What does One mean?

U2: One Meaning

Album cover for One album cover

Song Released: 1992


One Lyrics

Is it getting better
Or do you feel the same
Will it make it easier on you now
You got someone to blame
You say...

One love
One life
When it's one need
In the night
One love
We get to share it
Leaves you baby if you
Don't care for...

  1. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Oct 7th 2009 !⃝

    Petrelli, you are way over the edge with your long winded spiritual thoughts. It's a simple tune dude about feelings in a troubled relationship. I'd be scared to ask you for directions to the mall... ease up man!

  2. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Jun 8th 2009 !⃝

    My interpretation is simply for myself to deal with a sad time. It means "Don't take life for granted!" I grew up watching and listening to my family fight. My Mother and her siblings, and how my uncle got hooked on perscription drugs after a terrible accident. They never agreed on how he lived his life and always told him how disappointed they were of him and never could bring themselves to help him instead pushed him away. Two years ago he killed himself and I believe it was because he hurt to much and knew he waqs hurting those around him and now they grieve, looking for forgivness, well it's to late, sister's, brother's. Wish I could turn the hands of time!

  3. Petrelli
    click a star to vote
    Feb 6th 2009 !⃝

    The Song “One” by U2 – What does it mean?

    (Copyright © Peter Donis 2003)


    This paper examines the spiritual message in the song ‘One’, written and performed by the band U2, released on the ‘Achtung Baby’ album. We will see that it has deep spiritual meaning, and is spiritually inspired and that is where its true interpretation lies. The songs meaning will suprise most if not all people.

    The band U2 derives its name from a U.S. Spy-plane used after WWII. It is famous for the 'U2 incident'. This plane was not supposed to be detectable by radars. So it is with this song. We will see that today’s modern music conveys a number of spiritual messages, designed to be missed by most people.

    This song portrays two main characters. We will see that it is actually a one-way conversation which involves the leader of the fallen host, Satan the devil. He is addressing/ accusing Christ and those who worship his God and Father, Eloah.

    We will examine the song in a commentary format. Let us begin.

    "Is it getting better, or do you feel the same?"

    The song begins with Satan asking Christ if he still obedience to the One True God (Jn 17:3; 1Jn 5:20). This also extends to Christ’s love for the elect, Israel and the human race in general. Satan is asking Christ if he has “woken up” to his way of thinking, believing his rebellion is justified. But Christ is the same yesterday, and today and forever (Heb 13:8).

    "Will it make it easier on you now; you’ve got someone to blame".

    The name Satan is a Hebrew word (SHD 7854 sawtawn), which is derived from another Hebrew word (SHD 7853 sawtan) which is a prime root meaning to attack, hence accuse. Thus the meaning is adversary. He is the accuser of the brethren (Rev 12:10; Zech 3:1). By accusing us, he is trying to justify his actions of rebellion, and lighten his punishment and condemnation for his actions. There are no loopholes when obeying Gods word. Everyone is answerable for his or her own actions (Rom 14:12).

    "You say,
    ‘One Law, One Life",

    The emphasis here is on the words ‘You Say’. Satan is paraphrasing what Christ said and taught. It would have been manifestly obvious what is being spoken of if the song went ‘you say, One God’. To conceal this fact, Satan refers to God here as the word ‘law’, and for good reason. For God and the law are one and the same thing. The law is an expression of His essence. The law is a reflection of the perfect God (2Sam 22:31, Psalm 18:30). His works are perfect (Deut 32:4). For His laws are perfect (James 1:25). God’s laws are righteous (Deut 4:8; Psalm 119:62), for God is righteous (Ezra 9:15, Psalm 7:9, 116:5). (see paper Distinction in the law)
    Deut 6:4 4 “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one!

    God is one. He alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light (1Tim6:16) who is the only True God (Jn 17:3). He is the Almighty, the Creator and Sustainer of the heavens, the earth and all things therein. (Gen1.1; Neh. 9:6, Ps. 124:8; Isa. 40:26,28; 44:24; Acts 14:15; 17:24,25; Rev. 14:7).

