Stay
U2 Lyrics


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Green light, Seven Eleven
You stop in for a pack of cigarettes
You don't smoke, don't even want to
Hey now, check your change
Dressed up like a car crash
Your wheels are turning but you're upside down
You say when he hits you, you don't mind
Because when he hurts you, you feel alive
Is that what it is

Red lights, gray morning
You stumble out of a hole in the ground
A vampire or a victim
It depends on who's around
You used to stay in to watch the adverts
You could lip sync to the talk shows

And if you look, you look through me
And when you talk, you talk at me
And when I touch you, you don't feel a thing

If I could stay
Then the night would give you up
Stay and the day would keep its trust
Stay and the night would be enough

Faraway, so close
Up with the static and the radio
With satellite television
You can go anywhere
Miami, New Orleans
London, Belfast and Berlin

And if you listen I can't call
And if you jump, you just might fall
And if you shout, I'll only hear you

If I could stay
Then the night would give you up
Stay then the day would keep its trust
Stay with the demons you drowned
Stay with the spirit I found
Stay and the night would be enough

Three o'clock in the morning
It's quiet and there's no one around
Just the bang and the clatter
As an angel runs to ground

Just the bang
And the clatter




As an angel
Hits the ground

Overall Meaning

The song "Stay" by U2 is a contemplative piece that delves into the complexity of relationships. The song weaves together various narratives that explore the pain and pleasure of love. The first verse describes a person who doesn't smoke but still goes to a convenience store to buy cigarettes. The person is dressed like a car crash and feels alive when hurt by their lover. The second verse talks about a person stumbling out of a grave, looking like a victim or a vampire depending on the observer. The person used to stay in and watch adverts and talk shows but now they're out in the open, exposed. In the refrain, the singer wonders what would happen if they stayed with this person, if the night would be enough.


Line by Line Meaning

Green light, Seven Eleven
You had a chance to start fresh, but you didn't.


You stop in for a pack of cigarettes
You make decisions that don't make any sense.


You don't smoke, don't even want to
You do things even though you don't enjoy them.


Hey now, check your change
You need to start paying attention to what's important.


Dressed up like a car crash
You put on a show for others but you're not really happy.


Your wheels are turning but you're upside down
You're trying to move forward, but you're not getting anywhere.


You say when he hits you, you don't mind
You're willing to put up with pain to feel alive.


Because when he hurts you, you feel alive
You're stuck in a cycle of self-destructive behavior.


Is that what it is
You're questioning what you're doing with your life.


Red lights, gray morning
You're stuck in a rut and need to break free.


You stumble out of a hole in the ground
You're starting to see the light but it's not easy to escape.


A vampire or a victim
You're not sure if you're the problem or the victim.


It depends on who's around
Your perspective changes depending on your surroundings.


You used to stay in to watch the adverts
You used to enjoy the simple things in life.


You could lip sync to the talk shows
You weren't really engaged with the world around you.


And if you look, you look through me
You don't really see the people around you.


And when you talk, you talk at me
You don't really listen to what others have to say.


And when I touch you, you don't feel a thing
You're not really connected to anyone.


If I could stay
If I could be with you and make you happy.


Then the night would give you up
If we could be together, the darkness wouldn't be so scary.


Stay and the day would keep its trust
If we could stay together, the world wouldn't seem so uncertain.


Stay and the night would be enough
If we could be together, we wouldn't need anything else.


Faraway, so close
We're close but it feels like we're a world apart.


Up with the static and the radio
There's too much noise in the world and it's hard to hear what matters.


With satellite television
We can watch the world from a distance but it's not the same as being there.


You can go anywhere
Technology has made it easier to travel, but it doesn't solve our problems.


Miami, New Orleans
There are many places to go, but they all have their own problems.


London, Belfast and Berlin
There are many cities to explore, but we still feel lost.


And if you listen I can't call
I'm trying to reach out to you but it's hard to connect.


And if you jump, you just might fall
You're afraid to take risks because you don't want to get hurt.


And if you shout, I'll only hear you
You're not communicating in a way that I can understand.


Stay with the demons you drowned
Don't forget the things that hurt you in the past so you can avoid them in the future.


Stay with the spirit I found
Stay with me and let me help you find your way.


Stay and the night would be enough
If we could be together, everything else would fall into place.


Three o'clock in the morning
The darkest hour of the night when everything seems hopeless.


It's quiet and there's no one around
The world can be a lonely place.


Just the bang and the clatter
The chaos of the world can be overwhelming.


As an angel runs to ground
Even when things seem hopeless, there is always hope.




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

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

@youngtheotrevino9048

Green light, Seven Eleven
You stop in for a pack of cigarettes
You don't smoke, don't even want to
Hey now, check your change
Dressed up like a car crash
Your wheels are turning but you're upside down
You say when he hits you, you don't mind
Because when he hurts you, you feel alive
Is that what it is
Red lights, gray morning
You stumble out of a hole in the ground
A vampire or a victim
It depends on who's around
You used to stay in to watch the adverts
You could lip sync to the talk shows
And if you look, you look through me
And when you talk, you talk at me
And when I touch you, you don't feel a thing
If I could stay
Then the night would give you up
Stay and the day would keep its trust
Stay and the night would be enough
Faraway, so close
Up with the static and the radio
With satellite television
You can go anywhere
Miami, New Orleans
London, Belfast and Berlin
And if you listen I can't call
And if you jump, you just might fall
And if you shout, I'll only hear you
If I could stay
Then the night would give you up
Stay then the day would keep its trust
Stay with the demons you drowned
Stay with the spirit I found
Stay and the night would be enough
Three o'clock in the morning
It's quiet and there's no one around
Just the bang and the clatter
As an angel runs to ground
Just the bang
And the clatter
As an angel
Hits the ground



All comments from YouTube:

@EmmaginationMiss

One of the most beautiful songs in the World

@niri9451

A rare beauty ❤

@cindycarpenter2407

I agree beautiful Celine sings beautifully any of her songs are beautiful she difficultly awsome

@no2thenwo737

It's hard to believe that this song is 30 years old now. Where did time go? Great song.

@TheWOLF1947

time goes fast

@redskies4530

Hi I recommend a song called 'The Bond Villain' By Robert Nix

@homersimpson7068

One of my faves of U2, heartbreaking, and how I feel sometimes.

@legin3753

bono was 33 wow

@workingZen

Oh damn has it been that long!!! I was still in school with my whole life ahead. Damn it!! Hope life for you has been good 30 years on

7 More Replies...

@maboleth

The ending with Bono falling to the ground, saying "as an angel hits the ground" with a snare drum and crash cymbal hitting together is pure art. One of THE best U2 songs ever.

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