anonymous July 17th, 2006 07:02AM  
I think the thing about segregation is closer to the point than the idea of changing street names.

The song seems to me to be idealistic - I agree that the lyrics refer to northern ireland, but I think it's a dream of a future there in which streets have 'no names', where there is no distinction between catholic and protestant districts, where street names like garvaghy in portadown and ardoyne in belfast become meaningless, and lose all historical, sectarian significance

anonymous January 17th, 2008 09:38PM  
After watching's Bono's brief interpretation of this song, he elludes to it being a place without social distinction, something that weighs heavily upon him. He yearns for a place where social classes are not readily apparent by areas within a city.

anonymous January 16th, 2009 06:18PM  
I actually think this song is about a better place then here, like Heaven or so. Bono seems to be talking about escaping from such a flawed place and going to someplace better. "I want to tear down these walls that hold me inside/I want to reach out and touch the flame/where the streets have no name. In Heaven, the streets are paved with gold and I'm guessing don't have names. "I want to feel sunlight on my face/see that dust cloud disappear without a trace/I want to take shelter from the poison rain/where the streets have no name.