Numb is about how The Edge felt when he split up with his wife. The felt like he couldn’t do anything, he was useless. He felt numb. But many suggest The Edge was on the road to recovery because of the surreal humor in this song. There are suggestions as well (especially after seeing the video) that it is about how we have become desensitized in this modern era of television and communications. We’ve become media zombies. Our minds become overloaded.
Knowing U2, both are probably true.
Interesting notes: At the very beginning of the song it sounds like Bono is saying “I really feel tired” in his falsetto “Lemon” voice.
The strange sound at the end of Numb is actually Edge’s Walkman rewinding.
Click here to download the guitar tab for Numb
Don’t move
Don’t talk out of time
Don’t think
Don’t worry everything’s just fine
Just fine
Don’t grab
Don’t clutch
Don’t hope for too much
Don’t breathe
Don’t achieve
Don’t grieve without leave
Don’t check just balance on the fence
Don’t answer
Don’t ask
Don’t try and make sense
Don’t whisper
Don’t talk
Don’t run if you can walk
Don’t cheat compete
Don’t miss the one beat
Don’t travel by train
Don’t eat
Don’t spill
Don’t piss in the drain
Don’t make a will
Don’t fill out any forms
Don’t compensate
Don’t cower
Don’t crawl
Don’t come around late
Don’t hover at the gate
Don’t take it on board
Don’t fall on your sword (FAT LADY)
Just play another chord
If you feel you’re getting board (I feel numb)
I feel numb
Don’t change your brand (Too much is not enough)
Don’t listen to the band (Gimme some more)
Don’t gape (Gimme some more)
Don’t ape (Of that stuff love)
Don’t change your shape (Too much is not enough)
Have another grape
Don’t plead (Too much is not enough)
Don’t bridle (I feel numb)
Don’t shackle (I feel numb)
Don’t grind (Gimme what you got)
Don’t curve (Gimme what I don’t get)
Don’t swerve (Gimme what you got)
Don’t lie, die, serve (Too much is not enough)
(I feel numb)
Don’t theorize, realise, polarise,
Chance, dance, dismiss, apologise
(I feel numb)
Don’t spy (Gimme some more)
Don’t lie (Gimme some more)
Don’t try (Of that stuff love)
Imply (Gimme some more)
Detain (Too much is not enough)
Explain
Start again (I feel numb)
Don’t triumph
Don’t coax
Don’t cling
Don’t hoax
Don’t freak
Peak
Don’t leak
Don’t speak
(I feel numb)
Don’t project (I feel numb)
Don’t connect
Protect
Don’t expect
Suggest
(I feel numb)
Don’t project
Don’t connect
Protect
Don’t expect
Suggest
(I feel numb)
Don’t struggle (I feel numb)
Don’t jerk
Don’t collar
Don’t work
Don’t wish
Don’t fish
Don’t teach
Don’t reach
(I feel numb)
Don’t borrow
Don’t break
Don’t fence
Don’t steal
Don’t pass
Don’t press
Don’t fry
Don’t feel
(I feel numb)
Don’t touch
Don’t dive
Don’t suffer
Don’t rhyme
Don’t fantasize
Don’t rise
Don’t lie
(I feel numb)
Don’t project
Don’t connect
Protect
Don’t expect
Suggest
(I feel numb)
Don’t project
Don’t connect
Protect
Don’t expect
Suggest
(I feel numb)
Subpages: