Lyrical Interpretation?

Question

I've listened and sung along to this song probably hundreds of times. I've always liked it and had an idea of what it meant, but for some reason, today it really spoke to me. Tell me what you think these lyrics mean. (please only serious answers. don't bother with single word answers, I'll get the answer deleted and you won't get credit)
Take these shoes
Click clacking down some dead end street
Take these shoes and make them fit
Take this shirt
Polyester white trash made in nowhere
Take this shirt and make it clean, clean
Take this soul
Stranded in some skin and bones
Take this soul and make it sing, sing

Yahweh, Yahweh
Always pain before a child is born
Yahweh, Yahweh
Still I'm waiting for the dawn

Take these hands
Teach them how to carry
Take these hands, don't make a fist, no
Take this mouth
So quick to criticise
Take this mouth, give it a kiss

Yahweh, Yahweh
Always pain before a child is born
Yahweh, Yahweh
Still I'm waiting for the dawn

Still waiting for the dawn
The sun is coming up
The sun is coming up on the ocean
This love is like a drop in the ocean
This love is like a drop in the ocean

Yahweh, Yahweh
Always pain before a child is born
Yahweh, Yahweh
Why the dark before the dawn

Take this city
A city should be shining on the hill
Take this city if it be your will
What no man can own, no man can take
Take this heart
Take this heart
Take this heart
And make it break

As I stated earlier, this song really spoke to me today. I've always had the same interpretaion as Marjorie's, but today it changed. "Yahweh" is a Hebrew word for "God". I'm not very religious, but I am spiritual. This song mean that with faith in God, the darkness will turn to dawn. If you pray and have faith, pain will be healed, sadness will turn into happieness, and poverty can turn into prosperity.

This is not only an amazing song, but this is a prayer for all of the pain in the world.

Yahweh I love Bono!

Answer 1

Hey, Nickie!

This song has always spoken to me. The key phrases are "Always pain before a child is born" "Still I'm waiting for the dawn" and "Take this heart/and make it break."

I've always felt that the song is about dealing with life's ups and downs. In particular, a child being born is a wonderful, miraculous thing but a mother must endure the pain of the birth in order to experience the joy of being a mother to the child. Basically, the bad things that happen in your life give you that much more appreciation for the good.

I feel like it's a very optimistic, hopeful song. Take everything that life throws at you and it'l be ok. "why the dark before the dawn" implies that you can see the dawn and you know it's coming, so the dark isn't so horrible to live through.

I kind of feel like I'm rambling now, but that's how I've always interpreted it. I think that's one of the biggest reasons I'm such a huge U2 fan. They have such an optimistic view of life.

Answer 2

Sounds like the are giving this woman no rights what so ever and just using her for whatever they want.

Answer 3

no idea what it means. too deep for me. sounds like the person is depressed