Numb
U2 Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Don't move
Don't talk out of time
Don't think
Don't worry
Everything's just fine
Just fine

Don't grab
Don't clutch
Don't hope for too much
Don't breathe
Don't achieve
Or grieve without leave

Don't check
Just balance on the fence
Don't answer
Don't ask
Don't try and make sense

Don't whisper
Don't talk
Don't run if you can walk
Don't cheat, compete
Don't miss the one beat

Don't travel by train
Don't eat
Don't spill
Don't piss in the drain
Don't make a will

Don't fill out any forms
Don't compensate
Don't cower
Don't crawl
Don't come around late
Don't hover at the gate

Don't take it on board
Don't fall on your sword
Just play another chord
If you feel you're getting bored

I feel numb
I feel numb
Too much is not enough
I feel numb

Don't change your brand
Don't listen to the band
Don't gape
Don't ape
Don't change your shape
Have another grape

Too much is not enough
I feel numb
I feel numb

Don't plead
Don't bridle
Don't shackle
Don't grind
Don't curve
Don't swerve
Lie, die, serve
Don't theorize, realize, polarize
Chance, dance,dismiss, apologize

Too much is not enough
I feel numb

Don't spy
Don't lie
Don't try
Imply
Detain
Explain
Start again

I feel numb

Don't triumph
Don't coax
Don't cling
Don't hoax
Don't freak
Peak
Don't leak
Don't speak

I feel numb

Don't project
Don't connect
Protect
Don't expect
Suggest
I feel numb
Don't project
Don't connect
Protect
Don't expect
Suggest
I feel numb

Don't struggle
Don't jerk
Don't collar
Don't work
Don't wish
Don't fish
Don't teach
Don't reach

Too much is not enough

Don't borrow
Don't break
Don't fence
Don't steal
Don't pass
Don't press
Don't try
Don't feel

I feel numb

Don't touch
Don't dive
Don't suffer
Don't rhyme
Don't fantasize
Don't rise
Don't lie
Don't project
Don't connect
Protect
Don't expect
Suggest

Don't project
Don't connect
Protect
Don't expect
Suggest





I feel numb

Overall Meaning

The "Numb" lyrics are meant to express the idea of being fed up with the world. Bono, the lead singer, is offering advice of sorts to someone who is feeling overwhelmed with life. He advises them to stop trying so hard, to stop caring so much about everything. He suggests that the answer to the world's problems is simply to be numb, because then you won't feel anything. The lines "Too much is not enough" and "I feel numb" really drive home the point that he's trying to make - that the only way to cope with the world is to stop caring altogether.


Throughout the song, there are also hints of satire and sarcasm. For example, the line "Don't cheat, compete / Don't miss the one beat" implies that competition and following the rules are pointless exercises. Similarly, the line "Don't try and make sense" suggests that trying to understand the world is a waste of time.


Line by Line Meaning

Don't move
Stay still


Don't talk out of time
Don't speak at the wrong moment


Don't think
Stop thinking


Don't worry
Don't be anxious


Everything's just fine
Everything is alright


Just fine
Simply fine


Don't grab
Don't grab hold of anything


Don't clutch
Don't hold onto anything too tightly


Don't hope for too much
Don't have too many expectations


Don't breathe
Stop breathing


Don't achieve
Don't accomplish anything


Or grieve without leave
Don't mourn without a reason


Don't check
Don't verify


Just balance on the fence
Be neutral


Don't answer
Don't respond


Don't ask
Don't inquire


Don't try and make sense
Don't attempt to understand


Don't whisper
Don't speak quietly


Don't talk
Don't speak


Don't run if you can walk
Don't hurry if you don't need to


Don't cheat, compete
Don't cheat, just compete fairly


Don't miss the one beat
Don't miss the chance


Don't travel by train
Avoid trains


Don't eat
Avoid eating


Don't spill
Don't spill anything


Don't piss in the drain
Don't urinate in the drain


Don't make a will
Don't write a will


Don't fill out any forms
Don't complete any documents


Don't compensate
Don't try to make up for anything


Don't cower
Don't be cowardly


Don't crawl
Don't crawl on the ground


Don't come around late
Don't arrive late


Don't hover at the gate
Don't linger at the gate


Don't take it on board
Don't accept it


Don't fall on your sword
Don't harm yourself


Just play another chord
Try something different


If you feel you're getting bored
If you are feeling bored


I feel numb
I feel emotionless


Too much is not enough
Excess is insufficient


Don't change your brand
Don't alter your image


Don't listen to the band
Don't pay attention to the music


Don't gape
Don't stare with your mouth open


Don't ape
Don't imitate


Don't change your shape
Don't change your appearance


Have another grape
Eat another grape


Don't plead
Don't implore


Don't bridle
Don't be resentful


Don't shackle
Don't restrain


Don't grind
Don't overwork


Don't curve
Don't have a curved shape


Don't swerve
Don't change direction suddenly


Lie, die, serve
Lying, dying, serving


Don't theorize, realize, polarize
Don't come up with theories, realize your potential, polarize others


