Like a Song lyrics

[bonocrazy88]

What do these lyrics mean? "And in leather, lace, and chain, we stake our claim: Revolution once again."
The leather, lace, and chains part, what does that mean?

 

[FallingStar]

imo that no matter what sort of person you were, no matter if you were a skinhead or on of those "normal bourgeois ones", really no matter what, that those people nevertheless belonged together back then, fighting for one thing again - for the revolution.

 

[bonocrazy88]

Oh, okay. I see what you mean. Whatever the social group, or whatever, they all wanted the same thing.

 

[Strato Edge]

ah, i am enlightened.

"Like A Song..." is a great song

 

[AvsGirl41]

I always thought it was a reference to the punk movement. Leather, lace and chains. The song always seemed very intense, angry and sarcastic to be about anyone general--this is a "generation without name." I think Bono is singing about his own generation. They're making alot of noise and making a "statement" with their clothes, but what are they really about?

I always took "revolution" to be a sarcastic comment on youth running around concerts and the streets, bragging about revolution and social change but not really *doing* anything:

"I can see through this expression
And you know I don't believe."

"And if you can't help yourself
Well take a look around you
When others need your time
You say it's time to go...it's your time"

Sort of like Bono is saying "Oh look, *another* revolution. And what's this one about? Why don't you actually put your money where your mouth is and really help out?"

I've also wondered if it was also a commentary on Ireland's troubles--this is the same album with "Sunday Bloody Sunday" after all:

"And we love to wear a badge, a uniform
And we love to fly a flag
But I won't...let others live in hell
As we divide against each other
And we fight amongst ourselves
Too set in our ways to try to rearrange
Too right to be wrong, in this rebel song"

and

"Angry words won't stop the fight
Two wrongs won't make it right"

That's my take on the song, anyway.

 

[bonocrazy88]

I always thought it was a reference to the punk movement. Leather, lace and chains. The song always seemed very intense, angry and sarcastic to be about anyone general--this is a "generation without name." I think Bono is singing about his own generation. They're making alot of noise and making a "statement" with their clothes, but what are they really about?

I always took "revolution" to be a sarcastic comment on youth running around concerts and the streets, bragging about revolution and social change but not really *doing* anything:

"I can see through this expression
And you know I don't believe."

"And if you can't help yourself
Well take a look around you
When others need your time
You say it's time to go...it's your time"

Sort of like Bono is saying "Oh look, *another* revolution. And what's this one about? Why don't you actually put your money where your mouth is and really help out?"

I've also wondered if it was also a commentary on Ireland's troubles--this is the same album with "Sunday Bloody Sunday" after all:

"And we love to wear a badge, a uniform
And we love to fly a flag
But I won't...let others live in hell
As we divide against each other
And we fight amongst ourselves
Too set in our ways to try to rearrange
Too right to be wrong, in this rebel song"

and

"Angry words won't stop the fight
Two wrongs won't make it right"

That's my take on the song, anyway.

That's also very true too...imo...U2's songs are so good that way; they can mean just about anything to each individual.

BTW, AvsGirl41, who is that on your avatar?

 

[AvsGirl41]

BTW, AvsGirl41, who is that on your avatar?

It's Jason Isaacs as Lucius Malfoy from "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets."

People think he's an elf from LOTR though.

 

[LarryMullen's POPAngel]

ah, i am enlightened.

"Like A Song..." is a great song

And the drums on it....

 

[bonocrazy88]

AvsGirl41, I love Jason Isaacs. I loved him on "The Patriot", "Harry Potter", and on "Armegeddon", my friend and I said we could just squeeze those ears. I think he's hot!

 

[AvsGirl41]

AvsGirl41, I love Jason Isaacs. I loved him on "The Patriot", "Harry Potter", and on "Armegeddon", my friend and I said we could just squeeze those ears. I think he's hot!

I'm going to have to rewatch Armageddon sometime, it's been so long I don't remember him in it.

Now he's going to play Captain Hook!!

 

[FallingStar]

I always thought it was a reference to the punk movement. Leather, lace and chains. The song always seemed very intense, angry and sarcastic to be about anyone general--this is a "generation without name." I think Bono is singing about his own generation. They're making alot of noise and making a "statement" with their clothes, but what are they really about?

