The First Time by U2

Album: Zooropa (1993)

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This was written for Al Green, but U2 decided to keep it for themselves. Bono described the song as "About losing your faith. I hadn't lost my faith but I'm very sympathetic to people who have the courage not to believe. I've seen a lot of people around me have bad experiences with religion, be so badly abused they feel they just can't go there any more, which is a shame."
Ever wonder about those random words on the Zooropa album cover? They're titles of songs that didn't make the cut.

Comments: 8

Okineki from SofiaThe song is about Grandma, absolutely!
Pat Murphy from Dublinthink trinity ..... spirit (often understood as female) .... son .... father
Dewey from Californian I love this song too. It’s real and honest. How we have all experienced the three types of love: Eros, philos, Agape. I love how even when we leave out the back door and throw away all the keys and blessings from the Father, thats when we experience real Love fir the first time.
Gernot from Graz, AustriaI once read that the song was inspired by the biblical parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15), but I could never really link the song and the story in my mind myself.
Tanmay from Delhi, IndiaI'm quite surprised actually because for me this was a song which signified a certain religious attainment. He talks about his lover and brother being in love with him and giving him happiness in their own ways, and in a more materialistic sense this is also true about his father. But then he leaves "by the back door" and throws away the key. This symbolises his shedding of worldly ties of love, brotherhood and materialism and reaching the ultimate realisation: "for the first time, i feel love". For the first time, the writer feels what true love, free from worldly encumbrances, is all about. phew! does anybody agree?
Chadd Bryant from Pragueq, OkBono added a line to this song on the Vertigo Tour. "yeah, i threw away the key.. but only grace can give it back to me..."
Katie from Newcastle-upon-tyne, EnglandI heard this song, and I absolutely love it! One of their best.
Adeeb from Dhaka, OtherThe lyrics gel perfectly with the feeling of loosing your faith.

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