'Song For Someone' song lyrics + meaning by U2

Song for Someone is a track from U2's album, Songs of Innocence.

 
It is one of the more 'soft' songs on the album but features a big rousing chorus and is one of the best tracks from the album.

Produced by Ryan Tedder (OneRepublic) and Flood (Flood, you may recall did production duties on the Grammy Award winning Zooropa and beyond such as Smashing Pumpkins Mellon Collie and The Infinite Sadness).

The inspiration / meaning of the song is that it is a love song written by Bono for his wife Ali (refer The Sweetest Thing).

Song for Someone” is a poignant reflection on love, vulnerability, and the longing for connection, encapsulating the essence of deeply personal relationships. In the lyrics, Bono addresses the idea of dedicating a song to someone significant in one’s life, emphasizing the profound impact that love can have on an individual. 

The song’s introspective nature reveals the speaker’s emotional struggles, conveying a sense of yearning for the one who understands and accepts them fully. The lines evoke imagery of companionship and support, portraying love as a sanctuary amidst the chaos of life.

Song For Someone lyrics by U2

You got a face not spoiled by beauty
I have some scars from where I’ve been
You’ve got eyes that can see right through me
You’re not afraid of anything you’ve seen
I was told that I would feel nothing the first time
I don’t know how these cuts heal
But in you I found a rhyme

If there is a light
You can’t always see
And there is a world
We can’t always be
If there is a dark
That we shouldn’t doubt
And there is a light
Don’t let it go out

And this is a song
A song for someone
This is a song
A song for someone

You let me into a conversation
A conversation only we could make
You break and enter my imagination
Whatever’s in there
It’s yours to take
I was told I’d feel nothing the first time
You were slow to heal
But this could be the night

If there is a light
You can’t always see
And there is a world
We can’t always be
If there is a dark
Within and without
And there is a light
Don’t let it go out

And this is a song
A song for someone
This is a song
A song for someone

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

And I’m a long way
From your hill of Calvary
And I’m a long way
From where I was and where I need to be
If there is a light
You can’t always see
There is a world
We can’t always be
If there is a kiss
I stole from your mouth
And there is a light
Don’t let it go out

-

The song also explores the theme of redemption and hope, suggesting that even in moments of doubt and darkness, love has the power to uplift and heal. 

Bono's lyrics reflect a sense of resilience, illustrating how genuine connections can serve as guiding lights through life’s trials. The recurring motif of being "found" implies that love offers a sense of belonging and purpose, ultimately leading to personal transformation.

This intertwining of vulnerability and strength creates a powerful narrative that celebrates the beauty and complexity of relationships. By framing love as both a source of solace and a catalyst for growth, “Song for Someone” resonates as a universal anthem of connection and the longing for meaningful bonds in an often tumultuous world.

Here's an impressive video that goes with the song. Featuring future Star Wars actor, Woody Allen and his daughter Zoe it follows the tale of a man being released from prison.

The song is an introspective piece that showcases the band's talent for blending personal storytelling with universal themes. This song, like many others on the album, is rooted in the band's early experiences, yet it resonates with broader themes of love, hope, vulnerability, and the transformative power of music.

At its heart, "Song for Someone" is a love song, but its simplicity belies a deeper exploration of the complexities of relationships and emotional connection. The lyrics, "You got a face not spoiled by beauty, I have some scars from where I've been," suggest a relationship grounded in reality and acceptance, one that acknowledges imperfections and past hardships. This line reflects a maturity in understanding love, moving away from idealized notions to a more grounded, realistic appreciation of human connection.

The song also delves into the theme of hope and the redemptive power of love. The chorus, "If there is a light, you can’t always see, and there is a world, we can’t always be, If there is a dark, that we shouldn’t doubt, and there is a light, don’t let it go out," serves as a metaphorical beacon of hope. It suggests that even in moments of darkness or uncertainty, the presence of love (the light) offers guidance and reassurance. This message is particularly poignant considering the band's history, as they have often used their music to offer solace and inspiration in times of personal and collective trials.

Vulnerability is another key theme in "Song for Someone." The openness in the lyrics, where Bono sings about revealing his inner self to someone else, is a powerful statement about the strength found in vulnerability. It challenges the conventional notion that vulnerability is a weakness, instead portraying it as a crucial component of deep, meaningful relationships.

The transformative power of music itself is subtly woven into the song. As the title suggests, this is a "song for someone," implying a personal dedication or message conveyed through music. This theme resonates with the larger narrative of "Songs of Innocence," where music is depicted as a powerful medium for expression, connection, and processing experiences.

Check out the lyrics to The Miracle which is also from Songs of Innocence.

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U2 songs that reference nuclear bombs and other horrors

U2's engagement with themes of nuclear war and weapon disarmament, particularly evident during the tense era of the Cold War, underscores their commitment to addressing global concerns through their music. The band's approach to these themes is a reflection of the prevailing anxieties and debates surrounding nuclear proliferation and the potential for catastrophic conflict. 

U2's lyrics often weave a narrative that captures the fear and existential threat posed by nuclear weapons, serving as a voice for peace and disarmament in a world brimming with geopolitical tensions.

