Love is Blindness

[UltravioletU2]

Though many people think Love is Blindness is about love, I heard someone once say they thought it was about terrorism (given the band's political stances and orgins in Ireland, it would make sense). I recently analyzed the lyrics from a terrorist point of view, and it actually made sense.

Love is blindness
I don't want to see
Won't you wrap the night
Around me
Oh my heart
Love is blindness

Terrorists do awful things out of "love" or "passion" for a cause they truly believe in. There are, in essence, blinded by love for their twisted cause. Could wrap the night mean "let's wrap this up tonight" ???

In a parked car
In a crowded street
You see your love
Made complete
Thread is ripping
The knot is slipping
Love is blindness

Bombs have often hidden in parked cars in Ireland, and struck in crowded streets. Their love for their cause is fulfilled when they reap destruction.

Love is clockworks
And cold steel
Fingers too numb to feel
Squeeze the handle
Blow out the candle
Love is blindness

Cold steel is probably a weapon, so squeeze the handle (trigger), blow out the candle (someone's life).

A little death
Without mourning
No call
And no warning
Baby...a dangerous idea
That almost makes sense

They kill and bring death- but they don't mourn for their victims. They don't call them or warn them. They simply kill. They are dangerous, but it makes sense to them.

Love is drowning
In a deep well
All the secrets
And no one to tell
Take the money
Honey
Blindness

Secrets....terrorists are full of them. They kill for their causes, and often get money for doing so.


Just some thoughts. I realize the song could also be about love, I was just wondering if anyone else had any thoughts on this? Edge's screaming guitar also sounds painful and mourning"ish". Which would work for either theme (love and terrorism).

The song actually makes more sense to me when I look at it from this point of view as opposed to a twisted relationship.

 

[pax]

Wow! That's an interpretation I've never seen. Nice work.

 

[Moonlit_Angel]

Though many people think Love is Blindness is about love, I heard someone once say they thought it was about terrorism (given the band's political stances and orgins in Ireland, it would make sense). I recently analyzed the lyrics from a terrorist point of view, and it actually made sense.

Love is blindness
I don't want to see
Won't you wrap the night
Around me
Oh my heart
Love is blindness

Terrorists do awful things out of "love" or "passion" for a cause they truly believe in. There are, in essence, blinded by love for their twisted cause. Could wrap the night mean "let's wrap this up tonight" ???

In a parked car
In a crowded street
You see your love
Made complete
Thread is ripping
The knot is slipping
Love is blindness

Bombs have often hidden in parked cars in Ireland, and struck in crowded streets. Their love for their cause is fulfilled when they reap destruction.

Love is clockworks
And cold steel
Fingers too numb to feel
Squeeze the handle
Blow out the candle
Love is blindness

Cold steel is probably a weapon, so squeeze the handle (trigger), blow out the candle (someone's life).

A little death
Without mourning
No call
And no warning
Baby...a dangerous idea
That almost makes sense

They kill and bring death- but they don't mourn for their victims. They don't call them or warn them. They simply kill. They are dangerous, but it makes sense to them.

Love is drowning
In a deep well
All the secrets
And no one to tell
Take the money
Honey
Blindness

Secrets....terrorists are full of them. They kill for their causes, and often get money for doing so.


Just some thoughts. I realize the song could also be about love, I was just wondering if anyone else had any thoughts on this? Edge's screaming guitar also sounds painful and mourning"ish". Which would work for either theme (love and terrorism).

The song actually makes more sense to me when I look at it from this point of view as opposed to a twisted relationship.

Hmmm...interesting. Never thought of it that way...I see where you're going with that idea.

No matter what that song's about, it's still a hauntingly beautiful song...definitely one of my favorites off of Achtung Baby.

Angela

 

[bonosloveslave]

There's a talk radio station in my area that plays the instrumental intro part of "Love is Blindness" in the background while they are giving the weather update.........I always drift off to U2 Land when it starts and I can never pay attention to the forecast!! Not that I'm complaining, I just need to hear about the weather somewhere else.

Sorry, wandered off a bit there....

You have a good interpretation, from what I've read they did write this about the troubles back home.

 

[FallingStar]

That's a cool interpretation. I have to admit that I never thought about Love Is Blindness being about anything else than a broken heart...

 

[Zoocifer]

That's funny...

I'd never thought of "Love is Blindness" as anything to do with Love or passion. I always heard it as a unstable, brooding, and perverted Darkness. I believe the theory behind the "Terrorism" is a very close one. I always think of Berlin and how it was at the time.

By the way - who here has seen the video to "Love is Blindness"? One of my personal favorites.

-[z]-

 

[Moonlit_Angel]

By the way - who here has seen the video to "Love is Blindness"? One of my personal favorites.-[z]-

Ooh! *Raises hand high in the air* I've seen that video!

I think it's kinda trippy...but it's a cool video nonetheless. My sister finds it boring.

Angela

 

[wertsie]

I love it when people point out new ways to look at U2 songs. I have never thought about it like that before, but that makes perfect sense.

