‘The Unforgettable Fire’: A Great Underrated U2 Album

When we talk about great U2 albums, we often hear the same feelings about the same albums. Much is made of ‘The Joshua Tree’ with its uplifting gospel rock sounds and the experimental and electrifying sounds of ‘Achtung Baby’. And while these are excellent albums, among the best rock albums ever produced, ‘The Unforgettable Fire’ is generally not often talked about. It is unfortunate that due to U2’s exceptionally large catalog, most of the songs on ‘The Unforgettable Fire’ are often forgotten. With its experimental atmospheric sound, this was a true milestone in U2’s early history, one that propelled them to rock music greatness. The truth is that 1984’s ‘The Unforgettable Fire’, with some classic U2 songs like ‘Pride (In the Name of Love)’, ‘Bad’ and ‘A kind of Homecoming’ ranks almost as high as these other two. great albums.

In 1985, ‘Rolling Stone’ magazine praised U2 for being ‘The band of the 80s’, ‘Savior’s of Rock and Roll’. They had conquered the European and American music scene and were world renowned for being a great live band after their impressive performances on ‘Live Aid’. After the high expectations following their third album ‘War’, U2 produced their best album at the time, breaking musical trends in the process.

With the help of Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois, U2 embarked on an unprecedented more artistic, atmospheric and abstract sound. While most of the lyrics on this album are somewhat abstract and out of focus, only the ambition and passion that ‘The Unforgettable Fire’ embodies is admired. The Edge-inspired guitar sounds of ‘Pride (In the Name of Love)’ are a resplendent tribute to the late Martin Luther King Jr., while the epic ‘Bad’ and ‘The Unforgettable Fire’ are truly great. However, it is the lesser and less renowned songs that propel this album towards greatness. The complex ‘A kind of Homecoming’ layer is a song that will grow in you with every listen, while the improvised lyrics and beautiful nostalgic tone of ‘Elvis Presley and America’ are truly spectacular.

Like the great U2 albums, ‘The Unforgettable Fire’ doesn’t fade towards the end. It is quite ironic that U2’s great desires to experiment with their music have compromised the very experimental ‘The Unforgettable Fire’. Every upcoming U2 album since then (except the last two), has introduced a sound that has been unique in its own right. Blues, gospel and soul influenced by ‘Rattle and Hum’ and the electronic infusion of ‘Zooropa’ are two notable examples. With the release of a new U2 album just around the corner, one can only hope they stay true to the lyrics of ‘Indian Summer Sky’: ‘the seasons change and so do I’. It certainly is a formula that U2 has proven to be so successful over and over again.