U2 lyrics color reference

by Teresa Cook

After the flood all the colors came out - Beautiful Day

I noticed one day that Bono has used a lot of color imagery in writing lyrics over the years. Every color of the rainbow has been represented; yellow indirectly, an impressive achievement considering there are no words in the English dictionary that rhymes with orange or purple.

It's interesting to note that the early song lyrics rarely refer to colors beyond black and white. I'm left wondering if that is because Bono was still in his formative years; perhaps seeing things as two sided, black and white, instead of including all the shades in-between? Maybe because black and white are easy to think up rhymes for?

I recently ran across a website that has a mood test based on your color preference of that day (weprintcolor.com/colourmoodtest.htm). For years people have been telling me colors effect people moods, blue makes you mellow, yellow makes you happy. There are a handful of common cliches or sayings that use color to convey feelings or imagery; Green with envy, black as the ace of spades etc. Using color is a simple way to imply emotion without using a lot of words.

I'm not one who normally looks for subtext within lyrics so I'll just get on with sharing the list of references I've complied and leave the analysis to fellow fans. I've tried to be as accurate as possible, but there very well may be omissions. I've relied heavily on the book U2 The Complete Songs (Wise Publications 1999), the @U2 lyric archive, and U2.com for lyrics not included in the various CD booklets.

Colors in Song/Album Titles

Red Hill Mining Town, Under a Blood Red Sky, Red Light, Scarlet,  Bullet the Blue Sky, Your Blue Room, A Different Kind Of Blue, Silver and Gold, Ultraviolet

Colors in Lyrics (sorted by Album)

Boy

Walls of white protest, a gravestone in name - Shadows and Tall Trees
Mrs. Brown's washing is always the same - Shadows and Tall Trees
A picture of grey, Dorian Gray - The Ocean
A Blackbird makes a violent sight - An Cat Dubh
Red, Running Red - The Electric Co.

October

There's a black car parked at the side of the road - Tomorrow
Calling, calling, the sun is burning black - Fire
Calling, calling, the moon is running red - Fire

War

A world in white get underway - New Years Day
Gold is the reason for the wars we wage - New Years Day
Under a blood-red sky, A crowd has gathered in black and white - New Years Day
Beat on black, beat on white - Two Hearts Beat as One
I don't know if it's black or white, Cause others see it red -  Two Hearts Beat as One
Bright blue eyes - Surrender

The Unforgettable Fire

True colors fly in blue and black - Bad
Blue Silken Sky and Burning Flag - Bad
These City Lights, They shine as silver and gold - The Unforgettable Fire
Dug from the night, your eyes black as coal - The Unforgettable Fire
Red wine that punctures the skin - The Unforgettable Fire
Black flesh sees the sky and he turns inside from you -  Elvis Presley & America
Sky, it's a Blue Sky - Indian Summer Sky
And I know your tears are blue - Elvis Presley & America
And your sky is feeling blue - Elvis Presley & America
Sky-like a honey-shade of blue -  Elvis Presley & America
And you wipe the sweat off your white brow (your white brow) - Elvis Presley & America
Needle soul, white track, you come right back - Wire

The Joshua Tree

From the fire fly a red orange glow - Bullet the Blue Sky
Bullet the blue sky, bullet the blue'  Bullet the Blue sky
Under black belly of cloud in the rain -  Running to Stand Still
White gold and pearls stolen from the sea - Running to Stand Still
The greatest gift is gold - In God's Country
He went deeper into black...deeper into white - Exit
Night hangs like a prisoner, stretched over black and blue - Mothers of the Disappeared
In a red hill town - Red Hill Mining Town
Lights go down on Red Hill Town - Red Hill Mining Town
His face red like a rose on a thorn bush - Bullet the Blue Sky
She runs through the streets with her eyes painted red - Running to Stand Still
And the moon has turned red over one tree hill - One Tree Hill

