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Haven't seen you in quite a while
I was down the hold just passing time
Last time we met was a low-lit room
We were as close together as a bride and groom
We ate the food, we drank the wine
Everybody having a good time
Except you
You were talking about the end of the world
I took the money
I spiked your drink
You miss too much these days if you stop to think
You lead me on with those innocent eyes
You know I love the element of surprise
In the garden I was playing the tart
I kissed your lips and broke your heart
You
You were acting like it was the end of the world
Love...love...love...love...love...love...
Love...love...love...love...love...love...
Love...love...love...love...
In my dream I was drowning my sorrows
But my sorrows, they learned to swim
Surrounding me, going down on me
Spilling over the brim
Waves of regret and waves of joy
I reached out for the one I tried to destroy
You, you said you'd wait
'Til the end of the world
I was down the hold just passing time
Last time we met was a low-lit room
We were as close together as a bride and groom
We ate the food, we drank the wine
Everybody having a good time
Except you
You were talking about the end of the world
I took the money
I spiked your drink
You miss too much these days if you stop to think
You lead me on with those innocent eyes
You know I love the element of surprise
In the garden I was playing the tart
I kissed your lips and broke your heart
You
You were acting like it was the end of the world
Love...love...love...love...love...love...
Love...love...love...love...love...love...
Love...love...love...love...
In my dream I was drowning my sorrows
But my sorrows, they learned to swim
Surrounding me, going down on me
Spilling over the brim
Waves of regret and waves of joy
I reached out for the one I tried to destroy
You, you said you'd wait
'Til the end of the world
Lyrics submitted by archmastermind
Track duration: 04:34
"Until the End of the World" as written by Dave Evans Paul Hewson
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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But the song is also talking about us. If Jesus died, as he claimed, for the sins of the world, then each of us bears responsibility for his death. We all say that we respect the man Jesus Christ, but our actions betray our words. Honest hate is better than deceitful respect. When we honor Christ and then act wrongly, we give Him the kiss of betrayal. Those of us who go to church and take the Sacrament can even relate to the first verse, eating and drinking with Christ--then going and selling him out.
Jesus promises that those of us who come to him in repentance--no matter how many times we've betrayed him--will find forgiveness, because that's what he died to win for us. "I reach out to the one I tried to destroy" because all along he was doing it to forgive me.
Basically, it breaks down as a love song from Judas to Jesus, as mentioned, but replete with references to Catholic theology.
The first two lines are a huge clue as to the timing of the song's delivery: "down the hole" is a reference to prison, or in this case, Purgatory. This is Judas upon his release from Purgatory, when he can return to the Presence of God (Jesus) again.
As mentioned, the next bit refers to the last supper, etc. "Tart" is in fact a prostitute/selling reference, which is why the kiss on the lips is morphed from Judas's "betrayal with a kiss."
The "love" guitar solo area is the redemption itself. Judas takes a trip into memory here. His torture in Purgatory seems like a dream now that he is again in God's Presence: he felt sorry for himself, but everything he'd done would not let him go, and he had to suffer to purge his dramatic sins.
Then "waves of regret:" he realized the consequence of his actions and was truly sorry for what he'd done - a reference to the sacrament of Confession before such a thing was implemented. The next line and a half refer to Judas accepting Christ again and returning to Him.
And Christ will wait, no matter how long, for him to do so. Or you or I, if this is to be believed.
Just gorgeous.
Hopefully, Edge's lyrical playing won't get lost in all this talk of Jesus and Judas. Excellent, excellent song.
I like the song because it plays on our fantasy about the characters of the bible (actual people I know) and we can even meditate upon it. M favorite song that relates to times of Jesus is 'Mysterious Ways' this is definitely my second, third? not sure...maybe Grace.
I reached out for the one I tried to destroy
You
You said you'd wait
Till the end of the world
It really expresses how loving and forgiving God/Jesus is; he was willing to forgive the person who tried to destroy him. That's real love.
A few insights maybe you haven't considered on this one.
1) Reference to the bride and groom is clearly a reference to the Church and Christ -- Ephesians, where Paul talks about the Church being the bride for Christ the groom. This makes sense as it was the Last Supper -- the institution of the great sacrament of the Church.
2) You miss too much these days if you stop to think. Judas, was the keeper of the purse according to the Scriptures (he also criticizes the woman who anoints the feet of Jesus as 'wasting money'). Those who are good with money are usually good with numbers -- and 'thinkers'. Judas was obviously a 'bright' guy in the worldly sense. But this 'brightness' is the same thing that kept him from seeing the Kingdom of Heaven. "Unless you become like a child, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven..."
Someone may have said this, but I didn't see it. A tart is a prostitute etymologically. In other words, Judas 'sold out' or 'prostituted' himself.
"You said you'd wait till the end of the world" certainly refers to the final judgment where all the nations of the world will be assembled and the shepherd will separate us as sheep and goats (why are the goats condemned? Because goats don't listen). According the book of Revelation there is a judgment when we die, but then a final judgment at 'the end of the world'.
The Catholic Church has never officially declared that even Judas is necessarily in hell.
"I spiked your drink" -- why spiked? What was the drink? His blood. What is a spike? A nail. He was part of nailing him (the passion). A brillant turn of a phrase by Bono (probably the best one in the song). This was obviously intentionally done.
Peace this day.
Great song.
Brilliant insight! I think about this song all the time and I never even considered that meaning, but as soon as I read your interpretation I am convinced that you are correct. Brilliant.