I always took "revolution" to be a sarcastic comment on youth running around concerts and the streets, bragging about revolution and social change but not really *doing* anything:

"I can see through this expression
And you know I don't believe."

"And if you can't help yourself
Well take a look around you
When others need your time
You say it's time to go...it's your time"

Sort of like Bono is saying "Oh look, *another* revolution. And what's this one about? Why don't you actually put your money where your mouth is and really help out?"

I've also wondered if it was also a commentary on Ireland's troubles--this is the same album with "Sunday Bloody Sunday" after all:

"And we love to wear a badge, a uniform
And we love to fly a flag
But I won't...let others live in hell
As we divide against each other
And we fight amongst ourselves
Too set in our ways to try to rearrange
Too right to be wrong, in this rebel song"

and

"Angry words won't stop the fight
Two wrongs won't make it right"

That's my take on the song, anyway.

I love that a lot. Great interpretation. I heard it alrady somewhere before I think.

 

[beegee]

I always thought it was a reference to the punk movement.

 

[Seabird]

That's one of my favorite songs by U2

 

[Strato Edge]

I like the "Is honesty what you want?" part. It always gives me goosebumps

 

[u2popmofo]

People think he's an elf from LOTR though.

Like who??.......................


Good interpretations on this song by everyone, it made me want to listen to it, so you all must have done something right.

 

[AvsGirl41]

Like who??.......................

Lucius has gotten the elf rap more than once. Not that there's anything wrong with LOTR elves.

I want to listen to the song now too, but "War" won't play on my work computer.

 

[~*Buffalo*~]

I love "Like a Song". I think everyone is right ... hmmm, I never thought about it that deeply before!

 

[rivergoat]

The lyrics fit the music very well... it's a fight song, meant to get your blood boiling. I don't know why, but this song makes me think of running all out, screaming at the top of my lungs... the music itself is very dark, almost a mindless rage.. the drum work is excellent... pounding on the drums like pounding your fist into a wall. This song is about grief and despair and fighting for right and wrong and lost souls and hope. It reminds me of Acrobat, sort of an early version of it, so to speak.

I grew up in the eighties... I was a part of the 'generation without name' long before it became 'Generation X'. This song brings me back mentally and emotionally to that time when the term MAD was coined and American music and culture was about pretending to be someone else - anybody else. Christ, guys wore more makeup than girls in those days! After the hell of the 70's (can you say disco???), music was so harmless it no longer seemed like anyone cared, REALLY cared about anything. People dreamed of a far away utopian future because the world was so messed up as it was..

Long before the Berlin Wall came down and just before Band Aid and Live Aid and all those socially conscious movements came out, at least I had the 'War' album to ground my feet in a sane reality. And this song sums up the whole album for me... and that whole time period. I would love to hear this song in concert in the future...


goat

}~

 

[thereisnospoon9]

I always thought this song was about the inner war going on in the church. the particular line that say this to me is "I won't let others live in hell as we divide against each other and we fight amongst ourselves" showing that the church can't do its purpose of saving people when its fighting over religion.

Also by opening and closing with words to God, it makes me think the song is a prayer, especially when Bono says "a new heart is what i need, oh God, make it bleed"

Bono has made it very clear in certain quotes that he is very anti-religion, saying religion is "a force that cut Ireland in two" and that he's not religious at all but still believes strongly in God. When bono says "two wrongs don't make a right" i think he's talking about the divisions that religion was split into, he follows with the "new heart" line showing that for him there must be a better way.

Another thing to look at is at the time Bono wrote this he had just broken off from Shalom (which was the last religious orginization he took part in) because of the devisiveness religion could cause.

 

[Scarletwine]

After the hell of the 70's (can you say disco???), music was so harmless it no longer seemed like anyone cared, REALLY cared about anything. People dreamed of a far away utopian future because the world was so messed up as it was..

}~

As a teenager in the 70's (I admit to a brief fling with disco cause I love to dance) you are forgetting the Motown experience. I loved Motown and this minute am watching a PBS special to 70's soul music.

 

[Ifeelnumb84]

I always liked:
"A new heart is what I need
Oh God, make it bleed!!!"