Rank Your Favorite Songs on the Album Part 11: The Unforgettable Fire

[U2girl]

1) Pride
2) Bad
3) TUF
4) ASOH

5) Promenade
6) ISS
7) MLK

8) Wire
9) EPAA
10) 4 of July

 

[Nate Dogg]

1.Bad
2.The Unforgettable Fire
3.A Sort Of Homecoming
4.Wire
5.Pride
6.MLK
7.Promenade
8.Elvis Presley and America
9.Indian Summer Sky
10.4th of July

 

[Reggie Thee Dog]

1. Promenade
2. Wire
3. Bad
4. The Unforgettable Fire
5. Pride (In the Name of Love)
6. A Sort of Homecoming
7. Indian Summer Sky
8. MLK
9. Elvis Presley and America
10. 4th of July

 

[An Cat Gav]

Truly great album.

1. The Unforgettable Fire 10/10

2. Promenade 10/10

3. A Sort Of Homecoming 9.5/10

4. Elvis Presley and America 9.5/10

5. Pride 9.5/10

6. Bad 9/10 (live from WAIA would get 10/10)

7. Wire 9/10

8. Indian Summer Sky 9/10

9. MLK 9/10

10. 4th of July 7/0

 

[Salome]

Amazing
1. A Sort Of Homecoming
2. The Unforgettable Fire
3. Bad
4. Pride
5. Promenade

Great
6. Wire

Very good
7. Indian Summer Sky
8. Elvis Presley And America

Good
9. MLK

OK
10. 4th of July

 

[alanah]

1. Bad
2. The Unforgettable Fire
3. A Sort Of Homecoming
4. Pride
5. Promenade
6. Wire
7. MLK
8. Indian Summer Sky
9. Elvis Presley And America
10. 4th Of July

 

[nielsgov]

1. The Unforgettable Fire: My favourite U2 song ever.
2. A Sort Of Homecoming
3. Wire
4. Pride
5. Bad
6. Promenade
7. Indian Summer Sky
8. Elvis Presley And America
9. MLK
10. 4th Of July

 

[Purplereign]

1. Bad
2. The Unforgettable Fire
3. A Sort Of Homecoming
4. Wire
5. Pride
6. Promenade
7. MLK
8. Indian Summer Sky
9. Elvis Presley And America
10. 4th Of July

I can't even begin to explain the pull this album has over me ~ it makes me emotional just trying to find the words; glorious, uplifting, edifying, transcendental, magical, heartbreakingly beautiful ~ it is my forcefield when the world just hurts too much

 

[TheEdge25]

I love this album

Indian Summer Sky is one of my favorite songs to play while I'm driving down an open road

 

[theedgeu2]

1. The Unforgettable Fire
2. A Sort Of Homecoming
3. Bad
4. Pride (In The Name Of Love)
5. Wire
6. Promenade
7. Indian Summer Sky
8. MLK
9. 4th Of July
10. Elvis Presley And America

 

[prbiker15]

Probably my 3rd or 2nd favorite album, another one of U2's best.

MOST LISTENED
1. The Unforgettable Fire
2. A Sort of Homecoming
3. Pride (In The Name Of Love)
4. Bad
5. Wire
6. Indian Summer Sky
7. MLK
LEAST LISTENED
8. Promenade
9. 4th of July
10. Elvis Presley and America

 

[Earl-Of-IMDb]

maybe my 2nd favorite U2 album and one of the first ones i bought..I like everything except Wire

1. The Unforgetable Fire
2. Pride
3. Indian Summer sky
4. A sort of homecoming
5. Bad
6. Promenade
7. 4th of july
8. MLK
9. Elvis ate America
10. Wire

 

[bono_212]

Ashley - i'd like to hear why you think EPAA is that good, if you would.

Well for one thing it's U2 experimenting, and, in my opinion, doing so extremely well.

For another, it's one of the few songs that makes me cry almost every time I hear it.

