Exit
by U2

Album: The Joshua Tree (1987)
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  • You know he got the cure
    You know he went astray
    He used to stay awake
    To drive the dreams he had away
    He wanted to believe
    In the hands of love

    His head it felt heavy
    As he cut across the land
    A dog started crying
    Like a broken hearted man
    At the howling wind
    At the howling wind

    He went deeper into black
    Deeper into white
    He could see the stars shining
    Like nails in the night
    He felt the healing
    Healing, healing
    Healing hands of love
    Like the stars shiny, shiny
    From above

    Hand in the pocket
    Finger on the steel
    The pistol weighed heavy
    And his heart he could feel
    Was beating, beating
    Beating, beating, oh my love
    Oh my love, oh my love
    Oh my love

    My love

    So the hands that build
    Can also pull down

    The hands of love Writer/s: Adam Clayton, Dave Evans, Larry Mullen, Paul Hewson
    Publisher: Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Royalty Network, TuneCore Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group
    Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 14

  • Darwin8u from Mesa, AzExit was inspired by Bono reading Norman Mailer's Executioner's Song.
  • Nick from La Paz, BoliviaIn my opinion, this is their darkest song. Amazing how Bono can get you in the skin of the characters he sings about. Genius.
  • Heather from Los Angeles, CaOne of U2's many powerful songs. I had always imagined it was about schizophrenia and the terrible paranoia that ravages people with this disease.
  • Matt from Dublin, IsraelThis song is about a guy and his girlfriend died so he commits suicide. Everytime it shows him and that girl it is a flashback also when it shows him at the grave its a flashback. when he is in the room alone it is present time. he cant stand the flashbacks so he kills himself.
  • Mike from Dublin, IrelandI always thought it was about a man who found hope and contentness in love but was driven to desperation by eventual rejection, losing his faith in love completely and subsequentely commiting suicide...it's a truly amazing song considering all the meaning that can be drawn from it.
  • Sam from Provo, Uti love this song, the live version from rattle and hum is way better tho. i love the riff!
  • Jessica from Lancaster, PaYes people may tell you you have to do things but its not their fault because you yourself did it. You didn't have to but YOU did
  • Kevin from Franklin, MaI thought I heard that this song was about Gary Gilmore
  • Anthony from Dalles, Txi like the song, i just dont like how on the cd you have to turn it up to hear the first verse, and then turn it down cause its to loud.
  • Leon from Waterbury, CtMy personal favorite off The Joshua Tree...though the live version off R&H puts the album version to shame.
  • Christiana from Missoula, MtI have been an admirer of U2's musical style since they started in the 70's. The first album of their's I bought was "Boy" in the early 80's, and their music left its mark on my heart,mind, and soul. I was overly impressed with their music, because it was so unique and beautiful. It was my opinion and still is that they got it, and they were going to get more of it. U2's songs are extremely unique and I don't think anyone can accurately interpret the lyrics in their songs except by hearing the definition of them by one of the artist's in the band itself. The lyrics are deep and profound, usually with some sort of personal experience attached to their meaning by one of the U2 band members. For example, the song "Exit" now apparently Bono has expressed some evil feeling about the song personally and he has commented that it is difficult for him to even sing the song. Why? Well for one, Bono dislocated his shoulder on stage while singing it and another, some mentally disturbed individual apparently killed a person because of the song. Well, people have accidents all of the time especially if you are preforming on a stage with all sorts of obstacles and equipment on it with you. Second, some mentally disturbed person will always use a song or something someone said or did as an excuse for their evil acts. But, I would ask Bono directly where his feelings about this song developed from and then we all, who are interested, will have the best explanation for Bono's aprehensiveness to sing the song and where his fears in relation to it came from.
    Truly,
    yougotitu2
  • Rock from Sacramento, Capod is a very good band that is clean and is christan and they are true to what they think
  • Adeeb from Dhaka, OtherSeems more or less in line with U2's biblical songs. On the other hand, it can be interpreted as one man's spiral into insanity...
  • Nelson from Brooklyn, NyIt seems to be an interpretation of Lucifer's fall from grace.
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