One (U2)

Shannon’s Perspective:

“One love, we get to share it
Leaves you, baby, if you don't care for it”

This song has been around for as long as Larry and I have been together, actually longer as it was released exactly “ONE” year (11.19.1991) before we began dating (11.19.1992). Because of that, it has been in our listening rotation the whole time we have been together. This is one of those songs where all the lyrics are just so powerful and full of so much meaning and emotion so it’s hard to pick one. But looking for my lyric choice for today this is the one that jumped out. That’s what we have done over the last 30 years….sharing and caring for this “one” love.

Larry’s Pick: One

Such a great video; such a great album; such a great, great song. If you can find yourself a quiet moment to listen to it and really absorb and hear it, I dare say it is a perfect song.

I'll start with my favorite part of the video which is the visual that immediately pops into my head every time this song starts playing. Since I honed in on it the first time I saw the video, I can't say if it's too subtle to everyone else or not. But I enjoy the powerful message it portrays.

When we get to this part of the video, it focuses on Bono singing - but only the words "You say". The rest of those lines he sits silently, as if listening to his other half stating it.

"You say love is a temple, love a higher law
Love is a temple, love the higher law
You ask me to enter but then you make me crawl
And I can't be holdin' on to what you got
When all you got is hurt

You could literally take your relationship and dissect it with every line of this song and the beautiful thing is is that it doesn't imply who's right or wrong or choose sides. I appreciate that the only thing it implies is that we are all this song somehow - sometimes on the giving end (being an antagonist); sometimes on the receiving end (being a victim).

It's also never a good time when I listen to this song - as it reminds me of the times I have been the antagonist (while playing the victim card) and that's an ugly side to life.

Which leads me to what I consider to be the most important lines of the song:

We get to carry each other, carry each other...


One
U2

Is it getting better?
Or do you feel the same?
Will it make it easier on you now?
You got someone to blame

You say, one love, one life
When it's one need in the night
One love, we get to share it
Leaves you baby if you don't care for it

Did I disappoint you?
Or leave a bad taste in your mouth?
You act like you never had love
And you want me to go without

Well it's too late tonight
To drag the past out into the light
We're one but we're not the same
We get to carry each other, carry each other

One!

Have you come here for forgiveness?
Have you come to raise the dead?
Have you come here to play Jesus?
To the lepers in your head

Did I ask too much? More than a lot
You gave me nothin' now it's all I got
We're one but we're not the same
Well we hurt each other then we do it again

You say love is a temple, love a higher law
Love is a temple, love the higher law
You ask me to enter but then you make me crawl
And I can't be holdin' on to what you got
When all you got is hurt

One love, one blood
One life, you got to do what you should
One life, with each other
Sisters, brothers

One life but we're not the same
We get to carry each other, carry each other

One

One
30th Anniversary
Our Story - Shannon's Perspective
Our Story - Larry's Perspective
Ghost of a Chance (Rush) and why?

Leave a comment