This is a hauntingly beautiful song about introspection, specifically about looking back at a relationship that started bad and ended so poorly, that the narrator wants to go back to the very beginning and tell himself to not even travel down that road. I believe that the relationship started poorly because of the lines:
"Take me back to the night we met:When the night was full of terrors: And your eyes were filled with tears: When you had not touched me yet"
So, the first night was not a great start, but the narrator pursued the relationship and eventually both overcame the rough start to fall in love with each other:
"I had all and then most of you"
Like many relationships that turn sour, it was not a quick decline, but a gradual one where the narrator and their partner fall out of love and gradually grow apart
"Some and now none of you"
Losing someone who was once everything in your world, who you could confide in, tell your secrets to, share all the most intimate parts of your life, to being strangers with that person is probably one of the most painful experiences a person can go through. So Painful, the narrator wants to go back in time and tell himself to not even pursue the relationship.
This was the perfect song for "13 Reasons Why"
Love rescue me
Come forth and speak to me
Raise me up and don't let me fall
No man is my enemy
My own hands imprison me
Love rescue me
Many strangers have I met
On the road to my regret
Many lost who seek to find themselves in me
They ask me to reveal
The very thoughts they would conceal
Love rescue me
And the sun in the sky
Makes a shadow of you and I
Stretching out as the sun sinks in the sea
I'm here without a name
In the palace of my shame
Said, love rescue me
In the cold mirror of a glass
I see my reflection pass
See the dark shades of what I used to be
See the purple of her eyes
The scarlet of my lies
Love rescue me
Yea, though I walk
In the valley of shadow
Yea, I will fear no evil
I have cursed thy rod and staff
They no longer comfort me
Love rescue me
Sha la la, sha la la la
Sha la la la, ha la la
Sha la la la, sha la la la
Sha la la la, sha la la
Sha la la la, sha la la la
Sha la la
I said love, love rescue me
I said love
Climb up the mountains, said love
I said love, oh my love
On the hill of the son
I'm on the eve of a storm
And my word you must believe in
I said love, rescue me
Oh yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah
Yeah I'm here without a name
In the palace of my shame
I said love rescue me
I've conquered my past
The future is here at last
I stand at the entrance
To a new world I can see
The ruins to the right of me
Will soon have lost sight of me
Love rescue me
Come forth and speak to me
Raise me up and don't let me fall
No man is my enemy
My own hands imprison me
Love rescue me
Many strangers have I met
On the road to my regret
Many lost who seek to find themselves in me
They ask me to reveal
The very thoughts they would conceal
Love rescue me
And the sun in the sky
Makes a shadow of you and I
Stretching out as the sun sinks in the sea
I'm here without a name
In the palace of my shame
Said, love rescue me
In the cold mirror of a glass
I see my reflection pass
See the dark shades of what I used to be
See the purple of her eyes
The scarlet of my lies
Love rescue me
Yea, though I walk
In the valley of shadow
Yea, I will fear no evil
I have cursed thy rod and staff
They no longer comfort me
Love rescue me
Sha la la, sha la la la
Sha la la la, ha la la
Sha la la la, sha la la la
Sha la la la, sha la la
Sha la la la, sha la la la
Sha la la
I said love, love rescue me
I said love
Climb up the mountains, said love
I said love, oh my love
On the hill of the son
I'm on the eve of a storm
And my word you must believe in
I said love, rescue me
Oh yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah
Yeah I'm here without a name
In the palace of my shame
I said love rescue me
I've conquered my past
The future is here at last
I stand at the entrance
To a new world I can see
The ruins to the right of me
Will soon have lost sight of me
Love rescue me
Lyrics submitted by yuri_sucupira
Love Rescue Me Lyrics as written by Bob Dylan Adam Clayton
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
The Night We Met
Lord Huron
Lord Huron
Mental Istid
Ebba Grön
Ebba Grön
This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
Dreamwalker
Silent Planet
Silent Planet
I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
Dusty Springfield
I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example:
"'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
“I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.
To me i see this song as Bono turnign away from God or at least Christianity, kind of a losing faith.
My major reasion for thinking that is the miss quote of Ps 23:4 Ps 23:4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. NKJV
And Bono sings: "Yea, though I walk In the valley of the shadow Yea, I will fear no evil I have cursed thy rod and staff They no longer comfort me"
That seems pretty clear to me.
