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Rating:
The Unforgettable Fire
Reviewing a U2 album is difficult. Very difficult! Reviewing this album is even more difficult! I didn't know whether to make this review long or short, in the end, I made it long :)
This record is one of the "trilogy of wonders," meaning one of the three albums that made U2 a world-famous band. I can already hear the mega-fans' voices: "The greatest, the greatest"! (The other two are "War" and "The Joshua Tree").
After the huge success of "War," especially with "Sunday Bloody Sunday," U2 found themselves in the global spotlight of that era, and after an exhausting worldwide tour, they retreated directly to the famous Irish "Slane Castle" to produce a new album. They also found a new producer: Brian Eno (who brought Daniel Lanois along).
During that period, there was a significant change in their way of playing.
The first thing you notice when listening to the album is the evolution of The Edge's sound. The static and distorted sound of the first three records gives way to a clean, delay-rich sound that characterizes the entire production. An almost obligatory choice, born from the relaxed atmosphere of Slane Castle and the need to renew themselves.
From a musical standpoint, the songs are long improvisations, pieces cut and played on various occasions and then put together and made cohesive! The lyrics further emphasize this way of working, being cryptic and ambiguous in many parts. Bono was a bit in crisis when it came to writing, and in some points, the lyrics are little more than drafts. However, the singer was deeply affected by Martin Luther King's death, and references to that event can be found throughout the album. Some songs are a bit thrown together, others are beautiful. The voice remains the predominant instrument, Bono proves to be a great singer here.
Personally, I would give the album 5 points, my favorite, but perhaps a 4/5 is more appropriate.
---- If you want to read a small introduction to the album's best songs, continue otherwise skip below
The album opens with "A sort of homecoming," a long sung piece open to many interpretations, but always returning to the same theme: coming home. Returning from a world tour, returning from a war (the lyrics seem to talk about this), returning to oneself. The title is actually a quote: "Poetry is a sort of homecoming." . . Who knows!
"Pride": what to say about the most famous song and first single of the album? Nothing, apart from the fact that the last verse is clearly a reference to M.L.K. Born during the War tour, it was completely rewritten afterward.
"Wire" is a beautiful rhythmic piece, talking about drugs. Striking, that's what I can say. And it brings the album's pace back up a bit.
"The Unforgettable Fire," the song that gives the album its title, refers to the two atomic bombs dropped during World War II. However, the content is completely different. They just liked the name and kept it. The piece is very beautiful musically though!
In the middle of the album is "Bad." The deepest song in the album and the most difficult to understand. It talks about a friend who died of a heroin overdose. The Edge's riff repeats endlessly, and in the end, Bono gives the listener the best of his voice. (Rarely can he manage to perform it live)
Indian Summer Sky is hard to understand. I like it because it's easy to listen to and breaks the intrinsic slowness of the album. Beautiful music. Beautiful rhythm. But.. BO!? It vaguely reminds me of Native American stories, even in sound.
The album concludes with two tributes, the first to Elvis (the base is a reversed A Sort Of...) painful and suffering with "Elvis Presley and America," which narrates the downfall of a man (or at least it tries, given the quite improvised lyrics). The other, with M.L.K, is a tribute to Martin Luther King, a kind of farewell - lullaby, moving and conclusive for the album. --------
In this album, there is more U2 soul than in all the others combined. The Irish soul, a bit sad but deep of this band, clearly emerges from the notes and the voice of the songs. Absolutely not overused, the magnificent 4 took their time (even too much because, in the end, they had to hurry to meet the dates). Maybe initially it doesn't strike as much, but after a while, it is captivating. U2 effect! Also a bit slow overall for those used to the other records. 4/5 because it's not yet perfection, which will come with "The Joshua Tree," after the American journey.
sorry.. it's the last time I write such a long review! but I couldn't resist! Moreover, I didn't know what genre to assign, so I put a bit randomly! What genre is it!? HELP
Tracklist Lyrics Samples and Videos
01 A Sort of Homecoming (05:28)
And you know it's time to go
Through the sleet and driving snow
Across the fields of mourning to a light that's in the distance.
And you hunger for the time
Time to heal, 'desire' time
And your earth moves beneath your own dream landscape.
On borderland we run.
I'll be there, I'll be there tonight
A high-road, a high-road out from here.
The city walls are all come down
The dust a smoke screen all around
See faces ploughed like fields that once
Gave no resistance.
And we live by the side of the road
On the side of a hill as the valleys explode
Dislocated, suffocated
The land grows weary of it's own.
O com-away, o com-away, o-com, o com-away, I say I
O com-away, o com-away, o-com, o com-away, I say I
Oh, oh on borderland we run
And still we run, we run and don't look back
I'll be there, I'll be there
Tonight, tonight
I'll be there tonight, I believe
I'll be there so high
I'll be there tonight, tonight.
Oh com-away, I say, o com-away, I say.
The wind will crack in winter time
This bomb-blast lightning waltz.
No spoken words, just a scream
Tonight we'll build a bridge across the sea and land
See the sky, the burning rain
She will die and live again tonight.
And your heart beats so slow
Through the rain and fallen snow
Across the fields of mourning to a light that's in the distance.
Oh, don't sorrow, no don't weep
For tonight at last I am coming home.
I am coming home.
02 Pride (In the Name of Love) (03:49)
One man come in the name of love
One man come and go.
One man come he to justify
One man to overthrow.
In the name of love
What more in the name of love.
In the name of love
What more in the name of love.
One man caught on a barbed wire fence
One man he resist
One man washed up on an empty beach
One man betrayed with a kiss.
