The Unforgettable Fire: How Good Is It?

[rock888nwo]

i wanted to get some thoughts from U2 nation on this album. I mean, I love it to death...but does anyone else think the sound is very 80s is on some tracks..especially the unforgettable fire (obviously we all know the album was released in the 80s, but for me one of the greatest things about U2 music is that it almost transcends both time and genre)...im not trying to start a huge argument, because this is a beautiful album to listen to, but does anyone think it is a little bit overrated? or am i way off base here?

 

[Joshua87]

im thinking a little way off base yeah its 80s, but its also damn near perfect

 

[rock888nwo]

i think its far from damn near perfect...joshua tree, achtung baby...those are damn near perfect...for me, mlk and promenade are nice tracks...bad is obviously unbelievable and pride is great...sort of homecoming is also quite good....but thats really it...wire and indian summer sky are not all that special...and 4th of july and elvis p & america arent very good at all

 

[Joshua87]

i think it is great in the way that it flows unlike all their other albums. Yes, I agree that the collection of songs is not as strong as AB ot JT, but theres just something about it, it is like a hymn. Ok, im really not quite sure what im trying to say lol, but to me, it is damn near perfect...as JT and AB ARE perfect

 

[Zoots]

The thing with UF is that it is totally a mood album for me. Some days I can happily listen to the whole thing and appreciate atmospheric masterpieces like Promenade, MLK and the title track. Other days I tend to get bored by the overall mellow feel of this album and end up skipping some tracks. Also, Pride is a great song but way overplayed on the radio and I often end up skipping it. Bad is a lot better live but it's pretty good here. Homecoming is beautiful. 4th Of July is filler IMO. I know some people consider it the perfect bridge between Promenade and Bad. As for Wire and Indian Summer Sky, I have to be in the right mood. EP & America, I just can't get into much. I've tried. So it's kind of a mixed bag for me. Oh... and Love Comes Tumbling absolutely should have been on this album.

But answer to your question, I don't think it's overrated, really. At least not by fans... maybe by critics.

 

[sue4u2]

I listen to this album when I am happy, sad, angry or need to calm myself or just feel better.. This IS!! classic rock personified. U2 or otherwise.
This album STILL! to this day bring's out the " roll my eyes in the back of my head" feeling that I first fell in love with in U2.

Most of the time I just bow. and listen..
It's the type of album I put on repeat and then repeat the songs.

(no offense but the term overrated is overrated and overused)

 

[namkcuR]

There is a very organic feel to this record - and, like zootl said, it's a mood record. Bad, The Unforgettable Fire, and Pride are some of U2's greatest songs, and Wire, Indian Summer Sky, and A Sort Of Homecoming are overlooked gems in U2's 80s catalog. The record also has a great flow. That said, it's only ten songs, and Love Comes Tumbling, The Three Sunrises, and Bass Trap all deserved to be on it. TUF can be as high as #5 in my rankings when I'm in the right mood.

*Awaits Axver's essay on why TUF is the greatest record in history*

 

[U2Kitten]

Probably my second favorite album. I love its dreamy, passionate, mystical quality. It has a very unique and beautiful sound. I love it.

 

[Zoots]

Actually, you know what.... I don't think Promenade - 4th Of July - Bad was even meant to flow well on the album. Why I say this is... when UF was released in 1984, I'm assuming everybody just got cassettes. I don't think CDs were in common use yet. And on the cassette, Side A ends with Promenade. So one had to stop the tape and reverse it. Doesn't it disprove the flow theory then? What do you say to that, Axver?

Sorry, I don't mean to derail this thread or anything.

 

[AtomicBono]

(no offense but the term overrated is overrated and overused)

yeah overrated is totally overrated...in fact I think the prefix "over" is way overused...

For some reason UF never striked me as that overly 80's, the most 80's U2 got I think was the second half of War.

Indian Summer Sky and Wire are both really underrated imo, two of my favourite songs from the album. Pride and Bad are classics of course...Bad improved greatly live, Pride not so much. A Sort of Homecoming is a beautiful opener. For some reason song The Unforgettable Fire always really depressed me... I don't know why...Promenade is a beautiful song, very "atmospheric". 4th of July is a nice little insturmental but I'd have to agree with Zoot that in the end it's just filler. I mean, how often do you find yourself going, "Man, I really want to listen to the 4TH OF JULY"? Still, it helps the album flow. Elvis Presley and America I could never really get into, though it's great if you're in the right mood. It's not a very exciting song, but not all songs have to be exciting. Same goes for MLK. I love how MLK ends on the same note that Streets begins on.

The brilliant thing about UF is I think even more than the classic JT and AB, it's really an album. Like, it flows perfectly. In fact, it's sort of like one great big song to me. If you rate it by each song individually it's one of the weakest U2 albums imo (which is still a fuckin' great album), but as a whole it's a masterpiece. I know that probably doesn't make sense, but to me it's always been this sort of untouchable masterpiece I could never quite comprehend. I guess I'm an idiot that way.

