anonymous 2008-01-13 21:04:30    

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I think it's about a former gf/lover/partner. Its at the end of a painful yet passionate relationship - probably a girlfriend who cheated on you...so that explains the 'I can't live
With or without you' the love and the heartbreak parallelly.

anonymous 2008-03-08 07:33:41    

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Fuck whatever Bono says; this song is about a stubborn woman who, for example, hardly ever gives you a callback or at least a timely one. You are crazy about her but her stubborness about this issue really grates on you. Her eyes are like stone, suggesting being stubborn. You implore her but to no avail. Without her, you feel in hell. But even with her, you're still in hell because of her disregard for your feelings. So either way, it is hell being in this relationship. But whoever said love is logical? You are so crazy for her that you try to withstand this lose-lose situation. (I know first hand!!)

anonymous 2008-03-15 19:35:44    

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Feels like you guys are more discussing your past relationships and your annoying ex-girlfriends than the actual song -

but I definitely agree that there are many possible interpretations. I guess that's what makes the song so unique!

My favorite one has to do with my last experience - a guy who is not able to live in a relationship cause he's afraid to get hurt by the girl he likes ...

anonymous 2008-04-30 19:33:01    

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What I've always imagined while listening to this song is a man who has a very sexual kind of relationship with a woman. Maybe they meet a couple of times a week and go to a hotel or whatever. The man falls in love with the woman, proposes to her and all the song is about him waiting for an answer. I agree that the stone in her eyes has to be the ring, and the bruises on his body are related to the very intense sexual relation that they shared.
That's my interpretation.
Pablo, Argentina

patinoire 2008-05-05 02:58:02    

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First, I doubt it's about his mother ("you give yourself away" to whom?)

Second, it's not _about_ his wife ("I can't live with ... you"? he's going to say to someone he's been with by that time for 15 years?).

Third, Bono said every band member knows (suggesting personally) the meaning and it had to being exposed and on the orad.

I agree it was written _for_ his wife, in more ways than one --instead of being Bono's voice, it is him speaking for his wife His wife is lamenting that she can't live with or wihout him. She can't leave him because she loves him, but she has trouble staying with him, because he's always on the road, givin himself away (to his fans or philanthropic causes), and thus always waiting for him. The refrernces that seem to relate to Jesus could even be her own attack on his self-deification persona, that helps perpetuate his own desire to be away from her. She blames fate (the "her," as fate is feminine for most authors) for the fortune of the band--and her hands are tied because he is who he is and is also doing it to be the bread winner. (in this case, the "body bruised" is just a metaphor for her feelings.)

anonymous 2008-06-17 15:48:35    

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This is the greatest song ever.
It's really open to different interpretations, depending on how you feel at the moment you listen to it. That's what makes it the best U2's song.

I first thought it was about Christ (the crucifixion viewed by Christ eyes). Then I realized it has nothing to do with Him.

There's a "You" and a "she" in the song ... and also a "we" when it says "we reach the shore"
All these make me believe it's about a relationship with a woman.
"See the stone set in your eyes" ... a precious stone, like a diamond meaning shiny eyes... or a cold stone meaning no feelings? ... "see the thorn twist in your side" means that she's in pain (not physical of course).
I think it's about a relationship that reached its ending.. "through the storm we reach the shore" means all the hard times we passed through..
"You give it all but I want more"... means he's pushing and pushing.. Trying to get her back

"You give yourself away"... This means that she's betraying herself. She does not want to do anything for the relation.

"I can't live with or without you"... He can't live without her... but he can't neither live with her in the way they are now.

My hand are tied... my body bruised... nothing to win.. nothing to lose...
He can't do anything else... He's hurt (spiritually) and does not care for anything anymore...

There's a live version from Rattle and Hum (the best version I've ever heard) that says at the end:
"we'll shine like stars in the summer night, we'll shine like stars in the winter lights, one hug, one hope, one love"

If this is not a man waiting for her lover to come back, what is it?? :)

anonymous 2008-06-17 15:54:02    

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It's an oxymoron which means you say something and then right after you the exact opposite. I can't live with or without you. I'm only 13 years old and I love U2 they inspire me. Most of my friends don't know who they are but I always tell them to listen to them because they might be one of the best bands out there. I think this song is about LOVE which most songs are about. Whether it's love with Jesus or his wife its still about love and maybe it's love for both.

anonymous 2008-06-21 14:42:02    

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First off U2 is my favorite band. There isn't a single album of theirs I don't own, there isn't a single song I don't know lyric for lyric.
Although many of these interpretations are insightful and could be seen that way for each individual here is what Bono claims is the raw meaning of the song. "...the lyric is pure torment. One of the things that was happening at that time was the collision in my own mind between being faithful to your art or being faithful to your lover. What if the two are at odds? Your gift versus domestic responsibilty?"............."so that song (with or without you) is about torment, sexual but also pyschological, about how repressing desires makes them stronger. The most important line is probably 'and you give yourself away.' It just flipped it and it releases all the mental tension, which is when the 'aah-aah' comes out. That is giving yourself away musically." (taken from the book U2 by U2 pg 181). So there you have it, right from the horses mouth. (Even though I love U2 I personally wouldn't recommend that as a wedding song...I noticed that some of you were thinking of having it played. U2 is a great band, but most of their songs are not appropriate for such an occassion as a wedding.)

anonymous 2008-06-22 15:04:22    

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I agree with many of the interpretations, but I have one question.. what do they mean with with or without you? if it's about living with a partner, perhaps bono's wife, why does he sing "I can't live with or without you"... why can't he live with her...?

whysos3rious 2008-06-29 14:17:29    

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I think this song is about being betrayed by a loved one.

"See the stone set in your eyes" refers to the love once in the womans eyes has turned to stone.
"See the thorn twist in your side" refers to the person showing signs of being upset or twisted inside ... like the upset stomach when a relationship is over.
"Sleight of hand and twist of fate" ... Sleight of hand is a term for essentially being tricked or deceived. The twist of fate is pretty straight forward ... Someones destiny has been changed. Put these 2 ideas together and you have a deception has changed a person or relationships destiny.

"Through the storm we reach the shore" could easily refer to, through arguments two people have reached a resolution or understanding of the situation.

"My hands are tied" ... The cheating happened and there is no way to undo what has been done. "My body bruised" ... He is in pain. "She's got me with nothing to win and nothing to lose" ... a person who finds they have been cheated on is normally stuck because they still love the person that has done this to them. In this case he still loves her but how can he live with her and take her back, but at the same time letting the person you love go is a kind of death as well.

This full idea is completed by the words "With or Without you, I can't live".

I think that it is no coincidence that some of the references can be found in the bible, but I think that is just because it is in his vocabulary. I also don't think that every song a writer writes has to be exactly about their self. That said, maybe Bono did have a brush with trouble in his marriage or when he was dating. Sweetest Thing refers has some negativity while being about love, and So Cruel describes being in love with the wrong person.

Leave those for another day. :-)