(Released
October 1984) |
Track
list: |
|
A
Sort of Homecoming |
|
Pride (In the Name of Love) |
| Wire
|
| The
Unforgettable Fire |
| Promenade
|
| 4th
of July |
| Bad
|
| Indian
Summer Sky |
| Elvis
Presley and America |
| MLK
|
"The
Unforgettable Fire" was a new sound and style for U2. This
was the first album they did not record at Windmill Lane Studios,
and also the first not produced by Steve Lillywhite. A new sound
was sought by recording in a castle-made-studio under the direction
of Brian Eno.
The biggest influence on this album was Martin Luther King,
Jr.; two songs "MLK" and "Pride," pay tribute
to him. U2 has performed "Pride" in almost every concert
since its release; it has been played live more than any other
song. It hit the U.K. top 5, while "MLK" hit top 50 in the United
States.
The change in music style was most noticeable in this album
because the band was experimenting with new ideas. Another significant
track off this album is the song "Bad," which became
popular later in their career.
The title of "The Unforgettable Fire" came from a series of
paintings by survivors of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings
in Japan. The image on the cover was Naydrum Castle, representing
the location where some of the songs were recorded.