    "When it’s one need in the night,"
    This world lives in spiritual darkness. It is symbolically referred to as Spiritual Egypt, in which we have all been called to come out of (Rev 18:4). This parallels physical Israel’s departure from Ancient Egypt, which were brought out by night.
    Deut 16:1 1 “Observe the month of Abib, and keep the passover to the LORD your God; for in the month of Abib the LORD your God brought you out of Egypt by night.

    This reflects our one need in the night. God brings people out of spiritual Egypt so they can partake of Christ, who is our Passover lamb. We keep the Passover, in the month of Abib. (see paper the Passover and God’s calendar). God has called us to be His own special people, that we might proclaim the praises of Him who called us out of darkness into His marvellous light (1Pet 2:9).

    We then see the need for repentance and baptism into the body of Christ so the next step may occur, the receiving of the Holy Spirit.


    "One love, we get to share it,"

    God is love (1Jn 4:8,16). God is also a spirit (Jn 4:24). The Holy Spirit (Acts 2:4) is that essence or power of God, which Christ promised to send to the elect (Jn. 16:7) which is what we all partake of and share through the grace of God. It is not a person but the extension of the living power of God. It is the means whereby we become partakers of the Divine Nature (2Pet. 1:4), being filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 9:17, Eph. 5:18) and hence all Sons of God (Job 38:7; Rom. 8:14; 1Jn. 3:1-2) and co-heirs with Christ (Rom. 8:17; Gal. 3:29; Titus 3:7; Heb. 1:14, 6:17, 11:9; Jas. 2:5; 1Pet. 3:7). (see paper The Holy spirit).

    2Pet 1:2-4 2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, 3 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, 4 by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the 3corruption that is in the world through lust.


    "Leaves you baby, if you don’t care for it’."

    This is still speaking of the Holy Spirit. If you no longer care for the God’s word and law, you quench the Spirit of God (1Thes. 5:19) by it being neglected or grieved (Eph. 4:30) and thus admits of gains and losses in the individual. God the Father works in individuals through Jesus Christ by his Holy Spirit. The individual is lead by the Holy Spirit, and if he/she does not act on the truth they are shown, then they quench and slowly lose what understanding they may have. The spirit of God then leaves you if you don’t care for it.


    "Did l disappoint you? Or Leave a bad taste in your mouth."

    This refers to Satan asking a rhetorical question. Leaving a bad taste has several possibilities. Satan had the role and duty of morning star of this planet (Isa 14:12). Lucifer, as he was known, means “Light bearer”. One of his responsibilities was to bring the light of God to this planet, yet did the complete opposite. Satan tempted Eve to take of the forbidden fruit, which has left a bad taste in the human race for almost 120 Jubilees. The extent of people’s wickedness also grieved the LORD. It repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart (Gen 6:6).

    The bad taste left in Christ’s mouth may also refer to the sponge dipped in vinegar offered to him on the stake (Psa 69:21; Mat 27:48; Jn 19:29). Satan would have also hoped to have left the taste of bitterness in Christ’s heart, to take root and defile him (Heb 12:15).


    "You act like you never had love, and you want me to go
    without".

    Satan describes his relationship with Christ which is illustrated in the parable of the prodigal son (Lk 15:11-32).

    Within the parable we see a certain man portrayed as having two sons. This man is God the Father. Christ represents the faithful son. Satan depicts the prodigal or wayward son, who could not wait for his inheritance to be given unto him. Being in the form of God he sought to grasp equality with God. Christ, the elder son did not seek to grasp this equality (see Isa. 14:12-19; Ezek. 28:12-19 and Phil. 2:5-8).

