Rayman is probably right on the line:
"Some people get squashed crossing the tracks"
but I would like to suggest that that verse and the previous should be read as one:
"Some people got high rises on their backs"
would therefore be read as "Some people got high rises (yes, HEAVY! flats) on their backs (as a tortoise)". Which, in my opinion would mean that all the intellectual property of such a tortoise does not help win a race with the "bullet train".
On the next line, i'm less certain:
"I’m not broke but you can see the cracks" would refer to the cracks between the scales (you know, the seperate definable parts of the shield) of the shield of tortoise. Cracks are a sign of imperfection, wear and tear, which makes it more significant, when he says: I'm not broke (a tortoise functions perfectly with those cracks, so it's not broke). To be perfect, it would then have a smooth shield (impossible/unimaginable in this world, of course). So that's why:
"You can make me perfect again"
The next verse, I'm even less certain, but try this: It is about being born-again. As if he left the congregation, the church or the community of God (pick what you want) to go out on a search, but he's back again at the door from whence he has left (belief/God). He knows what is behind that door (for he left it) and he went out searching and now realizes that what he searches is behind that door and now he "wants back inside"
If you accept this story, you can look back on the 1st and 2nd verse.
He is being born and developing (especially mentally), barely accepting consciousness and sees all the ugly things and "your" (God's) beautiful face (referring to a bible text, help please, perhaps Ecclesiastes 8:1?). And also here, the 2nd verse is starting where the 1st stopped. (If you say: "it left me no illusion", it's quite reasonable to expect that you explain on what subject you don't have an illusion (anymore). So hence, the 2nd verse is in the same frame of mind and metaphors as the 1st verse.)
"I saw you in the curve of the moon" would mean that God, at this early point in consciousness, is nothing more than "the man in the moon".
The next sentence, though, is much heavier of nature: "[and] In the shadow cast across my room": without the light (of the man of the moon), there would be no shadow (dualism/duality).
And then, flooded by all the different, chaotic impressions: the person just hears "confusion", when there's actually a "tune" or order in that chaos (as recognised by God).
Then, he leaves God/congregation/etc. (pick whichever suits best). We then arrive (back) at the first line of the 3rd verse: "I like the sound of my own voice" would speak for itself: the person only listens to himself, but something is gnawing, especially when he says:
"I didn't give anyone else a choice", which would imply that he does value the choice (and voice) of others, he is not acting like it, because of the fact that he has left the congregation/God/etc.
And now I'm back where I started. I know it's odd to start at the center of the song and then go forward and then backward, but it makes it comprehendable to me. I do not think I hold the truth, so any additions/improvements/other interpretations are welcome.
PS. This is the religious meaning that can be related to this song, as is said before, the songs of U2 are -due to the ambiguity of the words (and order of sentences!)- multi-interpretable. This, of course, would not mean that the writer would only have 1 interpretation in mind.
Rayman is probably right on the line: "Some people get squashed crossing the tracks"
but I would like to suggest that that verse and the previous should be read as one: "Some people got high rises on their backs" would therefore be read as "Some people got high rises (yes, HEAVY! flats) on their backs (as a tortoise)". Which, in my opinion would mean that all the intellectual property of such a tortoise does not help win a race with the "bullet train".
On the next line, i'm less certain: "I’m not broke but you can see the cracks" would refer to the cracks between the scales (you know, the seperate definable parts of the shield) of the shield of tortoise. Cracks are a sign of imperfection, wear and tear, which makes it more significant, when he says: I'm not broke (a tortoise functions perfectly with those cracks, so it's not broke). To be perfect, it would then have a smooth shield (impossible/unimaginable in this world, of course). So that's why: "You can make me perfect again"
The next verse, I'm even less certain, but try this: It is about being born-again. As if he left the congregation, the church or the community of God (pick what you want) to go out on a search, but he's back again at the door from whence he has left (belief/God). He knows what is behind that door (for he left it) and he went out searching and now realizes that what he searches is behind that door and now he "wants back inside"
If you accept this story, you can look back on the 1st and 2nd verse.
He is being born and developing (especially mentally), barely accepting consciousness and sees all the ugly things and "your" (God's) beautiful face (referring to a bible text, help please, perhaps Ecclesiastes 8:1?). And also here, the 2nd verse is starting where the 1st stopped. (If you say: "it left me no illusion", it's quite reasonable to expect that you explain on what subject you don't have an illusion (anymore). So hence, the 2nd verse is in the same frame of mind and metaphors as the 1st verse.)
"I saw you in the curve of the moon" would mean that God, at this early point in consciousness, is nothing more than "the man in the moon".
The next sentence, though, is much heavier of nature: "[and] In the shadow cast across my room": without the light (of the man of the moon), there would be no shadow (dualism/duality).
And then, flooded by all the different, chaotic impressions: the person just hears "confusion", when there's actually a "tune" or order in that chaos (as recognised by God).
Then, he leaves God/congregation/etc. (pick whichever suits best). We then arrive (back) at the first line of the 3rd verse: "I like the sound of my own voice" would speak for itself: the person only listens to himself, but something is gnawing, especially when he says:
"I didn't give anyone else a choice", which would imply that he does value the choice (and voice) of others, he is not acting like it, because of the fact that he has left the congregation/God/etc.
And now I'm back where I started. I know it's odd to start at the center of the song and then go forward and then backward, but it makes it comprehendable to me. I do not think I hold the truth, so any additions/improvements/other interpretations are welcome.
PS. This is the religious meaning that can be related to this song, as is said before, the songs of U2 are -due to the ambiguity of the words (and order of sentences!)- multi-interpretable. This, of course, would not mean that the writer would only have 1 interpretation in mind.