It is only fitting that he sings it with Dylan (who has rumored to have done very little toward 'co writing' this song), seem Dylan also went throug a stage of writting 'Christian' songs then turnd away from it.
From this alburm on almost all of Bono's refrences to God or the bible are in a sort of sarcastic or at least questioning way. For example take 'Staring at the sun' - "God is great but will he listen' or from 'If God would send his angles' - "God has got his phone off the hook baby, would he even pick up if he could". From 'Acrobat' - "I would break bread and wine if there was a church i could recieve in" And from 'For the first time' - "My father is a rich man He wears a rich man's cloak Gave me the key to his kingdom coming Gave me a cup of gold He said: I have many mansions And there are many rooms to see But I left by the back door And I threw away the key" Which is a clear refrence to God and is a quote from the Bible. In this song the character is offerd a place in heaven (for want of a better way to discribe it) but he rejects as he 'left by they back door and threw away the key'
There are many other examples but i think people are board with it by now lol
Cheers,
UCC
It's more a rejection of the Old Testament concept of God as a vengeful, petty patriarch, in favor of a redemptive, forgiving being - "the ruins to the right of me, will soon have lost sight of me".
@Uncle Chop Chop Another explanation for this is not necessarily turning away but realising our prayers are n't necessarily answered in the way we want and if they are answered it is in Gods timing not ours.<br /> The Psalm 23 reference could also be saying I know I am saved by Grace and noth the law, (thy rod & thy staff).. Galatians 5:14 New King James Version (NKJV)<br /> 14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself".
Love the intro of this song, the harmonica is very soothing. I have a life version of Love rescue me, with a gospel choire in it (unfortunatly without the harmonica) which is really nice. That version sounds very religious to me. So I always thought it was about the love of God, saving him from his dark side.
this song for me is a man lost in love not knowing how to work it all out...the following verse is very strong...
Many strangers have I met On the road to my regret Many lost who seek to find themselves in me They ask me to reveal The very thoughts they would conceal Love rescue me
that is so true in life..its always about finding out about others and what they do wrong in love but who stops to think..what did they do right in love?...maybe love has rescused them but they cant see?
This song does seem like a song in which Bono questions his faith, he clearly didn't lose it for long. Just listen to the song Grace on All That You Can't Leave Behind or read some of his recent interviews about the subject.
I don't think it's him turning from Christianity, but rather a faith that is stale and dead. He's turning to something real, something that changes lives. The scriptural reference is a verse that is often quoted by those going through trials, somewhat of a trite, empty comforter. When in trials all someone is really looking for is love. I found an interesting verse...
Philippians 2:1 - "Your life in Christ makes you strong, and his love comforts you. You have fellowship with the Spirit, and you have kindness and compassion for one another."
Like the prodigal son, the lyric confesses lost faith in "I have cursed thy rod and staff, they no longer comfort me" referring to Psalm 23. It's common for young Christians to grow up, lose their way, and return to faith later in life. I believe this is true of this writer. Jesus speaks to this in the gospel.
But the writer also abandons his "name". Like the prodigal son, he's turned his back on his family. Times are tough.
Without faith and family, the writer is on his own and turns to "love". He places his hope in the love in his heart and sets his sights to a "new world".
The guy is heading into the wild with only his wits. Tough times.
Great lyric that many can relate to on some level.
I think, from the tone of the lyrics in general, that the part about the rod and staff no longer comfort me is not about turning away from religion, but turning against those who use it to justify violence and oppression.
In the valley of shadow Yea, I will fear no evil I have cursed thy rod and staff They no longer comfort me Love rescue me
I believe "rod and staff" are a reference to the OT Law.
Galatians 3:24 New Living Translation (NLT) 24 Let me put it another way. The law was our guardian until Christ came; it protected us until we could be made right with God through faith.
A word study for the word "guardian" is very interesting, if you're so inclined.
The OT Law no longer is comforting....since it brings death (Romans,Paul).
But NT Love does bring comfort.
This was my last relationships "song". Alright, that may bestupid and pathetic, but we had one. The pain and hurt that the last year of it brought left me in tears too many nights wondering why love wouldn't rescue me. The last verse never was too important to me, but now it is my mantra. The pain is in my past, and I enter tomorrow without that.
Dylan and Bono together. A great song. Has almost a western feel, for some reason.