The band's exploration of these themes is more than just a commentary on global politics; it's an emotional plea for sanity and survival in the nuclear age. Their songs communicate the urgency of disarmament and the need to redirect human efforts towards peace and cooperation. This messaging is particularly resonant given the band's rise to prominence during a time when the threat of nuclear war loomed large in public consciousness. 

U2 also once famously protested against the Sellafield nuclear plant by colluding with Greenpeace to stage an event on a beach near the site that was contaminated with radiation as the result of the power plant’s activities.

As far as I can figure the earliest U2 song lyrics that refers to atomic bombs is from the non album single, Celebration where Bono sarcastically shares that he believes in the following three things:

“I believe in the third world war

I believe in the atomic bomb

I believe in the powers that be but they won't overpower me”

That was as far back as 1982.

Seconds from the popular War album is another early U2 songs to make direct references to atomic bombs

“And they're doing the atomic bomb

Do they know where the dance comes from

Yes, they're doing the atomic bomb

They want you to sing along"

Bono said to the NME music magazine in 1983 of the song:

"There is a line in 'Seconds' about a fanatic assembling a nuclear device in an apartment in Times Square, New York, but it could be anywhere. We are now entering the age of nuclear terrorism where a group of fanatics could have the capabilities of bringing a bomb into a city and holding millions of people to ransom."

The Unforgettable Fire was released in 1984 in a time when the world was worrying itself sick about the arms race between the US and the Russians. Bono was inspired by a collection of paintings collectively known as The Unforgettable Fire which was a reference to atomic bombs being dropped in the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Ngagasaki. 

Says the Edge of the art display (in the book U2: Into the Heart: The Stories Behind Every Song) "the image of that purging quality, coupled with the insight it gave into the horror of nuclear holocaust, stuck in Bono's mind".

The Wanderer, featuring country and western legend Johnny Cash from the Zooropa album was definitely suggestive of being set in a post apocalyptic world set under an 'atomic sky'. Lyrically it featured a character that appeared to be struggling to find some kind of spiritual identity.

Another U2 album title also referred to atomic bombs in a most direct fashion – How to Dismantle An Atomic Bomb was a popular album that had a bonus track Fast Cars which gave the answer to the album’s question – one dismantles an atomic bomb with love.

Through these songs, U2 not only raises awareness about the dangers of nuclear weapons and the need for disarmament but also encourages their listeners to contemplate the moral and ethical implications of war. Their approach to these themes is not didactic; rather, it invites reflection and dialogue, contributing to a broader discourse on peace and global security. 

U2's songs about nuclear war and disarmament underscore the band's role as not just musicians but also as global citizens deeply invested in the pursuit of a more peaceful world.

U2's ability to articulate the collective fears and hopes of their generation, and to advocate for a world free of nuclear weapons, demonstrates their role not just as entertainers, but as global activists using their platform to inspire change and provoke thought on critical issues. Their contribution to the discourse on nuclear disarmament highlights the power of music as a tool for social and political engagement, resonating with audiences worldwide and lending a voice to the movement for global peace.

Are there any other U2 lyrics that refer to nuclear issues?

Check out this other article that discusses Bono's lyric writing abilities

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“I Believe in Father Christmas” Lyrics by U2

“I Believe in Father Christmas” Lyrics by U2

U2 released a charity Christmas single, for World Aids Day in 2008

The song's lyrics are written by Greg Lake, who was a principal player of Emerson, Lake and Palmer and he didn’t know U2 had covered his Christmas song until he heard it when it was released! 

Lake has said "In some ways, “I Believe in Father Christmas” is a very quirky song.

It was never written with the intention of it becoming a hit single but was written, rather, as an album track making quite a serious comment about how Christmas had changed from being a celebration of peace on earth and goodwill to all men, into one huge and disgusting shopping orgy."

“I Believe in Father Christmas” lyrics as song by U2

They said there'll be snow at Christmas
They said there'll be peace on Earth
But instead it just kept on raining
A veil of tears for the Virgin's birth
I remember one Christmas morning
A winters light and a distant choir
And the peal of a bell and that Christmas Tree smell
And their eyes full of tinsel and fire
They sold me a dream of Christmas
They sold me a Silent Night
And they told me a fairy story
'Till I believed in the Israelite
And I believed in Father Christmas
And I looked at the sky with excited eyes
'Till I woke with a yawn in the first light of dawn
And I saw him and through his disguise

I wish you a hopeful Christmas
I wish you a brave New Year
All anguish pain and sadness
Leave your heart and let your road be clear
They said there'll be snow at Christmas
They said there'll be peace on Earth
Hallelujah Noel be it Heaven or Hell
The Christmas you get you deserve.

La la la la la la la la la la....

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10 songs that show Bono's lyrical qualities

The one thing that truly stands out for me when thinking about the brilliance of U2 is not their songs, the drums, or riffs.

 
Nor is it the hype and hyperbole of one of the world's most popular bands.

It's simply Bono's lyrics.

Bono has written the vast majority of U2's lyrics and in many of them, you can find some true gems of penmanship, little sparkles of lyrical bliss that took a good song and put it into the territory of musical greatness.

