Get On Your Boots

It's certainly not bad! I'm sure it will grow on me.

As for the meaning, i think it's all bono is about (helping people).

This is basically Discotheque Part II which is never a bad thing :)

I believe this song is less about women (African or otherwise) and more about the world in general and the current state of politics.

"The future needs a big kiss Winds blows with a twist Never seen a moon like this Can you see it too?"

There is a sense that big changes could be in store (the phrase "winds of fate/fortune/change" comes to mind, as well as the imagery of the moon being used to predict the weather/fortune/future), and Bono is asking if the listener also sees these changes coming. We need to extend a great deal of love and compassion if we want to see a change for the better.

"Night is falling everywhere Rockets at the fun fair Satan loves a bomb scare But he won’t scare you"

I do not interpret "night" literally, but see it referencing a new sort of dark ages brought about by the war and strife currently plaguing the world. Rockets and fun fairs - we take war too lightly, perhaps (and, indeed, it has almost become a spectator sport in the US depending on which news channel you watch).

"Satan loves a bomb scare" is a direct condemnation of the way our political leaders have tried lead us around with the constant threat of terrorist attacks. "He won't scare you" therefore being the growing disdain for and the increasing number of people against all of the fear mongering.

"You free me from the dark dream Candy floss ice cream All our kids are screaming But the ghosts aren’t real

Here’s where we gotta be Love and community Laughter is eternity If joy is real"

You = his family, the band's fans, all the people giving to charity or protesting wars? Whoever it is, he/she/they are the people that free him from all these darker thoughts of world destruction. We need to reach out, love everyone, be willing to laugh and take joy in things if we want to solve the problems our world faces.

"You don’t know how beautiful you are You don’t know, and you don’t get it, do you?"

Exactly what it says. Extrapolating from rest of my heavy-handed anti-war interpretation: we don't realize how beautiful we all are, how wonderful the world around us could be if we are arguing and fighting all the time.

"That’s someone’s stuff they’re blowing up We’re into growing up Women of the future Hold the big revelations

The first line is a direct reference to war and bombing. Take Palestine for example: Israel says they're fighting Hamas, but the lives of non-militant peoples are also being destroyed.

Frankly, the second line makes little sense to me - any interpretations I have range from grasping at straws to completely making crap up. Perhaps it's either chiding people for making their children grow up too fast (skimpy clothing, violent games and movies, etc), or it's a call for people to grow up and face the future.

The third and fourth line point out that women are gaining more power in politics and other fields. In the future, maybe it will be the women who see the light and make the changes that will bring a better world. Adding in the second line, men of the world need to grow up, give women equal rights and let their voices be heard.

"I got a submarine You got gasoline"

Another war reference, plain and simple. Submarines, nuclear power, stealth technology, etc. Gas is what many people are fighting for, be it a war of bombs and guns or war of words and posturing. (See Russia, the Middle East and, to a lesser extent, the ongoing argument of whether or not the US should drill in Alaska.) Both of these things lead to tension between nations all across the globe.

"Hey sexy boots Get on your boots, yeah Not right now Bossy boots"

Maybe not so much sexy as share the love. No more of that bossy, bullying stuff right now.

Hey sexy boots I don’t want to talk about the wars between the nations Sexy boots, yeah

Simple meaning: I would rather have fun right now than talk about the world's problems. More convoluted interpretation: This could be a jab at the people who have fun and bury their heads in the sand rather than doing anything to fix the world's problem.

"Let me in the sound/I don’t wanna drown now/Meet me in the sound"

I interpret these lines to be Bono asking to be let into that community of laughter and joy, that he doesn't want to drown in war and hatred, and asking everyone else to meet him there. Again with the idea that we need to abandon war and strife and embrace love and understanding.

And thus concludes my rather heavy handed "this song = war is bad, love is good" interpretation of the song. Personally, I think it is anything but the lighthearted song the music would lead you to believe it is, but Bono is clearly trying to encourage everyone to move in a more positive direction and change all the negatives that were mentioned. Whether you choose to interpret it as a song about war and politics or a song about the plight of women in Africa, it's definitely a call for people to "get on [their] boots" and go do something about the world.

The "Vertigo" of this album. Perhaps related to the spiral symbol of HTDAB with Bono screaming that's he's going down in the sound. When I first heard it on the radio, I didn't like it. Wasn't the kind of U2 I enjoyed and it never really grew on me. It was cool to see them perform it on the Grammy's but that's probably just because I was excited to see them on TV. I do, however, enjoy the "Let me in the sound!" chant during the song. Great, strong Larry right there.

Laughter is eternity. Goes along with the infinity theme of the album

Really? The first? I stayed up until 3:10 to catch this song. Bono's right, it sounds like nothing anyone's ever done before. I think it sounds great, it was mixed well, etc. Can't wait for No Line On The Horizon... it sounds like it's going to be great.

The lyrics as quoted have a couple of errors. Here's the official set from u2.com:

The future needs a big kiss Winds blows with a twist Never seen a moon like this Can you see it too?

Night is falling everywhere Rockets at the fun fair Satan loves a bomb scare But he won’t scare you

Hey, sexy boots Get on your boots, yeah

You free me from the dark dream Candy floss ice cream All our kids are screaming But the ghosts aren’t real

Here’s where we gotta be Love and community Laughter is eternity If joy is real

You don’t know how beautiful You don’t know how beautiful you are You don’t know, and you don’t get it, do you? You don’t know how beautiful you are

That’s someone’s stuff they’re blowing up We’re into growing up Women of the future Hold the big revelations

I got a submarine You got gasoline I don’t want to talk about wars between nations

Not right now

Hey sexy boots... Get on your boots, yeah Not right now Bossy boots

You don’t know how beautiful You don’t know how beautiful you are You don’t know, and you don’t get it, do you? You don’t know how beautiful you are

Hey sexy boots I don’t want to talk about the wars between the nations Sexy boots, yeah

Let me in the sound Let me in the sound Let me in the sound, sound Let me in the sound, sound Meet me in the sound

Let me in the sound Let me in the sound, now God, I’m going down I don’t wanna drown now Meet me in the sound

Let me in the sound Let me in the sound Let me in the sound, sound Let me in the sound, sound Meet me in the sound

Get on your boots Get on your boots Get on your boots Yeah hey hey

Awesome new song, it took me 1 listen for it to register with me, and one more to love it. It's going to be an awesome new album. Great first single! I really don't know the meaning, I'll have to listen a few more times before I get a feel for it.

some good lines, some bad. anyone have any idea what it means?

The only part I can make out is

Women of the future Hold the big revelations

http://www.womensenews.org/article.cfm/dyn/aid/1705/context/archive It is said that women are the future of Africa in the sense that if they can be educated and gain local employment, they will stop having to travel to large cities to seek employment as social workers, where they are vulnerable to sexual exploitation and AIDS.

I am almost sure these lines reference this, as Bono has spoke of this multiple times in the past.

The only part I can make out is

Women of the future Hold the big revelations

http://www.womensenews.org/article.cfm/dyn/aid/1705/context/archive It is said that women are the future of Africa in the sense that if they can be educated and gain local employment, they will stop having to travel to large cities to seek employment as social workers, where they are vulnerable to sexual exploitation and AIDS.

I am almost sure these lines reference this, as Bono has spoke of this multiple times in the past.