Is UF overrated? I sort of think so, but it's a fucking brilliant album either way.

 

[Zoots]

I love how MLK ends on the same note that Streets begins on.

The brilliant thing about UF is I think even more than the classic JT and AB, it's really an album. Like, it flows perfectly. In fact, it's sort of like one great big song to me. If you rate it by each song individually it's one of the weakest U2 albums imo (which is still a fuckin' great album), but as a whole it's a masterpiece.

I agree about it being amazing as a whole but not necessarily as individual songs. As for MLK, I wish I had a live version of MLK seguing into Streets!!!

 

[U2Kitten]

That said, it's only ten songs, and Love Comes Tumbling, The Three Sunrises deserved to be on it. .

Oh my, if it did include those, it would be hands down the best U2 album ever I don't know why they didn't make it, they are 2 of my favorite U2 songs. I like them better than Bad or Pride even.

 

[AtomicBono]

I agree about it being amazing as a whole but not necessarily as individual songs. As for MLK, I wish I had a live version of MLK seguing into Streets!!!

I think they did that at the Superbowl...

 

[david]

I really love the song Unforgettable Fire and it's a shame that it was not ressurected for this tour.

 

[rock888nwo]

you know, it is nice to be able to listen to an album that has a nice flow to it...but its not overly important...individual songs are what is important, and for me, the UF just doesn't stand up to MOST other U2 albums

 

[rock888nwo]

by the way, what is the best live version of the unforgettable fire...i have a bunch, the best one being from point depot on lovetown...is there one better?

 

[Zoots]

Thanks for making this thread by the way. You made me wanna listen to UF again. Sounds so awesome on headphones!

 

[rock888nwo]

Zoot...im listening to it too...have been for the last hour...

 

[Axver]

The Unforgettable Fire is undoubtedly the single greatest album ever made in history. There is no contest with its sheer perfection. I don't even need to write an essay - the album stands perfectly as its own defence.

Though I do believe my expanded UF actually enhances it. The entire UF era was absolutely amazing, full of such wonderful and beautiful material.

 

[00Kevin]

It's not overrated at all. In fact it's my third favorite u2 album only behind the joshua tree and achtung baby, and i'm listening to it now.

 

[rock888nwo]

axver....i respect your opinion...but i find it hard to believe that u think this is the single greatest album ever made in history...that is quite a hard one to defend...how in the hell do you put this over joshua tree or achtung baby...especially JT

 

[Axver]

Achtung Baby's not exceptional, so that's easy.

Over JT, well, yeah, that's a bit hard as JT's an exceptional record. Except UF is wholly and completely consistent while JT suffers from Trip Through Your Wires, the poor mix on Exit, and how Bullet The Blue Sky is so much weaker in the studio.

 

[rock888nwo]

ok...so what are the accolades of 4th of july and elvis p & america?? are you willing to accept them as good songs just because they are "atmospheric" or "mood" songs or however you want to put it...also, wire and indian summer sky are not even close to anything off of jt, except two of the songs you mentioned above, (exit, ttyw)

 

[u2granny]

by the way, what is the best live version of the unforgettable fire...i have a bunch, the best one being from point depot on lovetown...is there one better?

I think Jan. 6, 1990, Rotterdam is better. I am one of the few people who think that with the exception of the Dec. 26th show the Point Depot Lovetown shows receive higher accolades than they deserve. (It took me forever to word that without using "over rated.")

 

[Axver]

ok...so what are the accolades of 4th of july and elvis p & america?? are you willing to accept them as good songs just because they are "atmospheric" or "mood" songs or however you want to put it...also, wire and indian summer sky are not even close to anything off of jt, except two of the songs you mentioned above, (exit, ttyw)

4th Of July slots in perfectly to its spot on the album and is a gorgeous example of atmospherics. Elvis Presley And America is criminally under-rated - haunting use of the voice as an instrument, and Bono doesn't get the credit he deserves for coming up with all that in a single take on the spur of the moment.

Wire is an AMAZING song. Absolutely amazing. Scary, too; one of U2's darkest efforts. The ending is cathartic. And bloody hell, Indian Summer Sky cops some flak and I have no idea why. Makes me think of what was to come in Streets (the intro) and Bullet (the general forbidding, dark feel).

And I think the best live UF is 21 March 1985.

 

[Zoots]

Axver, you didn't respond to my attempt in dis-proving your Promenade-4th-Bad theory.

 

[rock888nwo]

so do you think wire and indian summer sky are better than songs like rtss, ishf, streets, one tree hill, in gods country, wowy, or even red hill mining town for that matter? i dont

 

[rock888nwo]

by the way, if anyone could upload the unforgettable fire from 21 March 1985 it would be greatly appreciated...

 

[Axver]

so do you think wire and indian summer sky are better than songs like rtss, ishf, streets, one tree hill, in gods country, wowy, or even red hill mining town for that matter? i dont

Never said that. I don't even know where you got that implication.

 

[liamcool]

UF is a great album. Nuff said.