PRIDE
B.B. King; U2 Lyrics

The song "Pride" by U2 is an anthem to honor the life and death of Martin Luther King Jr. It emphasizes the immense power of one individual's message and their willingness to sacrifice their life for a cause. The lyrics refer to the extraordinary nature of Martin Luther King Jr's role in the civil rights movement, as well as the violence and betrayal that surrounded his death. The first verse speaks of how one man can come and go, but there are some who come to justify their actions and others who come to overthrow. In this sense, Martin Luther King Jr came to justify the need for civil rights and equality for all people, whereas other individuals came to try and overthrow these principles.

The refrain of the song speaks to the idea that everything that has been done has been done in the name of love - love for the cause, for justice, and for a better future. The lyrics speak to the notion that love is a powerful force that can overcome hate and oppression. This is especially evident in the lines "one man caught on a barbed-wire fence, one man he resist, one man washed on an empty beach, one man betrayed with a kiss," which alludes to the violence and persecution that Martin Luther King Jr faced during his lifetime.

The final verse references the death of Martin Luther King Jr on April 4th, 1968. The phrase "Shot rings out in the Memphis sky" is a reference to the moment he was assassinated at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis. The lines "Free at last, they took your life, they could not take your pride" speak to the idea that although he was murdered, Martin Luther King Jr's message and legacy will always live on, and that he remained steadfast in his commitment to fighting for justice and equality till the very end.