The shackles are undone
The bullet’s quit the gun
The heat that’s in the sun
Will keep us when its done
The rule has been disproved
The stone it has been moved
The grain is now a groove
All debts are removed
Okay the stone part reminds me of when Mary went to Jesus' tomb and discovered it had been moved and he wasn't there.
The debts being removed makes me think of Africa and Jubilee 2000. What a brilliant introduction to a song, it is about new beginnings and second chances! Oh my gosh it just BAM takes you right there!
Oh can’t you see what our love has done
Oh can’t you see what our love has done
Oh can’t you see what our love has done
What it’s doing to me
So, I think this is showing us how love brings us to transcendence...I'll explain later...
Love makes strange enemies
Makes love where love may please
Soul in a strip tease
Hate brought to its knees
The soul in a strip tease...what a visual! That just shows that love is a dying to our selves. In love we let go of what walls we build, and the negative feelings. We bear our souls, our inner higher self, and let go of what is negative and holding us back (hate brought to its knees). Wow, that love sure is some powerful stuff!
Sky over our head
Can reach it from our bed
If you let me in your heart
And out of my head
Again this goes back to the spiritual transcendence that sprouts from love in a relationship. The reaching the sky from our bed...often the sky is attributed to Heaven, or God. I believe this is talking about experiencing God through love from a relationship (that's what the bed refers to I think). That one special person can take you higher, can help you see another dimension of God just by their love.
Oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh
Quite profound lyrics here. Bono finally reveals some of life's most sacred mysteries right here in these 2 lines
I know I hurt you and I made you cry
Did everything but murder but you and I
But love left a window in the skies
And to love I rhapsodize
Oh can’t you see what love has done
to every broken heart
Oh can’t you see what love has done
for every heart that cries
love let a window in the skies
and to love I rhapsodize
So this is the big smack in the face of the song. What a powerful ending. It speaks of grace!!! Love allows for miracles to happen, even during the worst of times. Love will rescue us. We can wait and hope and it will come and save us from our despair.
The chorus is a reminder of sorts. Like, Bono is saying taking us through this journey, a journey he went through himself. And the "oh cant you see" tells us there is light (or window, rather) at the end of the tunnel. The window is the hope. Reminds me of the phrase "God doesn't close a door without opening a window."
Like Bono is saying "oh I've been there, but look at me now! Look what love has done to me!" I like how it is what love has done TO me, instead of FOR me. That just shows that it is beyond our control.
We know that we can't choose who we love or when we fall in love...it happens. It is so much more powerful than we are.
So yeah, spiritual transcendence through relationship, and to have hope and faith in love. Those are my big themes. I absolutely LOVE it when Bono ties relationship with God. I too believe they are intertwined, which is why this may very well be my new favorite song
Sorry for the delay Britt! That was my napkin...if I have anymore thoughts I'll be sure to share them!