Chance, dance,dismiss, apologize
Take chances, dance, dismiss things, apologize


Don't spy
Don't surveil


Don't lie
Don't tell untruths


Don't try
Don't attempt


Imply
Suggest


Detain
Hold back


Explain
Provide an explanation


Start again
Begin anew


Don't triumph
Don't succeed gloriously


Don't coax
Don't persuade gently


Don't cling
Don't hold onto tightly


Don't hoax
Don't deceive


Don't freak
Don't behave erratically


Peak
Reach the highest point


Don't leak
Don't divulge secrets


Don't speak
Don't talk


Don't project
Don't make assumptions


Don't connect
Don't establish a connection


Protect
Defend


Don't expect
Don't anticipate


Suggest
Propose


Don't struggle
Don't fight


Don't jerk
Don't move abruptly


Don't collar
Don't take hold of the collar


Don't work
Don't toil


Don't wish
Don't hope


Don't fish
Don't attempt to catch fish


Don't teach
Don't educate


Don't reach
Don't extend arms


Don't borrow
Don't loan


Don't break
Don't shatter


Don't fence
Don't surround with a fence


Don't steal
Don't take that which is not yours


Don't pass
Don't move by


Don't press
Don't apply pressure


Don't try
Don't attempt


Don't feel
Don't experience emotions


Don't touch
Don't come into contact with


Don't dive
Don't jump headfirst


Don't suffer
Don't feel pain


Don't rhyme
Don't have matching sounds


Don't fantasize
Don't daydream


Don't rise
Don't ascend


Don't project
Don't make assumptions


Don't connect
Don't establish a connection


Protect
Defend


Don't expect
Don't anticipate


Suggest
Propose




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Adam Clayton, Dave Evans, Larry Mullen, Paul David Hewson

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@thiagomartins3415

Don't move
Don't talk out of time
Don't think
Don't worry
Everything's just fine
Just fine
Don't grab
Don't clutch
Don't hope for too much
Don't breathe
Don't achieve
Or grieve without leave
Don't check
Just balance on the fence
Don't answer
Don't ask
Don't try and make sense
Don't whisper
Don't talk
Don't run if you can walk
Don't cheat, compete
Don't miss the one beat
Don't travel by train
Don't eat
Don't spill
Don't piss in the drain
Don't make a will
Don't fill out any forms
Don't compensate
Don't cower
Don't crawl
Don't come around late
Don't hover at the gate
Don't take it on board
Don't fall on your sword
Just play another chord
If you feel you're getting bored
Don't change your brand (Gimme what you got)
Don't listen to the band
Don't gape (Gimme what I don't get)
Don't ape
Don't change your shape (Gimme some more)
Have another grape
(Too much is not enough)
(I feel numb)
(Gimme some more)
(A piece of me, baby)
Don't plead
Don't bridle
Don't shackle
Don't grind (Gimme some more)
Don't curve
Don't swerve (I feel numb)
Lie, die, serve (Gimme some more)
Don't theorize, realise, polarise (I feel numb)
Chance, dance, dismiss, apologise (Gimme what you got)
(Gimme what I don't get)
(Gimme what you got)
(Too much is not enough)
Don't spy (I feel numb)
Don't lie
Don't try
Imply
Detain
Explain
Start again (I feel numb)
Don't triumph
Don't coax
Don't cling
Don't hoax
Don't freak
Peak
Don't leak
Don't speak (I feel numb)
Don't project
Don't connect
Protect
Don't expect
Suggest
(I feel numb)
Don't project
Don't connect
Protect
Don't expect
Suggest
(I feel numb)
Don't struggle
Don't jerk
Don't collar
Don't work
Don't wish
Don't fish
Don't teach
Don't reach
(I feel numb)
Don't borrow
Don't break (I feel numb)
Don't fence
Don't steal
Don't pass
Don't press
Don't try
Don't feel
(Gimme some more)
Don't touch
Don't dive
Don't suffer
Don't rhyme
Don't fantasize
Don't rise
Don't lie
(I feel numb)
Don't project
Don't connect
Protect (I feel numb)
Don't expect
Suggest
Don't project
Don't connect
Protect (I feel numb)
Don't expect
Suggest



All comments from YouTube:

@sonyold5457

4:00 that's how 90's girls looked like. God, how I miss them..

@PoppieLand

they were doing selfies then too

@josetijerino5198

THE EDGE: In the "can we take a selfie" business since 1993. Gotta love THE EDGE y'all!

@ESL-O.G.

He's great

@petersmithyy4556

I guess selfies were always there even with disposable cameras LOL

@celieboo

@@petersmithyy4556 exactly. I remember doing them in the 90's with your finger in the picture almost every time. Lol .

@anngulliver5964

​@@celiebooI once took a photo of my eye because I had the camera the wrong way around 😂

@eugeneshadwell6596

I truly believe this is one of the finest music videos ever.

@bholmes00

Oh yeah.

@tiagofreitas66

No doubt about it

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