last line of Yahweh

[marik]

i'm having trouble understanding "take this heart, and make it break"

can anyone help out by giving an explanation of how they see this line fit with the rest of the song?

 

[U2girl]

I know most people see it as a religious song but to me, it is another of the goodbye songs for Bob Hewson, next to Sometimes and One step closer. If Sometimes was full of mourning and One step closer is thoughful and questioning, Yahweh is the acceptance - final piece in the trilogy of the songs for Bono's father.

"take these shoes , take this shirt" etc verses, the questioning chorus, the optimism in "this love is like a drop in the ocean" and acceptance with the take this heart and make it break finish.

That's just my opinion though.

 

[-macphisto-]

Its a term for "humbleness" or " broken heart and contrite spirit" religious song from start to end

 

[najeena]

I remember someone thinking it was 'take this heart and make it brave', which I like much better. Why end the album on such a depressing note?

 

[justwater]

In a religious way, I think the song is about asking God to help you become a better person. At the end of the song " take this heart ,and make it break" could mean that these days, people don't seem to care about other people or what's going on around them anymore. Alot of bad things that happen to and around you can also create the "walls" in your heart... making it hard to trust or care for other people. So your heart becomes "hardened" and that could be a big problem because your heart is too cold to feel for others. That's why he's asking for his heart to be broken in order to "feel" again.
That's just how I see it, kinda make sense to me that way.

 

[tuwie]

wow, that makes a lot of sense. like, to put the emotion back into the heart, so it can feel again. along the lines of Sunday Bloody Sunday, we know so many bad things are happening around the world, but we are so calloused because we hear them all the time. We then go right back to eating our dinners while others might have nothing. So if the sad stuff that's on the news about the world and the unfortunate situations of others actually touches us, it would truly break our hearts.
awww thanks, justwater!

 

[xtihn]

what's the common cause for heartbreak? i'd say your heart breaks because you cared so much about something, you were emotionally invested in something or someone...your heart can't break if you don't care, if you're distant or numb to things...

i really like that last line...i don't think it's depressing at all...it's not a "happy" line but it's still beautiful...it conveys a willingness to be vulnerable and to risk pain in order to love.

 

[aislinn]

I don't think of it as depressing. To me, the line is in fact a happy one because it's showing strong faith in God.

Asking God to break your heart, because you know He will stand beside you all the way, through the joy and the pain...asking God to take your heart into His hands and your life in His hands to do with what He desires...well, that shows a lot of faith, you know?

 

[Earnie Shavers]

Well, I'm loathe to really comment on this song because I think it's pretty much the worst thing U2 have ever recorded....but....

I don't think it has anything to do with his father. I think as above that last line is simply about caring, feeling. Take this heart and make it care, take this heart and make it feel. It's a very, very, very direct song. Probably one of the most direct songs they've ever done.

 

[the soul waits]

I don't think of it as depressing. To me, the line is in fact a happy one because it's showing strong faith in God.

Asking God to break your heart, because you know He will stand beside you all the way, through the joy and the pain...asking God to take your heart into His hands and your life in His hands to do with what He desires...well, that shows a lot of faith, you know?

 

[the soul waits]

Well, I'm loathe to really comment on this song because I think it's pretty much the worst thing U2 have ever recorded....but....

I don't think it has anything to do with his father. I think as above that last line is simply about caring, feeling. Take this heart and make it care, take this heart and make it feel. It's a very, very, very direct song. Probably one of the most direct songs they've ever done.

I agree, it's the closest they ever came to a Gospel song, imo.

 

[Gruntilda]

It was green, like an apple, and soft, like ice cream.

 

[the soul waits]

I cant make any sense of your posts, I'm sorry.

 

[MrsSpringsteen]

I cant make any sense of your posts, I'm sorry.

I don't think you're supposed to be able to

I think someone was bored

 

[Doc Ocho]

Why end the album on such a depressing note?

Personally, I don't find it depressing, I find it spiritually uplifting. It is a song to God. Bono is humbling hiself before his God. For any man to do this, in todays society, takes a lot of guts and is therefore a very positive step.

God bless bono. He's a top notch bloke.

 

[thefly12]

Check out the lyrics of "like a song"

"Angry words won't stop the fight
Two wrongs won't make it right.
A new heart is what I need.
Oh, God make it bleed.
Is there nothing left? "

I think Bono is definately talking to God and asking Him to break his heart, in essence, to make Bono submit - almost like breaking a wild horse.

Other lyrics to consider from HTDAAB
LAPOE - "here's my heart, I'll let you break it"
LAPOE - "as you enter this life, I pray you depart, with a wrinkled face, and a brand new heart"

 

[Bonochick]

I remember someone thinking it was 'take this heart and make it brave', which I like much better. Why end the album on such a depressing note?

I love the line as an ender. I think it's my favorite ending line to an album.