what are these lyrics about?
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Joergen
Babyface
Just a suggestion about - When I look at the
world. I think it relates to Christ. Bono
cannot see and act in the world with his eyes. It?s like a confession and yet a deep longing for growing in that project.
Tell me, tell me, what?s wrong with me?
The answer could be, you are a human being,
your problem is everyones, but Christ is present in your longing and does work with
you. You are not a hopeless case.
with love Pastor
world. I think it relates to Christ. Bono
cannot see and act in the world with his eyes. It?s like a confession and yet a deep longing for growing in that project.
Tell me, tell me, what?s wrong with me?
The answer could be, you are a human being,
your problem is everyones, but Christ is present in your longing and does work with
you. You are not a hopeless case.
with love Pastor
Achtung_Bebe
New Yorker
Hey U2girl
I'll try to go through this song by song!:
Zoo Station
I think this one is more of a statement or metaphor than anything else. Zoo Station can be seen as the introduction to the journey through the dark concepts of Achtung Baby.
Here's where I feel the metaphor comes in--U2 recorded AB in Berlin shortly after the Wall had fallen. After the Wall had come down there was a mad rush of people--businessmen, pimps, etc... people of all sorts. It's my guess that this intrigued U2. The train station that was used to travel between the East and the West while the Wall was still up was called Zoo Bahnhof. After the Wall had fallen, these varieties of people could be seen congregating around this transit system. The fall of the Wall must've been chaotic, with both sides merging together like that. I like to think of AB as if U2 is rushing from one side of the Wall to the other.. the frenzic state of Berlin sets the scene for AB in my mind
The Fly
This one features that oh so cool alter-ego of Bono's
I think The Fly symbolizes someone who has been shown all the answers to life a little too late. In this song, The Fly is making a phone call, which the line "look I gotta go, yeah I'm runnin' out of change, there's a lot of things, if I could I'd rearrange" reveals. I think this phone call is from hell. All sorts of aphorisms show up in this one (A liar won't believe in anyone else.. etc.). The Fly is ringing us up from hell, telling us the things we should know before it's too late.. very cool concept!
Trying To Throw Your Arms Around The World
This one sprouted from U2's flirtation with downtown LA. I think Bono, along with the rest of the band, got really attached, and sometimes caught up in, the free-spirited nature of this area. The question of "How far are you gonna go before you lose your way back home?" came up. This one paints for me a picture of a man crawling home as the sun rises--drained from a night out: "sunrise like a nosebleed, your head hurts and you can't breathe, you been tryin' to throw your arms around the world"
When I Look At The World
Well this one is still new, so it hasn't had quite as much time to grow into something as the others have
However, I see it as a conversation with God. The line "I think of you and your holy book when the rest of us choke" lends itself toward this.
"When the night is someone else's
And you're trying to get some sleep
When your thoughts are too expensive
To ever want to keep"
I think this is saying that sometimes it seems as if someone else is in charge of the world, and God is eclipsed, or "sleeping". Also, when your thoughts are too expensive to ever want to keep could be referring to the human sacrifices we have to make to follow the Bible's Law--and how some see this sacrifice as too expensive and disregard the Law entirely.
I think this one is a call out for God, just as Wake Up Dead Man was.. only I think this time it's a more desperate plea rather than demanding.
hehe that was a bit long but I love discussing these lyrical things
Zoo Station
I think this one is more of a statement or metaphor than anything else. Zoo Station can be seen as the introduction to the journey through the dark concepts of Achtung Baby.
Here's where I feel the metaphor comes in--U2 recorded AB in Berlin shortly after the Wall had fallen. After the Wall had come down there was a mad rush of people--businessmen, pimps, etc... people of all sorts. It's my guess that this intrigued U2. The train station that was used to travel between the East and the West while the Wall was still up was called Zoo Bahnhof. After the Wall had fallen, these varieties of people could be seen congregating around this transit system. The fall of the Wall must've been chaotic, with both sides merging together like that. I like to think of AB as if U2 is rushing from one side of the Wall to the other.. the frenzic state of Berlin sets the scene for AB in my mind
The Fly
This one features that oh so cool alter-ego of Bono's
Trying To Throw Your Arms Around The World
This one sprouted from U2's flirtation with downtown LA. I think Bono, along with the rest of the band, got really attached, and sometimes caught up in, the free-spirited nature of this area. The question of "How far are you gonna go before you lose your way back home?" came up. This one paints for me a picture of a man crawling home as the sun rises--drained from a night out: "sunrise like a nosebleed, your head hurts and you can't breathe, you been tryin' to throw your arms around the world"
When I Look At The World
Well this one is still new, so it hasn't had quite as much time to grow into something as the others have
"When the night is someone else's
And you're trying to get some sleep
When your thoughts are too expensive
To ever want to keep"
I think this is saying that sometimes it seems as if someone else is in charge of the world, and God is eclipsed, or "sleeping". Also, when your thoughts are too expensive to ever want to keep could be referring to the human sacrifices we have to make to follow the Bible's Law--and how some see this sacrifice as too expensive and disregard the Law entirely.