Rattle & Hum

All I got is a red guitar, Three chords and the truth -  All Along the Watchtower (from R&H)
No stars in the black night - Silver and Gold
Captain and kings in the ships hold, They came to collect silver and gold - Silver and Gold
See them navy blue uniforms -  Silver and Gold
Hit where it hurts, silver and gold -  Silver and Gold
The temperature is rising, the fever white hot - Silver and Gold
With a Red guitar, on Fire - Desire
Blue light on the avenue -   Angel of Harlem
Salvation in the blues -   Angel of Harlem
Like Black Coffee, Like Nicotine - Hawkmoon 269
I see the purple of her eyes, The scarlet of my lies -  Love Rescue  Me
Of cool, green valleys, Gold and silver veins -  Heartland
You say you want diamonds on a ring of gold -  All I Want Is You
Used to make love under a Red sunset - When Love Comes To Town
The notes were turning blue, I was dazed and in a dream - When Love Comes To Town
The golden age of pop - God Part II

Achtung Baby

We're free to fly the crimson sky -  Even Better Than The Real Thing
Who's gonna drown in your blue sea - Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses
Oh, the hunter will sin for your ivory skin - Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses
Hallelujah, heaven's white rose - Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses
I'm in the black, can't see or be seen -  Ultraviolet
Oh ultraviolet -  Ultraviolet

Zooropa

Zooropa, a bluer kind of white'  Zooropa
She wore Lemon to color in the cold grey night - Lemon (debatable, implies she 'wore' lemon)
I went out walking through streets paved with gold -  The Wanderer
Catching you bright blue eyes - Babyface
Your skin is white, but you think your a brother - Some Days Are Better Than Others
Gave me a cup of gold -  The First Time
To color in the cold gray night -  Lemon
We're mild and green and squeaky clean -  Zooropa
Green Lights, seven eleven -  Stay (Faraway So Close)
Red light, Grey morning - Stay (Faraway So Close)

Pop

Her eyes are swimming pool blue' Miami
White dopes on punk staring into the flash - Mofo
I bought two new suits... Miami, PINK AND BLUE.. MIAMI - Miami
Do you really want me to be blue as you -  If You Wear That Velvet Dress
Your catholic blues - Please

Passengers: OS1

A different kind of blue, More lights blue signs all gold all new - A Different Kind Of Blue
With twilight breaking through, It's a different kind of blue - A Different Kind Of Blue
In an old black boat - One Minute Warning
White trash, the Memphis flash, didn't smoke hash -  Elvis Ate America
The white knickers, the white nigger - Elvis Ate America

Best of 1980-1990 and B-Sides

I'll cross the world for green and gold -  Spanish Eyes
Baby's got blue skies up ahead -  Sweetest Thing
Blue eyed boy meet brown eyed girl' Sweetest Thing
I know I got black eyes, but they burn so brightly for her -  Sweetest Thing
She wore canvas shoes, white canvas shoes - Walk to the Water
Around her neck she wore a silver necklace - Walk to the Water
She took the back way home, Past the lights at Silver Hill - Walk to the Water
Your lips of cherry red....Your hair was colored gold -  Walk to the Water
I see you dressed in black, I guess I'm not coming back - Hallelujah, Here She Comes

Million Dollar Hotel Soundtrack

Her golden voice, her beauty's beat - The Ground Beneath Her Feet
Black is white, and cold is heat - The Ground Beneath Her Feet
From Red island across the strand, Your footprints still there in the sand - Never Let Me Go
You're out in the hall, Waltzing the blues - Dancin' Shoes

All That You Can't Leave Behind

See the world in green and blue - Beautiful Day
Love lift me up out of these blues - Elevation

Remaining B-sides and Soundtracks

Green as the leaves the cure for the nettle sting - Deep in the Heart
All of my colors, they turn to blue -  Slow Dancing
Of white and the black, Spilling over... I'll Follow You Down -  In the Name of the Father
You're not white you're pink and rosy -  I'm Not Your Baby
As long as night is the color of Blue and Black - Big Girls are Best
She put me in the black - Lady with the Spinning Head
And my blood turned blue - Salome
Tequila and Orange - Summer Rain (a stretch - implied use is the juice rather than the color)

