Bono noted that the lyrics were influenced by both Cole Porter and Bach, and that the song is about "two lovers holding on to each other and trying to turn their life into worship."Lanois described the song's origins: "We wanted to have something euphoric and Bono came up with that little melody. And he loved that melody, and stuck with it. Almost like a fanfare. And then I was involved in the lyrical process on that, because we wanted to talk about sacrifice that one makes for one's medium or one's art. I thought it had for a setting New York in the 50s; looking out a small bedroom window. Maybe a Charlie Parker kind of figure."
Will.i.am participated in the creation of an as-yet unreleased remix.
Magnificent
U2 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Oh, oh, magnificent
I was born
I was born to be with you
In this space and time
After that and ever after I haven't had a clue
Only to break rhyme
Oh, oh
Only love, only love can leave such a mark
But only love, only love can heal such a scar
I was born
I was born to sing for you
I didn't have a choice but to lift you up
And sing whatever song you wanted me to
I give you back my voice
From the womb my first cry, it was a joyful noise
Oh, oh
Only love, only love can leave such a mark
But only love, only love can heal such a scar
Justified till we die, you and I will magnify, oh-oh
The Magnificent
Magnificent, oh, oh
Only love, only love can leave such a mark
But only love, only love unites our hearts
Justified till we die, you and I will magnify, oh oh
The magnificent
Magnificent
Magnificent
In U2's song "Magnificent," the lyrics speak of love, birth, and the power of music to uplift and heal. The song opens with the notion that the singer was born to be with someone, but after the initial connection, they were unsure what to do next. The song speaks to the power of love and how it can both hurt and heal, with the chorus repeating that only love can leave such a mark and only love can heal such a scar. As the song continues, the singer talks about being born to sing for someone and to lift them up with their voice.
The bridge of the song speaks to the transformative power of love, as the lyrics state that the singer and their partner will magnify, or amplify, each other until death. The word "justified" is also used in the bridge, and it speaks to the idea that their love and actions will be judged and found worthy. Overall, the song seems to be a celebration of the power of love to transform and heal us.
Line by Line Meaning
Magnificent
The singer is in awe of the subject of the song.
Oh, oh, magnificent
The singer continues to express their admiration for the subject.
I was born
The singer is acknowledging their existence.
I was born to be with you
The artist believes that they were destined to be with the subject.
In this space and time
The artist believes that this moment in history was designed for them and the subject to be together.
After that and ever after I haven't had a clue
The singer is unsure what the future holds for them and the subject.
Only to break rhyme
The singer is willing to go against tradition for the sake of their love for the subject.
This foolishness can leave a heart black and blue
The artist acknowledges that love can be painful.
Only love, only love can leave such a mark
The artist is emphasizing the fact that only love can leave such a powerful impact on a person's life.
But only love, only love can heal such a scar
The artist believes that love can also help to alleviate some of the pain it causes.
I was born to sing for you
The singer feels that their purpose in life is to sing for the subject.
I didn't have a choice but to lift you up
The artist feels that they have no other option but to help the subject rise up and flourish.
And sing whatever song you wanted me to
The singer is willing to do whatever it takes to make the subject happy.
I give you back my voice
The singer feels that their voice belongs to the subject.
From the womb my first cry, it was a joyful noise
The singer believes that their existence brought joy to the world.
Justified till we die, you and I will magnify, oh-oh
The artist feels that their love is righteous and will continue to grow until they pass away.
The Magnificent
The artist addresses the subject directly, referring to them as magnificent.
Only love, only love unites our hearts
The singer believes that love is the only thing that can bring people together.
Magnificent, oh, oh
The singer reiterates their admiration for the subject.
Justified till we die, you and I will magnify, oh oh
The artist is confident that their love for the subject will only continue to grow.
The magnificent
The artist once again addresses the subject directly.
Magnificent
The artist ends the song by repeating the title, expressing their awe and love for the subject.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Brian Peter George Eno, Adam Clayton, David Evans, Paul David Hewson, Daniel Roland Lanois, Laurence Mullen Jnr., Dave Evans, Larry Mullen
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@giulionucci8869
Magnificent
Oh, oh, magnificent
I was born, I was born to be with you
In this space and time
After that and ever after
I haven't had a clue
Only to break rhyme
This foolishness
Can leave a heart black and blue, oh, oh
Only love
Only love can leave such a mark
But only love
Only love can heal such a scar
I was born, I was born to sing for you
I didn't have a choice but to lift you up
And sing whatever song you wanted me to
I give you back my voice from the womb
My first cry, it was a joyful noise, oh, oh
Only love
Only love can leave such a mark
But only love
Only love can heal such a scar
Justified 'til we die
You and I will magnify
Oh, oh, oh, magnificent
Magnificent, oh, oh
Only love
Only love can leave such a mark
But only love
Only love unites our hearts
Justified 'til we die
You and I will magnify
Oh, oh, oh, magnificent
Magnificent
@carlagreyling1623
I was born
I was born to be with you
In this space and time
After that and ever after I haven't had a clue
Only to break rhyme
This foolishness can leave a heart black and blue
Oh, oh
Only love, only love can leave such a mark
But only love, only love can heal such a scar
I was born
I was born to sing for you
I didn't have a choice but to lift you up
And sing whatever song you wanted me to
I give you back my voice
From the womb my first cry, it was a joyful noise
Oh, oh
Only love, only love can leave such a mark
But only love, only love can heal such a scar
Justified till we die, you and I will magnify, oh-oh
The Magnificent
Magnificent, oh, oh
Only love, only love can leave such a mark
But only love, only love unites our hearts
Justified till we die, you and I will magnify, oh-oh
The Magnificent
Magnificent
Magnificent
@BabaBest2000
I am from Morocco and have been a U2 fan since the eighties. This song is very special to me. Thank you Bono, Edge, Adam and Larry.
@VaclavFialaprofil
I love Morocco, from where (place in Morocco) are you? I am from Czech republic and I visited Morocco twice.
@lorenzopiccoli3428
Anyone watching in 2024?
@user-zs3zo6yd6g
Yes
@Careless_Badass
Who, doesn't?💛
@marquescarvalho31
🙋🏾♂️
@sinergiaevel
Yo 7/4/2024
@cedricmattera538
Oui moi tt l’es jour
@jsbass5635
Without any doubt, this is one of U2’s best studio recordings. It is quintessential U2. All its ingredients are the things that make U2 great. Machine gun drumming from Larry; Probably one of Adam’s best bass lines; Classic Edge riffs with those ethereal delays; Bono giving it hell on vocals. This is a masterpiece. Deserves to be heard much more widely.
@janet20257
I agree 💯