Like all great lyricists, there is one meaning to this song but it can be looked at through multiple perspectives. Bono has real faith, and when someone has real faith you ten to look at all problems in life through a spiritual lens.
This song is about differences. We're not the same. And despite those differences, the real thing that matters is love. It's really what everyone craves needs, and it's the one thing that God will give you unconditionally should you be willing to receive. And yet it's those differences that are the greatest hurdle to overcome when accepting and giving that love. The things that separate us are the things that we must overcome to spread love and unity.
"Is it getting better, or do you feel the same?
Will it make it easier on you now you got someone to blame?"
It's a question of overcoming tension and distance in an relationship. Maybe it's a question to both the speaker and the listener, challenging their agency and responsibility in putting in the work in a relationship. In today's world, everyone is so quick to find a villain for the division in the world. It's far easier than accepting the burden of responsibility yourself. But what exactly are you doing to change that?
"You say: One love. One life. When it's one need in the night.
One love. We get to share it. Leaves you baby if you don't care for it."
Love takes effort. We all have it in us to give, and we all crave it from others. It's the one need we have. God gave us love to share with others as a an infinite gift. But it requires consistent effort. If you don't make the effort to love others, then you will soon find the lack of its presence in your life.
"Did I disappoint you?
Or leave a bad taste in your mouth?
You act like you never had love and you want me to go without."
Sometimes when you try to give the gift of love to someone, it won't be reciprocated. It's just an unfortunate fact of life. When we aren't used to receiving love, we tend to find it difficult to give it to others out of resentment or jealousy, or out of fear of getting hurt. When our love is rejected it can cause us to question ourselves, that maybe our flaws make it so others simply don't want your love.
"Well it's too late tonight to drag the past out into the light.
We're one, but we're not the same.
We get to carry each other. Carry each other. One."
What can be gained from dragging up the past? We have only the history of us killing and oppressing each other, we can constantly go back through the years to point fingers to justify our hate and divide. To point out our different lived history and experiences. The fact is we're not the same. And yet, united we are one. We "get to", not "have to" carry each other. To take each other's burdens and help each other unconditionally is a beautiful gift of honor, not an oppressing punishment.
"Have you come here for forgiveness?
Have you come to raise the dead?
Have you come here to play Jesus to the lepers in your head?"
Often when dealing with love, people approach it with ulterior motives. We want forgiveness but we struggle to forgive. Sometimes when you understand the importance of grace and God's message of love, we can become frustrated with the struggle of other's reluctance to give love. So many religious types become misguided by weaponizing their Bible's teachings as a means to gain moral victory over others. But the love you give is supposed to be unconditional. Attaching stipulations to it defeats the entire purpose.
"Did I ask too much?
More than a lot?
You gave me nothing now it's all I got.
We're one, but we're not the same.
Well, we hurt each other, then we do it again."
Is it too much to ask for love? Again, it costs nothing to give. When you don't give someone love, they have no love. Hurt people will hurt people. We're different, we're not totally the same, but one of the similarities we all share is we hurt each other. It's as inevitable as death itself, it speaks to our flawed human nature that we will hurt each other, know it's wrong, and will continue to keep doing it.
"You say: Love is a temple, love a higher law.
Love is a temple, love the higher law.
You ask me to enter, but then you make me crawl.
And I can't be holding on to what you got, when all you got is hurt"
God is love. Love is something to worship, as it is God, and therefore essence of life itself. It should be at the top of every single person's hierarchy in life. And yet when we ask others to love us, we make it so difficult for them. We continue to act in ways that hurt each other and push others away instead of making it easy to accept and give the love that we all deserve.
"One love. One blood.
One life, you got to do what you should.
One life with each other.
Sisters. Brothers.
One life, but we're not the same.
We get to carry each other, carry each other.
One."
A reminder that we are all in this together. Love is the same for everyone. We all have the same blood. We all share life, we're all living at this very moment. In that we are sisters and brothers. But we aren't the same, we will never be the same. And that one love is our tool that we will use to carry each other through life.
Like all great lyricists, there is one meaning to this song but it can be looked at through multiple perspectives. Bono has real faith, and when someone has real faith you ten to look at all problems in life through a spiritual lens.
This song is about differences. We're not the same. And despite those differences, the real thing that matters is love. It's really what everyone craves needs, and it's the one thing that God will give you unconditionally should you be willing to receive. And yet it's those differences that are the greatest hurdle to overcome when accepting and giving that love. The things that separate us are the things that we must overcome to spread love and unity.
"Is it getting better, or do you feel the same? Will it make it easier on you now you got someone to blame?"
It's a question of overcoming tension and distance in an relationship. Maybe it's a question to both the speaker and the listener, challenging their agency and responsibility in putting in the work in a relationship. In today's world, everyone is so quick to find a villain for the division in the world. It's far easier than accepting the burden of responsibility yourself. But what exactly are you doing to change that?
"You say: One love. One life. When it's one need in the night. One love. We get to share it. Leaves you baby if you don't care for it."
Love takes effort. We all have it in us to give, and we all crave it from others. It's the one need we have. God gave us love to share with others as a an infinite gift. But it requires consistent effort. If you don't make the effort to love others, then you will soon find the lack of its presence in your life.
"Did I disappoint you? Or leave a bad taste in your mouth? You act like you never had love and you want me to go without."
Sometimes when you try to give the gift of love to someone, it won't be reciprocated. It's just an unfortunate fact of life. When we aren't used to receiving love, we tend to find it difficult to give it to others out of resentment or jealousy, or out of fear of getting hurt. When our love is rejected it can cause us to question ourselves, that maybe our flaws make it so others simply don't want your love.
"Well it's too late tonight to drag the past out into the light. We're one, but we're not the same. We get to carry each other. Carry each other. One."
What can be gained from dragging up the past? We have only the history of us killing and oppressing each other, we can constantly go back through the years to point fingers to justify our hate and divide. To point out our different lived history and experiences. The fact is we're not the same. And yet, united we are one. We "get to", not "have to" carry each other. To take each other's burdens and help each other unconditionally is a beautiful gift of honor, not an oppressing punishment.
"Have you come here for forgiveness? Have you come to raise the dead? Have you come here to play Jesus to the lepers in your head?"
Often when dealing with love, people approach it with ulterior motives. We want forgiveness but we struggle to forgive. Sometimes when you understand the importance of grace and God's message of love, we can become frustrated with the struggle of other's reluctance to give love. So many religious types become misguided by weaponizing their Bible's teachings as a means to gain moral victory over others. But the love you give is supposed to be unconditional. Attaching stipulations to it defeats the entire purpose.
"Did I ask too much? More than a lot? You gave me nothing now it's all I got. We're one, but we're not the same. Well, we hurt each other, then we do it again."
Is it too much to ask for love? Again, it costs nothing to give. When you don't give someone love, they have no love. Hurt people will hurt people. We're different, we're not totally the same, but one of the similarities we all share is we hurt each other. It's as inevitable as death itself, it speaks to our flawed human nature that we will hurt each other, know it's wrong, and will continue to keep doing it.
"You say: Love is a temple, love a higher law. Love is a temple, love the higher law. You ask me to enter, but then you make me crawl. And I can't be holding on to what you got, when all you got is hurt"
God is love. Love is something to worship, as it is God, and therefore essence of life itself. It should be at the top of every single person's hierarchy in life. And yet when we ask others to love us, we make it so difficult for them. We continue to act in ways that hurt each other and push others away instead of making it easy to accept and give the love that we all deserve.
"One love. One blood. One life, you got to do what you should. One life with each other. Sisters. Brothers. One life, but we're not the same. We get to carry each other, carry each other. One."
A reminder that we are all in this together. Love is the same for everyone. We all have the same blood. We all share life, we're all living at this very moment. In that we are sisters and brothers. But we aren't the same, we will never be the same. And that one love is our tool that we will use to carry each other through life.