Iris
U2 (Song of Innocence) Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Has been gone a while
But it’s not an illusion
The ache in my heart
Is so much a part of who I am
Something in your eyes
Took a thousand years to get here
Took a thousand years, a thousand years
Hold me close
Hold me close and don’t let me go
Hold me close
Like I’m someone that you might know
Hold me close
The darkness just lets us see
Who we are
I've got your life inside of me
Iris, Iris
Once we are born
We begin to forget
The very reason we came
But you I’m sure I've met
Long before the night
The stars went out
We’re meeting up again
Hold me close
Hold me close and don’t let me go
Hold me close
Like I’m someone that you might know
Hold me close
The darkness just lets us see
Who we are
I've got your life inside of me
Iris, Iris
The stars are bright
But do they know
The universe is beautiful but cold
You took me by the hand
I thought that I was leading you
But it was you made me your man
Machine, I dream where you are
Iris standing in the hall
She tells me I can do it all
Iris wakes to my nightmares
Don’t fear the world
It isn't there
Iris playing on the Strand
She buries the boy beneath the sand
Iris says that I will be the death of her
It was not me
Iris, Iris
She said free yourself to be yourself
If only you could see yourself
Free yourself to be yourself
If only you could see
The song "Iris" by U2 from their album "Songs of Innocence" is a beautiful tribute to Bono's mother, who passed away when he was just 14 years old. The lyrics of the song reflect Bono's longing for his mother and her significance in shaping who he is today. The star that gives light, which has been gone for a while, may be a metaphor for his mother's death. The line "But it's not an illusion" emphasizes the grief and pain that he still feels even after all these years. The chorus "Hold me close and don't let me go" expresses Bono's desire to hold onto his mother's memory, while the lines "The darkness just lets us see who we are, I've got your life inside of me" illustrates how his mother's memory continues to inspire him and shape his identity.
The song has a unique structure, with multiple parts that seamlessly blend into each other. The first part of the song sets the mood and creates a sense of longing. The second part features a spoken word segment, where Bono talks about the universe and the meaning of life. The final part of the song is a reprise of the chorus, but with an added emphasis on the lyrics "Iris, Iris" as a way of remembering his mother.
Line by Line Meaning
The star that gives us light
Refers to someone who was once a guiding light but is now gone.
Has been gone a while
The person has been gone for some time.
But it’s not an illusion
The person's absence is real.
The ache in my heart
Refers to emotional pain caused by the person's absence.
Is so much a part of who I am
The pain is deeply ingrained within the person's identity.
Something in your eyes
The person's eyes reveal their past and the time it took to get to the present moment.
Took a thousand years to get here
The person has gone through a lot of time and experiences to get to where they are now.
Hold me close
The person yearns for physical and emotional closeness.
Like I’m someone that you might know
The person wants to feel familiar to the other person.
The darkness just lets us see
Difficult times can reveal one's true self.
Who we are
The person wants to connect on a deeper level to understand each other.
I've got your life inside of me
The person has a deep connection to the other person.
Once we are born
Refers to the idea that people forget their purpose in life.
We begin to forget
People start forgetting their true selves at a young age.
The very reason we came
Possible reference to a person's purpose in life.
But you I’m sure I've met
The person feels a strong connection to the other person.
Long before the night
The two people have known each other for a long time.
The stars went out
Could be a metaphor for the difficult times the two have faced.
We’re meeting up again
The two have reunited.
The darkness just lets us see
Difficult times can reveal one's true self.
The universe is beautiful but cold
The universe is vast and beautiful, but can be harsh and unfeeling.
You took me by the hand
The other person took the lead in the relationship.
I thought that I was leading you
The singer thought they were in control, but were not.
But it was you made me your man
The other person helped the artist reach their full potential.
Machine, I dream where you are
Possibly a reference to technology and how it can affect our dreams.
Iris standing in the hall
The person is visualizing Iris in a particular setting.
She tells me I can do it all
Iris is a symbol of encouragement and support.
Iris wakes to my nightmares
The person associates Iris with their fears.
Don’t fear the world
Advice to not let fear control one's life.
It isn't there
The thing one fears is often not real or as scary as it seems.
Iris playing on the Strand
Refers to a specific moment with Iris.
She buries the boy beneath the sand
Could be interpreted as Iris protecting someone.
Iris says that I will be the death of her
Could be interpreted as Iris being afraid of the consequences of their relationship.
It was not me
The artist claims they are not the reason for Iris' fears.
She said free yourself to be yourself
Iris encouraged the singer to be true to themselves.
If only you could see yourself
Iris wanted the artist to have a better understanding of themselves.
Free yourself to be yourself
Reiterating the message to be true to oneself.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ADAM CLAYTON, DAVE EVANS, LARRY MULLEN, PAUL DAVID HEWSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Jose Galarza
Lyrics <3
The star that gives us light
Has been gone a while
But it’s not an illusion
The ache in my heart
Is so much a part of who I am
Something in your eyes
Took a thousand years to get here
Something in your eyes
Took a thousand years, a thousand years
Hold me close
Hold me close and don’t let me go
Hold me close
Like I’m someone that you might know
Hold me close
The darkness just lets us see
Who we are
I've got your life inside of me
Iris, Iris
Once we are born
We begin to forget
The very reason we came
But you I’m sure I've met
Long before the night
The stars went out
We’re meeting up again
Hold me close
Hold me close and don’t let me go
Hold me close
Like I’m someone that you might know
Hold me close
The darkness just lets us see
Who we are
I've got your life inside of me
Iris, Iris
The stars are bright
But do they know
The universe is beautiful but cold
You took me by the hand
I thought that I was leading you
But it was you made me your man
Machine, I dream where you are
Iris standing in the hall
She tells me I can do it all
Iris wakes to my nightmares
Don’t fear the world
It isn't there
Iris playing on the Strand
She buries the boy beneath the sand
Iris says that I will be the death of her
It was not me
Iris, Iris
She said free yourself to be yourself
If only you could see yourself
Free yourself to be yourself
If only you could see
Ethan Gontar
Can we reach a million views?
Juandi
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Vipul Swami
Sure
Barry Nugent
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Lua 444
Official Fan Videos Here we go!
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Jalusa Rúbia Fávero
Todo aniversário de morte da minha mãe eu revisito essa música mais do que já ouço normalmente. Sempre choro de soluçar, tamanha a dor que Bono transmite nessa linda música!!! E é isso mesmo... é uma dor que não se cura. Dêem valor às maezinhas de vcs <3
Skill
Это очевидно
Moh Bou
Hi girl
Ellen Remans
Can hardly believe the beauty of this song combined with these images. Thank you all so much for this when i needed it.