I agree with most that this song is about the impending end of a relationship (detailed in the verses). But the lyrics also hint at a hope/want/need for reconciliation so that the singer/receiver and other people in this same situation can make it through life (choruses). My take on the first verse is that the singer is conciliatory...willing to take the blame for whatever went wrong in the relationship, even though s/he may not be at fault. The second and third verses have the same theme when I read them--the denial of love by the receiver (“you act like you never had love/and you want me to go without”/”you ask me to enter/but then you make me crawl”) because of perceived wrongs committed by the singer or issues with the receiver (“…when all you got is hurt”).
The choruses sound a lot like a call for universal love that starts at the individual level. The verses and choruses are very nice interplay between the concepts of local and global love. Local love (between the singer/receiver) magnifies the power of global love. We each do our part and the collective is strengthened.
I truly think you've said it best here out of everyone. It is about both, because we learn about love locally and it expands to globally...first we learn from our parents and family, then through friends, then lovers and then our communities and onward. <3
I truly think you've said it best here out of everyone. It is about both, because we learn about love locally and it expands to globally...first we learn from our parents and family, then through friends, then lovers and then our communities and onward. <3
@solw0727 Bono mentioned being in Hansa Studio and feeling like they didn't belong. Rattle and Hum was a success but critically trashed as a bunch of ego maniacs. Bono admitted this. After that tour they were all in different places while the band was trying to reinvent itself. Edge was going through a divorce and was devastated but was keeping it to himself but displaying huge mood swings, Bono said we wanted to be there and support him but he was having none of it and the vibe was just poor. The song one appeared as a bridge section in...
@solw0727 Bono mentioned being in Hansa Studio and feeling like they didn't belong. Rattle and Hum was a success but critically trashed as a bunch of ego maniacs. Bono admitted this. After that tour they were all in different places while the band was trying to reinvent itself. Edge was going through a divorce and was devastated but was keeping it to himself but displaying huge mood swings, Bono said we wanted to be there and support him but he was having none of it and the vibe was just poor. The song one appeared as a bridge section in mysterious ways, Daniel recommended taking that riff section and making a new song and that song became one. Adam Clayton said that song seemed to incapsulate all the emotions of the moment and seemed to steady everyone. He would later say that song likely saved the band.
I agree with most that this song is about the impending end of a relationship (detailed in the verses). But the lyrics also hint at a hope/want/need for reconciliation so that the singer/receiver and other people in this same situation can make it through life (choruses). My take on the first verse is that the singer is conciliatory...willing to take the blame for whatever went wrong in the relationship, even though s/he may not be at fault. The second and third verses have the same theme when I read them--the denial of love by the receiver (“you act like you never had love/and you want me to go without”/”you ask me to enter/but then you make me crawl”) because of perceived wrongs committed by the singer or issues with the receiver (“…when all you got is hurt”).
The choruses sound a lot like a call for universal love that starts at the individual level. The verses and choruses are very nice interplay between the concepts of local and global love. Local love (between the singer/receiver) magnifies the power of global love. We each do our part and the collective is strengthened.
I truly think you've said it best here out of everyone. It is about both, because we learn about love locally and it expands to globally...first we learn from our parents and family, then through friends, then lovers and then our communities and onward. <3
I truly think you've said it best here out of everyone. It is about both, because we learn about love locally and it expands to globally...first we learn from our parents and family, then through friends, then lovers and then our communities and onward. <3
as gay as that shit is, it's spot on.
as gay as that shit is, it's spot on.
What you call 'gay,' I call perspective that has come with age :)
What you call 'gay,' I call perspective that has come with age :)
@solw0727 Bono mentioned being in Hansa Studio and feeling like they didn't belong. Rattle and Hum was a success but critically trashed as a bunch of ego maniacs. Bono admitted this. After that tour they were all in different places while the band was trying to reinvent itself. Edge was going through a divorce and was devastated but was keeping it to himself but displaying huge mood swings, Bono said we wanted to be there and support him but he was having none of it and the vibe was just poor. The song one appeared as a bridge section in...
@solw0727 Bono mentioned being in Hansa Studio and feeling like they didn't belong. Rattle and Hum was a success but critically trashed as a bunch of ego maniacs. Bono admitted this. After that tour they were all in different places while the band was trying to reinvent itself. Edge was going through a divorce and was devastated but was keeping it to himself but displaying huge mood swings, Bono said we wanted to be there and support him but he was having none of it and the vibe was just poor. The song one appeared as a bridge section in mysterious ways, Daniel recommended taking that riff section and making a new song and that song became one. Adam Clayton said that song seemed to incapsulate all the emotions of the moment and seemed to steady everyone. He would later say that song likely saved the band.