I suggest that while some non U2 fans take any chance to diss Bono, they would be really grumpy buggers if they denied that Bono was a great lyricist.

Like a good poet, Bono's lyrics feature a whole range of subjects - love and loss, drugs, faith, faith in drugs, gods, Elvis and other monsters and of course, politics and its prisoners. He can sometimes get a little dark, touching his inner Darth Vader.

This work leaves ample room for an inquiry into U2's lyrics, especially when The Edge chips in the odd song.

10 songs that show Bono's lyrical writing qualities

What rhymes with achtung?

So what are Bono's best lyrical moments and qualities? 

What's his inspiration for putting pen to paper?

What makes Bono's lyrics so well received by millions of listeners and readers around the world?

I can't speak for anyone else but I thought I could share 10 U2 songs which I think highlight Bono's mastery of his craft.

Some things are simply clever word plays, others are stories of delight and irony - a thing which Bono and the boys were very heavy on in the 1990's.

Trabants on stage anyone?

10 songs that show Bono's lyrical qualities

One

Perhaps second only to With Or Without you in terms of popularity, it is arguably U2's finest song and I believe the lyrics are what make this so - I think this is because it's one of those songs where the lyrics can mean anything and everything to anyone.

At work last week a manager did a pop quiz and asked what this song was about. The answers varied from 'it's about a gay couple' or 'two torn lovers'.

I think Bono's actually on record in the U2 by U2 book as One being a song about a couple that's breaking up.

But that doesn't matter as its words are universal and have been taken to heart by so many U2 fans - indeed some have even had it as their wedding song which I'm sure would be a delicious irony for Bono. 

The Wanderer

"They say they want the kingdom but they don't want God in it".

I think that's Bono perfectly capturing the wishes of so many of us.

We want the nice things, but aren't prepared to put in the effort.

Or something.

For me, The Wanderer always seemed like some post apocalyptic dream - and it's perhaps a sign of a great song where it allows you to shape your own thoughts and fantasies around it (well when Bono mentions the 'atomic sky', that's nice nudge).

Indeed, the whole of Zooropa's lyrics seem to take me to a strange other world, where in some places it's OK to feel numb or taste the lemon but spit out antifreeze.

Original of the Species

The title is suggestive of what's to come in this song, a play on Darwin's epic work about evolution - the song's lyrics are possibly a father looking at his daughter's own evolution from - child to woman.

The second half is more likely Bono singing to his wife (and the message in the first half could also before her) - either way both, themes are heartwarming.

If God Will Send His Angels

'Blind leading the blond' is perhaps my favourite U2 lyric ever. It's just a cleverly simple play on words.

Bono does that trick a fair bit in the Pop album - an almost too cute example is from The Playboy Mansion which opens with the lyric "If Coke is a mystery, and Micheal Jackson, history...".

It was a nice play on the failing career of Jackson and a play on the name of his Greatest Hits album.

Sunday Bloody Sunday

Bono defiantly wears this song's lyrics on his sleeve.

A song about soldiers shooting civilians in Northern Ireland - the lyrics capture the moment crisply by invoking a cross fire between religion and the military (and by extension the State) and the sad consequences when both collide.

Featuring a fine use of  a marching drum beat by Larry Mullen, the song's chorus is a defining moment for Bono - it was one of U2's first truly popular 'classic' songs and it many ways this song defined U2 as a band that could carry some political weight.

U2 would return to this theme with "Please" and "The Troubles".
.

Until the End of the World

"In my dream I was drowning my sorrows
But my sorrows, they learned to swim
Surrounding me, going down on me
Spilling over the brim

Waves of regret and waves of joy
I reached out for the one I tried to destroy
You, you said you'd wait
'Til the end of the world"

Simply one of Bono's finest song writing moments.

Water is commonly used as a metaphor life yet here's Bono drowning in his sorrows.

The song can be seen as a obvious story about how Judas betrayed Jesus and thus seen as one of those "U2 going on about God and spiritually" type songs but as with all good lyrics they can mean anything.

I tend to see this one more of a dramatic break up between two lovers where the relationship perhaps has been bit one sided.

The Wanderer

"They say they want the kingdom but they don't want God in it". I think that's Bono perfectly capturing the wishes of so many of us.

We want the nice things, but aren't prepared to put in the effort.

For me, The Wanderer always seemed like some post apocalyptic dream - and it's perhaps a sign of a great song where it allows you to shape your own thoughts and fantasies around it (well when Bono mentions the 'atomic sky', that's nice nudge).

Indeed, the whole of Zooropa's lyrics seem to take me to a  strange other world, where in some places it's OK to feel numb or taste the lemon but spit out antifreeze.

Please 

Not a hugely popular song on release as a single but I think time has shown that Please was a fine song from U2's Pop album.

Lyrically it was a political plea, invoking the captains of Irish politics to sort their messes out (The Troubles).

