"Gone" features a "siren" effect from Edge's guitar, complex krautrock style drums from Mullen and a funk-inspired bass line. This track was also considered for release as a single. Flood applied VCS3 spring reverb and ring modulation in a few places, and used it a lot on the basic rhythm track of this song.
The meaning of the song has to do with the inherent personal conflicts of being a rock star. Feelings of guilt, of duality, and emotions associated with becoming extremely wealthy in a short period of time. This is evident in the song's lyrics: "You get to feel so guilty, got so much for so little". Bono has often expressed that he feels that he is "spoiled rotten, and paid too much" and that he'd "do it for free". It is evident that he feels that Michael Hutchence harbored similar feelings, which ultimately led to his apparent suicide.
That song, along with several other tracks from Pop and Zooropa were remixed and either dubbed "The New Mix" or "Mike Hedges Mix" to help fit in with the more instrumentally-conservative songs of All That You Can't Leave Behind.
Edge turns to kick his guitar at the closing of "Gone" on the DVD Elevation 2001: Live from Boston."Gone" was never slated to be released as a single, but the video done for it was simply the 3 Dec '97 show in Mexico City. It was one of a few Pop songs that showed up on the Elevation Tour. It is performed on the Elevation 2001: Live from Boston live video release, most notably as showing Edge smashing his guitar at the end out of frustration. He had felt that the band messed up the song, perhaps the percussion section, as he immediately ran up to Larry's drumset and began yelling at him.
The Edge used a Rickenbacker 330-12 when performing this song live. Bono accompanied on a Gretsch.
Gone
U2 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Got so much for so little
Then you find that feeling just won't go away
You're holding on to every little thing so tightly
Till there's nothing left for you anyway
Goodbye
You can keep this suit of lights
I'll be up with the sun
I'm not coming down, oh
I'm not coming down
You wanted to get somewhere so badly
You had to lose yourself along the way
You change a name but that's okay
It's necessary
And what you leave behind
You don't miss anyway
Goodbye
You can keep this suit of lights
I'll be up with the sun
I'm not coming down
I'm not coming down, oh
I'm not coming down
'Cause I'm already gone
Felt that way all along
Closer to you every day
I didn't want it that much anyway
You're taking steps that make you feel dizzy
Then you get to like the way it feels
You hurt yourself you hurt your lover
Then you discover
What you thought was freedom is just greed
Goodbye
It's emotional
Goodnight
I'll be up with the sun
Are you still holding on
I'm not coming down, oh
I'm not coming down, oh
I'm not coming down
In the song Gone by U2, the lyrics express a sense of guilt and regret as the singer reflects on where their pursuit of success has led them. The singer seems to have gained so much and yet still feels empty, holding onto their material possessions and fame but feeling unfulfilled. The repeated line "I'm not coming down" suggests a resistance to returning to a state of normalcy or a lower state of fame, perhaps fearing that their success may wane if they do. However, the final lines of the song suggest a sense of liberation and acceptance of what has been lost along the way.
The line "You change a name but that's okay, it's necessary" suggests that the singer has reinvented themselves to achieve fame and success, a common tactic among many celebrities. The line "what you thought was freedom is just greed" speaks to the idea that the American Dream and the pursuit of success can lead to a sense of disillusionment and emptiness rather than true fulfillment. The bridge of the song speaks to the idea of taking risks and embracing the unknown, even if it may lead to pain and self-destruction.
Overall, the lyrics of Gone express a sense of internal conflict and regret over the cost of success and the sacrifices it demands. The repeated refrain of "I'm not coming down" suggests a sense of resistance to returning to a state of normalcy or failure yet hints towards the acceptance of the losses that come with fame.
Line by Line Meaning
You gotta feel so guilty
You feel guilty that you got so much for so little, and now that feeling won't go away.
Got so much for so little
You obtained a lot of wealth or success with little effort.
Then you find that feeling just won't go away
Despite having achieved success or wealth, you still feel unfulfilled.
