U2 – With or Without You

This is the lead single from the 1987 album, The Joshua Tree. It has since become highly-acclaimed as one of the band’s most popular songs. Released as a single in March 1987, it became the group’s first American number one hit, spending three weeks at the top. It also reached number four in the UK. “With or Without You” is widely considered one of U2’s most overtly emotional songs. According to Bono, the song was heavily influenced by Scott Walker’s album Climate of Hunter. It was U2’s first single to be widely issued on CD. The song is U2’s second most frequently covered song. In 2004, Rolling Stone magazine placed the single at number 131 on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

Bono is so in love with her he can’t decide what to do. He’s not sure of where she is in the relationship, but he decides to tell her how he truly feels. He loves her so much at this point he has nothing else to lose by telling her. It seems he’s waited for some time to know her feelings, perhaps she was hurt in a past relationship and is reluctant to reveal her feelings. He doesn’t know what she’s going to do or say, but with or without her he can’t continue to live and not know how she feels. It can be one of the hardest things in life to admit your true feelings to another who may or may not share them. It’s a risk Bono chooses to take because he can no longer live without knowing.

U2 – With Or Without U lyrics\

See the stone set in your eyes
See the thorn twist in your side
I wait for you

Sleight of hand and twist of fate
On a bed of nails she makes me wait
And I wait without you

With or without you
With or without you

Through the storm we reach the shore
You give it all but I want more
And I’m waiting for you

With or without you
With or without you
I can’t live
With or without you

And you give yourself away
And you give yourself away
And you give
And you give
And you give yourself away

My hands are tied
My body bruised, she’s got me with
Nothing to win and
Nothing left to lose

And you give yourself away
And you give yourself away
And you give
And you give
And you give yourself away

With or without you
With or without you
I can’t live
With or without you

With or without you
With or without you
I can’t live
With or without you
With or without you