I like both vlasak and hpdreamz interpretations of the song. vlasak is a bit more cynnical from the start but I think both are valid for the love affair perspective.
I'd alter vlasak's interpretation in a few ways:
Quote:
Originally posted by vlasak
A little death without mourning
no call, no warning
baby a dangerous idea
it almost makes sense
(There really would be no mourning after 18 years of this. It would be a spontaneous, passion filled act, yes it almost does make sense.)
Took the money, honey
Blindness |
I might just have a more explicit interpretation, but I'd say that here, the abused lover kills the other, a dangerous diea with little warning and no mourning, and then takes the money, but is drowning because she has to live alone with this terrible secret.
I also clearly see the terrorism interpretation. This is similar to Exit in that it could be about an obsessive lover or an obsessive religious fanatic who is willing to resort to terrorism in the name of God. (loving the cause....loving God...)
I was only about 4 when the album was released, so I'm not sure if this was widely known at the time, but I find the "take the money" part especially interesting because a lot of terrorists today (primarily in the middle east, not Ireland, which is booming, though this may have been more true of Ireland in 1991) join not necessarily or not only because they believe in the cause. They also are economically desperate and suicide bombing is a way to get a payoff for their family. In the mean time being part of a cell is something to do.
Quote:
Originally posted by Marien
I listened to Bono explaining this song was about what was happening in Ireland at the time, about terrorism, the blindness the terrorist has to be in, not to realise the enormity he's going to do, also the claustrofobic and loneliness feeling as he can't tell or confide on anyone, and comparing it with some of the feelings a lover can get. He agreed that the song can be interpreted as a love song as a love affair is the metaphore he chose, I remember he even said that "a little death with no mourning, no call, no warning" could be interpreted as the description of an orgasm. I use this song to explain the literature theory that says that every artistic writing has at least 3 levels of meaning. the one the writer intended when he first wrote it, the one the writer finds after he has already written it, and the one the reader interprets, which can coincidice with one of the formers or not, and at this level there can be as many meanings as readers. ( Sorry if this is too long, but I just love the song and I like commenting about it) |
Thanks for this! I really like the literature theory about 3 levels of meaning, this song is perfect for that.
12-13-2007, 07:56 AM
Linear Mode
