I wanna 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 (Oh-oh)
I wanna feel sunlight on my face
I see the dust-cloud disappear without a trace
I wanna take shelter from the poison rain, 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 and 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 a desert plain
Where the streets have no name (Oh-oh)
Where the streets have no name
Where the streets have no name
We're still building and burning down love
Burning down love
And when I go there
I go there with you
It's all I can do (Oh)
(Oh-oh-oh)
(Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh, yeah)
(Oh-oh-oh)
(Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh)
Where the streets have no name
Where the streets have no name
We're still building and burning down love
Burning down love
And when I go there
I go there with you
It's all I can do
I wanna go there with you
About This Song
"Where the Streets Have No Name" is U2's soaring anthem about transcending social divisions and escaping the constraints of identity imposed by geography and class. The song envisions a utopian place where the markers that separate people-literally the named streets that define neighborhoods and social status-don't exist, allowing for true human connection and spiritual freedom. Musically, it builds from ambient, atmospheric beginnings through Bono's yearning vocals and The Edge's signature delayed guitar work to an explosive, anthemic climax that mirrors the song's themes of breaking free and reaching higher ground. The lyrics express deep longing for escape from societal "walls" and "poison rain," while the driving rhythm and expansive soundscape create a sense of movement toward liberation. As the opening track of *The Joshua Tree*, it established U2's mastery of combining political consciousness with spiritual searching, becoming one of their most enduring and emotionally powerful songs about hope and unity.
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