VERTIGO
U_2 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Turn it up loud, captain
Lights go down, it's dark
The jungle is your head, can't rule your heart
A feeling's so much stronger than a thought
Your eyes are wide and though your soul, it can't be bought
Your mind can wander
Hello, hello (hola!)
I'm at a place called Vertigo (dónde está!)
It's everything I wish I didn't know
Except you give me something
I can feel, feel!
The night is full of holes
'Cause bullets rip the sky of ink with gold
They twinkle as the boys play rock and roll
They know that they can't dance, at least they know
I can't stand the beat, I'm asking for the check
Girl with crimson nails has Jesus around her neck
Swinging to the music, swinging to the music (whoa, whoa)
(Whoa, whoa, whoa)
Hello, hello (hola!)
I'm at a place called Vertigo (dónde está!)
It's everything I wish I didn't know
But you give me something
I can feel, feel!
All of this, all of this can be yours
All of this, all of this can be yours
All of this, all of this can be yours
Just give me what I want and no one gets hurt
Hello, hello (hola!)
We're at a place called Vertigo (dónde está!)
Lights go down, and all I know
Is that you give me something
I can feel your love teaching me how
Your love is teaching me how
How to kneel
Kneel!
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
The song ‘Vertigo’ by U2 is about the thrills that one experiences in the face of danger or in a risky situation. As the song begins, the listener is introduced to a dark and enigmatic jungle that represents the mind, which can’t control the heart even in the face of danger. The song goes on to suggest that a feeling of excitement is greater than reasoning, and it cannot be bought, thus leading the mind to wander. The chorus, comprised mainly of a greeting in different languages, suggests how the experience of Vertigo is universal and understood by all cultures. The night is full of holes due to the sound of bullets that rip the sky of ink with gold. The boys who play rock and roll understand that they can’t dance, but still, they twinkle as they play, while the girl with crimson nails has Jesus around her neck, and she swings to the music.
The lyrics of ‘Vertigo’ are indicative of the theme of the song - the rush of adrenaline caused by risk-taking or dangerous activities, such as rock and roll. The chorus repeats the song’s main message, that the experience of Vertigo is something that can be felt universally. The lyrics also suggest that the exploration of the unknown and the experience of life’s most thrilling moments are what make life worth living. Additionally, the song’s title 'Vertigo’ refers to the sensation of feeling dizzy or unbalanced, which is analogous to the feeling of participating in the aforementioned risky activities.
Line by Line Meaning
Uno, dos, tres, catorce
Counting in Spanish and then four extra, emphasizing the energy of the song
Lights go down, it's dark
The lights are dimming, setting the tone for the upcoming talk about the feeling of vertigo
The jungle is your head, can't rule your heart
Your thoughts are wild and uncontrollable, but your emotions take precedence
A feeling's so much stronger than a thought
Emotions overpower rational thinking and can induce vertigo
Your eyes are wide and though your soul, it can't be bought
Your eyes are open wide, reflecting the confusion in your soul, which cannot be consoled with material possessions
Your mind can wander
Uncontrolled thoughts can take over, contributing to vertigo
Hello, hello (hola!)
Addressing someone in greeting in both English and Spanish for added emphasis and energy
I'm at a place called Vertigo (dónde está!)
Acknowledging that you are feeling disoriented and entranced by a mental state called vertigo
It's everything I wish I didn't know
Describing how you are feeling and indicating that if you had known beforehand, you would have avoided it
Except you give me something I can feel, feel!
