Mysterious Ways
by U2

Album: Achtung Baby (1991)
Charted: 13 9
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • In this song, the main character, Johnny, has an epiphany through an encounter with a mysterious feminine being. To explain, we turn to Into The Heart by Niall Stokes.

    "It's a song about a man living on little or no romance," Bono says. "It's a song about women - or a woman - but it's addressed to him."

    Bono talks a bit about theology and about El Shaddai - the third and least used name for God in the Bible, which translates as "the breasted one."

    "I've always believed that the spirit is a feminine thing," he says.

    "Mysterious Ways" is not about a particular woman. It is about women in general, and the way they entrance, and often dominate men. Says Bono, "At times I do tend to idealize women. It's easy to fall into the trap of separating them into angels and devils for the sake of the drama. But there's no way that there's ever anything anti-women involved. Our songs are not politically correct. They are written from a man's point of view. He's wrestling with different things, there's a flash of anger and hurt here and there. But I don't think women come out badly." >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Oscar - College Station, TX
  • Bono got the idea for this song from a conversation he had with Rev. Jack Heaslip, whom the band met when they were students at Mount Temple Secondary School and he was a guidance counselor. Heaslip became a trusted advisor to the band and a sounding board for questions about spirituality and religion.

    "He mused on the idea that the gender of God is not clear in the original biblical Hebrew," Bono wrote in his memoir Surrender. "In fact one of the names of God, El Shaddai, means 'the breasted one.' If the greatest creative force in the world is a woman giving birth, then of course the greatest creative force in the universe is likely to be a feminine spirit."
  • While recording this in Berlin, U2 came up with the basis for their song "One." In a rush of creativity, they put together "One" and finished "Mysterious Ways" later. This was very refreshing for the band - they were having a hard time coming up with anything and even considered breaking up.
  • The line, "If you want to kiss the sky, better learn how to kneel - on your knees boy!" is probably a reference to oral sex, although it can have a more innocent religious meaning, like kneeling on a pew.
  • Bono performed this on the Zoo TV tour in character as The Fly, a parody of an egomaniacal rock star, wearing huge sunglasses and leather.
  • This was the second single from the Achtung Baby album. The first single was "The Fly," which did well globally but stiffed in America, reaching just #61. "Mysterious Ways" went to #9 in the US and got lots of airplay on a variety of formats. "One" was the next single, and it was also a big hit in America and around the world.
  • Recording the album was challenging, but ultimately very rewarding. So much so that Daniel Lanois, who produced it with Brian Eno, cites it as his favorite collaboration.

    "I do appreciate the collaborative feeling that we had on Achtung Baby, which is a U2 record we made in Germany," he told Songfacts. "What was great about that was there were a lot of very talented, smart people in a room wanting the very best for everybody. That is the true meaning of collaboration."

    Lanois, who has also worked on albums with Neil Young, Emmylou Harris, Bob Dylan and many others, has a long association with U2. He first worked with them on their The Unforgettable Fire album in 1984.
  • Directed by Stephane Sednaoui, the video was shot in Morocco with a belly dancer portraying the woman who "moves in mysterious ways." When U2 embarked on their Zoo TV tour in 1992, they returned to this motif, with a belly dancer appearing on stage when they performed the song. After the first leg of the tour, Morleigh Steinberg, who did some choreography for the band, became the dancer. She ended up taking up with The Edge, whose marriage collapsed while the band was recording the Achtung Baby album. Steinberg and The Edge had two children together and got married in 2002.
  • A dance remix by Paul Oakenfold became popular in clubs.
  • Speaking to American Songwriter, the Edge explained how Daniel Lanois transformed the song. "At the time we were working on it in Berlin, it had no chorus," he said. "It was a groove, a great verse idea, and that was all we had. Bono went into the other room to work on chorus ideas for 'Mysterious Ways.' I came back in and I was showing Adam (Clayton, bass) what the chord changes were, and Danny goes 'Let's play those back to back,' so I played the two chord progressions back to back and we all just went, 'Oh, that's a great combination of sequences. Let's try that out in the room."

