you believe? Walk on water
Do you believe? Walk on water

… Do you believe? Walk on water
Do you believe? Walk on water
Do you believe? Walk on water
Do you believe? Walk on water

… Oh oh, oh oh
Do you believe that you can walk on water?
Oh oh, oh oh
Do you believe that you can win this fight tonight?
Oh oh, oh oh (do you believe? Walk on water)
Do you believe that you can walk on water?
Oh oh, oh oh (do you believe? Walk on water)
Do you believe that you can win this fight tonight?

… Oh oh, oh oh (do you believe?)
Oh oh, oh oh (walk on water)
Oh oh, oh oh (do you believe?)
Oh oh, oh oh (walk on water)

Source: LyricFind

Songwriters: Jared Leto / Shannon Carl Leto

Walk on Water lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.

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Listen for yourself below. You have to listen to the song to judge it prior to watching the video or your thoughts and feelings will be swayed or tainted.

Now the video is an entirely different story.

Here is where the troubles started.

The video puts it in the hit or miss category because it is politically charged with emotional sights and sounds. The premise or original Idea was a fantastic one “A day in the life of America on July 4th.” Because of the over dubbed sounds it makes it hard to remember the actual lyrics to the song. Watch for yourself the song sounds one way with your eyes closed and different, watching the video. It will be very hard to rate this one due to my love of “30 seconds to mars’” and their other works. The man is a genius, and very critically acclaimed. “Making love with the devil” really threw me, and all of this talk about fighting, fighting who? Who is the Man on fire? I am sure that the lyrics tell a great story but, I truly can’t envision it. But all things aside, I will give the lyrics a 2.

About this song.

“Walk on Water” by Thirty Seconds to Mars is an empowering, synth-rock anthem about persistence, freedom, and positive change. The song serves as a rallying cry for collective unity, encouraging listeners to overcome their fears and fight for what they believe in without being divided. [1, 2, 3]

Core Meaning

Frontman Jared Leto described the track as a “call to arms” filled with optimism, hope, and the bravado required to push forward during times of political and cultural uncertainty. [1, 2]

• “Do you believe that you can walk on water?”: The title phrase acts as a powerful metaphor for overcoming seemingly impossible challenges, rising above adversity, and aspiring to be the best version of yourself. [1, 2]
• “Do you believe that you can win this fight tonight?”: This lyric pushes listeners to confront their fears and face struggles head-on. [1]
• Social Unity: The lyrics touch on breaking promises and dividing lines (“The far right, the left view”), acting as a plea to stop building walls and instead see our common humanity. [1, 2]

Key Themes

• Empowerment: A challenge to push personal boundaries and achieve the impossible.
• Resilience: The persistence required to keep going despite constant change and uncertainty.
• Unity: Encouraging a collective movement toward freedom rather than division. [1, 2]

The Positives: Praise and Appeal

• Anthem Potential: Many fans and critics agreed that the track was incredibly catchy and built for large crowds, making it a perfect fit for sporting events and concert anthems. [1]
• Lyrical Themes: Frontman Jared Leto described the song as a “call to arms” for a time of uncertainty, aiming to deliver a message of hope, perseverance, and freedom. [1, 2]
• Patriotic Production: Reviewers noted that the military snare drum beats added a rhythmic intensity that paired well with the album’s broad American themes. [1]

The Negatives: Complaints and Critiques

• Excessive Autotune: The most prominent complaint was the heavy use of vocal effects and pitch correction during the verses. Many critics found this bizarre, considering Leto’s proven vocal abilities. [1, 2, 3]
• Shift in Genre: Fans of the band’s earlier, guitar-heavy rock albums (like A Beautiful Lie) expressed disappointment over the shift toward stiff, pop-electronic instrumentation. [1, 2]
• Vagueness: Some critics felt the political and societal lyrics were too generic and hollow, lacking the genuine emotion of their older material. [1, 2]

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Musically:

The song does have a unique, repetitive and minimalistic track that is very subtle and easy to groove to. The song does make you want to sway back and forth and enjoy the beats and rhythms, not something to shake you hips or your butt to. So again, for arguments sake I will give the music a 5.

Video:

The video which probably most of us saw when it was released was pretty good, watching everyone being themselves and American. All of the facts flashed on the video was somewhat disturbing though. Let us just say he made a bold statement with the video. So again, for arguments sake I will give this video a 6.

So let’s break it down with the Hitometer math shall we.

Now let us discuss your thoughts on this song and video.