Colors in Lyrics (sorted by color)

White

Walls of white protest, a gravestone in name - Shadows And Tall Trees
A world in white get underway - New Years Day
Under a blood-red sky, A crowd has gathered in black and white - New Years Day
Beat on black, beat on white - Two Hearts Beat as One
I don't know if it's black or white, Cause others see it red -  Two Hearts Beat as One
And you wipe the sweat off your white brow (your white brow) - Elvis  Presley & America
White gold and pearls stolen from the sea - Running to Stand Still
He went deeper into black...deeper into white - Exit
Hallelujah, heaven's white rose - Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses
Zooropa, a bluer kind of white  - Zooropa
Your skin is white, but you think your a brother - Some Days Are Better Than Others
White dopes on punk staring into the flash - Mofo
White trash, the Memphis flash, didn't smoke hash -  Elvis Ate America
The white knickers, the white nigger - Elvis Ate America
She wore canvas shoes, white canvas shoes - Walk to the Water
Black is white, and cold is heat - The Ground Beneath Her Feet
You're not white you're pink and rosy -  I'm Not Your Baby
Of white and the black, Spilling over... I'll Follow You Down -  In the Name of the Father
Needle soul, white track, you come right back - Wire
The temperature is rising, the fever white hot - Silver and Gold

Brown

Mrs. Brown's washing is always the same - Shadows and Tall Trees
Blue eyed boy meet brown eyed girl - Sweetest Thing

Grey

A picture of grey, Dorian Gray - The Ocean
She wore Lemon to color in the cold gray night - Lemon

Black

There's a black car parked at the side of the road - Tomorrow
A Blackbird makes a violent sight - An Cat Dubh
Under a blood-red sky, A crowd has gathered in black and white - New Years Day
Beat on black, beat on white - Two Hearts Beat as One
I don't know if it's black or white, Cause others see it red -  Two Hearts Beat as One
True colors fly in blue and black - Bad
Dug from the night, your eyes black as coal - The Unforgettable Fire
Black flesh sees the sky and he turns inside from you -  Elvis Presley & America
Calling, calling, the sun is burning black - Fire
Under black belly of cloud in the rain -  Running to Stand Still
He went deeper into black...deeper into white - Exit
Night hangs like a prisoner, stretched over black and blue - Mothers of the Disappeared
No stars in the black night - Silver and Gold
Like Black Coffee, Like Nicotine - Hawkmoon 269
I'm in the black, can't see or be seen -  Ultraviolet
In an old black boat - One Minute Warning
I know I got black eyes, but they burn so brightly for her -  Sweetest Thing
I see you dressed in black, I guess I'm not coming back - Hallelujah, Here She Comes
Black is white, and cold is heat - The Ground Beneath Her Feet
Of white and the black, Spilling over... I'll Follow You Down -  In the Name of the Father
As long as night is the color of Blue and Black - Big Girls are Best
She put me in the black - Lady with the Spinning Head 

Red

Red, Running Red - The Electric Co.
Under a blood-red sky, A crowd has gathered in black and white - New Years Day
I don't know if it's black or white, Cause others see it red -  Two Hearts Beat as One
Red wine that punctures the skin - The Unforgettable Fire
Calling, calling, the moon is running red - Fire
In a red hill town - Red Hill Mining Town
Lights go down on Red Hill Town - Red Hill Mining Town
From the fire fly a red orange glow - Bullet the Blue Sky
She runs through the streets with her eyes painted red - Running to Stand Still
And the moon has turned red over one tree hill - One Tree Hill
His face red like a rose on a thorn bush - Bullet the Blue Sky
All I got is a red guitar, Three chords and the truth -  All Along the Watchtower (from R&H)
With a Red guitar, on Fire - Desire
Used to make love under a Red sunset - When Love Comes To Town
Red light, Grey morning - Stay (Faraway So Close)
Your lips of cherry red....Your hair was colored gold -  Walk To The Water
From Red island across the strand, Your footprints still there in the sand - Never Let Me Go 

Gold

Gold is the reason for the wars we wage - New Years Day
These City Lights, They shine as silver and gold - The Unforgettable Fire
White gold and pearls stolen from the sea - Running to Stand Still
The greatest gift is gold - In God's Country
Captain and kings in the ships hold, They came to collect silver and gold - Silver and Gold
Hit where it hurts, silver and gold -  Silver and Gold
Of cool, green valleys, Gold and silver veins -  Heartland
You say you want diamonds on a ring of gold -  All I Want Is You
I went out walking through streets paved with gold -  The Wanderer
Gave me a cup of gold -  The First Time
A different kind of blue, More lights blue signs all gold all new - A Different Kind Of Blue
I'll cross the world for green and gold -  Spanish Eyes
Your lips of cherry red....Your hair was colored gold -  Walk To The Water
Her golden voice, her beauty's beat - The Ground Beneath Her Feet
The golden age of pop - God Part II

Silver

These City Lights, They shine as silver and gold - The Unforgettable Fire
Captain and kings in the ships hold, They came to collect silver and gold - Silver and Gold
Hit where it hurts, silver and gold -  Silver and Gold
Of cool, green valleys, Gold and silver veins -  Heartland
Around her neck she wore a silver necklace - Walk to the Water
She took the back way home, Past the lights at Silver Hill - Walk to the Water

Blue

Bright blue eyes - Surrender
True colors fly in blue and black - Bad
Blue Silken Sky and Burning Flag - Bad
Sky, it's a Blue Sky - Indian Summer Sky
And I know your tears are blue - Elvis Presley & America
And your sky is feeling blue - Elvis Presley & America
Sky - like a honey-shade of blue -  Elvis Presley & America
Bullet the blue sky, bullet the blue - Bullet the Blue Sky
Night hangs like a prisoner, stretched over black and blue - Mothers of the Disappeared
See them navy blue uniforms -  Silver and Gold
Blue light on the avenue -   Angel of Harlem
Salvation in the blues -   Angel of Harlem
The notes were turning blue, I was dazed and in a dream - When Love Comes To Town
Who's gonna drown in your blue sea - Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses
Zooropa, a bluer kind of white'  Zooropa
Catching you bright blue eyes - Babyface
Her eyes are swimming pool blue' Miami
I bought two new suits... Miami, PINK AND BLUE.. MIAMI - Miami
Do you really want me to be blue as you -  If You Wear That Velvet Dress
A different kind of blue, More lights blue signs all gold all new - A Different Kind Of Blue
With twilight breaking through, It's a different kind of blue - A Different Kind Of Blue
Baby's got blue skies up ahead -  Sweetest Thing
You're out in the hall, Waltzing the blues - Dancin' Shoes
See the World in Green and Blue - Beautiful Day
All of my colors, they turn to blue -  Slow Dancing
As long as night is the color of Blue and Black - Big Girls are Best
And my blood turned blue - Salome 
Love lift me up out of these blues - Elevation
Your catholic blues - Please

Orange

From the fire fly a red orange glow - Bullet the Blue Sky
Tequila and Orange - Summer Rain (a stretch - implied use is the juice rather than the color) 

Purple/Violet

I see the purple of her eyes, The scarlet of my lies -  Love Rescue Me
Oh ultraviolet - Ultraviolet

Green

Of cool, green valleys, Gold and silver veins - Heartland
We're mild and green and squeaky clean - Zooropa
Green Lights, seven eleven - Stay (Faraway So Close)
I'll cross the world for green and gold - Spanish Eyes
Green as the leaves the cure for the nettle sting - Deep in the Heart

Crimson

We're free to fly the crimson sky -  Even Better Than The Real Thing

Ivory

Oh, the hunter will sin for your ivory skin - Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses

Yellow

She wore Lemon to color in the cold gray night - Lemon (debatable, implies she 'wore' lemon)

Pink

I bought two new suits... Miami, PINK AND BLUE.. MIAMI - Miami