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White As Snow Lyrics
Where I grew up there were no hills at all
The land was flat, the highway straight and wide
My brother and I, we'd drive for hours, like we'd years instead of days
Our faces as pale as the dirty snow
Once I knew there was a love divine
Then came a time I thought it knew me not
Who can forgive forgiveness when forgiveness is not?
Only the lamb as white as snow
And the water it was icy
As it washed over me
And the moon shined above me
Now this dry ground it bears no fruit at all
Only, under a crescent moon
The road refuses strangers
The land, the seeds we sow
Where might we find a lamb as white as snow?
As boys we would go hunting in the wood
To sleep, the night shooting out the stars
Now the wolves are every passing stranger
Every face we cannot know
For only a heart could be as white as snow
For only a heart could be as white as snow
The land was flat, the highway straight and wide
My brother and I, we'd drive for hours, like we'd years instead of days
Our faces as pale as the dirty snow
Then came a time I thought it knew me not
Who can forgive forgiveness when forgiveness is not?
Only the lamb as white as snow
As it washed over me
And the moon shined above me
Now this dry ground it bears no fruit at all
Only, under a crescent moon
The road refuses strangers
The land, the seeds we sow
Where might we find a lamb as white as snow?
To sleep, the night shooting out the stars
Now the wolves are every passing stranger
Every face we cannot know
For only a heart could be as white as snow
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Anyone else notice that the tune at parts is identical to "O Come O Come Emmanuel?"
Either way, I'm gonna go out on a limb and say the song has a pretty clear religious meaning... water washing over me... a lamb forgiving... I mean come on Bono's not even being as subtle as he usually is ;)
I replied to Marquez about this earlier. There is no doubt that the song is founded around the chord structures and melody of "O Come O Come Emmanuel."
I replied to Marquez about this earlier. There is no doubt that the song is founded around the chord structures and melody of "O Come O Come Emmanuel."
Yes, I noticed that too. I guess you wouldn't notice that unless you are Catholic or Episcopalian, right?
Yes, I noticed that too. I guess you wouldn't notice that unless you are Catholic or Episcopalian, right?
Maybe other denominations sing that song too, but I just know I recognized it immediately as a song from Catholic Mass.
Maybe other denominations sing that song too, but I just know I recognized it immediately as a song from Catholic Mass.
Speaking of Bono's faith, you'll notice the song has the tune as 'O Come Emmanuel' hymnals
White as Snow, the title and concept, is taken from Isaiah: 18 'Come, let us talk this over,' says Yahweh. 'Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.
I think this song is about terrorism. My old teacher (who was a huge U2-fan) told me that poppies often relates to death. I think that the sentence "Only poppies laugh under the crescent moon" means "Only the dead laugh uder the crescent moon". The crescent moon is the symbol of Islam. "As boys we would go hunting in the woods To sleep the night shooting out the stars Now the wolves are every passing stranger Every face we cannot know" means, in my opinion, that before, we could just live out our lives, and go where we wanted, but now, everyone may be our enemies. "Now the wolves are every passing stranger".
But that's just my opinion.
Wow! I think this is about how man has destroyed everything, and his heart is no longer pure, He's greedy and selfish.
Wow! I think this is about how man has destroyed everything, and his heart is no longer pure, He's greedy and selfish.
Wow! I think this is about how man has destroyed everything, and his heart is no longer pure, He's greedy and selfish.
Oops, sorry.
Very poignant song, probably one of the most touching that U2 has ever done, in my opinion. Bono said in an interview that this song is the thoughts of a soldier dying in Afghanistan after a roadside bomb. An amazing song off a great album.
I think I agree with Edge27's take on the song. But couldn't it be "land" instead of "lamb". I'm not sure that's the correct word, but then the "land as white as snow" might be Paradise. It could fit, since Bono infuses so much religious imagery in his lyrics. Come to think of it, the Lamb is also a religious image. Pretty good lyrics anyway, maybe the album's best. I still need to listen to the whole album well, but I think this song is pretty powerful.
It's definitely "lamb."
It's definitely "lamb."
The song is U2's poetic twist/take on "O Come O Come Emmanuel."
The song is U2's poetic twist/take on "O Come O Come Emmanuel."
Absolutely. And of course the Christ imagery is all over this song. From the lamb as white as snow the the image of a baptism, although a icy one.
Absolutely. And of course the Christ imagery is all over this song. From the lamb as white as snow the the image of a baptism, although a icy one.
I don't disagree with the song being about a soldier, but it is a soldier wondering about or discovering that their is one Pure Lamb. The tension is in finding the lamb to become like the lamb or to devourer it as a wolf would.
I don't disagree with the song being about a soldier, but it is a soldier wondering about or discovering that their is one Pure Lamb. The tension is in finding the lamb to become like the lamb or to devourer it as a wolf would.