"With or Without You" Quotes
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Source: "With or Without You"
Speaker: U2
I can't live with or without you.
Context
This line is from the song "With or Without You" by U2, from the album The Joshua Tree (1987).
"Without or Without You" builds up slowly, starting with Bono saying he'll wait for you… but then, he waits without you… because you don't show up. (How dare you stand up Bono!) But he'll wait, anyway—with or without you. That's romantic, right? Soon, things turns dark, though, when he sings, "With or without you… with or without you… I can't live, with or without you." Uh-oh, that doesn't look good. Those kinds of relationships are never healthy.
Where you've heard it
You've heard this if someone is really conflicted about their relationship, or if someone thinks that U2 is the greatest band ever. (You're may be better off living without that person.)
Additional Notable References
- The premiere U2 cover band from Dallas calls themselves With or Without U2. (See what they did there?)
- Grey's Anatomy titled an episode "With or Without You."
- And Ross requested the song for Rachel on Friends.
Pretentious Factor
If you were to drop this quote at a dinner party, would you get an in-unison "awww" or would everyone roll their eyes and never invite you back? Here it is, on a scale of 1-10.
Considering that Bono is usually off the charts on the pretentious meter, this lyric scores quite low. (At least he didn't call the song "With or Without U.")