The listener would perhaps know the song had political connotations if they had seen the cover which featured Gerry Adams and other elected leaders - however this stanza effectively leaves no stone unturned as Bono thows a rock in the air to hit home the issues:

Your Catholic blues, your convent shoes
Your stick-on tattoos, now they're making the news
Your holy war, your northern star
Your sermon on the mount from the boot of your car

Strong stuff from an album many people were quick to write off.

Get on Your Boots

One could be forgiven for thinking that Get on Your Boots was simply a throw away song by U2 ( indeed one wonders why they released it as the first single from No Line on the Horizon when Magnificent probably would have given them a hit single) however the lyrics of this song run deep.

Almost a stream of consciousness, tripping through its seemingly nonsensical words but when Bono writes "I don’t want to talk about the wars between the nations" is he saying everything or just burying his head in the sand?

All I Want is You

This is Bono's finest love letter he has ever written.

The closing from Rattle and Hum is simply a man tell a woman how he loves her - it's perhaps not the happiest song with undertones suggesting things may have gone awry - indeed the tremendous coda at the end suggests a passionate love affair being ripped apart by uncaring forces.

A good lyric deserves a fine musical backing and All I Want is You has it in spades.

Summary

So that was my attempt to highlight some of the fine lyrical qualities and charms that Bono and U2 have to offer.

Of course, with any interpretation of songs, the whole exercise is a subjective journey, indeed a musical journey that could have stopped at a completely different set of songs.

Bono is a bit of a lyrical magpie.

He steals lines from the bible and riffs on the work of others (such as when he tried to write a sequel of sorts to John Lennon's 'God') to make his point. But he does that and gets his unique messages across to the listener very well.

If someone hasn't already printed a book featuring all of U2's lyrics, they surely will as they serve as some fine literature in their own right. Throw in some politcal rallying and a little love making and there's a best seller book of poetry on your hands....

What are your favourite lyrical moments from U2?

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U2 songs that reference The Troubles of Ireland

'The Troubles’ is a common name for the Northern Ireland conflict which spanned generations as Ireland nearly destroyed itself. Political divisions along political and religious lines wrestled with each other’s version of how Ireland should be governed. In general terms, Catholic Nationalists and Unionist Protestants found themselves engaged in a brutal war where car bombings and ‘knee-cappings’ became the norm.

Paramilitary units such as those of the IRA killed with impunity and the British Army became a standard presence in the streets.

Many innocent civilians died as a result of some 1300 bombings, not to forget attacks on British soldiers.

There are no surprises for guessing why U2 called their third album War and began their journey of political discourse.

Edge’s 'Northern Scum' hat.

Larry, Adam, Bono, and The Edge all grew up in this era. They were children subjected and exposed to it all. The Songs of Experience album covers some of this time.

The Edge has said that their songs are are ‘against violence as a tool for politics of any kind’.

Let's start with arguably the most famous U2 song about Ireland.

U2, Ireland and the IRA - songs that explore 'The Troubles'

'Sunday Bloody Sunday' from War

The song's lyrics describe the horror felt by Bono’s character of who has been observing the Troubles. In particular, they are focusing on the 1972 Bloody Sunday incident in Derry where British troops shot and killed unarmed civil rights protesters and bystanders. The lyrics juxtaposed this terrible day in history with the murder of Jesus Christ on the cross. 

The song thus commemorates the slaughter of innocent civilians during the Irish troubles. While not a 'rebel song' it is a call for a rejection of violence.

This song became very popular and helped draw attention to the issues. As the band's popularity grew, they used it to campaign against the Irish Republican Army's (IRA) efforts to raise money to fuel continued armed conflict.

This lead to the  IRA sending a threat to U2 that if they continued their campaign, they would be kidnapped. U2 continued anyway and continued to bring attention to the Troubles.

What's very interesting about the IRA getting upset about a single pop song was the fact that the original lyrics contained the line '"Don't talk to me about the rights of the IRA, UDA'. Written by The Edge, the band as a whole felt such lyrics might be too inflammatory and where changed.

This bit of self-editing actually made the song better.

As the song became more popular, some listeners interpreted the song's meaning as being a call to draw the Irish people deeper into the sectarian battle. This was clearly an incorrect analysis of the song's lyrics and intent. 

Once that issue was recognized by the band, Bono would often introduce the song with it as not being a 'rebel song'. If you listen to the live version recorded on the Live at Red Rocks album Bono says, "There's been a lot of talk about this next song, this song is not a rebel song, this song is Sunday Bloody Sunday!"

Some people thought the song was actually glorifying the Troubles and calling them deeper into the country's sectarian battle. On many occasions since its release on 1983's War, Bono has made it clear that this is not a "rebel song" or a song of the "revolution," but a song that defiantly waves the white flag for peace. 

The inspiration for this song may also have in part been due to John Lennon releasing his own song in 1972 also called Sunday Bloody Sunday about the Derry slaughter. Lennon's lyrics were full of vitriol (mostly aimed at the British government) and hugely antagonistic.

'Please' from the Pop album

Please was in our opinion, one of the best songs from the Pop album.

This song’s lyrics are blatantly about the troubles in Ireland. As the song slowly builds, Bono paints the picture, coloring the world in terms of religion and war colliding to the point where bombs are left in cars and as they are set up, that is the ‘sermon from the mount'. 

