Running to Stand Still

[cobl04]

I just found out what Running to Stand Still was about! (thanks to staringattheson.com) It's about a girl who has a heroin addiction. I find that really interesting since the song is sung in such a calm and nice manner. You would never guess it was about such a serious topic - especially as it climaxes toward the end. The song is so cleverly written. I especially like -

She is raging, she is raging
And a storm blows up in her eyes
She will suffer the needle chill
She's running to stand still

But I want to ask - with the line 'She's running to stand still' does that mean that she is trying to run away from the heroin addiction but isn't getting anywhere or breaking away from it?

 

[BlackElectric]

I've always interpretted that line as she's on the drug... it's making the world spin, everything is confusion around her, it's making things race by quickly. And yet she won't be getting anywhere in life because of her addiction.

She's running (feeling of the drug) to stand still (her life is going no where)

Kind of a "going nowhere fast" type thing

What it really means...I don't know.
That's my opinion.

 

[Meghan]

Theres a story that says Bono got the term from his brother who was having trouble keeping his computer business open.
He would be working very hard at it, but no matter how much he did, it was only enough to just make ends meet.

One day, in frustration, he said to Bono, "It feels like I'm running to stand still."

 

[lady luck]

Wonderful song. The harmonica makes me cry every time I hear this song.

When I listen to this song, I always see a girl under a black sky, full of clouds. she just had some heroine and she's under the effect of the drug. she's running -- or just imagining it -- but she's really stuck in her personal hell.

I've always wondered, though, what are the white gold and pearls stolen from the sea. Is that the heroine? or is it a precious gift she had and that she's throwing away using drugs?

 

[lady luck]

Moreover: this song opposite to the rage you hear in "Wire" and "Bad"... there's no anger here, just pain and a sort of "soft comprehension"...

 

[beau2ifulday]

I've always wondered, though, what are the white gold and pearls stolen from the sea. Is that the heroine? or is it a precious gift she had and that she's throwing away using drugs?

I don't think they belong to her, as he sings of them being stolen.
I perceive the line to represent the desparation you go to when you need money to fuel your addiction. Quite why it's white gold and pearls, i'm unsure.

 

[lady luck]

Yes, but the song goes:

"into a backdoor, she brings me
white gold and pearls stolent from the sea
she's raging...."

So, I dunno how to have it in the right way.

I'll go & ask the writer

 

[unoscatorce]

They do at least 3 songs about heroin/drub addiction; RTSS, Bad, and Wire.

I love Running to Stand Still on the Rattle & Hum DVD, it's just awesome to see it done live.

 

[lady luck]

I missed that song during the concert I saw -- I'm still a little angry with U2 for that, even if the show was great!

 

[Meghan]

Yes, but the song goes:

"into a backdoor, she brings me
white gold and pearls stolent from the sea
she's raging...."

Sorry to be a pedantic arse, but doesn't it go:

"In through a doorway......" etc

 

[lady luck]

Yes, of course you're right Meghan...

 

[lady luck]

And you're not pedantic arse

 

[cobl04]

What does the line 'singing ha la la la la de day' represent?

 

[lady luck]

a sort of desperate cry?

 

[badboybono]

In my opinion Runiing To stand still means, that if you're under the influence of drugs, everything's crazy and fast and the world is spinning around (I'm not an expert, I not even tried heroin), but when everything stands still, when nothing is moving means that you're dead, and in that way, she's running into her own dead because of the drugs. Bono said once: "If you can't change the world you're living in, seeing it through different eyes is the only alternative. And heroin gave you heroin eyes to see the world with."