There is a house in New Orleans
They call the risin' sun
It's been the ruin of many a poor boy
And, God, I know I'm one

I cried to my daddy on the telephone
How long now?
Until the clouds unroll and you come down
The line went
But the shadows still remain since your descent, your descent

I cried to my daddy on the telephone
How long now?
Until the clouds unroll and you come home
The line went
But the shadows still remain since your descent, your descent

Lo-cha-hey!

The saints are coming
The saints are coming
I say no matter how I try
I realize there's no reply
The saints are coming
The saints are coming
I say no matter how I try
I realize there's no reply

A drowning sorrow floods the deepest grief
How long now?
Until the weather change condemns belief
How long now?
When the night watchman lets in the thief
What's wrong now?

Boom! Cha! Hey!

The saints are coming
The saints are coming
I say no matter how I try
I realize there's no reply
The saints are coming
The saints are coming
I say no matter how I try
I realize there's no reply
I say no matter how I try
I realize there's no reply
I say no matter how I try
I realize there's no reply



Lyrics submitted by Dr. D

Track duration: 03:22

"The Saints Are Coming" as written by Stuart/jobson Adamson

Lyrics © EMI Music Publishing

Lyrics powered by LyricFind


The Saints Are Coming song meanings
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  • 0
    Song Meaning:Isn't the song really about the New Orleans Saints coming back home after being on the road? I mean they mention the "Superdome" and they say "the saint's are coming" so its about the New Orleans Saints the best football team around...
    Flag GreenDay19911992199419951997on August 24, 2011   Link
  • 0
    My Interpretation:I wrote in response: Rain King, u and Freeway have it right. Below are the promised relevant Bible verses. They deal with atmospheric disturbances, the earth and weather shocks, and the image of the “thief in the night” (which has now passed into common speech); not all of them come from the book of Revelation. Attribution: Hearty thanks to benabraham dot com!

    His Coming Will Be Literal!
    According to heavenly angels, how will Christ return to this earth?
    "And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they (the disciples) looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel. Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven". Acts 1:9-11

    His Coming Will Be Visible!
    Everyone living at the time of Jesus' return will see Him coming:
    "Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen". Revelation 1:7
    "And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?" Revelation 6:15-17

    His Coming Will Be Audible!
    What triumphal sounds shake the earth as Jesus comes?
    "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first". 1.Thessalomans 4:16
    How does Peter describe the deafening sound of that momentous day when Jesus returns?
    "But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up". 2.Peter 3:10
    As to the climatic disturbances that are to precede the Second Coming:
    "There was a great earthquake... And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places". Revelation 6:12,14
    His Coming Will Be Glorious!
    To what can we compare the glory and brightness of Christ's coming?
    "For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be". Matthew 24:27
    Whose glory will add to the splendor of Christ at His Second Coming?
    "For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father's and of the holy angels". Luke 9:26
    A Warning of Counterfeit Christs!
    What specific warning did Jesus give so His followers would not be deceived?
    "Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not. For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be". Matthew 24:26,27
    "For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect". Matthew 24:24

    His Coming Will Be Unexpected!
    Who only knows the day and hour of the Second Coming of Jesus?
    "But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only". Matthew 24:36

    Why should we be always ready for Jesus' return?
    "Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh". Matthew 24:44
    "And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch ye therefore, and pray always". Luke 21:34-36

    Thought Promises:
    "Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure". 1.John 3:2,3
    "And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the Lord; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation". Isaiah 25:9
    Flag HelloStarshineon May 06, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:*facepalm*
    does it matter?
    Flag mothtoaflameon September 13, 2009   Link
  • -1
    General Comment:I got a little bit to say before I give my interpretation. Guys this is songMEANINGS not songRATINGS who gives a damn at the end whether you as Mr. or Mrs Anonymous agrees with the others about who is better. Why not put the energy you use in arguing about the greatness of the singers into discovering the meaning of the song?

    Anyways I digress. This song I think is about the end times. Now I know loads of people get their backs up when they see someone suggest a Christian meaning to a song, but Bono is Christian...

    "I cried to my Daddy on the telephone" - many Christians refer to prayer as the 'Hallelujah Telephone'

    "How long now till the clouds unroll and you come down" - Christ's Second Coming will, according to the Bible, be descending in a cloud.

    "But the shadow still remained since your descent" - Since Christ's first arrival on Earth, evil still exists. Only at his second coming will evil be defeated forever. This theme occurs in many U2 songs.

    "the saints are coming" - At Christs return, His followers or Saints will come back too. This may suggest that Bono is expecting the dead Saints to come back soon.

    A Bible prophecy states that weather and season change is a sign of Christ's return, but the people will not believe it.

    Also in the Bible Jesus tells a parable of the watchman and the thief...

    In essence Bono is praying to God asking when He will come again to make the world right, but he knows in his heart God will not tell him when Jesus will come again, but he is sure that Jesus and the Saints ARE coming eventually and is waiting for them.
    Flag rain_kingon October 11, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:almost, Duveroux. It's the Superdome, not the Silverdome.

    Go Saints.

    Drew Brees & Reggie Bush are a better duo than U2 & Green Day.
    Flag pikespiceon January 02, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:It is originally about the Scottish writer Richard Jobson's friend who was a brave British soldier serving in Northern Ireland who was murdered by the IRA terrorist organisation. Sorry to put a dampener on the situation.... For you Americans out there who might not know a lot about it, the IRA are the UK's Al Qaeda - they are responsible for the murder/torture of a lot of young British soldiers and Northern Irish Police Officers. This happened from the late 1960's to 2000's.
    Flag Fungus123on December 05, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Love U2, Love Green Day, hate this song.
    Flag bonogrlon August 24, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:In the Katrina version of this song, 'Rising Sun' is replaced by 'The Silverdome'
    Flag Duverouxon July 06, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Thnks BonoIsGodd for the correct lyrics. I still wonder whether "Ho, Cha, Hey" is actually "Ho, Child, Hey" and the line "what's wrong now" makes me think it is probably "Child"

    There's a theme to Hurricane Katrina as well as both singers loss of their fathers in it, but surprisingly I think everyone is missing the greater meaning behind the lyrics, which are deeply rooted in Christian theology.

    "how long now Until a weather change condemns belief" - a reference to the tribulation period where "weather" and other miricles kill many of the unbelievers/belief in other than Christ.

    "how long now When the nightwatchman lets in the thief" The "thief" is a reference to the "thief in the night" analagy Jesus gave about his return at an unexpected time.

    "Until the clouds unroll and you come down/home" The clouds are a reference to Christ's return, and "you come home/down" is a reference to the ressurection of souls.

    Overall, the song is about The End Times, the return of Christ on His cloud with his legion of angels, and the ressurrection of the souls (The Saints are Comming)

    Whether I'm right or wrong, I love the music and mood of this song alot.
    Flag freewayon June 24, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Can u guys quite fighting about which band is better! This is a song meaning website.. Here we decipher the lyrics and meanings of songs not fight about which band is better! ENOUGH SAID ABOUT THAT! Thankyou

    Obviously yes this song is about the victims of hurricane Katrina.
    Flagged squeak043on June 11, 2007   Link

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