☝️ Key Points
- The song describes various experiences and impressions of the singer, such as oversleeping and waking up feeling like wearing dirty clothes.
- The singer remembers a person named Emily, whom he considers important, but whose actions he has forgotten. It seems like he hasn't had a relationship with a woman in years and has always been thinking about her.
- Social injustices are also addressed, such as a child drinking dirty water from a river and a soldier bringing oranges from a tank.
- The singer also reflects on his own situation and describes his head as a burning cigarette and the reflection of ominous clouds in a minaret.
- The text ends with the invitation to choose one's enemies carefully and make them interesting, as they will accompany you longer than friends.
Interpretation
The song lyrics "Cedars of Lebanon" by
U2 tell of different experiences and impressions the singer has had. He describes how he overslept one day and wakes up in his dirty clothes. He tries to meet a deadline and compress complicated life into a simple headline.
Then he mentions an old Polaroid photo on which he sees the face of someone important to him. He no longer remembers what this person named Emily did. It seems that he hasn't had a relationship with a woman for years and during that time has always thought of this person. He describes how sometimes in this bad world a rose emerges whose scent lingers but then disappears again.
The lyrics also mention a child drinking dirty water from a river and a soldier bringing oranges from a tank. The singer waits to be served and watches the sunset in Lebanon.
The lyrics then shift to a description of the singer himself. He says he has a head like a burning cigarette and sees the reflection of ominous clouds in a minaret. He wonders where he is in the cedars of Lebanon, which are high above him.
The lyrics end with the statement that one should choose their enemies carefully, for they will define you. Make them interesting, for in a way they will matter to you. They may not be there at the beginning, but at the end of the story, they will remain with you longer than friends.