With or Without You

I have a somewhat different take on why Bono is lamenting to "You" about "She". I have always felt very strongly that he is not referring to God or even anyone in particular, but to himself. Underneath the beautiful exterior of the song lies an obviously anguished man, and it sounds like he is telling himself "You give yourself away"; referring to how he feels tied up with "She" who makes him feel so exposed and conflicted.

Bono has said on many occasions that this is not a love song, and it's easy to see why. Many times in U2 history has Bono used the female form to represent different worldly things. Jut because it says "she" it would be a mistake, knowing U2, to just assume he's talking about a human woman.

Often in concerts, Bono will bring up a girl from the audience onto the stage and dance with her through this song. I doubt that's a coincidence. It seems to me that this is yet another song about how U2 relate to their fans. How they give their all (or give themselves away, if you will) to their music and as a result feel exposed.

Shortly after the Joshua Tree tour, U2 "broke up" briefly after Bono haunting said during their last show "We just have to go away and dream it all up again". I think this song might have been the root of that brief breakup. Obviously in the lyric, the guys are experiencing some of the unfortunate drawbacks of fame: They give their all and the people want more.

It makes a lot of sense if you think about it that way. He's saying he can't live with or without the fans. He loves them dearly but he's overwhelmed by them and their demands for more when he feels he's given his all.