what is the U2 song where the streets have no name is about?

Question

whats the meaning of the lirycs

Answer 1

The song is a dual metaphor: it speaks of Africa, and it speaks of the Kingdom of God.

First, the song is about Africa. A few years before the recording of the Joshua Tree, during the Ethiopian famine for which Live Aid was a benefit, Bono and his wife Alison Hewson worked for a month in Ethiopia in a refugee camp run by the Christian relief and development organization World Vision. Africa has had a special place in Bono's heart ever since, as can be seen by his constant campaigning on issues of concern to Africa. There is clearly imagery from this African trip in "Where the Streets Have No Name". This is evidenced by the fact that they were "beaten and blown by the wind, and trampled in dust". In this meaning, "when I go there, I go there with you, it's all I can do" is perhaps addressed to Ali.

The second central meaning is of the Kingdom of God. Spirituality comes through in many of U2's songs, and "Streets" is no different. In the first verse of the song Bono states "I want to tear down the walls that hold me inside." He longs to leave his earthly body. When he states "when I go there, I go there with you, it's all I can do," he is talking to God or Jesus, as well as to his wife. In longing for heaven he states, "I want to feel sunlight on my face, I see the dust clouds disappear without a trace. I want to take shelter from the poison rain where the streets have no name." On the Live in Boston DVD, Bono introduces the song from the more spiritual perspective, intoning to the audience, "What can I give back to God for the blessings he's poured out on me? I'll lift high the cup of salvation - a toast to God!", referencing Psalm 116:12-14 in The Message (Bible) translation.

Answer 2

There is probably more then one meaning of the song, which I'm sure Bono did intentionally.

Here is a quote from Bono about the song that he gave in 1987:
Bono (from Propaganda 5, 1987): "Where the Streets Have No Name is more like the U2 of old than any of the other songs on the LP, because it's a sketch - I was just trying to sketch a location, maybe a spiritual location, maybe a romantic location. I was trying to sketch a feeling. I often feel very claustrophobic in a city, a feeling of wanting to break out of that city and a feeling of wanting to go somewhere where the values of the city and the values of our society don't hold you down. An interesting story that someone told me once is that in Belfast, by what street someone lives on you can tell not only their religion but tell how much money they're making - literally by which side of the road they live on, because the further up the hill the more expensive the houses become. That said something to me, and so I started writing about a place where the streets have no name."

But Bono has also mentioned that the song can also be interpreted about Heaven: It's a place where there are no street names because everything in Heaven will be pointing to God and everything there will be praising God and not focusing on anything else because God will be so great. People have said Bono talks about this time to time before introducing the song, then says a prayer.

Another suggestion is that the song is about the nuclear bomb:
When research on nuclear bombs was conducted during the War, all the street signs were taken down to make any spies the more conspicuous. Belfast is not "high on a desert plain." Los Alamos is. "I want to run, I want to hide... I see the dust cloud disappear Without a trace, I want to take shelter from the poison rain...we're beaten and blown by the wind".... all references to nuclear explosion. "We're still building" is perhaps a reference to still building nuclear weapons. "And when I go there I go there with you, It's all I can do."

Of course, the album is "The Joshua Tree", which is a very desert like area. I'm sure that imagery might also be refered to.

Before this album, Bono visited the refugee camps in Ethiopia, and its been suggested that the song also reflects street after street filled with refugees and no signs anywhere.

Then again, great songwriters find there is even more meaning to their songs then they consciously realized - and I think maybe all of the above are true to a certain extent - but I would think its about Belfast - Ultimately, you decide what the song means to you.

Answer 3

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Answer 4

The song is a dual metaphor: it speaks of Africa, and it speaks of the Kingdom of God.

First, the song is about Africa. A few years before the recording of the Joshua Tree, during the Ethiopian famine for which Live Aid was a benefit, Bono and his wife Alison Hewson worked for a month in Ethiopia in a refugee camp run by the Christian relief and development organization World Vision. Africa has had a special place in Bono's heart ever since, as can be seen by his constant campaigning on issues of concern to Africa. There is clearly imagery from this African trip in "Where the Streets Have No Name". This is evidenced by the fact that they were "beaten and blown by the wind, and trampled in dust". In this meaning, "when I go there, I go there with you, it's all I can do" is perhaps addressed to Ali.

The second central meaning is of the Kingdom of God. Spirituality comes through in many of U2's songs, and "Streets" is no different. In the first verse of the song Bono states "I want to tear down the walls that hold me inside." He longs to leave his earthly body. When he states "when I go there, I go there with you, it's all I can do," he is talking to God or Jesus, as well as to his wife. In longing for heaven he states, "I want to feel sunlight on my face, I see the dust clouds disappear without a trace. I want to take shelter from the poison rain where the streets have no name." On the Live in Boston DVD, Bono introduces the song from the more spiritual perspective, intoning to the audience, "What can I give back to God for the blessings he's poured out on me? I'll lift high the cup of salvation - a toast to God!", referencing Psalm 116:12-14 in The Message (Bible) translation.

Bono himself also reported that the song was inspired by the social situation in Belfast; in a 1987 interview to Propaganda, the official U2 magazine, Bono stated:

"'Where the Streets Have No Name' is more like the U2 of old than any of the other songs on the LP, because it’s a sketch — I was just trying to sketch a location, maybe a spiritual location, maybe a romantic location. I was trying to sketch a feeling. I often feel very claustrophobic in a city, a feeling of wanting to break out of that city and a feeling of wanting to go somewhere where the values of the city and the values of our society don’t hold you down. An interesting story that someone told me once is that in Belfast, by what street someone lives on you can tell not only their religion but tell how much money they're making — literally by which side of the road they live on, because the further up the hill the more expensive the houses become. You can almost tell what the people are earning by the name of the street they live on and what side of that street they live on. That said something to me, and so I started writing about a place where the streets have no name..."

Answer 5

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Answer 6

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Man, I love that song...the whole damn album - The Joshua Tree - was (in my opinion) THE best album of the 1980's!

Answer 7

Perhaps it is about Los Angeles. In the video, they played (illegally) on the roof of an old hotel in downtown LA. At the end of the video, the LAPD shut them down.

Answer 8

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It is in my Top 5 the others I love One Faraway so close With or without you Vertigo

Answer 9

What's up, just wanted to say, I enjoyed this discussion. Very valuable answers

Answer 10

"I want to run where the streets have no name"...it's about Africa and the despair of the people who live in poverty. Also, his limited ability to help, as how he wants to help, and go with GOD.