Please single cover

The single cover for this song features the pictures of four Northern Irish politicians — Gerry Adams, David Trimble, Ian Paisley, and John Hume in a pointed effort to draw attention to the issues.

This photo was a direct message to the political leaders of the Irish people to ‘get up of their knees’ and hasten the peace process which was grinding along slowly – to which Bono pointedly states ‘October, talk getting nowhere November, December Remember, are we just starting again’.

Bono also cleverly entwines the songs meaning to be ‘about a girl’ – so much so that if you aren’t paying clear attention to his words, you could be duped into thinking the song is simply a love song about an explosive relationship. 

In many ways, Please is the sound of a U2 growing up from their Sunday Bloody Sunday era and offering a more grizzled, even more wizened approach to the issue.

Van Dieman's Land from Rattle and Hum

It's not a direct reference to The Troubles but Van Dieman's Land is an odd song dedicated to a Fenian poet named John Boyle O'Reilly, who was deported to Australia because of his bad poetry or more likely, his political leanings as espoused in the poetry. 

Fenian is a coverall word used to describe the Fenian Brotherhood and Irish Republican Brotherhood and more generally these days as anything Irish.

The song's lyrics were written and sung by U2's The Edge. 

'Peace on Earth' from All That You Can't Leave Behind

Described by The Edge as "the most bitter song U2 has ever written", Peace on Earth is yet another response by U2 to the Omagah bombing in Northern Ireland on 15 August 1989. The bomb set by a splinter IRD group known as the Real Irish Republican Army killed 29 people and injured a couple of hundred other persons.

The bomb was to express disagreement with the IRD’s formal ceasefire and the Good Friday Agreement which was a plan to forge a path to peace.

Bono refers to the names of some of the people killed in the bombing - Sean, Julia, Gareth, Anne, and Breda. He’s once more expressing his disdain for war and asking Jesus to tell those waging it that their real mission is peace on Earth but more than that, the song serves as a tribute to those that died. That they are bigger than the war that was being waged.

'The Troubles' from Songs of Innocence

"The Troubles", was described by Bono as "an uncomfortable song about domestic violence". 

Bono is being somewhat cute with this statement as while domestic violence is often used to describe the violence that can occur in the family home, Bono is also doubly referring to The Troubles as being the domestic violence of Ireland and the clue to this is the deliberate title of the song.

If the song is seen context with the album it came from, it's very relevant to the actual Troubles. Songs of Innocence was about Bono and his bandmates growing up and living during the actual Troubles. 

North and South of the River

A popular b-side on the Staring at the Sun single, North and South of the River was written with Christy Moore.

It is a song that addresses the political and cultural divide between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. The lyrics explore themes of identity and division, reflecting on the tensions arising from the historical conflict known as the Troubles. Using the river as a metaphor for separation, the song emphasizes the emotional and geographical barriers between the two regions. 

Of the songs lyrics Bono said " “If U2 sang that song at this point, it might be reason enough for the troubles to start up again. I’ve had enough bruises and scars not to want to take things on the head in the same way anymore. I think you’ve got to be smarter now.”

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'Let Your Love Be Known' song lyrics by Bono

Let Your Love Be Known lyrics by Bono

Bono has written a song as a 2020 Saint Patrick's Day gift for Italians who are quarantined amidst the global Coronavirus pandemic.

Bono wrote the song free of his U2 contemporaries - and played it on the piano from 'Bublin' Dublin'.

It's the first piece of any U2 related music since the release of Songs of Experience.

Let Your Love Be Known

Yes there was silence
yes there was no people here
yes I walked through the streets of Dublin and no one was near
Yes I don't know you
No I didn't think I didn't care
You live so very far away from just across the square

And I can't reach but I can rain
You can't touch but you can sing
Across rooftops
Sing down the phone
Sing and promise me you won't stop
Sing your love, be known, let your love be known.

Yes there is isolation
You and me we're still here
Yes when we open our eyes we will stare down the fear
And maybe I've said the wrong thing
Yes I made you smile
I guess the longest distance is always the last mile.

And I can't reach but I can rain
You can't touch but you can sing
Across rooftops
Sing to me down the phone
Sing and promise me you won't stop
Sing and you're never alone.


Sing as an act of resistance
Sing though your heart is overthrown
When you sing there is no distance
So let your love be known, oh let your love be known
Though your heart is overthrown.
Let your love be known.

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What's in an album name? Innocence and Experience

What's in an album's name? Songs of Innocence and Experience

Now that the dust has settled somewhat with the release of U2's Songs of Innocence, we can take the opportunity to ponder the album's title. 

What's in a name?

Where did it come from and what was the inspiration? 

A little bit of literary digging reveals the title to be a reference to William Blake's work, Songs of Innocence and Experience. 

What was this work about?

It was a collection of poems that reflected on how the state of childhood 'innocence' was influenced by the world cutting in on childhood as 'experience'.

These being influences such as corruption, oppression by religious movements, state domination and the machinations of the dominant classes.

So why is this relevant to U2?

Bono has centered several songs of the album's lyrics around growing up in Ireland.

