U2start.com | U2 Meaning Of Lyrics Round Table

Originally posted by WojBhoy:[..]
I think the general idea is just to post songs when we get the chance - the interest level doesn't really justify a round table, although if there's a good amount of interest, that might change...

I think we need at least 4/5 people who like to join this round table, to make it a worthy 'game'. I would like to be one of them, I guess Ali would like to join too...Then we still need 3 persons...

ladygodiva

16 years

Hi All
I'm in and 'Tomorrow' is a great song to discuss.

Lady G

drewhiggins

16 years

The more you see the less you know
The less you find out as you go
I knew much more then than I do now

Becoming wiser, as you advance in life? I also believe that this is another "Tomorrow", "I Will Follow", "Mofo", "Kite" song with the same premise - about losing those close to you, and you have to stand on your own two feet in these times of trouble, but hurting like hell inside and missing them.

Neon heart, dayglo eyes
A city lit by fireflies
They're advertising in the skies
For people like us

As we all know, New York is a place full of advertising - Times Square, Broadway...and fireflies refers to people. New York is a big place, and it's the city that never sleeps, therefore at night you see, theoretically, fireflies...those people lit up like fireflies, and at their speeds of moving.

And I miss you when you're not around
I'm getting ready to leave the ground

A person close to the singer is missing or passed away, and wanting to meet them again, but telling us they looked beautiful tonight.

Don't look before you laugh
Look ugly in a photograph
Flash bulbs purple irises
The camera can't see

Be yourself, don't listen to others. Even though you might think you're not beautiful, you are, regardless of who you are. Inner beauty, I think would be a more suitable term to this part.

I've seen you walk unafraid
I've seen you in the clothes you made
Can you see the beauty inside of me?
What happened to the beauty I had inside of me?

?

Time... time
Time... time
Time won't leave me as I am
But time won't take the boy out of this man

No matter how old you are, and no matter how quickly time passes, you're always young at heart - always conscious to what's around you. This would apply in no better place than New York - things change, revolve and you have to keep up with all that.

The more you know the less you feel
Some pray for others steal
Blessings not just for the ones who kneel.... luckily

An absolutely beautiful line to finish out the song. You can be blessed for anything, not just a certain group.

I'm in for the next MoLRT, if that's alright.

drewhiggins

16 years

Time for "Tomorrow". I would almost call this song a concept song, because it tells a story.

Won't you come back tomorrow?
Won't you come back tomorrow?
Won't you come back tomorrow?
Can I sleep tonight?

Bono wondering when his mother will be back, even though she has passed away.

Outside
Somebody's outside
Somebody's knocking at the door
There's a black car parked
At the side of the road
Don't go to the door
Don't go to the door

Bono is now looking outside from his bedroom window (or possibly anywhere in the house) and seeing the hearse with his mother's body inside the coffin. He doesn't want to go to the door, because he will realize the harsh reality that she is really gone.

I'm going out
I'm going outside mother
I'm going out there

He goes outside and knows that she really is gone.

Who broke the window?
Who broke down the door?
Who tore the curtain?
And who was it for?
Who healed the wounds?
Who heals the scars?
Open the door
Open the door

He wonders why the house is broken, just like his life is shattered at the loss of his parent. See the connection?

Cause I want you
I, I want... you
I really want you
I, I want
I, I

He wants his mother so badly, but knows she will never be back in this lifetime.

Open up
Open up
To the love of god
To the love of he who made
The light to see you
It's coming back
It's coming back
I believe it

He's knocking on heaven's door and sees the light, and sees her for the first time in a long time.

I'm gonna be there
I'm gonna be there, mother
I'm gonna be there, mother
I'm going out there
I'm going...

We're gonna be there

He's told his mother in the dream he will be there with her, no matter what it takes.

markp91

16 years

Ok, until now we have Drew, Marie and myself...as mentioned before, we actually still need 1/2 members (not a half lol...

) who like to share their opinions...But the more the merrier of course!

I'll post my thoughts on Tomorrow in a few days...

ladygodiva

16 years

I think that the general idea behind this explanation is correct. But I also think that there is a bit more involved. This song is what you might call a 'double edged sword', as is the case with many of Bono's lyrics they can be interpreted in more than one way. I have read some time ago that Bono started to write this song with the thought in mind of the intimidation of the IRA in Ireland calling at a house at night and carrying out a revenge attack on the inhabitants. But he then could see in the words that the circumstances and his emotions after his mother's death was coming through the song. Have a look at both meanings together.

Won't you come back tomorrow
Won't you come back tomorrow
Won't you come back tomorrow
Can I sleep tonight

1. Telling the IRA to go away and leave him alone til tomorrow and let him sleep tonight.
2. Imploring his mother to return tomorrow and then be able to sleep without mourning any more.

Outside
Somebody's outside
Somebody's knocking at the door
There's a black car parked
At the side of the road
Don't go to the door
Don't go to the door

1. The IRA thugs are outside knocking on the door and their black car can be seen from the window. The cry goes around the house from parents to children maybe 'Don't go to the door'.
2. Bono's mother died of a brain haemorrage while attending her father's funeral. This line could be a plea for her not to go to the door and get in to the funeral car which would have been the last time Bono saw her alive.

I'm going out
I'm going outside mother
I'm going out there

1. A brave Irish kid maybe going outside to confront the assailants.
2. If his mother has gone outside and into death then he is going to follow.

