I know I bash UF (the album) here quite often, but...

[LemonMelon]

I LOVE the b-sides from it.

Boomerang I
Boomerang II
The Three Sunrises
Love Comes Tumbling
Bass Trap
Sixty Seconds in Kingdom Come

U2 had such an interesting style during this time. Edge's guitar style was blossoming, Adam's bass tone was amazing (Love Comes Tumbling FTW ), Larry had this awesome compressed drum tone, and Bono's vocals were sooooo soulful. UF could have been one of U2's most creative and interesting albums, but was ruined by poor choices in the tracklisting.

Why the hell did Love Comes Tumbling not make the album? Where is Bass Trap? Boomerang I and II could have been combined to make one seriously great track, and Three Sunrises is an easy candidate for the album.

Indian Summer Sky and Elvis Presley And America are C-side material at best, and have no business making the album, MLK should be tacked to the beginning of another song (not given its own slot), 4th of July pales to any of the instrumentals listed above (Bass Trap should take its place, IMO), and ANY version of Bad but the one on the original album should have made the cut; it sounds like a terrible demo compared to any version on a bootleg, and especially the WAIA version, which completely slaughters it.

I propose UF should have looked more like this:

1. MLK/A Sort Of Homecoming
2. The Three Sunrises
3. Wire
4. The Unforgettable Fire
5. Love Comes Tumbling
6. Promenade
7. Bass Trap
8. Pride
9. Boomerang
10. Bad (WAIA version)

Now that is an album you can be proud of.

 

[U2Man]

i agree that love comes tumbling should have made it to the album. not sure about ass trap, though.

 

[Salome]

no no no

 

[gherman]

I will have to try and copy a CD like this and listen to it.

 

[phillyfan26]

You need to talk to the world's number one advocate for the Unforgettable Fire, our own Axver. He believes the album is as good as they've done and loves its B-sides too.

 

[U2Man]

indian summer sky and epaa are friggin' awesome, btw.

a+-side material.

 

[phillyfan26]

I've recently been falling in love with EPAA.

 

[LemonMelon]

i agree that love comes tumbling should have made it to the album. not sure about ass trap, though.

It's much better than 4th of July, anyway.

 

[dietcokeofevil]

this album is so over rated among the u2 faithful

 

[AndrewCowley]

The album version of Bad is beautiful. And I love the fact that the extended guitar solo that is so prominent in the live version isn't in the album version since that is what makes the live version so so special. But the album version is just great too. Not the only song whose live version transforms it into something else.

Agree that Love Comes Tumbling should be on UF. Not sure about The Three Sunrises since it is a little lightweight and not really fitting in with the rest of the album.

More generally I think UF is so so close to being U2's best ever album. It just lacks a killer punch. Showing my age and remembering having it on vinyl, the first side is awesome and the second doesn't quite match it (not in the same way as the second side of JT does).

Enough rambling...

 

[MaxFisher]

UF =

 

[AndrewCowley]

I wish they'd have a go at playing the song The Unforgettable Fire live again.

 

[phillyfan26]

this album is so over rated among the u2 faithful

Care to explain a little more on that opinion?

I, like many, feel it is truly an album, in that the sound and landscape of the album is so similar, with a great flow, they belong together like that.

 

[J_NP]

I think it's great , but sometimes , don't know after u get used to live versions of A sort of homecoming , Pride and Bad , well the Album versions have its good parts , but sound nowhere good like live

 

[LemonMelon]

I think it's great , but sometimes , don't know after u get used to live versions of A sort of homecoming , Pride and Bad , well the Album versions have its good parts , but sound nowhere good like live

I might be one of the few here who actually prefers the album version of Pride over the live versions.

 

[J_NP]

I might be one of the few here who actually prefers the album version of Pride over the live versions.

Well it's the thing , the studio guitar annoys me sometimes , the live version is way more cleaner and sound better

 

[mads]

UF is perfect as is. I wouldn't change a thing.

 

[xaviMF22]

I might be one of the few here who actually prefers the album version of Pride over the live versions.

...Pride is in some sort of time capsule...
the song never gets old

 

[phillyfan26]

I might be one of the few here who actually prefers the album version of Pride over the live versions.

It's a song that relies heavily on Bono's vocals, so I like it live up until about Popmart, and he just hasn't had it since.

 

[LemonMelon]

It's a song that relies heavily on Bono's vocals, so I like it live up until about Popmart, and he just hasn't had it since.

Oh, absolutely. There were some very powerful versions prior to that, eg: Rattle & Hum.

 

[GibsonGirl]

this album is so over rated among the u2 faithful

I've just realised something. I don't think I've ever agreed with a single comment you have made on this forum.

 

[U2Kitten]

I love UF, but WHY did they leave off great songs like LCT and Three Sunrises instead of ungood filler like EP and America and Fourth of July?

 

[LemonMelon]

I love UF, but WHY did they leave off great songs like LCT and Three Sunrises instead of ungood filler like EP and America and Fourth of July?

Exactly!

 

[neilm]

I've always loved the UF album. A Sort of Homecoming played up loud is just an excellent opener.

 

[LMP]

I love UF, but WHY did they leave off great songs like LCT and Three Sunrises instead of ungood filler like EP and America and Fourth of July?

I wondered the same thing, and just came to the realization that those songs are meant to be filler.

They're the mood pieces, much like Promenade and The Unforgettable Fire.

I'm not saying the other two don't create their own moods, but those songs are essential in having the full UF experience you know?

 

[The Slow Loris]

The album version of 'Pride' has a certain magic about it that they have never quite captured live. I love the way Bono sings, "laaaoove" (during the repeated chorus, the 2nd part where he sings "In the name of laaaoovve" - the way it dips down). I wish they'd try that live. But moreover, there's a magnificent layering, vocally, that transcends the melody line, and brings it out into the ether.

As for the album version of 'Bad', it almost cannot be compared with the live version - not because it isn't as good, but because it's like a completely different animal. It's more of a love song on the album. It breaks your heart rather than transcends the spirit as it does live. It implores you in a different way, more subtley, almost with the softness of a touch. It has a cinematic beauty, almost a frailty to it. It's a song that captures the essence of coming into something new and unspoken for the first time, a song that takes you by surprise on the album. I remember when it came out of nowhere on that lost highway in the movie Taking Lives with Angelina Jolie and Ethan Hawke. It's that sort of emotive pull that the album version has that makes it distinctive from the live version.

 

[doctorwho]

I might be one of the few here who actually prefers the album version of Pride over the live versions.

UF is my second favorite U2 album (after AB - and sometimes they flip-flop). And I am one who adores the album version of "Pride" the most. Even during the UF tour, Bono was never able to sing quite like what they were able to capture in the studio.

However, I do like the almost all of liver versions of "Bad" (with some ZOO TV versions being my least favorite performances) - more than the album version (which I still adore). "Bad" really is U2's second best song in concert, IMO.

 

[Alisaura]

I prefer album-Pride...

And I really need to download a boot with Wire live... I'm sure there's plenty but I'm way behind on my boot-listing...

 

[Mogi]

Love your comments SLow Loris. Nailed it!!

UF to me is like a painting that makes music if that makes any sense. Or like a soundtrack to a dream.

 

[An Cat Gav]

I love The Unforgettable Fire exactly how it is, but maybe that's because it's the first U2 album i got into, when i was a child in the 80's. I love the b-sides though too.
As for Pride, I've never heard a live version that came close to the original. the original is a perfect single.