Meanings Behind NLOTH Lyrics

[silverfish]

This is a thread for anyone wanting to post lyric interpretations from the NLOTH album. I wonder how much of himself Bono reveals in the songs.

 

[nadie]

Just the thread I've been waiting for.

What the hell does "helping god across the road like a little old lady" mean, exactly?

 

[solemole]

http://www.u2interference.com/forums/f189/u2-is-satanic-193601.html?

God doesn't need your help defending Him.

 

[shart1780]

Just the thread I've been waiting for.

What the hell does "helping god across the road like a little old lady" mean, exactly?

Bono said it's about militant atheists.

Not exactly sure if that clears anything up.

 

[Numb1075]

i'm curious as to what or who a "ju ju man" is?

 

[last unicorn]

Again, there are many ways of interpreting the lyrics, most of them are very poetic, some vague, some more concrete, I love so many of these new lyrics. I guess Bono put much into it, personally, of course, because he wrote them, but there's also a lot of empathy, a whole cast of characters. I love the storytelling on some songs, and the more atmospheric/emotional lyrics on other songs. There is a certain darkness in many of these lyrics, but also hope.

 

[Drowningman]

I wrote about this on another thread but this seems like an appropriate forum for it.

White as Snow is sung in Charachter by Bono.

The lyrics are basically the fleeting last thoughts of a dying soldier in Afghanistan.

As his final seconds tick by, his last thoughts are of his hometown, riding with his brother, etc.

and of course he thinks about the place where he is about to die as well, "poppies" and "Crecent moon", refer to Afghanistan.

Its a very powerful song. one of my favorites on this album.

 

[last unicorn]

White as snow =

It almost breaks my heart. So beautiful.

 

[nadie]

http://www.u2interference.com/forums/f189/u2-is-satanic-193601.html?

God doesn't need your help defending Him.

Ok, I like that.

I think the "militant atheist" suggestion was actually made by a reporter, and while Bono assented, he said it's also about Christians (himself included).

Some of my favorite lyrics so far (I don't listen to lyrics very carefully) are in Breathe.


We are people borne of sound
The songs are in our eyes
Gonna wear them like a crown
Walk out, into the sunburst street
Sing your heart out, sing my heart out
I’ve found grace inside a sound
I found grace, it’s all that I found
And I can breathe
Breathe now

 

[iota]

I think Bono is calling out religious fundamentalists. The ones who feel it is upon them to protect and defend God's honor.

But there is a strong Biblical/prophetic stream that Bono is drawing from. The hebrew prophets would ridicule people who worshipped idols, because if you have to protect your own god, your god is obviously not up to the job. ("With one hand you worship your god and with the other you prevent it from falling over") So Bono is calling fundamentalism idolatry, and he's right. It's an awkward line but I like it!

 

[Bonogirl777]

Ok, I like that.

I think the "militant atheist" suggestion was actually made by a reporter, and while Bono assented, he said it's also about Christians (himself included).

Some of my favorite lyrics so far (I don't listen to lyrics very carefully) are in Breathe.


We are people borne of sound
The songs are in our eyes
Gonna wear them like a crown
Walk out, into the sunburst street
Sing your heart out, sing my heart out
I’ve found grace inside a sound
I found grace, it’s all that I found
And I can breathe
Breathe now

Ditto.

 

[alison0313]

i'm curious as to what or who a "ju ju man" is?

He seems to be some sort of voodoo doctor perhaps?

I found this on wiki: The Ju Ju Religion

The Ju Ju religion is the religion of the Yoruba speaking people of Nigeria, and is the parent religion of Santeria, Palo Mayombe, and Abaqa (found mostly in Cuba, Puerto Rico, and Miami), Macumba, and Quimbanda (found mostly in Brazil). The gods and goddesses of Ju Ju are called “orishas”, just as they are in Santeria and similar religions. Voodoo originated with the Dahomey speaking people of Africa, and has different but similar gods and goddesses from Ju Ju, and has many similar practices and beliefs as well. A god both Ju Ju and Voodoo have in common is Legba the gate keeper.[1]

 

[Jeannieco]

I'd like to think that the character in Unknown Caller is THE FLY...

If The Fly was about a phone call from Hell then this phone call in Unknown Caller is God returning his call.

 

[last unicorn]

Does anyone else feel that Bono sings Magnificent to the band, that's at least one interpretation I came up with when I thought about that song.

 

[Justin24]

White as Snow is one of my favorite tracks. So sad.

 

[Earnie Shavers]

Moment of Surrender – a song that sits sonically in a kind of timeless place about someone on a subway of lost souls, seemingly stuck somewhere, counting down the seconds, past relationships, needing to move on… very loose connection, and admittedly I haven’t seen the film in a while, but anyone else picture the film 2046 when they’re listening to this song?

 

[Tacvbo]

Does anyone else feel that Bono sings Magnificent to the band, that's at least one interpretation I came up with when I thought about that song.

I feel it's kind of a prayer... "you and I will magnify The Magnificent", the whole second verse

I was born, I was born to sing for you
I didn't have a choice
To lift you up
And sing whatever song you wanted me to
I give you back my voice, from the womb
My first cry, it was a joyful noise

 

[kassandra]

Moment of Surrender ~ I'm thinking its about herion addiction
"I tied myself with wire
To let the horses run free
Playing with the fire until the fire played with me"
and after reading The love you make, it might be about John Lennon.
"The stone was semi-precious
We were barely conscious
Two souls too smart to be in the realm of certainty
Even on our wedding day" John and Yoko were heroin addicts.
"We set ourselves on fire
Oh God, do not deny her
It´s not if I believe in love
But if love believes in me
Oh, believe in me"
John's message.

A thought.

 

[U2387]

Every beauty needs to go out with an idiot?

Bono saying that you need to live life carefree/try everything once, just like we need to get our sweets fixes, need to cry, etc?

OR....................................

This plus:how can you stand next to the truth and not see it?

suggesting that Bono or whoever he is singing about was somehow upset about an idiot getting a beautiful girl?

That seems to be something we encounter alot in life!(at least from a disillusioned guy when it comes to relationships w/ girls or lack thereof!). Just wondering what everyone thinks Bono's take is in this lyric. How do you interpret it?

 

[TooFree]

1. "Stop helping God across the road like a little old lady." This isn't actually an original line from Bono. I've heard it, or some variation of it, many, many times in various sermons/homilies over the years. It refers to us trying to make God do what we think He needs to do, instead of letting God's will guide us.

2. Maybe I'm reading too much into the similarity between the title "Magnificent" and the "Magnificat," but my interpretation of the song is Mary singing to the baby Jesus . . . ?

Just my two cents.