Comments: 40

  • Robert M Goodman from Andover NjI only just looked up the lyrics, and I find it funny that everyone's looking past the obvious: That it's someone telling someone it's all right to have a romantic relationship with his (probably older) sister.
  • TiffYeah, someone made them have oral
  • Dusk Blackman from Albany, Georgia (u.s.a.)Yeah, between me and Marilyn Monroe, HAHA!
  • D Allen from CaliforniaWorst song of all time, I never cared for this song I tried, this song pushed me away from u2 for years, before and after was great on their music, I know I'm going to get read the riot act for this but, U2 is a fantastic band, but the music to this song is worse than nails on a chalk board to me.
  • P.a from Co. Spgs., CoDefinitely, one of my top U2 bits. From Edge's slinky, powerful guit fiddle lines to the great lyrics. I interpret the words to be just a homage to the mystical, loving, low ,cruel spinning, intergalctic enigma called WOMAN.
  • Mark from San Antonio, TxI always thought "She" represents Mary, the mother of Jesus. After all she moves in "mysterious ways". "She's the wave, she turns the tide." The U2 members are Irish from Ireland, which means their Catholic up bring might have influence this song.
  • Dadrock from Naperville, IlU2 has one foot in the secular and the other in the spiritual, so it's not surprising to see different interpretations of this song. This one is both about a woman and Spirit personified as a woman. It is also a sensual song, but I think Chris from DC goes too far with his transgender theory. On the spiritual side, listen to the backing vocals at the end of the song. At 3:32, they sing "Sprirt moves in mysterious ways."
  • Steph from Toronto, OnAlthough U2 can be religious and political they are rock stars. Sex, drugs and rock n' roll. They've been in to and out of all of the above. Just because you enjoy/have sex does not remove your choice to be religious.
  • Ady from Leicester, United Kingdomaaaw, you're all so boring and shallow!

    If you want it to be about God, let it be, if you want it to be about sex, let it be about that!

    This is rock 'n' roll kids, better get used to it...
  • Dana from Coventry, RiI personally don't believe that that is a reference to oral sex. A lot of U2's songs are extremely spiritual, and have many references to faith and God.. why would this one particular line mean anything different than praying on your knees as a form of worshiping the Lord?
  • Krista from Carbondale, PaOne of my very favorite U2 songs! I love it's beat and the lyrics are amazing.
  • Dylana from Valdosta, GaTo me this song is very personal and I have my own interpretation.

    To me this song is very spiritual, so I interperate the line as:

    "if you want to touch the sky, better know how to kneel line as : the best way to get in touch with your spiritual side is to meditate/ pray which in most cases means kneeling.

    To me it also seems to have a very pagan feel to it. your sister the rain, your sister the moon,she turns the tide...she sees the man inside the child..etc.

    As if to acknowledge a divine feminine force in the world.

    Call me crazy or whatever you want.. this is simply my opinion.
    Its a great song, take what you need/want from it.
  • Bertrand from Paris, FranceAfter their dramatic success with [b]The Joshua Tree[/b] and an epic concert tour of the U.S., U2 completely reinvented their musical style on the album [b]Achtung Baby[/b]. Glorious pretensions gave way to some of the sexiest funky rock of the decade. "Mysterious Ways" features sinuous guitar work from The Edge and gospel-influenced vocals from Bono that drive home one of U2's most uninhibited pop-rock songs on record.
  • Kristina from Albuquerque, NmBecause of their piety and seriousness, U2 might not seem sexy at first, but I find a lot of their music extremely sexy, this song in particular. Of course, the relationship between a person and God can and often has been characterized as a sexual relationship.
  • Bertrand from Paris, FranceAfter their dramatic success with [b]The Joshua Tree[b] and an epic concert tour of the U.S., U2 completely reinvented their musical style on the album [b]Achtung Baby[b]. Glorious pretensions gave way to some of the sexiest funky rock of the decade. "Mysterious Ways" features sinuous guitar work from The Edge and gospel-influenced vocals from Bono that drive home one of U2's most uninhibited pop-rock songs on record.

  • Heather from Los Angeles, CaGee, I didn't know we all wore dresses and had long hair. Richard from Isle of Wight, you've been on your island too long. John in Madison WI, you by far have thought the most about this song. THAT is an interesting interpretation.
  • Mark from Austin, TxThis album is full of sexual references. Not just this one or the one mentioned earlier from "Acrobat," but there's one in "So Cruel": "She makes you watch her from above."
    Yeah. U2 were going through a sexual revolution of sorts. Even religious people enjoy sex.
    Besides, a couple of albums later they had a song called "Mofo." They're not all Jesus and rosaries, kids. If they were, they wouldn't be nearly as good as they are. They'd be kind of boring.
  • Rusty from Raleigh, NcSome of it is about giving head?
  • Bacchus from Portland, OrNo. The line: "If you want to kiss the sky, better learn how to kneel - on your knees boy!" is about both prayer AND oral sex. Both are sincere forms of worship. Or your not doing them right.
  • Lily from Godrics Hallow, Englandi agree it is a NOT a reference to oral sex.
    by the way it is one of my favorite songs!
  • Chris from Washington, DcI thought this song was about a transgendered person. Why were the band members dressed in drag next on album cover?

