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Grace
She takes the blame
She covers the shame
Removes the stain
It could be her name
Grace
It's a name for a girl
It's also a thought that
Changed the world
And when she walks on the street
You can hear the strings
Grace finds goodness
In everything
Grace
She's got the walk
Not on a ramp or on chalk
She's got the time to talk
She travels outside
Of karma, karma
She travels outside
Of karma
When she goes to work
You can hear the strings
Grace finds beauty
In everything
Grace
She carries a world on her hips
No champagne flute for her lips
No twirls or skips
Between her fingertips
She carries a pearl
In perfect condition
What once was hurt
What once was friction
What left a mark
No longer stings
Because grace makes beauty
Out of ugly things
Grace finds beauty
In everything
Grace finds goodness
In everything
She takes the blame
She covers the shame
Removes the stain
It could be her name
Grace
It's a name for a girl
It's also a thought that
Changed the world
And when she walks on the street
You can hear the strings
Grace finds goodness
In everything
Grace
She's got the walk
Not on a ramp or on chalk
She's got the time to talk
She travels outside
Of karma, karma
She travels outside
Of karma
When she goes to work
You can hear the strings
Grace finds beauty
In everything
Grace
She carries a world on her hips
No champagne flute for her lips
No twirls or skips
Between her fingertips
She carries a pearl
In perfect condition
What once was hurt
What once was friction
What left a mark
No longer stings
Because grace makes beauty
Out of ugly things
Grace finds beauty
In everything
Grace finds goodness
In everything
Lyrics submitted by archmastermind
Track duration: 05:31
"Grace" as written by Dave Evans Adam Clayton
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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But what makes this song really interesting is that "Grace" (the human personification) could actually be a prostitute (in my opinion). For example, there is a part that first says:
"And when she walks on the street
You can hear the strings
Grace finds goodness in everything"
Then, when this part is repeated it becomes:
"When she goes to work
You can hear the strings
Grace finds beauty in everything"
That gives me the idea that she works on the street. Then there is this part:
"What once was hurt, what once was friction
What left a mark no longer stains
Because Grace makes beauty out of ugly things"
That could be referring to not only psychological pain but also physical.
I find very touching the idea that even a woman in such terrible conditions could see the beauty past the pain in her life and absolve the ugly (in a sense, just like the spiritual grace).
"No twirls or skips between her fingertips" in my opinion means that she is not married/in a relationship (she is not twirling and skipping her wedding band -- something that I often see married women do).
What once was hurt, what once was friction
What left a mark no longer stains
Because Grace makes beauty out of ugly things
> "Grace, she takes the blame" (the Messiah on the cross)
> "It's also a thought that changed the world" (God incarnate - the intersection of the infinite w/ the finite)
> "Grace finds goodness in everything" (God passionately loves us. He sees the good in us - as a parent and child)
> "She travels outside of karma, karma" (karma (bad) = you get what you deserve. Grace = you don't get the bad things you deserve. Interesting, considering the sow and reap analogy)
> "Grace, she carries a world on her hips" (she cares for us as if we were her children. Jesus refers to us as the children of God)
> "What left a mark no longer stains" (classic stain of sin)
That is the Christian message. Plain and simple.
I love the idea of “grace over karma” – the idea of “unearned blessings” and the like. It’s so beautiful, and the music puts you in the right frame of mind to appreciate the simplicity of God’s undying love for humanity.
The way the song ends allows the music to continue in your head and look at the world from a whole new perspective; the music fades into the background, becoming a backdrop to your life for a while, but even when you hear another song and that melody takes over, the soft, sweet music of "grace" continues...
"She travels outside of karma" explains it: the concept of karma is "what goes around comes around", or we eventually get what we deserve. But Grace is an "unearned blessing." Grace is the opposite of Karma; Grace means we get more than we deserve. From God, yes, but also from each other. When we respond to thoughtless, unkind acts with kindness and forgiveness, we transform that act into a perfect pearl. It is a gift to all parties involved. That transformation can change the world. It's the real message of love that we are supposed to have for each other. The only Christian commandment: Love your neighbor.
Thank you Bono!
and i actually HAVE heard of the raped woman theory, and it would make some sense in this context, though i'd say that it fits well in the overall picture of what Bono is trying to say "grace" as a thematic concept should be like. a rather fitting illustration to underline the song's emphasis on grace.