And finally? Because it has one of the greatest endings of all time. I know the lyrics are mostly nonsense, but the ending manages to pull something together, and you remember this song is supposed to be about Elvis, and that's when the following just completely pushes me over the edge:

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 I can feel
Like I feel before
Like it hurt now
And I see the floor
If you pick me up
Bits and pieces on this floor

That honestly might be one of my favorite U2 lyrical pieces ever. I'm not even kidding.

 

[Katiesheb]

Love this album!!! One of the most played on my stereo/MP3 player!!!

1. The Unforgettable Fire
2. A Sort of Homecoming
3. Pride
4. Bad
5. Wire
6. Indian Summer Sky
7. MLK
8. Promenade
9. 4th of July
10. Elvis Presley and America

Bad would have been rated higher if it was the live version... I find the live version more passionate.

 

[quiltybones]

Cool to see Elvis Presley and America getting so much love. Anyway ...

1. Bad
2. A Sort of Homecoming
3. Elvis Presley and America
4. Promenade
5. The Unforgettable Fire
6. Wire
7. Pride
8. Indian Summer Sky
9. 4th of July
10. MLK

 

[hillers]

1) A Sort of Homecoming
2) Bad
3) The Unforgettable Fire
4) Wire
5) Pride (In The Name of Love)
6) Promenade
7) MLK
8) Indian Summer Sky
9) 4th of July
10) Elvis Presley and America

 

[65980]

The first time I ever saw U2 was 'The Unforgettable Fire' video, back in 1985 or whenever, on a video show in Canada. I was too young to appreciate the song, but I still remember the strong visual images of Edge walking around in the snow. That somehow stayed with me.

This is the album where U2 leap beyond their origins and their first inspirations, and into a different place that their Dublin/London peers from the late 70s/early 80s were not capable of going.

One would be hard-hearted to complain about an LP this fine, but it is a shame they didn't make way for "The Three Sunrises" instead of "4th of July" or "Elvis...". But then art is sometimes more interesting when it has flaws.

Outstanding:
A Sort of Homecoming
Pride
Bad

Excellent:
The Unforgettable Fire
Wire
MLK

Very Good:
Promenade
Indian Summer Sky (the best U2 song that nobody ever talks about)

Good:
Elvis Presley and America

Okay/Medicre:
4th of July (I can only assume they included this to impress Eno with their arty credentials?)

Poor:
(none)

 

[coolian2]

Well for one thing it's U2 experimenting, and, in my opinion, doing so extremely well.

For another, it's one of the few songs that makes me cry almost every time I hear it.

And finally? Because it has one of the greatest endings of all time. I know the lyrics are mostly nonsense, but the ending manages to pull something together, and you remember this song is supposed to be about Elvis, and that's when the following just completely pushes me over the edge:

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 I can feel
Like I feel before
Like it hurt now
And I see the floor
If you pick me up
Bits and pieces on this floor

That honestly might be one of my favorite U2 lyrical pieces ever. I'm not even kidding.

i wish i could find the quote where bono says something along the lines of the unforgettable fire being a stream of consciousness. when i saw that quote alongside listening to elvis presley and america, it sealed the deal for me.

in that context, epaa defines the album.

 

[Axver]

<fanboy>

Best U2 Song Ever
1. A Sort Of Homecoming

Exceptional U2 Listening
2. The Unforgettable Fire

Very Fine U2 Listening
3. Bad
4. Wire
5. Indian Summer Sky
6. Pride
7. Promenade

Fine U2 Listening
8. Elvis Presley And America
9. 4th Of July

Decent U2 Listening
10. MLK

</fanboy>

 

[cobl04]

Well for one thing it's U2 experimenting, and, in my opinion, doing so extremely well.

For another, it's one of the few songs that makes me cry almost every time I hear it.