Won't you be back tomorrow
Won't you be back tomorrow
Will you be back tomorrow

1. Another please for the threat outside to go away til tomorrow.
2. A desperate plea from a child unable to sleep.

Who broke the window
Who broke down the door
Who tore the curtain
And who was He for
Who healed the wounds
Who heals the scars
Open the door
Open the door

1. Who are the people who are attacking them (they maybe on the same side of the struggles but have a reason for retribution). Who was he for? - what side was he on? Who is going to heal the wounds and the scars of this conflict. Open the door and find out.
2. This is a bit trickier but I am sure that 'Who tore the curtain' refers to the Biblical verse Mark 15:38 which describes what happened upon the moment of Christ's death on the cross. It was thought that the action of the curtain tearing down by itself was proof of the truth of Jesus's identity.
' And the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.'
He was the one who by delivering himself to die on the cross will heal our wounds and scars.
Open the door to Christ.

Won't you come back tomorrow
Won't you be back tomorrow
Will you be back tomorrow
Can I sleep tonight

Cause I want you...I...I want you...
I really...I...I want...I...I...
I want you to be back tomorrow
I want you to be back tomorrow
Will you be back tomorrow

The plea is repeated.

Won't you be back tomorrow
Won't you be back tomorrow
Will you be back tomorrow
Open up, open up
To the lamb of God
To the love of he who made
The blind to see
He's coming back
He's coming back
I believe it
Jesus coming

I'm gonna be there
I'm gonna be there mother
I'm gonna be there mother
I'm going out there
And you're gonna be there...

These lines confirm that Bono believes that Christ will return and that he will see his mother again in the afterlife.

I'm sorry to all folks who think that the religion side of this stuff can be a bit heavy. But that's the way it is. When you follow songs written by a person who uses the bible as inspiration it's gonna be that way.

Cheers to all
Lady G

markp91

16 years

I'm not really sure about Tomorrow, besides I think there's nothing really left to say...
But anyway:

My view on the Tomorrow-lyrics:

Won't you come back tomorrow?
Won't you come back tomorrow?
Won't you come back tomorrow?
Can I sleep tonight?

As mentioned...Bono's mom is dead, she won't come back...But Bono can't live with that. He wants his mother to get back, he can't live with the fact she's dead

Outside
Somebody's outside
Somebody's knocking at the door
There's a black car parked
At the side of the road
Don't go to the door
Don't go to the door

He thinks his mom is outside, but he's afraid it could be The Dead (black car

)
He doesn't dare to open...

I'm going out
I'm going outside mother
I'm going out there

Then he's pretty sure it's his mom and he opens the door to let his mom inside...

Who broke the window?
Who broke down the door?
Who tore the curtain?
And who was it for?
Who healed the wounds?
Who heals the scars?
Open the door
Open the door

Not really sure about this...

Cause I want you
I, I want... you
I really want you
I, I want
I, I

He wants his mother...

Open up
Open up
To the love of god
To the love of he who made
The light to see you
It's coming back
It's coming back
I believe it

He can feel his mothers spirit, he feels she's close to him and will give him love forever (even tough Mother suckin' ock and Roll

)

I think October-tracks are a bit hard to judge, since the real lyrics were los...

wtshnnfb01

16 years

I agree with most of your intrepatation.s The exception is the following verse.

Outside
Somebody's outside
Somebody's knocking at the door
There's a black car parked
At the side of the road
Don't go to the door
Don't go to the door

I believe this to be a flashback. Bono's mom is getting ready to go to her fathers funerael. As he know knows she will die if she goes to it, he is telling her to stay inside.

markp91

16 years

Originally posted by wtshnnfb01:I agree with most of your intrepatation.s The exception is the following verse.

Outside
Somebody's outside
Somebody's knocking at the door
There's a black car parked
At the side of the road
Don't go to the door
Don't go to the door

I believe this to be a flashback. Bono's mom is getting ready to go to her fathers funerael. As he know knows she will die if she goes to it, he is telling her to stay inside.

Pretty dark interpretation....

But I finds very good with the rest of the lyrics...I think you're right about this one

BTW How did Bono's mom actually died?

Was it an accident, illness, or something else?

Ali709

16 years

Originally posted by markp91:[..]

Pretty dark interpretation.... But I finds very good with the rest of the lyrics...I think you're right about this one

BTW How did Bono's mom actually died? Was it an accident, illness, or something else?

According to Lady G above:
Bono's mother died of a brain haemorrage while attending her father's funeral.

Check U2ByU2 to make sure...

I don't have anything else to add here, I like Lady G's interpretation...both of them actually, combined with mark, drew and aaron's comments I think we got Tomorrow covered...next song?

markp91

16 years

Originally posted by Ali709:[..]

According to Lady G above:
Bono's mother died of a brain haemorrage while attending her father's funeral.

Check U2ByU2 to make sure...

I don't have anything else to add here, I like Lady G's interpretation...both of them actually, combined with mark, drew and aaron's comments I think we got Tomorrow covered...next song?

Oh...

Didn't noticed it in Lady G's post...

Sad death...

I think Tomorrow is done indeed...Go ahead and choose a nice song Ali!

wtshnnfb01

16 years

I think, a line by line interpretation of Bad could be intresting. That or Running To Stand Still ( I've been watching too many movies about drugs recently. Throw in Wire for good meaure! ) That or All Because Of You.

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