Whats the story behind "one" (the song)

[welshigirl]

OMG Its sooooooooo good to be back here,I have been offline forever but I'm back!

Anyway what I wanted to know was from all you good people out there is what exactly is the meaning of the U2 song "One"! I have heard a number of different explainations but I trust you guys know the "correct" version!

Thanks peeps

 

[U2girl]

My interpretation is it's a father-son song, possibly the first ever Bono-Bob Hewson theme to appear in their songs. (also notice his father in the dress-up video)

 

[uwwedoogie]

I'm pretty sure its about Edge's break-up/divorce with his first wife Aisling

 

[Miricale_Drug]

it was an improvisation in hansa was what i was always todl. edge started playing then adam/larry joined in and bono improvised some lines including 'were one/but were not the same / we got to carry each other' and the song was finished a few hours on from that

 

[U2girl]

I think it started when Lanois suggested to Edge he should merge two guitar riffs. It was apparently written in 15 minutes.

 

[uwwedoogie]

it was an improvisation in hansa was what i was always todl. edge started playing then adam/larry joined in and bono improvised some lines including 'were one/but were not the same / we got to carry each other' and the song was finished a few hours on from that

music = yes, lyrics = no

 

[namkcuR]

There are a good few different interpretations of it...

It's about a son telling his father that he's gay, and his father not approving...

It's about AIDS...

It's about the unification of East Germany and West Germany...

It's about the band itself, what it was going through at the time...

It's about a very painful breakup...

It's about the brotherhood of man...

I think it's one of the most ambigious lyrics Bono has ever written.

 

[Carmelu2fan]

I think it can be whatever you want the song to be....it could be about any of the subjects listed above^ For me it is about people giving a helping hand and a listening ear to the ones who need our help and have not a voice...That is what the song means to me.

 

[welshigirl]

Thank you all for your explainations guys!

Its my fav ever u2 song and it can indeed relate to a lot of situations,it never fails to bring me to tears,such a moving song

 

[BrownEyedBoy]

That's the beauty of this song. It has all these different interpretations and I think that's why Bono hasn't really wanted to nail it down to one interpretation because that would make so many people lose their relationship with this song.

For me, it's about a break-up.

 

[rjhbonovox]

Cos of the turmoil that the Hansa sessions caused this song was actually the song that finally brought the album together. You can hear it all in the lyrics. "Is it getting better, do you feel the same" etc pretty much explains that U2 knew that the album was finally coming together.

 

[tiny dancer]

There are a good few different interpretations of it...

It's about a son telling his father that he's gay, and his father not approving...

It's about AIDS...

It's about the unification of East Germany and West Germany...

It's about the band itself, what it was going through at the time...

It's about a very painful breakup...

It's about the brotherhood of man...

I think it's one of the most ambigious lyrics Bono has ever written.

I could not said it better than myself.