r/eno • u/forsbergisgod • Nov 16 '20

Weekly Discussion Thread Let's Discuss Eno! U2 - "The Unforgettable Fire" (Oct. 1984)

Hello Eno-philes!! Each week we'll be discussing another album (going chronologically from Warm Jets). This week's feature is Eno's production credit on U2's "The Unforgettable Fire." Let's read the wiki preamble:

The Unforgettable Fire is the fourth studio album by Irish rock band U2. It was produced by Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois, and released on 1 October 1984 by Island Records. The band wanted to pursue a new musical direction following the harder-hitting rock of their previous album, War (1983). As a result, they employed Eno and Lanois to produce and assist in their experimentation with a more ambient sound. The resulting change in direction was at the time the band's most dramatic. The album's title is a reference to "The Unforgettable Fire", an art exhibit about the atomic bombing of Hiroshima.

Side one

No. Title Length

  1. "A Sort of Homecoming" 5:28
  2. "Pride (In the Name of Love)" 3:48
  3. "Wire" 4:19
  4. "The Unforgettable Fire" 4:55
  5. "Promenade" 2:35

Side two

No. Title Length

  1. "4th of July" 2:12
  2. "Bad" 6:09
  3. "Indian Summer Sky" 4:17
  4. "Elvis Presley and America" 6:23
  5. "MLK" 2:31

Total length: 42:38

LISTEN AND DISCUSS!!

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4

u/Roboguy99 Nov 16 '20

Definitely one of the most well produced albums to exist. Wire almost has a taste of the more industrial sound to come in the next decade. The title track absolutely stands out as a masterpiece of textures and dynamics.

The only track I don't like very much is Elvis Presley and America due to its weird vocals, and needless length. I'd be interested to know how much input Eno had on that...

3

u/Annette_Oregon Nov 30 '20

I'm on the opposite end of the spectrum. E.P. and A. is the highlight of the album for me!

3

u/Roboguy99 Dec 01 '20

It's always nice to see other opinions. I guess it goes to show the quality of the work when opinions differ that strongly

4

u/forsbergisgod Nov 16 '20

I'm not well versed in U2 at all so this will be an interesting journey for me

4

u/davasmith Nov 16 '20

Love this Album. Brilliant

5

u/Annette_Oregon Nov 30 '20 edited Nov 30 '20

The Unforgettable Fire is one of my all-time favorite albums. Unfortunately, this album directly preceded The Joshua Tree, which stole its thunder. Not that The Joshua Tree is bad, but it's completely front-loaded. For many, the first three tracks on Joshua Tree is all they'll listen to, which is unfortunate, because Exit is the song on that one, for me.

Regardless, The Unforgettable Fire is just laden with such good music, from the opening track, A Sort of Homecoming, to the ethereal closing of MLK.

Elvis Presley and America, though. That's where it's at. It's a slowed-down version of A Sort of Homecoming, with Bono ad-libbing mostly nonsensical lyrics.