Regardless of everything you're feeling, you're grateful for the powerful sensation vertigo gives you
The night is full of holes
Referencing the dark sky riddled with bullet holes
'Cause bullets rip the sky of ink with gold
Describing bullets tearing through the darkness of the sky, illuminating it with a golden hue
They twinkle as the boys play rock and roll
The twinkling bullet holes add an aura of celebration as the boys play rock and roll music
They know that they can't dance, at least they know
Even though the boys aren't great dancers, they have enough self-awareness to know so and enjoy themselves nonetheless
I can't stand the beat, I'm asking for the check
Despite the boys' enjoyment of the music, you can't stand the beat and are ready to leave
Girl with crimson nails has Jesus around her neck
Observing a girl with red nail polish and a crucifix necklace
Swinging to the music, swinging to the music (whoa, whoa)
The girl is dancing along to the music, and the whoa's add to the energetic vibe
All of this, all of this can be yours
Everything you see, including your mind and vertigo, can all be possessed
Just give me what I want and no one gets hurt
Providing a warning; if you get what you want, there will be no consequences
Lights go down, and all I know
The lights are lowered again, calming the energy but increasing the weight of the vertigo
Is that you give me something I can feel your love teaching me how
No matter what, the love you feel and share with this person is teaching you how to love even in uncertain and tumultuous times
Your love is teaching me how
Reiterating that the love you are experiencing is providing you with virtuous lessons
How to kneel
Wrapping up the song by acknowledging the spiritual side of the experience and giving in to the vertigo
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
The yeah's add to the upbeat and celebratory mood of the song
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: RAY EVANS, JAY LIVINGSTON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
cristian lauga
Lirycs
The sea, it swells like a sore head
And the night, it is aching
Two lovers lie with no sheets on their bed
And the day, it is breaking
On rainy days we go swimming out
On rainy days swimming in the sound
On rainy days we go swimming out
You're in my mind all of the time
I know that's not enough
If the sky can crack there must be some way back
For love and only love
Car alarm won't let you back to sleep
You're kept awake dreaming someone else's dream
Coffee is cold, but it'll get you through
Compromise, that's nothing new to you
Let's see colors that have never been seen
Let's go to places no one else has been
You're in my mind all of the time
I know that's not enough
But if the sky can crack there must be some way back
To love and only love
Electrical storm
Electrical storm
Electrical storm
Baby, don't cry
It's hot as hell, honey, in this room
Sure hope the weather will break soon
The air is heavy, heavy as a truck
We need the rain to wash away our bad luck
Well, if the sky can crack, there must be some way back
For love and only love
Electrical storm
Electrical storm
Electrical storm
Baby don't cry
Baby don't cry
Baby don't cry
Baby don't cry
Camila
Lyrics:
The sea, it swells like a sore head
And the night, it is aching
Two lovers lie with no sheets on their bed
And the day, it is breaking
On rainy days we go swimming out
On rainy days swimming in the sound
On rainy days we go swimming out
You're in my mind all of the time
I know that's not enough
If the sky can crack there must be some way back
For love and only love
Car alarm won't let you back to sleep
You're kept awake dreaming someone else's dream
Coffee is cold, but it'll get you through
Compromise, that's nothing new to you
Let's see colors that have never been seen
Let's go to places no one else has been
You're in my mind all of the time
I know that's not enough
But if the sky can crack there must be some way back
To love and only love
Electrical storm
Electrical storm
Electrical storm
Baby, don't cry
It's hot as hell, honey, in this room
Sure hope the weather will break soon
The air is heavy, heavy as a truck
We need the rain to wash away our bad luck
Well, if the sky can crack, there must be some way back
For love and only love
Electrical storm
Electrical storm
Electrical storm
Baby don't cry
Baby don't cry
Baby don't cry
Baby don't cry
cristian lauga
Lirycs
The sea, it swells like a sore head
And the night, it is aching
Two lovers lie with no sheets on their bed
And the day, it is breaking
On rainy days we go swimming out
On rainy days swimming in the sound
On rainy days we go swimming out
You're in my mind all of the time
I know that's not enough
If the sky can crack there must be some way back
For love and only love
Car alarm won't let you back to sleep
You're kept awake dreaming someone else's dream
Coffee is cold, but it'll get you through
Compromise, that's nothing new to you
Let's see colors that have never been seen
Let's go to places no one else has been
You're in my mind all of the time
I know that's not enough
But if the sky can crack there must be some way back
To love and only love
Electrical storm
Electrical storm
Electrical storm
Baby, don't cry
It's hot as hell, honey, in this room
Sure hope the weather will break soon
The air is heavy, heavy as a truck
We need the rain to wash away our bad luck
Well, if the sky can crack, there must be some way back
For love and only love
Electrical storm
Electrical storm
Electrical storm
Baby don't cry
Baby don't cry
Baby don't cry
Baby don't cry
Liezl-Mari van Rensburg
☝ 🍃🐣🐣🍃
⚡🙌💛💛🙌 ⚡
Michela Bianchi
S
Captain Turrican
This is pure poetry
Alejandro Klimt
Que buena versión! No se porque en Spotify no se puede escuchar bien esta original versión y solo esta el de "orbit mix"🙄
pukeka haka kiwita.
Preciosa, divina masterpiece, muchas gracias, thanks for this.
Ana Castañeda Vázquez
This is one of the best songs from U2 and one of the best I have ever heard. Everything is so beautifully emotional, the boys are really outdoing themselves. It is so sad that it had only made few, few concerts and it has all the power to bring the audience's voice to the rooftops. I really hope that this song could take a new take off in coming years. . Besides, this is the song that I dedicate to my lost baby. 12k visits to this master are not enough, nor the comments.
Pablo Ariel
Aprendan lo que era buena música jovenes ......aun tienen tiempo de salvarse!!
Diogo Gevaerd
Uma das músicas mais top dessa apaixonante banda Irlandesa! Relembrar é viver! 13/08/20. 🇧🇷
rafismusic
U2 has lots of great songs, but this is by far my biggest fave. Marvelous, full of feelings, superb, beautiful.