The Unforgettable Fire is too short!

[Zoots]

It's only 42:55 long! It fit beautifully into my work commute, work parking lot to home driveway ... a distance that usually lets me listen to about 6 to 8 songs on average if I'm lucky and that's about half of most album lengths! On this album, U2 could've included a couple more songs like Love Comes Tumbling, Deep In The Heart or Luminous Times! And they could've gotten rid of 4th Of July which is utterly useless. So much wasted space on the CD!

Guess it's time to make my own personal UF for the car.

 

[Swan269]

the band was in transition at the time and I don't think they had many songs to work with for an album. Adam himself has only said that they only had six songs, then they (eno) put on 4th of July and then declard "elvis" a finished track. its alright, they made more

 

[Lemonchick]

I actually like 4th of July.

However, I can't stand Elvis Presley And America...without it I think UF would be perfect.

 

[Popmartijn]

It's only 42:55 long!

And that's long enough for beauty! It's short enough to entice you to play it again.

It fit beautifully into my work commute, work parking lot to home driveway ... a distance that usually lets me listen to about 6 to 8 songs on average if I'm lucky and that's about half of most album lengths!

So it is exactly long enough then. Now you can hear it in full on your way to work and again on your way back home!

On this album, U2 could've included a couple more songs like Love Comes Tumbling, Deep In The Heart or Luminous Times! And they could've gotten rid of 4th Of July which is utterly useless. So much wasted space on the CD!

Erm, a bit nitpicky here, but Deep In The Heart and Luminous Times are The Joshua Tree B-sides. Those songs weren't even written yet when The Unforgettable Fire was recorded.
And no space is wasted on the CD. Those 42 minutes and 55 seconds are perfect.

 

[Zoots]

I see what you're saying Mr. Martijn but the album kinda leaves me feeling like something is missing. The songs are all really good but it's.. I don't know, doesn't have that extra oomph that JT or AB has. Maybe it has something to do with fillers like 4thOJ and (to an extent) EPAA.

 

[Swan269]

I think that the band really wanted "pride" out there so they kind of made a long EP. Love comes tumbling could have fit, but Three Sunrises has no business on that album.

 

[BigMacPhisto]

Axver should be here any minute.......

.....then again, he's in every thread.

 

[Axver]

the band was in transition at the time and I don't think they had many songs to work with for an album.

I wouldn't say that at all; the UF period was one of the most rich when it comes to quality b-sides.

I'm kind of inclined to agree with the original post; there is plenty of material from the UF era that could've been added to the album that would not have detracted from its flow or quality in any way (The Three Sunrises, Bass Trap, Love Comes Tumbling, Sixty Seconds In Kingdom Come).

I suppose we do have to keep in mind that UF was released in the era of vinyl though. You can't fit as much music on there as you can on a CD, so the "shortness" wouldn't have been so obvious.

 

[Aygo]

TUF is good as it is. Despite I don't like "Elvis Presley & America" very much (to me is something more like a demo or nothing more than a studio experimentation without the quality to end in an album), 4th of July and Promenade are great songs and they fit perfectily on the album before Bad. The 43 minute are great, but some of the known outtakes would've fit very well there.

 

[LMP]

It's only 42:55 long! It fit beautifully into my work commute, work parking lot to home driveway ... a distance that usually lets me listen to about 6 to 8 songs on average if I'm lucky and that's about half of most album lengths! On this album, U2 could've included a couple more songs like Love Comes Tumbling, Deep In The Heart or Luminous Times! And they could've gotten rid of 4th Of July which is utterly useless. So much wasted space on the CD!

Guess it's time to make my own personal UF for the car.

Dark Side of the Moon is only 42:47, and both albums are absolutely brilliant.

Dark Side of course being like 44367 times better, but you know

 

[Zoots]

there is plenty of material from the UF era that could've been added to the album that would not have detracted from its flow or quality in any way (The Three Sunrises, Bass Trap, Love Comes Tumbling, Sixty Seconds In Kingdom Come)

Out of those, Three Sunrises is not good enough IMO cos there's not much to that song. Just a bunch of repeated choruses and "love will find...find a way" lines repeated endlessly albeit with some good guitar playing. BassTrap is too long and bland. No variation at all. Same with 60 Seconds. On the other hand, Love Comes Tumbling should've been there!!!

LMP, I didn't realize DSOTM is that short.

 

[Axver]

Out of those, Three Sunrises is not good enough IMO cos there's not much to that song. Just a bunch of repeated choruses and "love will find...find a way" lines repeated endlessly albeit with some good guitar playing.

I strongly disagree. The intro is beautiful and I enjoy the rest of the song.

BassTrap is too long and bland. No variation at all.

I hope you realise Bass Trap is in my top fifteen U2 songs ever. An absolutely gorgeous, shimmering, ethereal instrumental.

 

[Aygo]

Out of those, Three Sunrises is not good enough IMO cos there's not much to that song. Just a bunch of repeated choruses and "love will find...find a way" lines repeated endlessly albeit with some good guitar playing. BassTrap is too long and bland. No variation at all. Same with 60 Seconds. On the other hand, Love Comes Tumbling should've been there!!!

