I want to run, I want to hide
I wanna tear down the walls that hold me inside
I wanna reach out and touch the flame
Where the streets have no name, ha, ha, ha

I wanna feel sunlight on my face
I see that dust cloud disappear without a trace
I wanna take shelter from the poison rain
Where the streets have no name, oh, oh

Where the streets have no name
Where the streets have no name
We're still building then burning down love
Burning down love
And when I go there, I go there with you
It's all I can do

The city's a flood
And our love turns to rust
We're beaten and blown by the wind
Trampled in dust

I'll show you a place
High on the desert plain, yeah
Where the streets have no name, oh, oh

Where the streets have no name
Where the streets have no name
We're still building then burning down love
Burning down love
And when I go there, I go there with you
It's all I can do

Our love turns to rust
We're beaten and blown by the wind
Blown by the wind
Oh, and I see love
See our love turn to rust
Oh, we're beaten and blown by the wind
Blown by the wind
Oh, when I go there
I go there with you
It's all I can do


Lyrics submitted by spitfirek7

Where the Streets Have No Name Lyrics as written by Dave Evans Adam Clayton

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Royalty Network, Songtrust Ave

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Where The Streets Have No Name song meanings
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108 Comments

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  • +15
    General Comment

    This is from u2.com, and I think it explains what the song is about really well...

    "An interesting story that someone told me once is that in Belfast, by what street someone lives on you can tell not only their religion but tell how much money they’re making - literally by which side of the road they live on, because the further up the hill the more expensive the houses become. You can almost tell what the people are earning by the name of the street they live on and what side ot that street they live on. That said something to me, and so I started writing about a place where the streets have no name...." -bono

    plosionon March 11, 2003   Link
  • +10
    General Comment

    this song is obviously about a postmans worst nightmare. where the streets have no name.... he just puts the letters in any house

    andya71on January 28, 2008   Link
  • +6
    General Comment

    Like all masterful works of art, there are layers upon layers upon layers of meaning. And Im not even sure that Bono understood it all when he wrote it himself.

    However, after watching them play in Tampa on Saturday...and leading into the song with an absolutely stunning version of "Amazing Grace"....

    And his homeland's division among social classes, and Protestant and Catholic... And his travels to the wretched places of the earth... And reciting the verse of paradise being a place of no "sorrow or pain" and a city "High on a Desert Plain" -- quite possibly a reference to (New) Jerusalem

    And seeing the tears in peoples eyes...thousands and tens of thousands of them...

    Im convinced its about Heaven. Of course the streets will have no name. We will be home, and know exactly where we were...

    I know. I got a little taste of it Saturday night at a football stadium.

    MyLabLolaon October 13, 2009   Link
  • +5
    General Comment

    In N. Ireland you can tell by the name of the streets whether the person who lives there is protestant or catholic, this song is about a place where this no longer happens

    jana1985on September 04, 2002   Link
  • +5
    General Comment

    U2 songs can be open to many ways of interpretation to certain people, but i think certainly the most dominant interpretation is that the song is about heaven. When U2 performed this song live during the Popmart tour there was an extended ending where Bono sang "then there will be no time for sorrow, then there will be time for shame" this is almost a direct quote from Relevations 21 describing heaven... the streets that Bono is talking about could very well be the golden street described in that same passage in heaven! This is my favorite song of all time and like Bono says everytime they play it its like "God walks into the room."

    learn2kneelon February 03, 2005   Link
  • +3
    General Comment

    I think the central theme of this song is the band's dreaming of a better world, one of freedom, equality, peace and personal courage. It's a social/personal commentary, like many U2 songs. One of my favorites from U2.

    wanderingstaron September 02, 2002   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    Does anybody else agree with me that this is the greatest rock song ever written?

    barium6262on October 31, 2008   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    This song captures the sublime feeling of anyone who's stood alone atop a mountain, bathed in the setting sun and a cool breeze and a breathtaking view; and wished only for the opportunity to share it with someone special.

    ballzofsnoon April 27, 2002   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    I think this place "where the streets have no name" is heaven. When they say "I want to feel sunlight on my face See that dust cloud disappear without a trace I want to take shelter from the poison rain ", it's an obvious referance to a wonderful, peaceful place. That's my thoughts.

    chosen1forlifeon May 01, 2002   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    This song is and will always be my all-time favorite song. It makes a wonderful live song, too! What does it mean to me? I think what Bono may be refering to is that a place where the streets have no name is a place were there is peace-away from the rest of the messed up world we live in. It may be a place that can only be dreamed of or imagined. As someone before me said, it may be heaven. But how great would it be to live in world peace? If we ever find a place where the streets have no name on this earth I hope I can be there.

    u2elevationon May 22, 2002   Link

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