U2 – Love Rescue Me

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  General Comment:I think, from the tone of the lyrics in general, that the part about the rod and staff no longer comfort me is not about turning away from religion, but turning against those who use it to justify violence and oppression.

  Flag Jaronon January 20, 2011   Link

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  General Comment:Like the prodigal son, the lyric confesses lost faith in "I have cursed thy rod and staff, they no longer comfort me" referring to Psalm 23. It's common for young Christians to grow up, lose their way, and return to faith later in life. I believe this is true of this writer. Jesus speaks to this in the gospel.
  
  But the writer also abandons his "name". Like the prodigal son, he's turned his back on his family. Times are tough.
  
  Without faith and family, the writer is on his own and turns to "love". He places his hope in the love in his heart and sets his sights to a "new world".
  
  The guy is heading into the wild with only his wits. Tough times.
  
  Great lyric that many can relate to on some level.

  Flag jerelcanon February 07, 2008   Link

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  General Comment:I agree with the interpretation about faith lost, and re-found. I believe Bono tends to use the word "love" as "Love" in the Biblical sense -- God's love for humanity -- throughout Rattle and Hum.
  
  Love Rescue Me links back to this song...
  
  I was a sailor, I was lost at sea
  I was under the waves before love rescued me
  
  -Pie

  Flag EatingPieon January 19, 2008   Link

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  General Comment:I don't think it's him turning from Christianity, but rather a faith that is stale and dead. He's turning to something real, something that changes lives. The scriptural reference is a verse that is often quoted by those going through trials, somewhat of a trite, empty comforter. When in trials all someone is really looking for is love. I found an interesting verse...
  
  Philippians 2:1 - "Your life in Christ makes you strong, and his love comforts you. You have fellowship with the Spirit, and you have kindness and compassion for one another."

  Flag mitsukai_zeroon December 04, 2007   Link

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  General Comment:This song does seem like a song in which Bono questions his faith, he clearly didn't lose it for long. Just listen to the song Grace on All That You Can't Leave Behind or read some of his recent interviews about the subject.

  Flag manyloston September 07, 2007   Link

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  General Comment:this song for me is a man lost in love not knowing how to work it all out...the following verse is very strong...
  
  Many strangers have I met
  On the road to my regret
  Many lost who seek to find themselves in me
  They ask me to reveal
  The very thoughts they would conceal
  Love rescue me
  
  
  that is so true in life..its always about finding out about others and what they do wrong in love but who stops to think..what did they do right in love?...maybe love has rescused them but they cant see?

  Flag jcaimbeulon August 22, 2007   Link

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  General Comment:Thomas Hood [paraphrased]
  
  My temples throb
  My pulses boil
  I’m sick of song and ode and ballad
  So Mistral, take your midnight oil
  And pour it on some lobster salad
  
  My brain feels dull
  My sight feels foul
  I cannot write a verse, I said
  So Pallas, take away your owl
  And let us have a lark instead

  Flag sillybunnyon September 07, 2006   Link

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  General Comment:Love the intro of this song, the harmonica is very soothing. I have a life version of Love rescue me, with a gospel choire in it (unfortunatly without the harmonica) which is really nice. That version sounds very religious to me. So I always thought it was about the love of God, saving him from his dark side.

  Flag Anne Marieon February 10, 2006   Link

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  General Comment:To me i see this song as Bono turnign away from God or at least Christianity, kind of a losing faith.
  My major reasion for thinking that is the miss quote of Ps 23:4 Ps 23:4
  Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
  I will fear no evil;
  For You are with me;
  Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
  NKJV
  
  And Bono sings:
  "Yea, though I walk
  In the valley of the shadow
  Yea, I will fear no evil
  I have cursed thy rod and staff
  They no longer comfort me"
  
  That seems pretty clear to me.
  
  It is only fitting that he sings it with Dylan (who has rumored to have done very little toward 'co writing' this song), seem Dylan also went throug a stage of writting 'Christian' songs then turnd away from it.
  
  From this alburm on almost all of Bono's refrences to God or the bible are in a sort of sarcastic or at least questioning way.
  For example take 'Staring at the sun' - "God is great but will he listen' or from 'If God would send his angles' - "God has got his phone off the hook baby, would he even pick up if he could".
  From 'Acrobat' - "I would break bread and wine if there was a church i could recieve in"
  And from 'For the first time' - "My father is a rich man
  He wears a rich man's cloak
  Gave me the key to his kingdom coming
  Gave me a cup of gold
  He said: I have many mansions
  And there are many rooms to see
  But I left by the back door
  And I threw away the key"
  Which is a clear refrence to God and is a quote from the Bible. In this song the character is offerd a place in heaven (for want of a better way to discribe it) but he rejects as he 'left by they back door and threw away the key'
  
  There are many other examples but i think people are board with it by now lol
  
  Cheers,
  
  UCC

  Flag Uncle Chop Chopon November 23, 2004   Link

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    It's more a rejection of the Old Testament concept of God as a vengeful, petty patriarch, in favor of a redemptive, forgiving being - "the ruins to the right of me, will soon have lost sight of me".

    Flag Jaronon January 01, 2011  
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  General Comment:wants love to rescue him..love being God??

  Flag firthelementon October 11, 2004   Link

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