U2 Christmas - Week 3 - "Where The Streets Have No Name"

In the book "Walk On - The Spirtual Journey of U2" by Steve Stockman, the author explains what it was like growing up in the streets of Dublin for the young members of U2. Now, I'm writing this from memory so it may not be exact, but I think I have the main thrust of his thoughts. In Dublin, at the time, there were few secrets and lots of labels as everyone knew your social status and religious bent based upon the name of the street you lived on.

Anyone who knows history knows of the tension and battles between the Catholics and Protestants of Northern Ireland.

Imagine a songwriter, years later, sitting down to pen words to a song about the longing for a world without prejudice, a world without labels, where equality and peace are the norm and not the exception. Wouldn't it be natural for that songwriter to use as a picture of this longing a place where the streets have no name? Here, the streets have no name, you and me have no labels, and prejudice has disappeared.

When looking at this song through this filter it is not only a beautiful masterpiece musically, but also lyrically.

Speaking of the musicality of the song - if you've never heard it (is that possible?) or, if you haven't heard it in a long time - do you remember the beginning? Twenty years after its release the beginning of this song STILL gives me the chills. The soft and slow pad of chords, then accentuated by The Edge's opening arpeggio on the guitar, then the drums and bass building into the crescendo that leads to the opening verse! Unbelievably beautiful and moving - and the lyrics haven't even kicked in yet.

When they do kick in, the lyrics stop you in your tracks:

I want to run, I want to hide
I want to tear down the walls that hold me inside
I want to reach out and touch the flame
Where the streets have no name

I want to feel sunlight on my face
See that dust cloud disappear without a trace
I want to take shelter from the poison rain
Where the streets have no name

Where the streets have no name
Where the streets have no name
We're still building then burning down love, burning down love
And when I go there, I go there with you
It's all I can do

The city's a flood, and our love turns to rust
We're beaten and blown by the wind, trampled in dust
I'll show you a place high on a desert plain
Where the streets have no name

What is this place? Where is this place? Is it heaven? Is it a future society? Who knows??? What's important to take away from the song is that there is a place - maybe its within our own selves - maybe that is where we need to start - where we no longer need to be beaten and blown by the wind of our own petty prejudices, but have found the high place, the better way, where the streets have no name. Where human dignity, equality, and justice have replaced labels and prejudice. How do you interpret this song? Feel free to comment.

I have embedded a live version of this song. Enjoy! In the beginning of this version Bono quotes from the Book of Psalms - Psalm 116:12-14 - very cool!