He said in an interview with Rolling Stone Magazine:

"We wanted to make a very personal album... Let's try to figure out why we wanted to be in a band, the relationships around the band, our friendships, our lovers, our family. The whole album is first journeys—first journeys geographically, spiritually, sexually"

Iris is about the early loss of his mother.

 Cedarwood Road is about childhood friends that group up with Bono in the street.

The Miracle reflects the influence of the band that The Ramones had on them as young men and even This is Where You Can Find Me Now is an ode to The Clash's Joe Strummer - a man whose songs greatly inspired them.

Raised by Wolves covers a car bombing in Ireland that Bono personally felt close to - real world experiences creeping in as he and his band mates become men.

The effect of William Blake on Bono's song writing subjects has not been a recent observation. For a 1997 review of the 'Pop' album, poet Brendan Keneally noted when discussing that album's lyrics:

"We live in an age when sexuality and spirituality are usually treated as completely separate realities despite the fact that down through the ages some of the greatest poets and song-writers identified the presence of the one in the other. Think of Blake's 'Songs of Innocence and Experience', D. H. Lawrence's poems, stories and novels, and some of W. B. Yeats's greatest poems."

Light and dark? She wore lemon, but never in the day light...

Interestingly, Bono was proclaimed the album was going to be called Songs of Ascent which I think was a reference to the Psalms of the Christian bible.

But that's not the half of it

The Joshua Tree album was originally intended to open with a track called "Beautiful Ghost".

Bono was to recite "Introduction to Songs of Experience" but the recording was dropped in favour of the album opening with Where the Streets have no name, a wise choice.

None-the-less it's clear Blake's writings have been on Bono's mind for some time.

In amongst the madness of the release of Songs of Innocence Bono revealed the existence of a second album U2 intended to release, Songs of Experience.

Released some 3 years after SOI, it acts as a direct companion album to Innocence - presumably in the same way the Grammy award wining Zooropa was a very close cousin to U2's career highlight, Achtung Baby.

Perhaps this second album will tell the kind of tales that Blake thought changed children - it would not be new territory for Bono. Indeed, the official word from U2 described the album's lyrical meaning as:

'While Songs of Innocence charted the band’s earliest influences and experiences in the late 1970s and early 80s, the new album is a collection of songs in the form of intimate letters to places and people close to the singer’s heart; family, friends, fans, himself

Check out the Songs of Innocence album on Amazon and the new single from Songs of Experience, You're The Best Thing About Me and the ripper of a track, The Blackout.

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'You’re The Best Thing About Me' U2 song lyrics

You’re The Best Thing About Me is from the Songs of Experience album. Officially, it was the first single to be released. A song called Blackout was released as a live video earlier.

The blue cover art features the Edge's daughter, Sian Evans.

A remix on the song has been released. It's called "You're the Best Thing About Me (U2 Vs. Kygo)", Kygo being the remixer. This is a return to past U2 roots - as in the 1990's U2 were really into remixes - the Paul Oakenfold (Melon) version of Even Better than the Real thing charted higher than the original! U2 have also released two other versions of the song, an acoustic version and a 'sci-fi soul mix' which is intended to be the preferred format for radio stations.

The lyrics meaning are almost cryptic. Bono said this about the song to Rolling Stone Magazine:

"We must resist surrendering to melancholy for only the most special moments. That's a long way to say check our new single out, "You're the Best Thing About Me," it's kind of like punk Supremes."

Poets eh?

'You’re The Best Thing About Me ' song lyrics by U2

When you look so good
The pain in your face doesn’t show
When you look so good
And baby, you don’t even know

When the world is ours
But the world is not your kind of thing
Full of shooting stars
Brighter as they’re vanishing

Oh, you’ve seen enough
To know it’s children who teach
You’re still free enough
To wake up on a bed or a beach

You’re the best thing about me
The best thing that ever happened
A boy
You’re the best thing about me
I’m the kind of trouble that you enjoy
You’re the best thing about me
The best things are easy to destroy
You’re the best thing about me
The best thing about me

I been crying out
How bad can a good time be
Shooting off my mouth
That’s another great thing about me

I have everything
But I feel like nothing at all
There’s no risky thing
For a man who’s determined to fall

You’re the best thing about me
The best thing that ever happened
A boy
You’re the best thing about me
I’m the kind of trouble that you enjoy
You’re the best thing about me
The best things are easy to destroy
You’re the best thing about me
Why am I walking away
Walking away
Why am I walking away

Edge sings this next verse:

I can see it all so clearly
I can see what you can’t see
I can see you lover her loudly
When she needs you quietly

And back to Bono:

You’re the best thing about me
The best things are easy to destroy
You’re the best thing about me
Why am I
Why am I walking away?
Walking away
Why am I walking away?

Here's the official U2 video of the song which features the band having a good time in New York.

The song is a celebration of love and the joy that another person can bring into one's life. The chorus, with its direct and heartfelt declaration, "You're the best thing about me," serves as a powerful expression of love and admiration. This type of open and unabashed appreciation is a recurring theme in U2's lyrics, reflecting a deep sense of gratitude and acknowledgement of the positive impact of loved ones.

