Beautiful Day
♫ U2 Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

The heart is a bloom
Shoots up through the stony ground
There's no room
No space to rent in this town

You're out of luck
And the reason that you had to care
The traffic is stuck
And you're not moving anywhere

You thought you'd found a friend
To take you out of this place
Someone you could lend a hand
In return for grace

It's a beautiful day
Sky falls, you feel like
It's a beautiful day
Don't let it get away

You're on the road
But you've got no destination
You're in the mud
In the maze of her imagination

You're lovin' this town
Even if that doesn't ring true
You've been all over
And it's been all over you

It's a beautiful day
Don't let it get away
It's a beautiful day

Touch me
Take me to that other place
Teach me
I know I'm not a hopeless case

See the world in green and blue
See China right in front of you
See the canyons broken by cloud
See the tuna fleets clearing the sea out
See the Bedouin fires at night
See the oil fields at first light and
See the bird with a leaf in her mouth
After the flood all the colors came out

It was a beautiful day
Don't let it get away
Beautiful day

Touch me
Take me to that other place
Reach me
I know I'm not a hopeless case

What you don't have you don't need it now
What you don't know you can feel it somehow
What you don't have you don't need it now




Don't need it now
It was a beautiful day

Overall Meaning

The beginning of U2's song "Beautiful Day" starts with a poetic metaphor. The lyrics "The heart is a bloom, shoots up through the stony ground," refer to the resilience of the human spirit even when times are tough. The singer describes a situation where they are stuck in traffic and there seems to be no way out. The song then moves on to the idea of finding a helping hand, however, it is not as easy as it sounds. The lyrics, "You thought you'd found a friend to take you out of this place, someone you could lend a hand in return for grace," imply that sometimes trying to find someone to help you may come at a price or may not lead you anywhere.


The chorus of the song then expands on a more positive note. The lyrics, "It's a beautiful day, don't let it get away," acknowledge that despite the difficulties in life, there is still beauty to be found. The song also touches on the idea that life can be confusing and you may not know where you are heading, but this confusion and uncertainty is all part of the journey. The lyrics, "You're on the road but you've got no destination," convey the message that one must trust the process and enjoy the journey, even though it may not always be clear where it's taking them.


Line by Line Meaning

The heart is a bloom
The human heart is like a flower that's about to bloom or flourish.


Shoots up through the stony ground
Love or hope can sprout out from the hardest or most difficult situations.


There's no room
The city or society has no space or tolerance for new ideas or people.


No space to rent in this town
There's no place to fit in or belong, no acceptance or opportunity.


You're out of luck
You're not fortunate, you're not in a good position or situation.


And the reason that you had to care
You're driven by your emotions or your heart, even when it's painful or challenging.


The traffic is stuck
The flow of life or progress is blocked, you can't move or change.


And you're not moving anywhere
You're stuck in a rut, you can't make any real progress or growth.


You thought you'd found a friend
You believed that someone could help you, support you or understand you.


To take you out of this place
To rescue you from your predicament or loneliness, to improve your life.


Someone you could lend a hand
Someone who you could assist or help when they need it.


In return for grace
With the hope of receiving gratitude or kindness in return.


It's a beautiful day
Today is a good day, full of potential, happiness or possibility.


Sky falls, you feel like
Even when life is challenging or overwhelming, you can still find beauty or hope.


Don't let it get away
Don't miss or waste this opportunity or moment, embrace it fully.


You're on the road
You're following your own path or journey, you're trying to find your way.


But you've got no destination
You're not sure where you're going, what you want or what your purpose is.


You're in the mud
You're stuck in the messiness or unpredictability of life, you're struggling.


In the maze of her imagination
You're caught in a complex, confusing, or impossible situation or relationship.


You're lovin' this town
You have come to appreciate or enjoy the people or the culture of the place where you are.


Even if that doesn't ring true
Even when it's not entirely honest or authentic, you still choose to see the good.


You've been all over
You have experienced many different places or things, you've had a diverse life.


And it's been all over you
Your experiences or memories have left an imprint or impact on you, they have shaped who you are.


Touch me
Reach out and connect with me emotionally, physically, or spiritually.


Take me to that other place
Transcend the ordinary or the mundane, introduce me to something new or extraordinary.


Teach me
Expand my horizons or my knowledge, enlighten me or guide me.


I know I'm not a hopeless case
Even when I feel lost or powerless, I know that I still have potential or agency.


See the world in green and blue
Look at the world from a fresh or vulnerable perspective, with curiosity and wonder.


See China right in front of you
Discover the diversity and richness of different cultures, traditions or people.


See the canyons broken by cloud
Find beauty or inspiration in the natural wonders or phenomena of the world.


See the tuna fleets clearing the sea out
Witness the human impact or influence on the environment, for better or worse.


See the Bedouin fires at night
Observe the customs, lifestyles, or rituals of people different from you.


See the oil fields at first light and
Acknowledge the power, value or danger of the natural resources on which our civilization relies.


See the bird with a leaf in her mouth
Appreciate the simplicity, grace or beauty of creatures or objects in the natural world.


After the flood all the colors came out
Even after a disaster or tragedy, life and hope persevere, the world is full of vibrancy and diversity.


What you don't have you don't need it now
Let go of your unnecessary or unhealthy attachments or desires, focus on what truly matters.


What you don't know you can feel it somehow
Trust your intuition, your heart or your experience, even when you can't explain or articulate it.


Don't need it now
You're free from the burden or the illusion of wanting something that you don't need.




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Paul David Hewson, David Howell Evans, Adam Charles Clayton, Laurence Joseph Mullen

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

LLR Blaylock

Awesome and exceptionally talented musicians. I saw them in concert at the Carter Finley Stadium in N.C. about 10 yrs ago and would love to see them again.

U2 musicians are songpoets and I ❤ the lyrics to all of their songs. 🤗

Andrew Flood

GREAT LYRICS TO BEAUTIFUL DAY UII !!!

Randall Hughes

Let's go, Joe! We win in 2004!!

Der Horst

Mery, i Love You <3

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