PRIDE
Bossa Vs. U2 Lyrics
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One man come and go
One man come he to justify
One man to overthrow
In the name of love
What more in the name of love?
In the name of love
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
In the name of love
What more in the name of love?
In the name of love
What more in the name of love?
Early morning, April four
Shot rings out in the Memphis sky
Free at last, they took your life
They could not take your pride
In the name of love
What more in the name of love?
In the name of love
What more in the name of love?
In the name of love
What more in the name of love?
In the name of love
What more in the name of love?
The lyrics to Bossa Vs. U2's song Pride uses powerful and poignant imagery to speak to themes of love, resistance, betrayal, and pride. The repeated line "One man come in the name of love" highlights the idea of individuals embodying love and its many forms. The lyrics then pivot to showcase the ways in which this love is tested, such as in moments of resistance, betrayal, and even death - as seen in the reference to Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination ("Early morning, April four, shot rings out in the Memphis sky").
What makes the lyrics particularly impactful is the way they balance this sense of tragedy and loss with a message of hope and resilience. The final line "They could not take your pride" speaks to the idea that even in the face of immense adversity and violence, individuals can still hold onto their dignity and self-respect.
Overall, the song can be read as a call to action, urging listeners to examine their own relationship to love and to take a stand against injustice and oppression. By showcasing the struggles and triumphs of one man (presumably King), the lyrics invite the listener to think about the ways in which they too can embody love and resist systems of hate and violence.
Line by Line Meaning
One man come in the name of love
A man arrives, claiming to act in the name of love
One man come and go
One man appears and then disappears
One man come he to justify
One man arrives to justify his actions
One man to overthrow
This man aims to overthrow something
In the name of love
All these actions are supposedly done in the name of love
What more in the name of love?
Is there anything more that can be done or justified in the name of love?
One man caught on a barbed-wire fence
A man is caught on a barbed-wire fence
One man he resist
A man resists something, presumably the same situation as in the previous line
One man washed on an empty beach
Another man is washed up on an empty beach
One man betrayed with a kiss
A man is betrayed with a kiss
Early morning, April four
Referring to the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., which occurred in the early morning of April 4th, 1968
Shot rings out in the Memphis sky
MLK was assassinated by a gunshot in Memphis
Free at last, they took your life
Although MLK's life was taken from him, he is now free from the suffering inflicted upon him
They could not take your pride
Although they took his life, they could not take away his pride
In the name of love
Again, these events are supposedly happening in the name of love
What more in the name of love?
Is there anything else that can be done that would be considered justified in the name of love?
In the name of love
Once again, reiterating that all these actions are somehow associated with love
What more in the name of love?
Asks again if there is anything else that can be done in the name of love
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Adam Clayton, Dave Evans, Larry Mullen, Paul David Hewson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind