Lyrics for Vertigo as interpreted by Lyra

Vertigo Lyrics
Unos dos tres catorce!

Lights go down, it’s dark
The jungle is your head
Can’t rule your heart
A feeling is 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
I’m at a place called Vertigo
It’s everything I wish I didn’t know
Except you give me something I can feel, feel

The night is full of holes
As bullets rip the sky
Of ink with gold
They twinkle as the
Boys play rock and roll
They know they can’t dance
At least they know

I can’t stand the beats
I’m asking for the cheque
The girl with crimson nails
Has Jesus round her neck
Swinging to the music
Swinging to the music
Oh oh oh oh

Hello hello
I’m at a place called Vertigo
It’s everything I wish I didn’t know
But you give me something I can feel, feel

Check mated
Oh yeah
Hours of fun

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
We’re at a place called Vertigo
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
Yeah yeah yeah yeah

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  • 261 Comments
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timbo.h
01-05-2005

Rated 0 
Wow! horsey!

I think it's easy to criticise Bono coz he's a rock star, like being a rock star makes him automatically an arsehole. As for he should give 80% of his money away - well do you? No exactly - come on!

Anway... this for me is Bono singing about his life in regards to his faith in God. That sometimes with his spiritual life, and anyone's for that matter, he find's himself in a "place called vertigo".

We’re at a place called Vertigo
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

It's about God's love

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Azzie
01-05-2005

Rated 0 
I love destro's take on the whole PI meaning. Whether he's right or wrong, that's a brilliantly creative explanation.

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Schr4nz
01-05-2005

Rated 0 
who cares if he's right or wrong, and timbo.. cmon man, quit trying to save Bono's rep, he lives a life of luxury, I'm saying he can DO THAT for all I care, but the other point I'm making is this: HE CAN'T live so upperclass and then preach "do this and this and this" when he's doing jack shit, and expect people like me to sit around and let it sink in, you can absorb it all and love Bono, but that just proves one thing: you're a moron, he's a fraud, let's just leave it at that...

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FightingLee
01-06-2005

Rated 0 
well, at least you live by your advice Schr4nz. You are an asshole and you don't cover it up all. Congrads

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PaulaSherine21
01-07-2005

Rated 0 
For the people who say this song lacks in depth of meaning? Just because there's more chorus in the song doesn't mean anything. VERTIGO means being in a place where you feel "Dizzy" and being in a "Confused State of Mind." Like a natural high that is felt when your whole world is constantly "Spinning." Watch the video it tells you a lot and read between the lines. It has some religoius and philosophical aspects in the song as well and if you can't read, hear or see that than you need to go back to school.

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PaulaSherine21
01-07-2005

Rated 0 
This song is great if you need a rush

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junners
01-11-2005

Rated 0 
SCHR4NZ: "i honestly don't know how this song is even worthy of my post"

"worthy of your post"? oh, we are sorry your grace! we are extremely sorry that your lordship should even consider not gracing us with his awesome words of wisdom. to think we could have gone without his lordship's power of words. oh your excellency, pray, forgive us of this inability to see nonsense and hope that someday we see the light. we shall henceforth cast stones at that false idol - the name we henecforth dare not speak. we see you are the true god. all hail schr4nz.

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frozen_in_fire
01-11-2005

Rated 0 
i don't really know what i think of this song. it's alright, i guess. but every music channel makes a big deal out of the video - i don't think was that great a video..

by the way, i found junner's "your excellency" comment hilarious...! heh heh

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heartnsoul
01-11-2005

Rated 0 
Hey, im new and i am puertorrican, first of all catorce means fourteen (14) in spanish and yes bono says "UN" instead of "UNO" but it means the same thing, "Un" is for one just as Uno for example "un libro" means "a book" which obviosly is one book. I hope i cleared some doubts. Peace everyone! <333!!!

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McPhisto
01-11-2005

Rated 0 
SCHR4NZ: First, I got to admit, I'm a big U2 fan, so you can't really call my comment very objective, but you have to admit, at least he makes an effort.
He travels the world 'shaking politicians down' (as he calls it) to get their money and uses it to invest in a durable solution for the big debt and aids problems with wich africa is confronted.
It's true, he is a rock star, he makes a LOT of money, but what would it matter if he was to donate all of his money to charity (so he wouldn't be a phoney no more in your eyes)? To solve the debt and aids problems, we'll need a lot more, and at least he tries to make a difference by working towards a long term solution (give a man a fish, and he'll eat for one day, teach a man how to fish, and he'll eat forever).
But hey, that's my two cents...

And about the song... I just love it! These are just 4 guys who've come a long way and are still enjoying every second of the ride and it reflects in their songs. This really is a song that will make you feel good every time you listen to it. And about the lyrics; that's another incredible strong point of U2, they write their lyrics in such a way that everybody feels like it's written just for you, for something you've experienced. True greatness!

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farglenoosinz
01-11-2005

Rated 0 
ya the lyrics are ok but i like the rythm and sound of it a lot. this is kinda random but i think the lead singer sounds and looks like robin williams in some ways.

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Montrose
01-12-2005

Rated 0 
Umm .. Viro...
Bono says a great deal but does very little when it comes to charity. Call me cynical, but I truly believe he does a lot of it for his reputation.

What are you smoking? Firstly, he's a musician, not Mother Theresa, and making comparisons is dumb.
Secondly, the man spent years flying around the world, campaigning to world leaders to pledge more money to the AIDS effort and to relieve poor countries of debt to rich nations. He lived and worked in Africa as an aid worker. He's been on Greenpeace boats intercepting illegal whaling ships. He's an outspoken advocate of Amnesty International. He was one of the founders of the whole Band-Aid thing.
I wouldn't really say the man could do more.
What have you done lately?

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Montrose
01-12-2005

Rated 0 
Oh, and the song is topically about a club filled with people you'd rather not be around, music you'd rather not hear, and a feeling of unease and paranoia. You want out, and latch on the the one image that offers hope - the crucifix swing from around a girl's neck. There's salvation even in the darkest of places and times.

This is the song's analogy to the world today.

It then goes on to talk about the band's place in things - the world of music, the world of politics.
Bullets rip the sky while the boys play rock 'n roll -
they still play, knowing they can't solve all the problems, that they're musicians first.
At least, they know.
Oh, and literally, they're not the best dancers, either.

Then there are the usual Bono-isms:
"Just give me what I want, and no one gets hurt"
People smirked at this one, as he's not the most threatening man around, but the truth is, what Bono wants is for no one to get hurt. All his lobbying and activism points to this statement.

As someone once wrote, this song "gets less and less silly the more you listen to it."

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Viro
01-13-2005

Rated 0 
There are plenty of people who have done far more than Bono charity-wise, are not fabulously wealthy and receive virtually no recognition. You might be interested to know that his personal fortune is almost twice the amount that Live Aid raised in the eighties.

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samkay87
01-14-2005

Rated 0 
"plenty of people who have done far more than Bono charity-wise"

Such as? Actually no don't tell me, I probably won't have heard of any of the. And you say there are "plenty of people" who have done far more then Bono, what does it matter!!? It's all for charity!! It's like you're trying to compete one agaisnt the other.

"you might be interested to know that his personal fortune is almost twice the amount that Live Aid raised in the eighties."

Firstly, no I'm not particuarly interested in that fact and where exactly did you get that infromation from Viro? Hmm Don't tell me you wasted your time browsing round on the net to find and quote that figure.........?

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Montrose
01-14-2005

Rated 0 
viro

Right, there are billionaires whose charitable donations likely far outstrip any dollar amount Bono may have contributed. But even if Bono emptied the sum total of his personal assets, it's just a drop in the bucket, and Bono is doing something bigger than making a donation - he's convincing the world's leaders to take these issues as seriously as he does. Change, you see, only happens when you approach a problems, like the AIDS eipdemic or thrid world poverty in general, from two directions at one. Micro and macro.
On one side, you have to convince individuals to change their outlook and to participate. U2 tries to do this through their music .
On the other side, you have to take a macro view and change the system that currently supports the problem. Most bleeding heart musicians and activists do not understand this last part - they think that by talking to the people who are maintaining these problems - poiliticians, businessment, government officials - that you are selling out.
The truth is, you can only change so much by making donations and singing songs. Bono was brave enough to pair himself with an economist, study the numbers, the poilicies, and laws, and then go about and shaking hands with presidents. In doing so, he managed to get Bush to pledge billions and change policy.
I imagine billions are greater than Bono's personal fortune, and the work he's done will last longer than he will, or his money.
So, criticize all you want - he's done more for the causes he believes in that you ever will. Esp. if all you can think to do is criticize.

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ubersheep
01-14-2005

Rated 0 
Ok let's cut this bitching out, you sound like a pair of schoolgirls.
I'm a music student and there is VERY little music I won't listen to. I'm listening to this track now... and it's very linear and boring! Come to think of it, I can't find much to like about U2 at all! What's so good about U2 to make them stand out? Why do so many people listen to them? Anyone?

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rocksnikki
01-15-2005

Rated 0 
ubersheep -- while i agree that this song is far from the bands best work (the entire album, actually -- check out the maddox review of it some time), I really like their older stuff. To be honest, I can't quite describe what it is that i like so much... maybe i've been taken in by pop culture, who knows. either way, their music is catchy, and they are one of the few rock bands capable of writing lyrics without failing horribly. deny it all you want; bono is actually one of the better writers out there, lyrically speaking. listen to "with or without you" sometime... it's not exactly cutting edge, but it's got a certain element to it that many find moving. enough of my babbling... it's after midnight, and i can hardly think.

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rocksnikki
01-15-2005

Rated 0 
ubersheep -- while i agree that this song is far from the bands best work (the entire album, actually -- check out the maddox review of it some time), I really like their older stuff. To be honest, I can't quite describe what it is that i like so much... maybe i've been taken in by pop culture, who knows. either way, their music is catchy, and they are one of the few rock bands capable of writing lyrics without failing horribly. deny it all you want; bono is actually one of the better writers out there, lyrically speaking. listen to "with or without you" sometime... it's not exactly cutting edge, but it's got a certain element to it that many find moving. enough of my babbling... it's after midnight, and i can hardly think.

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Viro
01-15-2005

Rated 0 
I don't usually find Maddox at all funny, but here's the link to his album review you mentioned:

http://www.thebestpageintheuniverse.net/c.cgi?u=11worst

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Dragon1629
01-15-2005

Rated 0 
Wow, i've never seen a more flaming topic,
1. Yes, U2 is a little cocky about their music when they said it felt sacred, nothing is sacred about a 50 or 40 year old old dad guy dancing and yelling in a music video.
2. I do like this song but It is the only U2 song i have come to life, but i am prepared to suffer the jabs because you people think i am a U2 loving noob
I only like this song
3. To settle the debate, he says "Unos, Dos, Trece, Catorce. Catorce is spanish for fourteen and Trece and thirteen.
4. Stop the fucking arguments, so what if you only like one song by a band, just because you dont like them doesnt mean you have to cuss them out and fucking obliterate their reputations into oblivion... christ

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Desaparecida
01-15-2005

Rated 0 
the first time i heard this song, it totally got on my nerves with the spanish countdown at the beginning. (1, 2, 3, 14 does not make any sense) and that's all i have to say... i used to more or less like u2, but now... not so much...

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tpsully
01-16-2005

Rated 0 
the song is about the temptations of the rock lifestyle including drugs and sex. the last verse pays tribute to the important 'significant other' (bono's wife) who keeps him grounded now that he is mature enough to avoid the temptations.

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mishmeister
01-16-2005

Rated 0 
The lyrics are correct (unos, dos, tres, catorce) check their official website.

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graceofeden2002
01-18-2005

Rated 0 
Don't anyone freak out but I have a question What the hell happened to U2. They used to be great one of my favorite band but they have gotten extremely weird and I can't stand this song!!! What happened to the with or without you days!!

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