However, "You're The Best Thing About Me" also delves into the theme of self-awareness and the recognition of one's own flaws within the context of a relationship. Lyrics like, "I'm the kind of trouble that you enjoy," and, "I have everything but I feel like nothing at all," suggest a nuanced understanding of personal imperfections and the complexities they can bring to relationships. This introspection adds depth to the song, moving beyond a simple love song to a more reflective examination of the self in relation to others.

The song also touches on the theme of change and the passage of time, particularly in the context of long-standing relationships. The line, "When you look so good, the pain in your face doesn't show," suggests a deeper understanding and acceptance of the inevitable changes and challenges that come with time. This acceptance of change, both in oneself and in one's partner, is a crucial element in enduring relationships.

U2's "You're The Best Thing About Me" explores the complexities of love, admiration, and vulnerability within relationships. The song juxtaposes outward beauty with hidden pain, illustrating how appearances can mask deeper struggles.

 

Some other titles of songs mentioned by Bono for the Songs of Experience album include:

1. The Little Things that give you away
2. Red Flag Day
3. The Showman (Much More Better)
4. Summer of Love

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The irony meaning of U2's "Everything you know is wrong" logo during the Zoo TV tour

U2’s Zoo TV Tour was a surreal, ironic spectacle that took aim at media saturation and the erosion of truth in the early '90s.

Through flashing slogans like “EVERYTHING YOU KNOW IS WRONG,” the band forced audiences to confront a world drowning in information, where authenticity and meaning were constantly up for debate.

The audacity of Zoo TV was that it turned U2’s trademark sincerity on its head, diving into a visual and sonic assault designed to overwhelm, provoke, and disorient.

When U2 flashed phrases like “EVERYTHING YOU KNOW IS WRONG” across the sprawling, flickering screens, they were driving home a cultural critique that resonated with the chaos and confusion of the early ‘90s.

Coming off the spiritual earnestness of The Joshua Tree and Rattle and Hum, Bono and company realized that earnestness alone couldn’t capture the fragmented reality of post-Cold War culture, with its 24/7 media cycles and creeping commercialism.

The Zoo TV Tour, launched in the wake of Achtung Baby, became a platform for U2 to dismantle their own myth, throwing into question the trustworthiness of not only pop culture but of U2 itself.

Just ask Macphisto himself.

By projecting disorienting messages like “EVERYTHING YOU KNOW IS WRONG,” U2 questioned the very fabric of "truth" in an age dominated by screens and advertisements.

The message wasn't just anti-establishment, though; it was a reckoning with how society was embracing these forms of control.

Bono’s rock-star persona, "The Fly," a character that dripped with irony and swagger, delivered this critique while donning leather and oversized shades, both celebrating and satirizing the idea of the rock star as a manufactured figure.

By flooding audiences with flashing logos and slogans, Zoo TV echoed the relentless barrage of TV, radio, and advertising that had permeated modern life, forcing people to question what was real and what was commodified.

U2 was grappling with the collapse of meaning itself—suggesting that, in a world oversaturated with information and simulacra, even the messages we held close could be tainted by consumer culture.

Enter Mirror Ball Man.

“EVERYTHING YOU KNOW IS WRONG” became less a declarative statement and more a rallying cry for skepticism in a world on the brink of postmodern media saturation.

U2’s choice to mock the very tools they used underscored their frustration and fascination with mass media. The phrase “EVERYTHING YOU KNOW IS WRONG” functioned as a paradox—it was a lie in itself, flashed in a show that was still designed to sell tickets and merch.

The genius lay in U2's manipulation of this irony, as they questioned whether any form of rebellion was even possible within a capitalist framework.

In this way, Zoo TV wasn’t just a tour but a manifesto on modern alienation, where reality was fractured by the screens meant to connect us.

In embracing and inflating these contradictions, U2 anticipated the media landscape we now inhabit, where irony often masks sincerity, and where we are endlessly questioning the authenticity of the world around us. For Bono, who once preached earnestness from a pulpit, this was an uncomfortable revelation: maybe the only way to resist was to succumb fully to the absurdity of it all.

10 Questions to ask Bono

1. What does Salmon Rushie think of the almost surprise success of The Ground Beneath her Feet?
2. Family is important. What's the most important song in the U2 catalog where the lyrics consider family? It's probably the whole of Songs of Innocence right?
3. What is the worst lyric you have ever written that was recorded. Is it Salome?
4. Discuss the lyric 'Dream Out Loud'. Why have you written it into three U2 songs?
5. Do you ever hear 'lepers in your head'?
6. If U2 had its own version Fight Club, what would its rules be? And if anyone in the band had to be Robert Paulson, who would it be?
7. When I was young and impressionable I had a poster on my wall that featured a Zoo TV concert and its said 'Every Thing You Know is Wrong'. To me as a 17-year-old teenager that made perfect sense. As a thirty-something with a mortgage, I wondered if should have paid more attention in English class. Bono, how do you know everything I know is wrong?
8. Have you ever punched The Edge?
9. Have you ever thrown up on stage?
10. Does it amuse you that the Melon remix of Even Better Then The Real Thing charted higher than the original version?

