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The lyrics of “When Love Comes to Town” by U2 are a mosaic of biblical references. The Edge recalls the song’s genesis: “Bono came up with ‘When Love Comes To Town’. Bono thought the song was too traditional for us” (McCormick, 247). Yet the song’s traditional blues structure became the perfect vessel for B.B. King’s soulful expression, as he had requested a song from U2 after a show.
In its premiere performance, the song included the following verse:
When I woke up I was sleeping on the street
I felt the world was dancing, and I was dirt beneath their feet
When I woke up I saw the Devil looking down
But my Lord He played guitar the day love came to town
Most explicitly, “I was there when they crucified my Lord” directly invokes the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, which in the Gospel of John is described like this: “When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his clothes and divided them into four parts, one for each soldier. They also took his tunic; now the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from the top. So they said to one another, ‘Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see who will get it.’ This was to fulfill what the scripture says, ‘They divided my clothes among themselves, and for my clothing they cast lots’” (John 19:23–24, NRSV). The piercing of Jesus’ side, from which blood and water flowed, reflects the scripture: “Instead, one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once blood and water came out” (John 19:34, NRSV). These moments of betrayal and divine providence are captured in the raw emotion of the blues, as B.B. King observed Bono’s lyrics, remarking on their depth: “You’re kind of young to write such heavy lyrics” (McCormick, 247).
Jonah’s ordeal is recalled in the expressions “lost at sea” and “under the waves,” providing another example of being at odds with God’s purposes: “You cast me into the deep, into the heart of the seas, and the flood surrounded me; all your waves and your billows passed over me” (Jonah 2:3, NRSV). Yet this opposition is followed by eventual redemption. “Yet you brought up my life from the Pit, O LORD my God” (Jonah 2:6, NRSV) parallels the transformative experience of the songwriter.
The phrase “catch that flame” recalls the biblical imagery of fire and divine messengers, such as “you make the winds your messengers, fire and flame your ministers” (Psalm 104:4, NRSV). Love conquering “the great divide” further builds the song’s theme of redemption and the Holy Spirit’s presence, a sentiment echoed in the Apostle Paul’s words: “nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:39, NRSV).
In this song, Bono’s and B.B. King explore the intersection of human frailty and divine grace. As Bono quoted from Brendan Kennelly’s “Book of Judas”: “The best way to serve the age is to betray it” (Stokes, 85). This paradoxical wisdom underpins the song’s narrative, where betrayal leads to a greater understanding and acceptance of love.