    The reason why Satan says in the song ‘You act like you never had love’, is reflected in what the loyal son says to his father in verse 29; “Lo, these many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends”. But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him.’ (Lk 15:29)
    Christ understood that before he laid down his life, repentance and mercy was extended to the fallen Host. Christ knowing this fact was still obedient and became the sacrifice for all, knowing they would persecute his friends, the church, before they repented. (see the paper ‘Lost sheep and the prodigal son’, (No. 199) & The Judgment of the Demons (No. 80).

    If we love each other, then we must be willing to lay down our lives for each other just as Christ did for us (1Jn 3:16; Jn 10:15,17; Jn 15:13). Satan was not prepared to this.


    "Well it’s to late, tonight, to drag the past out into the light".

    Satan does not want his past dragged out into the light, since those that live in darkness hate the light.
    Jn 3:19-21 19 And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For every one who does evil hates the light, and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. 21 But he who does what is true comes to the light, that it may be clearly seen that his deeds have been wrought in God.

    Christ came to be a witness to the light (Jn. 1:8) and as a light (Jn. 12:46) as a witness to the truth (Jn. 18:37). Sins committed in the dark are seen just as if they were committed in broad daylight. The night shines as brightly as the day, for they are both alike to God. Nothing is hidden from Him. (Ps 139:12).


    "We’re one, but we’re not the same,"

    Satan illustrates the fact that we all owe our existence to God the Father. That includes Christ (Heb 3:2). Those who live in the house of God, who possess the Holy Spirit, are sons of God. Satan does not possess God’s Holy Spirit anymore. This relates back to the parable of the prodigal son. Satan is no longer a citizen of the Father but has cleaved to another citizenship, divorcing himself from God, becoming ritually and spiritually unclean (Lk 15:15).


    "We get to carry each other, carry each other…one."

    God the Father is the only truly omniscience being. Before anything was created, He knew He would create two different structures, being in the form of a spiritual and physical realm. There was a necessity for a dual existence. We are given an insight by Cox (The Purpose of the Creation and the Sacrifice of Christ (No.160)) as to why it was orchestrated that way.
    There were two aspects of the creation with which God had to deal. The first aspect was the known sin of Satan, which would occur because of the temptations available to him from the power that he would exercise as the anointed covering cherub (Ezek. 28:14-16). Satan took a third of the stars of the Host with him in this rebellion (Rev. 12:4).
    As part of the training process God created the human structure. He knew also that from the imperfect exercise of responsibility of the Host, man would sin. Thus there were two elements that would be estranged from God and placed in a process that would result in the near extermination of the creation. This God declared from the beginning. Each of the Host had freedom of choice and so the angels and ourselves chose to ignore the instructions or the laws of God and sinned. Thus the chain of events was set in motion that would result in the almost total destruction of the creation unless God intervened.
    The primary aim in all of this was to teach each of His sons how to become perfect, as He is perfect. God is love (1Jn. 4:8). The perfect love of God is all encompassing and extends to all His children. The perfect expression of that love is found in the biblical text.
    In a single creation structure, there would still have been a rebellion. Satan would still have rebelled even though he was perfect from his creation. The sons of God in both the angelic and human Host had to have free choice or they are simply robots. Christ had to be able to have sinned or he is a robot and there is no judgment of Satan. In all points he was tempted as we are (Heb. 4:15).
    The angelic Host had to be given family responsibility. That was done by stewardship of humans and the physical creation. A spiritual being does not have to exercise faith concerning the existence of God but a physical Host does have to exercise faith. By interactive testing each element was taught and tried in their respective duties. Christ exercised faith by laying down a spiritual existence and becoming a human totally dependent upon the will and power of his God for life and resurrection to eternal life.(W.Cox, The Purpose of the Creation and the Sacrifice of Christ (No.160))


    "Have you come here for forgiveness?"

    We note the two reasons why Christ came. We continue from the paper, The Purpose of the Creation and the Sacrifice of Christ (No.160)).

