I believe this song is a conversation between the narrator (Bono) and his younger self. Bono has stated that many songs on the album ("Songs of Experience") are letters to different persons in his life this can be seen as two letters. The first letter is in the two first verses and are from the young Bono to his current self. It's a very tough view on himself and the person he has become - the hypocrisy and dishonesty that he practices now and that his younger self would see right through. The second letter is where the song changes (from the "Sometimes..." part). From that point it is the current Bono confessing to his younger self that he is right... all might seem fine on the surface but beneath it he is angry, frightened and anxious. It is like a confession both to his younger self and his audience and a very courageous one in my opinion. I believe the song ends on a slightly more hopeful note - the guitar indicates a more hopeful tone and even though the end seems to be here - and one day will surely come - it is still only "sometimes" that the darkness wins.
I believe this song is a conversation between the narrator (Bono) and his younger self. Bono has stated that many songs on the album ("Songs of Experience") are letters to different persons in his life this can be seen as two letters. The first letter is in the two first verses and are from the young Bono to his current self. It's a very tough view on himself and the person he has become - the hypocrisy and dishonesty that he practices now and that his younger self would see right through. The second letter is where the song changes (from the "Sometimes..." part). From that point it is the current Bono confessing to his younger self that he is right... all might seem fine on the surface but beneath it he is angry, frightened and anxious. It is like a confession both to his younger self and his audience and a very courageous one in my opinion. I believe the song ends on a slightly more hopeful note - the guitar indicates a more hopeful tone and even though the end seems to be here - and one day will surely come - it is still only "sometimes" that the darkness wins.