I think this one is a call out for God, just as Wake Up Dead Man was.. only I think this time it's a more desperate plea rather than demanding.
hehe that was a bit long but I love discussing these lyrical things
I agree with you almost 100%, Achtung_Bebe.
If it helps any, Bono has been quoted as saying that The Fly is about "a phonecall from hell, except the guy likes it there!".
In addition, I think that "Trying to Throw Your Arms Around the World" is also about touring/getting involved with worldwide social causes and the conflict that creates with trying to take care of things on a more personal level or at home.
The mid-to-late 80's image of U2 was, in part, that of the socially-concious rock band (going to Live Aid and supporting the Conspiracy of Hope Tour for Amnesty International). Although U2 continued (and actually increased) this work in the 90's, their media image changed into something a little more resembling ironic glam. So I think this song is, in a way, shedding the socially concious image by showing its downside and saying it's time to run back to the people most important to you personally (family?)
"A woman needs a man, like a fish needs a bicycle when you're trying to throw your arms around the world" I think it's easy to see Ali in the role of that woman because what good is Bono to her when he's galavanting about trying to save the world?
I think it's very significant that on tour this is the song (well, one of two really) where Bono would invite 1 female fan onstage to dance with and drink some champagne because I think the song is about making a very personal connection as opposed to, well, trying to throw your arms around the world.
Sorry, that was long, but I also like talking about lyrics.
If it helps any, Bono has been quoted as saying that The Fly is about "a phonecall from hell, except the guy likes it there!".
In addition, I think that "Trying to Throw Your Arms Around the World" is also about touring/getting involved with worldwide social causes and the conflict that creates with trying to take care of things on a more personal level or at home.
The mid-to-late 80's image of U2 was, in part, that of the socially-concious rock band (going to Live Aid and supporting the Conspiracy of Hope Tour for Amnesty International). Although U2 continued (and actually increased) this work in the 90's, their media image changed into something a little more resembling ironic glam. So I think this song is, in a way, shedding the socially concious image by showing its downside and saying it's time to run back to the people most important to you personally (family?)
"A woman needs a man, like a fish needs a bicycle when you're trying to throw your arms around the world" I think it's easy to see Ali in the role of that woman because what good is Bono to her when he's galavanting about trying to save the world?
I think it's very significant that on tour this is the song (well, one of two really) where Bono would invite 1 female fan onstage to dance with and drink some champagne because I think the song is about making a very personal connection as opposed to, well, trying to throw your arms around the world.
Sorry, that was long, but I also like talking about lyrics.
Zoo Station is about being REBORN. Listen to the lryics. About crawling around on my hands and news, cool of the night, warmth of the breeze....ready for the push. A rebirth in U2. Their transistional phase. 80's U2 were over. Also taping into the times in Germany. With the wall coming down, it was time for a change, and the band had said what a Zoo it had become, having both sides together.
The fly, I feel is one of the strongest lyrics bono's ever wrote. In my top 5 songs of all time. I don't know if he's really trying to tell a story, than he is to make you think. With all of those Amphorisms (sp?), it's like, "things that make you go hmmmmm". Bono had said it's like a phone call from hell, but the guy likes it there. It's a very basic song musically, almost a boogie riff, and the chorus is almost late 50's early 60's with the falsetto. Just a classic song, done in a radical way, this song may be the prime example of what Achtung Baby was about, basic song structures, done in a radical way.
When I look at the world, Really too new, in fact, I haven't gotten too many meanings yet from the new album. I personally think the lyrics on this album are great. Everyone likes poetry, not too many people like honesty (though we all say we want it). It's hard to listen to someone be so frank and honest, like Bono is on this record. There is no story telling, he's just saying what's on his mind. When I look I feel is just Bono's angst/aggression towards those who sit there and preach about the world, some who say everything is great, others who try to enforce their views on us. Bono is just saying, sorry, I don't see it that way. I'm tired of all the excuses we need to make. We're just a fucked up world. I feel Bono may feel personally responsible (last two lines of the song), feeling that he has to save the world, and that had he been a better person (though we all know he is), things might be different.
Anyway, that's about what I come up with. I change my mind all the time, so I may not have the same ideas tomorrow. That's the great thing about U2, multiple meanings.
The fly, I feel is one of the strongest lyrics bono's ever wrote. In my top 5 songs of all time. I don't know if he's really trying to tell a story, than he is to make you think. With all of those Amphorisms (sp?), it's like, "things that make you go hmmmmm". Bono had said it's like a phone call from hell, but the guy likes it there. It's a very basic song musically, almost a boogie riff, and the chorus is almost late 50's early 60's with the falsetto. Just a classic song, done in a radical way, this song may be the prime example of what Achtung Baby was about, basic song structures, done in a radical way.
When I look at the world, Really too new, in fact, I haven't gotten too many meanings yet from the new album. I personally think the lyrics on this album are great. Everyone likes poetry, not too many people like honesty (though we all say we want it). It's hard to listen to someone be so frank and honest, like Bono is on this record. There is no story telling, he's just saying what's on his mind. When I look I feel is just Bono's angst/aggression towards those who sit there and preach about the world, some who say everything is great, others who try to enforce their views on us. Bono is just saying, sorry, I don't see it that way. I'm tired of all the excuses we need to make. We're just a fucked up world. I feel Bono may feel personally responsible (last two lines of the song), feeling that he has to save the world, and that had he been a better person (though we all know he is), things might be different.
Anyway, that's about what I come up with. I change my mind all the time, so I may not have the same ideas tomorrow. That's the great thing about U2, multiple meanings.
Achtung_Bebe
New Yorker
Hey travelin and BEAL, I liked what both of you had to say.
I didn't know about Bono drinking champagne with fans on-stage, but I do see how that would suit TTTYAATW very nicely.
BEAL I really liked what you had to say about Zoo Station. I always saw that song as a transitional phase, but hadn't really connected it so clearly with an actual birth with phrases such as "ready for the push" and "crawling around on my hands and on my knees". But ofcourse, I can see that parallel perfectly now
I didn't know about Bono drinking champagne with fans on-stage, but I do see how that would suit TTTYAATW very nicely.
BEAL I really liked what you had to say about Zoo Station. I always saw that song as a transitional phase, but hadn't really connected it so clearly with an actual birth with phrases such as "ready for the push" and "crawling around on my hands and on my knees". But ofcourse, I can see that parallel perfectly now
Of course, everything makes sense after it comes from my mouth. Of course, spelling and grammar is little to be desired.
Oh, and Tryin to throw your arms, Again, another song with the Theme or Concept of what the album is about. Not so much musically like the Fly, where it's so simple it's radical...but more of a story. Guy, lives a good life, hasn't done jack shit, leaves his home, to go discover what there is to see (theme appears again in The Wanderer) and touch. It's his night on the town, or more it's after his big night.
I really feel that this song should have come after The Wanderer. Wanderer was his leaving his home, his wife, his life, to "taste and touch, and feel as much", where Trying to throw was more, I've bloody drunk, and I HAVE taste and touched, and now it's time to go home. Tryin is the guy making his way home. Realizing, hey, I do have what I need, a good wife, and a steady home life, but I really needed to get away for a while.
There ya go.
Oh, and Tryin to throw your arms, Again, another song with the Theme or Concept of what the album is about. Not so much musically like the Fly, where it's so simple it's radical...but more of a story. Guy, lives a good life, hasn't done jack shit, leaves his home, to go discover what there is to see (theme appears again in The Wanderer) and touch. It's his night on the town, or more it's after his big night.
I really feel that this song should have come after The Wanderer. Wanderer was his leaving his home, his wife, his life, to "taste and touch, and feel as much", where Trying to throw was more, I've bloody drunk, and I HAVE taste and touched, and now it's time to go home. Tryin is the guy making his way home. Realizing, hey, I do have what I need, a good wife, and a steady home life, but I really needed to get away for a while.
There ya go.
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