You're holding on to every little thing so tightly
You're holding on to your possessions and success with an iron grip, even though they won't bring you happiness.
Till there's nothing left for you anyway
You keep holding on to these things until you've lost everything, anyway.
Goodbye
Farewell.
You can keep this suit of lights
You can keep the superficial trappings of success that are distracting me from what's truly important.
I'll be up with the sun
I'll be up early, free from the distractions of wealth and success.
I'm not coming down
I'm not going to be distracted or weighed down by my possessions anymore.
You wanted to get somewhere so badly
You were so determined to achieve success that you lost sight of who you are.
You had to lose yourself along the way
In order to achieve success, you had to change and lose yourself.
You change a name but that's okay
Changing your identity to achieve success is acceptable because it was necessary.
It's necessary
Sacrifices were necessary in order to achieve success.
And what you leave behind
You didn't care about what you left behind in your pursuit of success.
You don't miss anyway
You didn't care about what you left behind, so you don't miss it now.
'Cause I'm already gone
You're already gone mentally and emotionally from being consumed with success and the pursuit of wealth.
Felt that way all along
You've felt this way for a while but only now realized it.
Closer to you every day
You are realizing that you are getting closer to what truly matters to you each day.
I didn't want it that much anyway
You realize now that you didn't truly want success and wealth as much as you thought you did.
You're taking steps that make you feel dizzy
You've taken steps that have made you feel disoriented on your pursuit of success.
Then you get to like the way it feels
Despite the negative effects on your life, you start to enjoy the rush of chasing success.
You hurt yourself you hurt your lover
Your pursuit of success has caused harm to yourself and those close to you.
Then you discover
You realize after the fact that the pursuit of material success and wealth has left you unfulfilled.
What you thought was freedom is just greed
You thought wealth and success would bring you freedom, but it was just greed that drove you.
Goodbye
Farewell.
It's emotional
Saying goodbye to your false pursuit of success and materialism is emotional.
Goodnight
Goodnight, the end of the false pursuit of success.
Are you still holding on
Have you let go of materialism yet?
I'm not coming down, oh
I'm still not going to be dragged down by my past material pursuits.
I'm not coming down
I'm not going to be influenced or swayed by the false pursuit of materialism anymore.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, O/B/O DistroKid
Written by: Adam Clayton, David Evans, Laurence Mullen, Paul David Hewson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
A me
on eleven o' clock tick tock
And girls can make children but not like this one...so will just have to walk around with a painted face then...
LMewdowlark
on One
Baby, baby, baby, I know I'm not alone
Ha, ha, ha
Oh, it's not a hill it's a mountain
As you start out the climb
You see, for me, I've been shouting
Let's shout into the darkness, squeeze out sparks of light
You know we're gonna go crazy, you know we'll go crazy
You know we'll go crazy, if we don't go crazy tonight
Oh, slowly
Oh
Hold me slow
Again, these are the wrong lyrics. They are not the lyrics for 'One' but a different song. I pasted the correct lyrics in my other comment.
LMewdowlark
on One
And there's a part of you that wants me to riot
Everybody needs to cry or needs to spit
Every sweet-tooth needs just a little hit
Every beauty needs to go out with an idiot
How can you stand next to the truth and not see it?
Oh, change of heart comes slow
It's not a hill, it's a mountain
As you start out the climb
Do you believe me or are you doubting?
We're gonna make it all the way to the light
But I know I'll go crazy if I don't go crazy tonight
Every generation gets a chance to change the world
Pity the nation that won't listen to you boys and girls
Is the sweetest melody the one we haven't heard?
Is it true that perfect love drives out all fear?
The right to be ridiculous is something I hold dear
Oh, but change of heart comes slow
It's not a hill, it's a mountain
As you start out the climb
You see, for me, I've been shouting
But we're gonna make it all the way to the light
But I know I'll go crazy if I don't go crazy tonight
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 nothing, 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