Not sure about Bass Trap and 60 Seconds, but Love Comes Tumbling could easily have its place in the album. The same goes for The Three Sunrises and I think this song could've been a good concert opener (or encore opener) in the 80's if Streets wouldn't have existed. I think it's a kind of "Politik" made by U2 eighteen years ago...

 

[nathan1977]

Let's not forget Boomerang!

And if they'd included the long versions of Pride and 4th of July, it would be a much longer album...

I have a playlist of Unforgettable Fire outtakes that runs 37 and a half minutes -- almost as long as the album!

 

[Swan269]

I wouldn't say that at all; the UF period was one of the most rich when it comes to quality b-sides.

I'm kind of inclined to agree with the original post; there is plenty of material from the UF era that could've been added to the album that would not have detracted from its flow or quality in any way (The Three Sunrises, Bass Trap, Love Comes Tumbling, Sixty Seconds In Kingdom Come).

I suppose we do have to keep in mind that UF was released in the era of vinyl though. You can't fit as much music on there as you can on a CD, so the "shortness" wouldn't have been so obvious.

What I mean by transition is learning a different way to record with different producers and production techniques. I just don't think that this was one of the most productive (numbers) of there career. Bad is my all time favorite so I love the era; again just not a lot of bounty.

 

[Azor]

I hope you realise Bass Trap is in my top fifteen U2 songs ever. An absolutely gorgeous, shimmering, ethereal instrumental.

totally agree

and I personally like the running time of the album

 

[Harry Vest]

What does everyone have against "Elvis Presley And America" - sure it's U2 improvising but it's beautiful. Other than "Bad" it's my favorite track off Unforgettable Fire. Any others with me out there?

 

[1stepcloser]

I'd get rid of Indian summer sky and replace it with Love Comes Tumbling. I think that would sound better as i've never had much time for Indian summer sky. Boomerangs 1 and 2 and bass trap are nice enough but they just sound like Brian Eno indulging himself. And The Three Sunrises couldn't sound more dated if it had a Rubiks Cube and classic 80's mullet to go with it.

 

[Screwtape2]

I would rather have a shorter album that is more complete and flows better than a longer album that's jumbled like HTDAAB. Songs like Boomerang 1 & 2 and The Three Sunrises wouldn't work as threads in the tapestry that U2 was going for with TUF. People who are trying to cut out or dismiss parts of the album have to realize that every sound and lyric create the mood and location. To take out The 4th Of July or Elvis Presley And America would unravel the album. The album is a masterpeice. It does more with its subtly in a shorter time than the band's failed attempts as of late with longer album times.

 

[RademR]

it's perfect

 

[U2democrat]

Bass Trap is an absolute gem IMO, it's gorgeous. I also really like The Three Sunrises...not sure why it wasn't put on the album. Oh well, we still have the songs to enjoy

 

[LMP]

Bass Trap is an absolute gem IMO, it's gorgeous. I also really like The Three Sunrises...not sure why it wasn't put on the album. Oh well, we still have the songs to enjoy

The Three Sunrises is one of my favorite b-sides, it works extremely well as a closer.

shameless plug //

This tracklisting really makes me enjoy UF alot more:

1. A Sort of Homecoming
2. Pride (In the Name of Love)
3. Wire
4. Indian Summer Sky
5. Love Comes Tumbling
6. Promenade
7. The Unforgettable Fire
8. Bad
9. MLK
10. The Three Sunrises

It flows pretty well I think, and I prefer it slightly to the real UF.

// shameless plug.

 

[The Disciple]

If U do a search, there was a thread I started titled the "Ultimate Unforgettable Fire" in which Axver, among others, gave their extended UF Playlists.... check it out!

 

[LMP]

I'm not a premium member

(there have also been numerous Revisionist History threads, with yours truly having one)

 

[Queen Bee]

The Three Sunrises is one of my favorite b-sides, it works extremely well as a closer.

shameless plug //

This tracklisting really makes me enjoy UF alot more:

1. A Sort of Homecoming
2. Pride (In the Name of Love)
3. Wire
4. Indian Summer Sky
5. Love Comes Tumbling
6. Promenade
7. The Unforgettable Fire
8. Bad
9. MLK
10. The Three Sunrises

It flows pretty well I think, and I prefer it slightly to the real UF.

// shameless plug.

Where the hell is Elvis Presley and America?

 

[LMP]

Where the hell is Elvis Presley and America?

it's a b-side to The Unforgettable Fire single in Bizarro U2 World.

 

[ponkine]

Elvis Presley And America is the U2's first Achtung Baby song ever

 

[cobl04]

I hope you realise Bass Trap is in my top fifteen U2 songs ever. An absolutely gorgeous, shimmering, ethereal instrumental.

Wow. I mean its a nice little number, but top 15?

I agree that the running time is a little too short. I often play it twice. A Sort of homecoming, Pride, Wire, TUF, Bad and Indian Summer Sky would probably all be in my top 20 but EPAA, MLK and 4th of July aren't as good.

 

[shart1780]

Um, that's not very short compared to most albums of the day.

 

[LemonMelon]

Want to know what UF's real problem is?

It sucks.

(It needed Love Comes Tumbling and The Three Sunrises...it really did)

It's by far U2's worst album.