anonymous August 20th, 2007 11:40AM  
Like many U2 songs this could mean 2 things or 3 or maybe 5 different things (e.g. "One"). But I believe Theresa1's intepretation is most compeling. She rightly asserts that Bono is stealing from the New Testament concerning how many followers of Jesus keep demanding more and more signs and wonders to prove his claims. It's probably about The Soviet Union also but my sense from the first time I heard it was that it was a personal song, meant for each of us specifically.

anonymous December 19th, 2007 01:58PM  
"You had so much to offer why did you offer your soul" the speaker is painting a portrait of the subject, and this portrait is anything but flattering. "I was there for you baby when you needed my help" "would you denty to others what you demand for yourself" Selfishness and a lack of compassion towards others.

"you speak of signs and wonders but I need something other" "I'm waiting for the crumbs from your table" Don't be so self-centered, reach out and make yourself a benevolent tool for the elevation of the human condition.

I don't know what "three to a bed" means maybe something about each of us joining into a community of care and selflessness. "Dignity passes by" I leave that for another interpreter in this internet community of men and women living in the gutter but staring at the stars.

anonymous June 8th, 2008 04:02PM  
I really appreciate your scholarship. I must confess that I am an obsessive U2 fan, which often troubles me. The Crumbs song in particular haunted me with its cryptic message the first time I heard it. The lyrics are making exceedingly subtle references to scripture that 9/10's of their audience really doesn't have the time or care to parse. Unfortunately, I do. But being a student of comparative mythology and poets like Dylan Thomas, I am often swayed in contrary directions along a fearful path upon which I feel somewhat condemned to travel. If scripture is the answer, as you articulate very elegantly, I'm sure I'll find my way eventually. The study of the Bible is an enormous task and I'm always looking for an interesting teacher. Thanks

Oh, there's a poem by Langston Hughes called "Luck." It borrows this imagery and it's all about love. Look it up. It is a stark, uncompromising, unappeasing poem. It is rather bleak. But I don't know: that's just my interpretation.

anonymous June 4th, 2009 11:43AM  
This song is about Bono's campaigning for AIDS charities in Africa The title as another poster pointed out, refers to how what for a western country is a small amount of money, in Africa it could mean the difference between life and death for HIV/AIDS patients who can't afford to pay for medical treatment, hence the line "where you live should not decide whether you live or whetehr you die". The line "3 to a bed, sister Anne she said, Dignity passes by" refers to the awful conditions in a hospice for HIV/AIDS victims which Bono visited.Sister Anne is one of the nurses who runs it.