    "She moves in mysterious ways
    It's alright, it's alright, it's alright
    She moves in mysterious ways
    Johnny take a dive with your sister in the rain
    Let her talk about the things you can't explain"

    Clearly it's about a TG person, and her myserious way. Confused about her sexual identity and she is seeking acceptance from a higher being. They are saying it's alright, that the higher spirt will accept you for what you are.
  • Windle from Montgomery, Althe bit about kiss the sky... on your knees boy..is NOT a reference to sex.. please..
    It's a reference to the church...the story of adam and eve... man's fall because of woman...
  • Takashi from Tokyo, JapanI Like the shirt Bono wears in the video for this one
  • Takashi from Tokyo, JapanI Like the shirt Bono wears in this one
  • Graham from Cork, Irelandi agree with kelly about praying to jesus on your knees and also to perth in australia mysterious ways is on the bonus track in the menu of the dvd in slane castle 2001
  • Grant from Annandale, VaI hate that so many people know no other songs off Achtung Baby other than this one. This is the worst song off that album--way too poppy and light-hearted compared to the rest. Still good, but the rest of the album will blow your mind.
  • Richard from Newport, Isle Of Wight, EnglandOh dear, Ryan. I had no idea the residents of Albion, New York state, were so sexually repressed: "if this was referring to oral sex,why would bono say on your knees BOY?" Ryan, son, men can give oral sex, too. Usually to a woman. W-O-M-A-N. They're the pretty humans that wear dresses and have long hair, Ryan. Perhaps you should drag yourself away from your computer and meet some.
  • Paula from Pt, EuropeMysterious Ways is on the Slane Castle's DVD as a bonus track. Bono was very kind to allow us to have access to his little daughter Eve dancing.
  • Amy Friel from Barrie, CanadaThis song references John the Baptist, does it not? As in, "Johnny take a dive with your sister in the rain" refers to baptism. John the Baptist was a hermit- "You've been living underground".
  • Rob from Santa Monica, CaI always thought this song was about "your sister, the moon". You know: "she's the wave, she turns the tide"
  • Ace from Thousand Oaks, CaU2's a bona fide rock band, of course they make sexual references. The genius is in the double entendre... it's obviously both, either, or neither depending on how you approach it.
  • Alvin from Sioux Center, IaHey Liz from Lakeville, MN.
    U2 have made a few oral sex references before.
    'You can swallow or you can spit. You can throw it up or choke on it.'
    -acrobat
  • Ryan from Albion, Nyif this was referring to oral sex,why would bono say on your knees BOY? im goin w/ everybody else here,that has religous meaning behind it
  • Charlotte from Seattle, WaI have a techno remix of this song on a record. It's not about religion - it's about a woman that moves in mysterious ways. It's about following your gut and going for that crazy experience because it will lift up your days and light up your nights. "One day you will look...back
    And you'll see...where
    You were held...how
    By this love...while
    You could stand...there
    You could move on this moment
    Follow this feeling"

    see?
  • Beau from Phoenix, AzThis song is about the Holy Spirit, who is said in the Bible of all places, to be one who "moves in mysterious ways".
  • Liz from Lakeville, MnThis song definately has a religious feel. She is/could be a reference to God. "If you want to kiss the sky, you better learn how to kneel - on your knees boy!" is about praying not about oral sex! C'mon! this is U2!!!
  • John from Madison, WiThis is not a definite fact but i heard the 'if you wanna kiss the sky' lyrics were a tribute to jimi hendrix. In his song "purple haze" one of the lyrics are 'scuse me while i kiss the sky'. This is something someone told me. I don't know if there is any truth behind it. Just thought i would mention it
  • Marty from Perth, AustraliaI was at the Sep. 1st 2001 Slane concert, they sung Mysterious Ways but its not on the DVD? Anybody know why? Also, Bono's daughter danced to it.
  • Taal from Brisbane, AustraliaI heard that this song actually has a religious feel, and that it was about the Holy Spirit or something.
  • Kelly from Washington, DcThe line: "If you want to kiss the sky, better learn how to kneel - on your knees boy!" is NOT a reference to oral sex, it is about praying on your knees to God.
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