Either way, I think Love is Blindness is a brilliant song. What a way to close AB!

 

[Imprimis]

In response to terrorism interpretation...

Seeing as The Edge was in the midst of a terrible breakup, and the fact that both Bono and The Edge admit most of the songs on Achtung Baby are about said conflict, I'd have to say that though your interpretation is interesting and plausible, it's not the case. Achtung Baby is about love, the way we use it to hurt one another, how we lust after each other, the mire of passion and abuse derived from our souls. Love Is Blindness is the culmination of all these emotions. It tells us that however far we look, we will find no answers because love itself does not allow them. It simply exists, and, in fact, that's how we like it. If I could say exactly why I love my boyfriend, I wouldn't love him at all. This, however, is only my view.

Jen

 

[wertsie]

Re: In response to terrorism interpretation...

Seeing as The Edge was in the midst of a terrible breakup, and the fact that both Bono and The Edge admit most of the songs on Achtung Baby are about said conflict, I'd have to say that though your interpretation is interesting and plausible, it's not the case. Achtung Baby is about love, the way we use it to hurt one another, how we lust after each other, the mire of passion and abuse derived from our souls. Love Is Blindness is the culmination of all these emotions. It tells us that however far we look, we will find no answers because love itself does not allow them. It simply exists, and, in fact, that's how we like it. If I could say exactly why I love my boyfriend, I wouldn't love him at all. This, however, is only my view.

Jen

Great Post!

PS. I'm Jen too!

 

[tackleberry]

Re: In response to terrorism interpretation...

Seeing as The Edge was in the midst of a terrible breakup, and the fact that both Bono and The Edge admit most of the songs on Achtung Baby are about said conflict, I'd have to say that though your interpretation is interesting and plausible, it's not the case. Achtung Baby is about love, the way we use it to hurt one another, how we lust after each other, the mire of passion and abuse derived from our souls. Love Is Blindness is the culmination of all these emotions. It tells us that however far we look, we will find no answers because love itself does not allow them. It simply exists, and, in fact, that's how we like it. If I could say exactly why I love my boyfriend, I wouldn't love him at all. This, however, is only my view.

Well, couldn't it be about both? Because I too have heard from numerous sources that its mainly about terrorism or was insired by terrorism for that matter. But I think it fits nicely into Achtung Baby because it could be using terroism as a metaphor for a failed relationship. Where one of the partners has ripped apart the bond like a terrorist rips apart a life or a building, etc. That's the way I always look at that song.

 

[Imprimis]

Of course Love Is Blindness could be interpreted as a song about terrorism. That's the beauty about lyrics/poetry. I'm a poetry student myself and it's amazing the way people have totally different takes on what one work means. I was simply trying to get at the roots of the song and share my opinion. I didn't mean to exclude the original idea. I had an argument once over the meaning of Discotheque, and I realized that arguing is worthless. In the end, U2 lyrics become a personal matter, and I find that my interpretation makes more sense to myself - the words help me in my own life. But carry on, please, because I love learning about different perspectives.

Jen

 

[wertsie]

Personally, I like it that the song can be interpreted so many different ways. It's all about depth, baby!

 

[Giant Lemon]

Re: Re: In response to terrorism interpretation...

Because I too have heard from numerous sources that its mainly about terrorism or was inpsired by terrorism for that matter. But I think it fits nicely into Achtung Baby because it could be using terroism as a metaphor for a failed relationship. Where one of the partners has ripped apart the bond like a terrorist rips apart a life or a building, etc. That's the way I always look at that song.

That's how I look at the song too. It's funny- I was always confused about the meaning of Love Is Blindness until I heard the terrorism interpretation awhile ago. I mean, the references to "clockworks" and "cold steel" never really made sense to me until I associated it with the problems in Northern Ireland. And I may be confused, but in the video don't they have clips of terrorism?

 

[Zoots]

Thats amazing. Good job!! Eerily makes total sense!!

 

[Philo_2727]

hmmmm.....I'll never look at it the same now. I never thought about it relating to terrorism, but it works. Interesting.

Theres a Video for this song?? Hmmm...gotta dig that up!

-Blue

 

[erised]

There's a talk radio station in my area that plays the instrumental intro part of "Love is Blindness" in the background while they are giving the weather update.........I always drift off to U2 Land when it starts and I can never pay attention to the forecast!! Not that I'm complaining, I just need to hear about the weather somewhere else.

Hey! I know that radio station!!!

Thanks for the new interpretation of this song, UltravioletU2. I find it very interesting.

 

[kiwilad]

amazing! I always figured that since AB all U2 songs have been about love and relationships, which I always found a bit of a shame as they wrote some great songs in the 80's about other stuff, which is what made them different. But perhaps they never stopped writing about the conflict etc, they just learnt how to disguise it. This terrorism take on 'love is blindness' is amazing, and rockets it from my top 20 U2 songs into my top 5! So, if the love thing is just a cover, a con, then what other songs (post 1990) have they done that are equally deep?

 

[rafmed]

I think that Love is Blindness and Exit are similar songs. The "one" that sings them may be the same.