    The first reason was that he was obedient to his God. The second reason was that as the Angel of Jehovah (see the paper The Angel of YHVH (No. 24)) he was the spiritual leader of Israel and that people and the world were totally dependent upon the selfless devotion of another being to redeem them to God. He was the elohim and angel that redeemed Israel (Gen. 48:15-16).
    Genesis 48:15-16 15 And he blessed Joseph, and said, God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac did walk, the God which fed me all my life long unto this day, 16 The Angel which redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads; and let my name be named on them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth. (KJV)
    This elohim was an Angel. He redeemed Israel, both as man and nation. God chose him to do that job, because he was to be their high priest. To lead, we must be willing to lay down our lives for each other. Christ was willing to do that and thus he qualified to become a son of God in power from his resurrection from the dead through the operation of the Holy Spirit (Rom. 1:4).(See paper The Purpose of the Creation and the Sacrifice of Christ (No.160)).
    Christ was sent to save the world, not to condemn it (Jn 12:47). Through Christ, our sins are forgiven (1Jn2:12).

    Acts 5:30-3130 The God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom you murdered by hanging on a tree. 31 Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. (NKJV)


    "Have you come to raise the dead?"

    Christ came to raise and make alive us who were dead through trespasses and sins (Eph 2:1). Christ is the resurrection and the life.
    Jhn 11:25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:

    Satan may also be alluding to the elect and the great multitude. They will be raised in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. The trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and shall be changed (1 Cor 15:52). This is known as the first resurrection. They will appear with him in glory (Col 3:4), transformed into spiritual beings. Those who do not make it into either group, have their place in the second resurrection, after a thousand years has ended.
    Rev 20:4-6 Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their testimony to Jesus and for the word of God, and who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life, and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 5 The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy is he who shares in the first resurrection!
    Christ raised the dead that we might know that he is the Messiah (Mat. 11:4-5). Lazarus was an example of this power (Jn. 11:11).


    "Have you come here to play Jesus to the lepers in your head?"

    Satan literally describes us humans as a disease, not worthy of existence, let alone dying for.
    When we look into what leprosy is, we find something quite interesting. Smith's Bible dictionary. Smith, W. (1997) Nashville: Thomas Nelson) Under leprosy:

    Leprosy as a type of sin.—“Being the worst form of disease, leprosy was fixed upon by God to be the especial type of sin, and the injunctions regarding it had reference to its typical character.” It was (1) hereditary; (2) contagious; (3) ever tending to increase; (4) incurable except by the power of God; (5) a shame and disgrace; (6) rendering one alone in the world; (7) deforming, unclean; (8) “separating the soul from God, producing spiritual death; unfitting it forever for heaven and the company of the holy, and insuring its eternal banishment, as polluted and abominable.”
    When we look at the above definition, we see why Satan uses the word lepers to describe us. Satan clearly sees the human race as the worst form of disease. Satan believes that the human race is a type of sin, a mistake, and an error by God. Satan felt that we (1) weren’t deserving of the inheritance to become sons of God. (2) That we are contagious specie beset with weaknesses. (3) Ever tending to increase. The human creation is able to reproduce thus increasing the family of God. (4) We were beset in trespasses and sin, and incurable except by the power of God. (5) Satan is too ashamed and disgraced to consider us brethren, which Christ is not (Heb 2:11).
    Christ prayed to his God for those that were given to him by his Father, and not those who were of this world (Jn 17:9). Christ came to call and heal us from our spiritual leprosy (Mk 2:17, Lk 9:11) whom His Father draws and gives to him (Jn 6:44).


    "Did l ask too much, more than a lot? You gave me nothing, now it’s all l got".

    Satan once again asks a rhetorical question. Satan sought to make himself equal to the Most High God.
    Isa 14:13 13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: 14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.

