'Raised by Wolves' song lyrics by U2

In "Raised by Wolves," U2 confronts the brutal memory of the 1974 Dublin and Monaghan bombings, a searing trauma etched into Bono's psyche since his near-brush with death on that fateful day. The track opens with vivid imagery of a man lying face down in "a pool of misery," while Bono, observing from the safety of a "white van," describes the carnage of a city street transformed into a bloody, chaotic scene. 

The metaphorical "red sea" becomes a biblical deluge of violence, drowning the innocence of the people cut down in the bombings' aftermath. 

Here, Bono captures not only the immediate horror of the event, but also the emotional wreckage that followed—his disillusionment palpable in the repeated refrain, "I don’t believe anymore." 

This expression of faith lost and innocence shattered reverberates through the track, channeling the anguish and confusion of a teenager who could have easily been one of the victims.

The song's chorus, "Raised by wolves / Stronger than fear," suggests a generation hardened by violence and distrust, growing up amidst the sectarian tensions that tore through Ireland. The wolf imagery signifies not just survival, but a kind of brutal, feral conditioning—an upbringing in which fear was ever-present, yet ultimately something to be overcome. 

Bono taps into a deeper commentary on how belief systems, when twisted by hate, justify the worst atrocities, as emphasized in the lines, "The worst things in the world / Are justified by belief." The recurring imagery of running wild, of an unleashed chaos and terror, underscores how these traumas are carried forward, haunting the victims and survivors alike. 

In a final wrenching moment, Bono sings, "If I open my eyes, you disappear," as if willing the nightmare to vanish, yet knowing it is imprinted on his soul. "Raised by Wolves" stands as a visceral indictment of both the personal and political fallout of violence, an anthem of resilience in the face of terror, but also a lament for the faith and innocence that died on that blood-stained street.

Raised by Wolves song lyrics by U2

Face down on a broken street
There’s a man in the corner
In a pool of misery
I’m in white van
As a red sea covers the ground

Metal crash
I can’t tell what it is
But I take a look
And now I’m sorry I did
5:30 on a Friday night
33 good people cut down

I don’t believe anymore
I don’t believe anymore

Face down on a pillow of shame
There are some girls with a needle
Tryin’ to spell my name
My body’s not a canvas
My body’s now a toilet wall

I don’t believe anymore
I don’t believe anymore

Raised by wolves
Stronger than fear
Raised by wolves
We were raised by wolves
Raised by wolves
Stronger than fear
If I open my eyes
You disappear

Running wild
Running wild

Running wild
Boy sees his father
Crushed under the weight
Of a cross in a passion
Where the passion is hate
Running wild
Blue mink Ford
I’m gonna detonate in your den
Running wild
Blood in the house
Blood in the street
The worst things in the world
Are justified by belief
Running wild
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Running wild
I don’t believe anymore
Running wild
I don’t believe anymore

Raised by wolves
Stronger than fear
Raised by wolves
We were raised by wolves
Raised by wolves
Stronger than fear
If I open my eyes
You disappear

Running wild
Running wild
Running wild
Running wild
Running wild

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On Songs of Innocence, U2 explores themes of trauma, loss, and the fragility of belief, drawing from their personal experiences and the tumultuous history of their homeland. Three songs that echo the thematic depth of "Raised by Wolves" are:

• "Iris (Hold Me Close)" reflects Bono’s deep grief over the loss of his mother, Iris, when he was just fourteen. Much like the existential disillusionment in “Raised by Wolves,” “Iris” expresses how early trauma scars the soul, leaving an emotional void that shapes the rest of one’s life. 
• “Cedarwood Road” similarly revisits Bono's youth, but through the lens of the tensions and violence that marked his Dublin neighborhood. Cedarwood Road becomes a metaphor for a place where survival required vigilance, much like being “raised by wolves.” Here, the fear and anger of a divided community mirror the disillusionment of witnessing senseless acts of violence. 
• Finally, “The Troubles” tackles the pervasive, haunting aftershocks of conflict on a personal level. The “troubles” of the song evoke both the Northern Ireland conflict and internal struggles with personal demons. Bono’s recurring line, “Somebody stepped inside your soul,” suggests how fear and trauma can take root, much as the wolves in "Raised by Wolves" come to symbolize the darker forces that shape identity. These songs form a triptych that captures U2’s exploration of trauma, resilience, and the complex relationship between personal history and collective memory.