Where I grew up there were no hills at all
The land was flat, the highway straight and wide
My brother and I, we'd drive for hours, like we'd years instead of days
Our faces as pale as the dirty snow

Once I knew there was a love divine
Then came a time I thought it knew me not
Who can forgive forgiveness when forgiveness is not?
Only the land as white as snow

And the water it was icy
As it washed over me
And the moon shined above me
Now this dry ground it bears no fruit at all
Only, under a crescent moon
The road refuses strangers
The land, the seeds we sew
Where might we find a land as white as snow?

As boys we would go hunting in the wood
To sleep, the night shun out the stars
Now the wolves are every passing stranger
Every face we cannot know

For only a heart could be as white as snow
For only a heart could be as white as snow



Lyrics submitted by suede67

Track duration: 04:40

"White as Snow" as written by Adam Clayton, Dave Evans, Paul David Hewson, Larry Mullen, Daniel Roland Lanois, Brian Eno

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

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White As Snow song meanings
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17 Comments

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  • +1
    Song Meaning:I think this song is about terrorism.
    My old teacher (who was a huge U2-fan) told me that poppies often relates to death. I think that the sentence "Only poppies laugh under the crescent moon" means "Only the dead laugh uder the crescent moon".
    The crescent moon is the symbol of Islam.
    "As boys we would go hunting in the woods
    To sleep the night shooting out the stars
    Now the wolves are every passing stranger
    Every face we cannot know" means, in my opinion, that before, we could just live out our lives, and go where we wanted, but now, everyone may be our enemies. "Now the wolves are every passing stranger".

    But that's just my opinion.
    Flag RandomCakeson August 28, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I think the line "only a lamb as white as snow" means that a lamb is the purest being; it harms nothing, hates nothing, and expects nothing.
    Flag Cowbinon December 05, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Sweet little song. Definitely has that acoustic potential. Seems to be about longing for a more accepting world. A place where everyone is welcomed and things are pure. Multiple references to lambs (biblical symbol) being as white as snow.

    Now the wolves are every passing stranger
    Every face we cannot know
    If only a heart could be as white as snow

    Relates to Moment of Surrender on the No Line album with the eyes of the subway looking every other way. In other words, ignoring others and their pain. Everyone’s guilty of this. I ride the T (subway) every day and could care less about the people around me.
    Flag gjack2211on September 19, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:read isaiah 40.
    Flag hawk30on June 17, 2009   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:White as Snow, the title and concept, is taken from Isaiah: 18 'Come, let us talk this over,' says Yahweh. 'Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.
    Flag greskoon May 26, 2009   Link
  • +1
    My Opinion:Speaking of Bono's faith, you'll notice the song has the tune as 'O Come Emmanuel' hymnals
    Flag FinalWishon April 24, 2009   Link
  • -1
    General Comment:That comment about Bono saying it's the thoughts of a soldier dying in Afghanistan is very interesting. In any case, we all have to remember that Bono is Catholic... so to unlock the lyrics to any U2 song, we need to use the Keys of Peter. Here goes: The "Lamb as white as snow" is Jesus Christ. When "the land was flat" and the "highway was straight and wide" life was easy. I think this reflects a care-free youth. But, as we grow older, the roads of life become more difficult. The ways to sin become uncountable, and before we realize it... we have strayed far, far away from the life God had in mind for us. The "dry ground bears no fruit at all". So, how do we get back to the life that God intended for us? We must be washed "white as snow in the blood of the Lamb" (Rev. 7:14) which is the forgiveness that ONLY comes through Jesus Christ. It's not only what Afghanistan needs, it's what the WHOLE WORLD needs!
    Flag RayManon March 17, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:imported death from a land of constant death, pretty amazing imagery bono has presented us with
    Flag malonesnoogieon March 11, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:poppies could be interpreted as meaning of death, but also remember the dying soldier is in afghanistan where the major crop is poppy seeds which everyone knows is the source of herion.
    Flag malonesnoogieon March 11, 2009   Link
  • +2
    General Comment:Anyone else notice that the tune at parts is identical to "O Come O Come Emmanuel?"

    Either way, I'm gonna go out on a limb and say the song has a pretty clear religious meaning... water washing over me... a lamb forgiving... I mean come on Bono's not even being as subtle as he usually is ;)
    Flag OnlyAmbroseon March 04, 2009   Link

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