    Satan was an anointed guardian or covering cherub as we see from Ezekiel 28:14. He was placed on the mountain of God. He was perfect from the day of his creation until iniquity was found in him (Ezek. 28:15). He was cast out of heaven for the sin of rebellion. This attitude, which seeks to establish a will equal to or superior to God the Father, is idolatry (or witchcraft as stated in 1Sam. 15:23). There is only one destiny for those who forget and turn their backs on God.

    Job 8:13-1913 Such is the fate of all who forget God. The hope of the godless comes to nothing. 14 Everything they count on will collapse. They are leaning on a spiderweb. 15 They cling to their home for security, but it won’t last. They try to hold it fast, but it will not endure. 16 The godless seem so strong, like a lush plant growing in the sunshine, its branches spreading across the garden. 17 Its roots grow down through a pile of rocks to hold it firm. 18 But when it is uprooted, it isn’t even missed! 19 That is the end of its life, and others spring up from the earth to replace it.(NLT)


    "We’re one, but we’re not the same. Well we hurt each other then we do it again".

    At the present moment we are at odds with the fallen host. They are hurting us with their demonic influence. The statement ‘we do it again’ is tied to a future prophesied event. In the book of Revelation, we see Christ will rule for 1000 yrs on this planet when he returns (Rev 5:10). Satan will be bound for those one thousand years.
    Rev 20: 1-3 1 Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain. 2 And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, 3 and threw him into the pit, and shut it and sealed it over him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years were ended. After that he must be loosed for a little while.
    Now after this, just as the line in the song outlines, Satan knows that he is able to hurt the nations once again.
    Rev 20:7-9 7 And when the thousand years are ended, Satan will be loosed from his prison 8 and will come out to deceive the nations which are at the four corners of the earth, that is, Gog and Magog, to gather them for battle; their number is like the sand of the sea. 9 And they marched up over the broad earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city; but fire came down from heaven and consumed them,

    After the 1000 years Satan is allowed to influence the nations of the earth so they march against Jerusalem once more. (See the paper The Resurrection of the Dead No.143)


    "You say, ‘Love is a temple, love the higher Law, love is a temple, love the higher Law’."

    Christ came to reveal the Father (Matt 11:27). That love spoken of is God. When we are baptised into the body of Christ, we partake and are being filled with God’s Holy Spirit as living temples of God (1 Cr 3:16).

    1Cr 6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost [which is] in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?

    Christ taught that we should love the higher law. As we strive in our love for God with our whole being, we come to understand that we are instructed to love God on a higher plain, through a higher law (Mat 5:28). The intent of the higher law is this, that we subjugate every thought and live by every word of God (Matt 4:4, Lk 4:4). If we love the law, then we love God. Christ loved God and inturn His law, who was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin (Heb 4:15). If we do not love and abide by the law, we neither abide in Christ nor God.
    2Jn 1:9 Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.
    You ask me to enter, then me make me crawl. And l can’t be holding on, to what you got, when all you got is hurt.
    Satan was asked to enter into a relationship with the human creation. He was given the rank of Morning Star. (See paper Lucifer: Light Bearer and Morning Star (No. 223)). Yet he chose to disobey God.

    Gen 3:14 The Lord God said to the snake, “Because you did this, a curse will be put on you. You will be cursed as no other animal, tame or wild, will ever be. You will crawl on your stomach, and you will eat dust all the days of your life. (The New Century Version).

    The crawling spoken of here in both instances refers to Satan’s degradation and picturing a lengthened time of prostration. Satan will be reduced to a man, asked to enter again and will prostrate himself before his maker and God.

    Currently, Satan’s mindset resists and fights against the will of God.

    Rom 8:7 Because the carnal mind [is] enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

    This is also reflective of how the devil draws people, (i.e. Tempting Eve to take of the forbidden fruit) into his interest by suggesting to them hard thoughts of God, and false hopes of benefit and advantage by sin.

