Like a phoenix rising needs a holy tree?

[ocu2fan]

Listening to Rattle and Hum this afternoon and I know I had heard it countless times before but I never really thought about it...what is Bono referring to here? What does that lyric mean?

 

[mebythesea]

Originally posted by ocu2fan:
Listening to Rattle and Hum this afternoon and I know I had heard it countless times before but I never really thought about it...what is Bono referring to here? What does that lyric mean?

Well, who knows, but what I've thought is this-- you know how many of the lines have something that "needs" something negative to work?

Like the preacher needs pain...
Like faith needs a doubt...
etc.

So since the phoenix is a well-known symbol of the resurrection of Christ in art, and the phrase "holy tree" is used in poetry to refer to the Cross of Christ, my guess would be that the line hints at the idea that the resurrection of Christ doesn't exempt him from agony and death. In fact, needs death to exist.

No Easter without Good Friday. No love without suffering. I *think* it fits.

 

[Lilly]

I always liked the use of "a tongue needs a name". Cos it does. And that thought has so many implications to it....ahhh...I loveth Bono's lyrics...

 

[tackleberry]

Originally posted by Lilly:
I always liked the use of "a tongue needs a name". Cos it does. And that thought has so many implications to it....ahhh...I loveth Bono's lyrics...

I'm pretty positive-pete that its "Like a TOWN needs a name, I need your love"

Though TONGUES with names could be quite scary and/or fun!


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"You gotta put the women and children first, but you've got an unquenchable thirst for New York..."

 

[oliveu2cm]

Originally posted by mebythesea:
Well, who knows, but what I've thought is this-- you know how many of the lines have something that "needs" something negative to work?

Like the preacher needs pain...
Like faith needs a doubt...
etc.

So since the phoenix is a well-known symbol of the resurrection of Christ in art, and the phrase "holy tree" is used in poetry to refer to the Cross of Christ, my guess would be that the line hints at the idea that the resurrection of Christ doesn't exempt him from agony and death. In fact, needs death to exist.

No Easter without Good Friday. No love without suffering. I *think* it fits.

wow, this was very interesting.. thanks!

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"In my heart I'm not wearing any sunglasses baby"
Bono, to Larry, in response of being nervous on stage, 2000

*U2TakeMeHigher*

 

[Tip Top Prince]

No Easter without Good Friday. No love without suffering. I *think* it fits.

in a similar vein, from the same album:

I don't believe the devil, I don't believe his book, but the truth is not the same without the lies he made up

Maybe, around that time, Bono was confronted with the seamier side of life, and for him, it amplified the goodness he felt from his faith.

Maybe...

 

[Kristie]

Okay, this one's just a reference to a myth found in a bajillion different cultures (egyptian, assyrian, native american, aztec, japanese, chinese, russian... I've even seen a biblical interpretation credited to both Hans Christian Anderson and Aesop).
Anyway. Generally, the phoenix is famous for building a nest out of various precious things at the top of a tree, setting itself on fire, and having a new phoenix rise out of its ashes. So the tree is referred to as a holy tree, since the phoenix is really, really important in some of these cultures.
No holy tree, no rising phoenix.
That's just my glaring-me-in-the-face interpretation, it's similar to the christ/cross one already stated.

 

[Lilly]

*points* i spy with MY little eye...a KRISTIE!!! *runs*

 

[ouizy]

wow kristie - great response - I never knew that..

Hawkmoon - also one of my favorite songs ( I sure do have a lot...)