In the name of love
What more in the name of love.
In the name of love
What more in the name of love.
Early morning, April four
Shot rings out in the Memphis sky.
Free at last, they took your life
They could not take your pride.
In the name of love
What more in the name of love.
In the name of love
What more in the name of love.
In the name of love
What more in the name of love.
In the name of love
What more in the name of love.
05 Promenade (02:34)
Earth, sky, scenery.
Is she coming back again?
Men of straw, snooker hall.
Words that build or destroy
Dirt dry, bone, sand and stone.
Barbed wire fence cut me down.
I'd like to be around in a spiral staircase
To the higher ground.
And I, like a firework, and explode.
Roman candle, lightning, lights up the sky.
In cracked streets, trample underfoot.
Side-step, sidewalk.
I see you stare into space.
Have I got closer now, behind the face?
Oh, tell me, tell me you'll dance with me
Turn me around tonight
Up through the spiral staircase to the higher ground.
Slide show, seaside town.
Coca-cola, football radio, radio, radio, radio, radio, radio.
07 Bad (06:08)
If you twist and turn away.
It you tear yourself in two again.
If I could, yes I would
If I could, I would let it go.
Surrender, dislocate.
If I could throw this lifeless life-line to the wind.
Leave this heart of clay, see you walk, walk away
Into the night, and through the rain
Into the half light and through the flame.
If I could, through myself, set your spirit free
I'd lead your heart away, see you break, break away
Into the light and to the day.
To let it go and so to fade away.
To let it go and so fade away.
I'm wide awake.
I'm wide awake, wide awake.
I'm not sleeping.
If you should ask, then maybe
They'd tell you what I would say
True colours fly in blue and black
Blue silken sky and burning flag.
Colours crash, collide in blood-shot eyes.
If I could, you know I would
If I could, I would let it go.
This desperation, dislocation
Separation, condemnation
Revelation, in temptation
Isolation, desolation
Let it go and so to find away
To let it go and so to fade away
To let it go and so to fade away
I'm wide awake, I'm wide awake, wide awake
I'm not sleeping
Oh no, no, no.
09 Elvis Presley and America (06:22)
(Black flash)
Black flash over my own love
Tell me of my eyes
Black flash come though my own life
Telling these things
And I believe them
And I believe in you
White flash sees the sky
And it turns its side from you
She won't turn my back
And I know you turn so blue
And you know
And your sky is feeling blue
And your heart
So cold when I'm with you
And you feel
Like no one told you to
And your time is your side
And your time with me
Ah, don't talk to me
Ah, don't talk to me
Don't talk to me
You know
Like no one told you how
But you know
Though the king that howls has howled
But you feel like sentimental
But you don't care
If I just share it in your heart
(heart...)
Hopelessly
So hopelessly
I'm breaking through for you and me
And you don't
Though no one told you to
And you found out
Where you were going, where to
You're through with me
But I know that you will be back
For more
You know
And though no one told you so
And you know, blue sky
Like a harder shade of blue
And you walk
When you want
To let go
Me, I'm the outside, tell me fade away
Drop me down but don't break me
In your sleep
In your sleep, inside
It's in your heart and mine
Whole sea is dark
It's in your heart and mine
Sweetly, those will come
Loving is on your side walking through
So let me in your heart
Your beat is like something...
They...
Run...
See say you're sad and reach by
So say you're sad above beside
Oh stay you're sad over midnight
So stay sad above we said
You know I don't
No one told you how
(and you don't)
(and you wipe sweat off your white brow)
And you care
And no one told you tried
And your heart
Is left out from the side
And the rain beats down
And the shame goes down
And this rain keeps on coming down
And this sky
Tonight...
You know "S" "O" "N" "G", why
You're going go join to God
You know "S" "O" "N" "G", why
Give away some him no lie
Give away some my de day no
You know
And though no one told you sky
And you feel
Like you pretend you can
You say go, you live
Go live outside of me
Don't you leave
Don't leave out part of me
Then can feel
Like I feel before
Like I hurt now
And I see the floor
If you pick me up
Bits and pieces on this floor
10 MLK (02:34)
Sleep
Sleep tonight
And may your dreams
Be realized
If the thunder cloud
Passes rain
So let it rain
Rain down on me
Mmm...mmm...mmm...
So let it be
Mmm...mmm...mmm...
So let it be
Sleep
Sleep tonight
And may your dreams
Be realized
If the thundercloud
Passes rain
So let it rain
Let it rain
Rain on me
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Other reviews
By Alevox
"One of their most beautiful pages is called 'The Unforgettable Fire.'"
"Certainly, the highest moment of the album, and without exaggeration, perhaps also of the band’s entire career."
By Sabinide
The immense vocal performance of Bono Vox, moving and perfect in singing but at the same time raw and introspective in the lyrics.
The Unforgettable Fire must be considered the trademark of the band, socially engaged and able to transform thoughts, emotions, and sincere feelings into music.
By Rax
"Spirit of novelty, spirit of stupidity."
"A missed masterpiece that does not reach 'War' in terms of great songs and lacks the care seen in 'Joshua'."
By Brahms
"The unforgettable fire is also this: 'Slide projection, seashore city, Coca Cola, football, radio radio'... the simplicity of small things."
"Few tracks have depicted the dramas of contemporary life like 'Bad'. All supported by a musicality that transmits a mix of epic and dramatic."
By DeArlo
The Unforgettable Fire is a masterpiece, from the melodies to the lyrics to the cover.
Bono himself described the album as 'beautifully blurred,' like an impressionist painting.
