Interpreting "Bullet the Blue Sky"

[italdesign]

Ok guys. I need help interpreting a couple of lines from the song. Especially if there's any symbolism attached to these lines, I need to know. Thanks.

...From the firefly, a red orange glow
See the face of fear
Running scared in the valley below...

...In the locust wind comes a rattle and hum...

...You plant a demon seed
You raise a flower of fire...

...This guy comes up to me
His face red like a rose on a thorn bush
Like all the colors of a royal flush
And he's peeling off those dollar bills
Slapping them down...

...Across the field you see the sky ripped open.

Also, what is Bono talking about in the lines from "And I can see those fighter planes... as a man breathes into a saxophone..."?

Finally, is "one hundred, two hundred" referring to the dollar bills that preceedes, the fighter planes that follows, or both?

 

[mebythesea]

Well, a couple comments on this:

The lyrics are so grounded in the US- Central America situation of the 80s I think you have to look there to follow it.

I've always assumed the basic scene is sort of "on the ground" in El Salvador during the war. So if you were there, in the valley, you'd be afraid, watching the sky to see if the planes were coming to bomb or strafe your village. The images go with that feeling- the red glow to me sort of conjures up bombs going off over the horizon, the rattle and hum is like windows shaking or the noise of the engines, the locusts are from the bible where a plague of locusts is like an invading evil army. Sky ripped open, by planes or bullets (as in the title).

Demon seed, flower of fire -- I think again it's Biblical -- "what you sow, that shall you reap." Like, You (the US) can't sow evil in Central America and expect no consequences.

The red-faced guy I've always assumed in the original version is a prosperous, bloated American coming down to pay for armaments to fund the war the way the US did then, counting off his dollars. In other performances Bono turns him into something else (like in Pop when he says "so how much do you want for your soul? 100? 200?" or in Elevation with the John Lennon rant when he's clearly buying a handgun at Walmart.)

 

[dizzy]

The red-faced guy I've always assumed in the original version is a prosperous, bloated American coming down to pay for armaments to fund the war the way the US did then, counting off his dollars. In other performances Bono turns him into something else (like in Pop when he says "so how much do you want for your soul? 100? 200?"

I thought the "100! 200!" part referred to some bribery that was going on.

or in Elevation with the John Lennon rant when he's clearly buying a handgun at Walmart.)

I've always been curious about that whole John Lennon rant. I think I also read somewhere that Bono was quoting William Burroughs.

Anyone have anymore explanations/insight about that?

 

[mebythesea]

I thought the "100! 200!" part referred to some bribery that was going on.

Oh, interesting. Like, he's bribing Bono not to talk about what's really happening or something?

I suppose I just associated it with buying arms because the next thing said, after he hands the money over, is "and I can see those fighter planes." (And because the US, like, funded the Contras in Nicaragua etc.)

 

[dizzy]

Oh, interesting. Like, he's bribing Bono not to talk about what's really happening or something?

Or the character in the song narrating the story. And I never thought of that, but it's a nice take, mebythesea.

I suppose I just associated it with buying arms because the next thing said, after he hands the money over, is "and I can see those fighter planes." (And because the US, like, funded the Contras in Nicaragua etc.)

It could be. It's always possible to take in U2 songs in different ways. The part about bribery also came to mind because of this explanation that I read before about what you just mentioned -- Contras and the Sandinistas, etc. I'm trying to find the website, as I can't remember the exact explanation. It was something like the US funding this certain political group/army and then, in a sudden turn of events, it switched sides and started supporting another. Apparently, one of these groups' beliefs and supposed convictions could be bought.

 

[italdesign]

Decipher

Consider these lines


You take the staircase to the first floor
turn the key and slowly unlock the door
as a man breathes into a saxophone
and through the walls you hear the city groan

What do you guys make of those lines?

 

[Moonlit_Angel]

Well, a couple comments on this:

The lyrics are so grounded in the US- Central America situation of the 80s I think you have to look there to follow it.

I've always assumed the basic scene is sort of "on the ground" in El Salvador during the war. So if you were there, in the valley, you'd be afraid, watching the sky to see if the planes were coming to bomb or strafe your village. The images go with that feeling- the red glow to me sort of conjures up bombs going off over the horizon, the rattle and hum is like windows shaking or the noise of the engines, the locusts are from the bible where a plague of locusts is like an invading evil army. Sky ripped open, by planes or bullets (as in the title).

Demon seed, flower of fire -- I think again it's Biblical -- "what you sow, that shall you reap." Like, You (the US) can't sow evil in Central America and expect no consequences.

The red-faced guy I've always assumed in the original version is a prosperous, bloated American coming down to pay for armaments to fund the war the way the US did then, counting off his dollars. In other performances Bono turns him into something else (like in Pop when he says "so how much do you want for your soul? 100? 200?" or in Elevation with the John Lennon rant when he's clearly buying a handgun at Walmart.)

Ya know what?

I like this interpretation, especially with what you say about the "demon seed, flower of fire" thing-I agree with you on that.

Angela