☝️ Key Points
- The song lyrics are about a difficult and dangerous relationship.
- The narrator feels attracted to the other partner even though they know it's wrong.
- There is a metaphor that the narrator has been stolen from and lied to.
- The text has a spiritual and poetic side that emphasizes nature and the divine.
- The text ends with the question of who will tame the other's heart.
Interpretation
The lyrics of the song "Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses" by
U2 are about a difficult relationship in which one of the partners is dangerous and unpredictable. The narrator describes the other as honest but also as someone who doesn't know what they want. The relationship has left the narrator's heart like an empty place that can be haunted by any spirit.
The lyrics pose the question of who will ride the other's wild horses, who will drown in their blue sea, and who will fall at their feet. These questions symbolize the challenges and danger associated with this relationship. The narrator feels drawn to the other partner despite knowing it's wrong and that they could get into trouble.
The lyrics also contain a metaphor of the narrator being stolen by the other partner because they needed money, and that they were lied to when they asked to remain friends. This shows the distrust and disappointment of the narrator in this relationship.
The lyrics also have a spiritual and poetic side, in which the narrator speaks about the connection to nature and the divine. It is mentioned that the hunter will sin because of the other's ivory skin, and that the river laughs at the narrator and the other beneath the trees.
The lyrics end with the question of who will tame the other's heart. This shows the insecurity and desire of the narrator for someone else to take their place and overcome the difficulties of this relationship.