I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For

This song is about having a beautiful relationship with somebody, putting all your energy into it and convincing yourself that it completes you, only to realise after time that you're still searching for something more. In Bono's case he might be referring to religion but the perfect thing about this song is that it can apply to anything. We've all been there, we've all had relationships where we convince ourselves that we've found everything in this person. Over time though, as the dust settles we realise that while we still love them, there is still something more to life. While you can find happiness in other people, you'll never feel complete if you're not doing what you love.

The whole point of a relationship is mutual growth surrounded by love. This is true of a relationship with Jesus. In the song, Bono is describing the joys and pains of his relationship with Jesus; his lyrics keep coming back to love. "I still haven't found what I'm looking for" —suggests that even if you have found the Good Way, doesn't mean you have all the answers; Christians don't have all the answers. But, Bono, along with many other Christians, is longing for the perfect (refined) relationship with Christ which will only happen upon ascension to heaven, when we are joined with Him in all surpassing love. In a way, this is a David-esk love song to God.

I call this Bono's Ecclesiastes song. I think that it is, simply, a song about the search for intimacy. It's why so many can relate to it. Regatds F_M

The song is truly pushes me to try harder to achieve the things I haven't so far

In Bono’s song, he describes the journey that we humans are on in our quest to find God. Bono realizes that all the earthly desires including the love of another human can never completely fulfill him. All the good and evil pleasures in this world are earthbound and will never fulfill what our spirits desire. Fortunately, God has shown grace on us and as Bono recognizes in his song, God broke the bonds that tie us to this world by his son Jesus Christ who carried the cross of all our shame and released us from that bondage. Those of us who have accepted this gift of grace from God carry His Holy Spirit within us. We are still human though and will not be complete in His image in this world but through our faith will strive to be like Him. We still have not found what we are looking for, and our spirits will not be completely fulfilled until we are in His presence.

a beautiful song! yes. it tells of a man who has experienced a lot. Highs and lows. Loss and regret. Sensual love. Been cold and alone. He is obviously a very religious man. But he still hasn't found what he's looking for. He just keeps looking.

E. A. Poe wrote a poem titled "Eldorado" that spoke of a similar character. A brave knight who searched his whole life looking for the lost city of gold. He never found it. But ran across a ghost/spirit who told him to keep looking, if that was what he was looking for.

Some searches are just the search itself. the search is what you are looking for.

This song is about Bono's search for "something" (personally I think something to make him feel fulfilled) and more broadly, the human experience of wanting more. In the verses, he describes all the ways he's looked for that "something" and avenues he's tried to find it, but consistently returns to the chorus where he feels that none of them have given him "what he's looking for". The "you" he talks about is the intangible, indescribable "something". The rhythm section really does a great job and moving the song along and making it feel like the struggle and search in constant in his life.

In the music video the band is mingling with the crowd and eventually they all end up together, singing the chorus. A little more breakdown below:

Verse 1 - He's experienced nature and traveled the world But he still hasn't found what he's looking for....

Verse 2 - He's looked for it through relationships, and even experienced some profound healing and connections. He's tried to be an angel at times, and even ended up playing the devil when he needed to. Complete opposite ends of the spectrum. But he still hasn't found what he's looking for....

Verse 3 - He's a true believer in religion and has a sincere meaningful relationship with his faith. But he still hasn't found what he's looking for.... But we still haven't found what we're looking for...

I think the religeous aspects are undoubtable, but the song is more universal than that as well. The band played this at a concert in Johannesburg, South Africa shortly after the government regime change. Bono preached to the crowd to continue trying to look past cultural differences in the search for peace and acceptance. He precluded by saying that many of us "[weren't there yet", but but should keep striving. Every now and again I listen to this song from the concert to remind myself to keep an open mind on subjects that may not be as black and white, no pun intended, as they appear.

I haven't listened to this song since December 13, 1990 when it was played at my brother's funeral. He was such a huge fan of U2. On a personal level, the song to me is that I haven't found what I need to fulfill the place left open by him. It really doesn't matter if U2 ment for this song to be about Jesus. It is what I take away from the song sometimes, not what the band put into it.

I always thought "I have kissed honey lips..." was about a woman. I can see how a man searching for an answer can end up looking everywhere: God, the devil, sex, drugs, etc., and still not have a concrete answer. God is the best answer but still ends at faith, not something easily tangible. I thought he was saying he's tried multiple avenues: the 1-in-a-million sexual experience ('honey lips', like in the song when he says she's "even better than the real thing"), maybe the devil(?); but neither really gave him an answer. Christ is the answer he continues to pursue; but he still isn't absolutely sure, he has to rely on his faith ("...but yes, I'm still running."). One of the best lines is "then all the colors will bleed into one". A very Martin Luther King, Jr. line if I've ever heard one. I think a lot of people on sincere spiritual journeys, especially those who always have to question everything (as I imagine Bono is), still have questions about their faith.