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U2 songs with lyrics about War, Soldiers, Civilians and Civility

GNR once asked 'what's so civil about war anyway?'

 
U2 seem to write songs with lyrics about war in some form or another on just about every album they've released.

U2's engagement with the theme of war in their lyrics demonstrates the band's enduring commitment to addressing complex global issues through their music. 

Often drawing from historical events and personal observations, their songs explore the ramifications of conflict, the toll it takes on humanity, and the longing for peace.

I've got soul but I'm not a soldier

In "Sunday Bloody Sunday," a track from their 1983 album "War," U2 delves into the horrors of the Bloody Sunday massacre in Northern Ireland. This song, with its martial drumbeat and evocative lyrics like, "Broken bottles under children's feet/Bodies strewn across the dead-end street," powerfully conveys the senselessness of violence and the deep scars left by sectarian strife. 

Another notable example is "Bullet the Blue Sky," from their 1987 album "The Joshua Tree," where Bono's vivid lyrical imagery paints a stark picture of the devastation wrought by military interventions, particularly in Central America. The song's intense, almost sermon-like delivery underscores the band's critique of war and its impact on the innocent. Through these and other songs, U2 articulates a strong anti-war stance, advocating for peace and reconciliation. 

Their war-themed lyrics are not just political statements; they are poignant reflections on the human cost of conflict, offering a perspective that is both deeply personal and universally resonant.

U2's extensive body of work reflects their deep concern for the global and personal impacts of war, frequently framing their lyrics around the themes of conflict, human suffering, and the urgent need for peace. In "Mothers of the Disappeared," from The Joshua Tree, U2 poignantly addresses the anguish of families in Latin America who lost loved ones to military dictatorships, once again shining a light on the individual human cost of political violence. 

Similarly, "Miss Sarajevo" from Original Soundtracks 1—a collaboration with Brian Eno under the name Passengers—captures the juxtaposition of beauty and brutality during the Bosnian War, emphasizing the absurdity and tragedy of life continuing in the shadow of destruction. 

Even in more recent tracks like "Cedarwood Road" from Songs of Innocence, Bono explores how the violence of Northern Ireland’s Troubles shaped his personal outlook on conflict and peace. U2’s ability to weave these themes into their music, whether through direct confrontation or personal reflection, reveals a consistent thread of empathy, moral urgency, and a desire to inspire change. 

Much like Guns N’ Roses’ cynical question, “What’s so civil about war anyway?,” U2’s war-themed songs interrogate the myths and justifications surrounding conflict, ultimately condemning violence and advocating for a world where peace prevails over destruction.

Except for Boy, that album was just full of stories....ahem.

Winter

A song probably taken from the No Line on the Horizon album recording sessions, Winter was used in the soundtrack for the Wim Wenders film. Brothers (U2 have a long association with Wim - he directed their video for Stay and Until the End of the World was used for the film of the same name).

Winter is about is a song about the experience of the armed forces in Afghanistan, where Winder's film is set.

The Unforgettable Fire

Inspired by paintings that were about the nuclear bombs that were dropped on the two Japanese cities, Hiroshima and Nagasaki to effectively end Japan's involvement in World War II.

The Unforgettable Fire is not just a reflection not on war but the last effect the atomic bombs had on the people of Japan.

Bullet the Blue Sky

Arguably the most political song U2 has ever written, at least it's probably the most popular one! The lyrics are a savage indictment on American foreign policy.

Miss Sarejevo from Original Soundtracks Vol 1.

Please don't let them kill us...

When Bono asks if there's a time for East 17 (a boy band that everyone has now forgotten) during the Bonsnian War, you've gotta ask what he's talking about.

The song's lyrics actually praises the rebellious spirit of the Sarajevan people who refused to surrender their way of life during the conflict.

And what did they do? They staged a beauty contest.

Which clearly inspired the chorus of the song, "Here she comes, heads turn around, here she comes, to take her crown".

Please

If you could consider that the IRA's disgraceful and disgusting campaign against the people of Ireland was a civil war of sorts then Please is U2 exhorting Ireland's Political leaders to stop the civil war they had been waging.

Mothers of the Disappeared

A lyrical expression of the suffering experienced by the mothers and grandmothers of the thousands of children abducted during the conflict in Central America during the late 1970s through to the mid 1980s, particularly during Argentina's so called "Dirty War" (1976-1983). The Dirty War was a civil-style war that the American government covertly sanctioned in a bid to stop the 'communist threat' that was pervading at the time.

Given this song was written in the mid 80s one can see how it's a cousin of sorts to Bullet the Blue Sky - indeed both songs appeared on the Joshua Tree album..

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U2's lyrical references to war heated up with the release of U2 first truly 'popular' album War. Marking Bono's ascent into a true lyrical monster, War's songs features thoughts on soldiers shooting protesting civilians in Sunday Bloody Sunday.

Seconds reflects on terrorist actions in trying to set off atomic bombs (a theme U2 often turn to) in a supposed attempt to cause nuclear war.

Maybe.

Maybe they just want us all to give peace a chance like John Lennon did.

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