Man at the door says if I want to stay alive a bit longer
There's a few things I need you to know.
I wasn't gonna buy just anyone's cockatoo
So why would I invite a complete stranger into my home
Would you?
These days are better than that
Every day I have to find the courage
To walk out into the street
With arms out
Got a love you can't defeat
Neither down or out
There's nothing you have that I need
I can breathe
Breathe now
And I'm coming down with some new Asian virus
Ju Ju man, Ju Ju man
Doc says you're fine, or dying
Please
Nine o' nine, St. John Divine, on the line, my pulse is fine
But I'm running down the road like loose electricity
While the band in my head plays a striptease
The forest fire that is fear so deny it
Sing your heart out
The people we meet
Will not be drowned out
There's nothing you have that I need
I can breathe
Breathe now
Yeah, yeah
The songs are in our eyes
Gonna wear them like a crown
Sing your heart out, sing my heart out
I've found grace inside a sound
I found grace, it's all that I found
And I can breathe
Breathe now
Think this is a great song...
Don't know if it is connected, but there is a famous Irish novel, Ulysses by James Joyce, which I believe is about 1 day in the life of the named character Ulysses, the day being 16th June 1904.
Also 16th June is my birthday, but don't think Bono selected date for this reason !!!!!!!1
The date is a reference to the Joyce novel. :)
The date is a reference to the Joyce novel. :)
Awesome solo by The Edge! I think it means that things are comparatively now than before, and Bono's relieved for that? Not sure. Pretty complex lyrics for me.
To me, this song is about being optimistic in a harsh and gloomy world. Walking out in the street singing your heart out, ignoring people who wants to sell you a quick and fake way to the truth (man at the door), avoiding being fearful of the world (a new asian virus) In fact, for Bono, we're born to sing. Despite all the pain and suffering in the world, we gotta keep walking. That's my take on it.
Anyway, suede67 is right, unbelievable solo. Also great chorus.
These lyrics are, to me, an expression of an equal balance of both optimism and interpretation of both the dark and light human experience. There's agreat relief in the acceptance of both the dark and light and a freedom that comes with allowing the whole experience to bring whole learning from our time on this Earth. No more running from the negative (creating even greater negative), always trying to be right and "good". Bono was born to sing... What were each of us born to do... fearlessly "singing" our expression of love mixed in with equal and healthy amounts of...
These lyrics are, to me, an expression of an equal balance of both optimism and interpretation of both the dark and light human experience. There's agreat relief in the acceptance of both the dark and light and a freedom that comes with allowing the whole experience to bring whole learning from our time on this Earth. No more running from the negative (creating even greater negative), always trying to be right and "good". Bono was born to sing... What were each of us born to do... fearlessly "singing" our expression of love mixed in with equal and healthy amounts of "not love" for a wholely balanced human picture.
I think the song is about being optimistic and joyful in the face of a constant barrage of negative media and fear mongering.
"16th of June, nine o' five, door bell rings Man at the door says if I want to stay alive a bit longer There's a few things I need you to know. Three coming from a long line of traveling sales people on my mother's side I wasn't gonna buy just anyone's cockatoo So why would I invite a complete stranger into my home Would you?"
I interpret this as a kind of shot at newscasts. How many times have we heard the teaser for the nightly news with promises such as "how to keep your family safe" and other such things. The media is sure to remind us at every turn how many bad things could potentially happen. Television broadcasters refer to "coming into your home" via television broadcasts. Would you allow a complete stranger to come into your home? Sure, we do it every night when we turn on the news. We're advised by complete strangers in our own home.
"Every day I have to find the courage To walk out into the street"
In the face of all of the dangers that we are told lurk right outside our door, we have to find the courage to walk out into the street anyway.
"And I'm coming down with some new Asian virus Ju Ju man, Ju Ju man Doc says you're fine, or dying Please"
If it's not the people out there who'll be the end of us, it's some new killer disease. Equating the average doctor with a JuJu man lowers the respectability of the doctor, who is either going to tell you that you're fine or dying, nothing in between. Bono even responds with a "Please", as in "give me a break". I think his point is that much of the medical community preys on our fears as well.
"The forest fire that is fear so deny it"
Again, it's all about fear and the culture of fear and stepping out beyond all of that to see that "These days are better than that".
What a great song. Especially in these days of so much uncertainty. I believe that these days truly are better than all of that.
@TomServo11 Very interesting thought!! Anyway my interpretation was much simplier like "even though everything is against you, you can rest a realize the simplier joy of staying well phisically, I think I should read the ulisses of Joyce to maybe find some hidden meanings in the lyrics. At the end, nice call from Bono to the asian virus, even if this has always been a pretty common thing, stay safe!
@TomServo11 Very interesting thought!! Anyway my interpretation was much simplier like "even though everything is against you, you can rest a realize the simplier joy of staying well phisically, I think I should read the ulisses of Joyce to maybe find some hidden meanings in the lyrics. At the end, nice call from Bono to the asian virus, even if this has always been a pretty common thing, stay safe!
Has a nice Dylan vibe in some of the verses.
Theresa1, I'm not even sure if Bono was targeting JW's in particular... but now that you've raised the subject, let's take a look shall we?
The JW's Watchtower Society has been selling GLOOM & DOOM for over a HUNDRED YEARS now. And what's their prophecy record? ZERO PERCENT! They predicted Armageddon would take place in 1914. Didn't happen. Then again in 1925. Didn't happen. In 1938 they said Armageddon was "too close for child bearing". Didn't happen. In 1942 they said Armageddon was "immediately before us". Didn't happen. In 1968 they said Armageddon would happen "with certainty" in 1975. Didn't happen. In 1984, they said there were "many indications" that "the end" would happen before the end of the twentieth century. Didn't happen. So, pray tell, what date are they giving us now? Forget it; I don't need to know... and neither does Bono. (And YOU have the nerve to rant about false prophets?!)
haha! excellent points!
haha! excellent points!
It’s like U2 predicted the COVID Virus
Sixteen of June, Chinese stocks are going up And I'm coming down with some new Asian virus Ju Ju man, Ju Ju man Doc says you're fine, or dying Please
@seswilson yeah and also the last year's blm protests I'd say: "there's nothing you have that I need I can breathe"
@seswilson yeah and also the last year's blm protests I'd say: "there's nothing you have that I need I can breathe"
I think Marquez has hit the nail on the head. This is one of my favorite tracks on the new album. Great job, U2!
Beautiful song, probably my favorite off the album. <3
These lyrics are, to me, an expression of the beauty of an equal balance of both optimism and interpretation of both the dark and light in the human experience. There's a great relief in the acceptance of both the dark and light and a freedom that comes with allowing the whole experience to bring whole learning from our time on this Earth. No more running from the negative (creating even greater negative), always trying to be right and "good". Bono was born to sing... What was each of us born to do... fearlessly "singing" our expression of love mixed in with equal and healthy amounts of "not love" for a wholly balanced human picture?
I was born to be with you, in this space and time... Only love can leave such a mark, but only love can leave such a scare. I was born to sing for you... I didn't have a choice. From the womb... my first cry... it was a joyful one.
You can feel it that Bono sees no separation between himself and anyone alive today...
Magnificent! Truly Magnificent.
This is why they so generously perform and appear publicly. You get the sense that this is a gift... Quite the opposite of a profit-making endeavor.
Only love could leave such a mark.