And finally? Because it has one of the greatest endings of all time. I know the lyrics are mostly nonsense, but the ending manages to pull something together, and you remember this song is supposed to be about Elvis, and that's when the following just completely pushes me over the edge:

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 I can feel
Like I feel before
Like it hurt now
And I see the floor
If you pick me up
Bits and pieces on this floor

That honestly might be one of my favorite U2 lyrical pieces ever. I'm not even kidding.

i agree with you regarding the ending, from that first lyric you listed onwards, it's pure bliss. i just wanted to know why it produces such a strong emotional reaction in you, because i'm intrigued as i know few others feel the same way, but you don't have to answer that.

ironically despite its title i have never associated the song with Elvis, i've never made the connection.

 

[nielsgov]

I have never understood one word Bono sings in EPAA.

 

[Roland of Gilead]

1. Bad (my favorite U2 song/my favorite song period)


2. The Unforgettable Fire
3. A Sort of Homecoming
4. Pride


5. Elvis Presley and America
6. Wire
7. Promenade
8. MLK


9. Indian Summer Sky
10. 4th of July

My first exposure to U2, winter of '84. I gladly shovelled snow with my walkman blasting this on cassette.

 

[LemonMelon]

1. A Sort of Homecoming - 10/10
2. Promenade - 9.5/10
3. The Unforgettable Fire - 9/10
4. Pride - 8.5/10
5. Wire - 8/10
6. Bad - 7.5/10
7. Elvis Presley And America - 6.5/10
8. MLK - 6.5/10
9. 4th of July - 6/10
10. Indian Summer Sky - 5/10

Amazing first half, but I have no idea what the hell happens after Bad. Significantly more enjoyable with icy weather going on, but it's their most texturally exciting album year-round.

 

[bono_212]

i agree with you regarding the ending, from that first lyric you listed onwards, it's pure bliss. i just wanted to know why it produces such a strong emotional reaction in you, because i'm intrigued as i know few others feel the same way, but you don't have to answer that.

ironically despite its title i have never associated the song with Elvis, i've never made the connection.

That's just it, I can't put it into words. It's sonically gorgeous and every so often lyrically brilliant. It's a reminder to me every time I hear it that Bono has the ability to do these wonderful things with music. I think to myself, now if only they had sat down and written real lyrics to it...but honestly, I think I would have died if they'd rerecorded it for the remaster.

 

[LemonMelon]

EPAA has some fascinating pieces, but as a 6 1/2 minute composition, I just can't get into it. It drags, there's bongolese overload, it's all very rambling. But as you listen, these lovely guitar riffs rise out of the haze, Bono occasionally hits on something that sounds profound, and you're graced with Larry's most distinctive drumming (thanks to studio magic, sure) from beginning to end.

 

[kabigon]

1. Pride (In the Name of Love) - Studio is timeless, but I have been getting into it again after it being rested for a while and now being played sporadically on 360
2. A Sort of Homecoming
3. Bad
4. Promenade
5. The Unforgettable Fire
6. Wire
7. Indian Summer Sky
8. Elvis Presley and America
9. MLK
10. 4th of July

 

[Acrobat51829]

10/10
1. A Sort of Homecoming

9/10
2. Wire
3. Bad
4. Promenade
5. The Unforgettable Fire
6. Pride
7. Indian Summer Sky

7/10
8. 4th of July
9. MLK
10. EPAA

 

[cobl04]

EPAA has some fascinating pieces, but as a 6 1/2 minute composition, I just can't get into it. It drags, there's bongolese overload, it's all very rambling. But as you listen, these lovely guitar riffs rise out of the haze, Bono occasionally hits on something that sounds profound, and you're graced with Larry's most distinctive drumming (thanks to studio magic, sure) from beginning to end.

i heard it's Brian Eno's ringtone

however i think you have to be a real fanatic to like the song. it's taken me the best part of three or four years to enjoy it to the level that i do.

 

[bono_212]

It was never something I actively attempted to do, I just like it

 

[coolian2]

That's just it, I can't put it into words. It's sonically gorgeous and every so often lyrically brilliant. It's a reminder to me every time I hear it that Bono has the ability to do these wonderful things with music. I think to myself, now if only they had sat down and written real lyrics to it...but honestly, I think I would have died if they'd rerecorded it for the remaster.