The Refugee

This is a very good song, in my opinion. This song deals with the political and social situation in Ireland. The album that this song was on, 'War', was their most political albums, and this particular song takes the subject of war head on. I think in the beginning, though, the 'whoa, whoa' is REALLY War, War. Which would state that War is the refugee. The rest of the song clearly ties into that theme. It's a metaphor that is continually repeated.

I love this song. It's an example of U2 at (what I considered) their best. Raw, edgy, primal, evisceral, etc. Not as slick-and-polished as thei more recent works, but still very good.

Play it loud.

According to the lyrics at U2.com it really is "War, war"

The general scenario is very clear – a girl in a war-torn country is, at her mother's behest, looking forward to escaping her misery by immigrating to America.

Something interesting happens with the way song uses time… first it refers to morning, later to evening. Time is passing, bringing her no closer to her destination. The day passes, and still she waits, and as of the last line, her passage to America is still in the future. Maybe it will never arrive.

I've always thought of "her man" as a possible romantic partner, but that's not entirely clear – she's waiting for her father to return, and in Irish slang, "your man" has a broader meaning than in American English. Perhaps it's her father, or some future romance.

It's interesting to see U2's ongoing interest in America and how it evolves in their lyrics. Here, as quite young men, they see it as a place of hope. Later, it becomes familiar to them, and more real, more nuanced as a source of hope, isolation, international strife, and more. But here, early on, is their fresh impression, as a place where Irish suffering during The Troubles might escape.

WHA-WHOOA!!!

This song is a little weak, but I still like it. The guitar's great.

Wait.. U2aholic, it's really, "War! War!"? Are you sure?

Amen, Major Valor, amen.