U2 - How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb - Sometimes You Can't Make It on Your Own

Track #3 - Sometimes You Can't Make It on Your Own

Tough, you think you've got the stuff
You're telling me and anyone
You're hard enough

You don't have to put up a fight
You don't have to always be right
Let me take some of the punches
For you tonight

Listen to me now
I need to let you know
You don't have to go it alone

And it's you when I look in the mirror
And it's you when I don't pick up the phone
Sometimes you can't make it on your own

We fight all the time
You and I...that's alright
We're the same soul
I don't need...I don't need to hear you say
That if we weren't so alike
You'd like me a whole lot more

Listen to me now
I need to let you know
You don't have to go it alone
And it's you when I look in the mirror
And it's you when I don't pick up the phone
Sometimes you can't make it on your own

I know that we don't talk
I'm sick of it all
Can - you - hear - me - when - I -
Sing, you're the reason I sing
You're the reason why the opera is in me...

Where are we now?
I've got to let you know
A house still doesn't make a home
Don't leave me here alone...

And it's you when I look in the mirror
And it's you that makes it hard to let go
Sometimes you can't make it on your own
Sometimes you can't make it
The best you can do is to fake it
Sometimes you can't make it on your own
________________________________________________________

This song was written for Bono's father's funeral.

"We fight all the time/ You and I...that's alright/ We're the same soul/ I don't need...I don't need to hear you say/ That if we weren't so alike/ You'd like me a whole lot more"
This line is pretty typical of a lot of father son relationships.

"Listen to me now/ I need to let you know/ You don't have to go it alone"
I heard an interview were Bono was talking about how his "old man" was losing his faith, I think this is Bono's plea to his dad to give up, to stop trying to "make it on your own".

"Can - you - hear - me - when - I -/ Sing, you're the reason I sing/ You're the reason why the opera is in me..."
His father loved Opera and Bono feels that has been passed on to him.

"Where are we now?/ I've got to let you know/ A house still doesn't make a home/ Don't leave me here alone..."
I take this line as admitting, that 'hey, you can't make it on your own, but either can I, I need you here to help' maybe I am wrong with that one, but that’s how I like to think of it.