    Satan, like society today, it does what is right in their own eyes (Judges 17:6). Without the Holy Spirit, a person cannot draw near to God and that only leads to the wanton removal of His law, so all they feel is hurt.

    f. The idea of "eating dust" is the idea of total defeat (Isaiah 65:25; Micah 7:17). God's judgment on Satan is that he will always know defeat. He will always reach for victory, but always fall short of it

    Satan’s idea of overcoming and what is expected of him and what he believes in what he should receive do not match to that of God. His thinking is contrary to God. Satan wants blessings and victory without sacrifice. He does not want to conform to God’s ideals and principles. Satan’s way of thinking is thinking of one self, and one self only.


    "One Love, One Blood, One life, you’ve got to do what you should".

    Satan refers back to what Christ preached. The One True God has through His only begotten Sons sacrifice and blood, forgiven our sins. There isn’t salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved (Acts 4:12).
    The answer to do what we should do is simple.
    Ecc 12:13 13 The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man.


    "One life, with each other, sisters, brothers"
    .
    We and the angelic host are brethren.
    Heb 2:10 10 For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. 11 For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren, 12 Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee.(KJV)

    The measure of a man is seen as equal to that of an angel.
    Rev 21:17 17 Then he measured its wall: one hundred and forty-four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of an angel.

    But we are momentarily made a little lower than the angels.
    Psa 8:5 For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour.
    Hbr 2:9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.
    Christ showed us that if we obey and worship God, and no other, then we can become one with the Father.
    Jn 17:11 11 And now I will no longer be in the world, but they are in the world, while I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one just as we are.
    Christ taught that whoever does the will of his God is seen as his brother, his sister and mother in the figurative sense (Mk 3:35). In the resurrection we will neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like the angels in heaven (Matt 22:30, Mk 12:25).


    "One life, but we’re not the same. We get to carry each other, carry each other, one".

    God allows the spiritual and physical host to co-exist. Out of a bad predicament, God has found a way in which to bring more potential sons of God into being. We get to carry each other, so to speak. The end result being, once Christ has subjugated every rule, all authority and power, he hands it over to the Father, of which he himself is included, thus God becomes all in all.
    Eph 4:4-6 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call, 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of us all, who is above all and through all and in all.
    We can see that there are spiritual messages in most things this world offers. They are disguised somewhat, but once we grasp an understanding of the plan of salvation, the role of Jesus Christ, and who and what God really is, it becomes more apparent.
    There is only One True God, who is Eloah. God chose Jesus Christ from among his companions, to become a sacrifice for all creation. Christ was also given the responsibility to subjugate all things, and then hand it over to his God (Eph 4:6), so that God the Father may be all in all and the creation would finally be one.

  4. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Feb 3rd 2009 !⃝

    This is aobut how the band almost broke up making AB. They have even said so in the "U2 Legends" program. It is not about a gay guy and his father. This was made up due to the drag version of the video. It is also not about Bono's father, even though he appears in the drag video.

  5. tatbrat
    click a star to vote
    Jun 23rd 2008 !⃝

    A relationship between a couple where one is neglected by the other.

  6. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Mar 28th 2008 !⃝

    This song is Bono talking directly to Larry. They were having problems after Rattle N Hum. Larry felt that the band was feeling like a job and that was not why they formed "The U2" originally. Hey had a pact that if any of them wanted out, then the band would break up. No member is to be replaced. Bono wanted to go in a different direction and wanted Larry to go along. Bono was Larry's older brother figure, due to the fact that Bono lost his mother and so did Larry. In a Germany at a recording studio, Bono insults Larry by telling him that he can't deal with change and that's why he has had the same haircut for 20 years. This song has nothing to do with AIDS or divorce or homosexuality. It is the love of two friends. "you ask me to enter, but then you make me crawl" is Bono making the point that Larry hurts him by saying that he is at the end of his rope. He still loves Bono but wants him to remain the same. "you ask me to enter" means exactly that "our friendship is not to change", Larry. But "I don't want to stay in this band with you", Larry. "but then you make me crawl", is Bono saying that the only way you want me close to you is under your terms and conditions.

  7. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Jan 4th 2008 !⃝

    All of you are wrong about this one.
    on VH1's pop up Video of this song, it explains it all.
    U2 had been recording this album, and they had hit an artistic standstill and had a bout of writers block. The band was getting upset with one another, and was almost on the verge of breaking up. Thats when Bono took all of his emotions for the band and the berlin wall and went up to the microphone in the studio and started singing One.

  8. ollie510
    click a star to vote
    Aug 25th 2007 !⃝

    When I was in my early twenties, I listened to Achtung Baby alomost daily. I also did crystal meth almost daily. I suffered from a very bad conscience about my drug use and this album was the soundtrack. Those lines; "have you come here for forgiveness, have you come to raise the dead, have you come hear to play Jesus to leapers in your head" I interpreted as having to do with taking drugs to try to fix my problems (it's really trying to fix a relationship that has fallen apart). Bono said in the Rolling Stone interview that the lines "you say love is a temple. Love the higher law. You ask me to enter then you make me crawl." These lines concern a gay son talking to his father. He was coming out to his father and his father was rejecting him. So the narrator responds "I can't be holding on to what you got when all you've got is hurt." This song is a masterpiece.

  9. anironjosh
    click a star to vote
    Jun 14th 2007 !⃝

    The songs original intention was for homosexuals and their relationships with unaccepting family members. In this case, the original film clip was made in regards to a man who is homosexual, in a way singing this to his father who won't accept him for who he is. That was censored out however, because they didn't want to make an association between AIDS and homosexuality. Bono talked about how also it related back to his relationship with his father also, whom he had a fragmented relatinship with. It wasnt about the edge

  10. josh36236
    click a star to vote
    Dec 27th 2006 !⃝

    This Song Is About The Band Going Through Tense Times After The Recording Of Rattle And Hum

    This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
  11. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Oct 3rd 2006 !⃝

    This song was written about relationships in general, and heavily influenced by edge's divorce and the musical difficulties the band were dealing with while recording achtung baby at hansa studios in berlin. Everybody in the band knew that they needed and wanted a new musical direction, but they weren't quite sure how to achieve it. The had a rough time dealing with each other for awhile, and then one night, this song just sort of happened while the band were playing and bono started ad libbing lyrics.

    It was later adopted by aids activists, which is perfectly all right. But bono did not have a father and a gay son in mind when he started singing that night in hansa.

  12. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Sep 6th 2006 !⃝

    It's about edge and his wife getting a divorce (bono has said that himself) but I'm not gonna deny that there are other meanings... When have u2 ever written a simple song?! I could talk about them forever.

    The verse 'have you come here... Lepers in your head' is about a 'christian', a real 'do-good-er', I woudln't say that's a son talkin to his father about being gay. And bono isn't gay, and his father was not a fake happy clappy christian so neither of those would make sense for this verse.

    I also don't think you can comment on lyrics by u2 unless you know a lot of their stuff really well, so much of htdaab is the resolution of their earliest work.

    And after his divorce, edge went out with the girl featured in the video for with or without you ;)

    last words on this song - don't listen to it after a bad break-up. And certainly don't sing along. You will cry. A lot.

  13. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Aug 13th 2006 !⃝

    Maddox@xmission loves U2, here's you can get his interpretations of the band here: http://www.thebestpageintheuniverse.Net/c.cgi?u=11worst

  14. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Aug 12th 2006 !⃝

    The song is about the band going through a hard and tense time after the recording of rattle and hum. Bono and the edge wanted to change thier musical direction and larry and adam didn't which brought about a massive divide in loyalties and the band almost split. But this song pulled them around. It is bono saying, 'yes, we're two different ideas but we are still one band, always have been, always will. We can work it out.'

    It's a kind of love song sung for themselves.

  15. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Aug 7th 2006 !⃝

    It's a sing to his father... Bono's mother died when he was 14.




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