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THE
UNFORGETTABLE FIRE |
DATE
1984 |
LENGTH 42:19
MINUTES |
LABEL
POLYGRAM |
PRODUCER
BRIAN ENO & DANIEL LANOIS |
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Musically, The
Unforgettable Fire was a breath
of fresh air in the
bubble-gum dominated
mid-80s, featuring rich,
multi-layered
arrangements, a finely textured
sonic landscape and traces of
ambience amidst its superior rock
musicianship. Where it truly
stood
out, though, was in its
unyielding passion. The
restrained beauty of "A Sort
of Homecoming," the
desperation of "Bad"
and the gorgeous title track
solidified U2s position as
the heirs apparent to Dylan,
Lennon and Springsteen.
However, it was the anthemic
homage to Martin Luther King Jr.,
"Pride (In the Name of
Love)," that brought
millions of fans their first
taste of U2s fervent union
of rock and politics. Swept up by
the emotion in Bonos vocals
as he sang, "Early morning,
April 4/Shot rings out in the
Memphis sky/Free at last, they
took your life/They could not
take
your pride," listeners made
the song U2s first top 40
single in the
States.
U2 had become deeply enamored
with American culture prior to
the
making of The Unforgettable Fire,
as evidenced by tracks like
"Elvis Presley and
America." It was Martin
Luther King Jr., though, that
tied the record together. The
album concluded with the haunting
"MLK," a
more subdued tribute that would
lead into "Pride"
throughout the
subsequent tour for The
Unforgettable Fire.
Fifteen years after the
records release,
"Pride" is still played
on
almost every radio station
tribute to Dr. King, and the
radio remix,
which finds some of Kings
most memorable speeches playing
over the track to
"Pride," never fails to
give chills. - Steve Baltin
Copyright ©
1994-1999 CDNOW, Inc. All rights
reserved.
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pride |
the
unforgettable fire |
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A SHORT OF
HOMECOMING And you
know it's time to go
through the sleet and driving
snow
across the fields of mourning to
lights in the distance
And you hunger for the time
time to heal, 'Desire', time
and you earth moves beneath
your own dream landscape
Oh, oh on borderland we run
and still we run, we run and
don't look back
I'll be there, I'll be there
tonight, a highroad, a highroad
out of here
the city walls are all come down
the dust a smoke screen all
around to see
faces ploughed like fields that
once
gave no resistance
And we live by the side of the
road
on the side of a hill as the
valleys explode
dislocated, suffocated
the land grows weary of it's own
Oh, oh on borderland we run
and still we run, we run and
don't look back
tonight, tonight
The wind will crack in wintertime
a bomb-blast lightning waltz
no spoken words, just a scream .
. .
tonight we'll a bridge across the
sea and land
see the sky burning rain
she will die and live again
tonight
And you heart beats so
slow
through the rain and fallen snow
across the fields of morning
to a light that's in the distance
Oh don't sorrow, no don't weep
for tonight, at last
I am coming home
I am coming home
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PRIDE One man come in the
name of love,
One man come and go.
One come here to justify,
One man to overthrow,
In the name of love,
What more in the name of love.
One man crawled on a barb wire
fence,
One man he resist.
One man washed on an empty beach.
One man betrayed with a kiss.
In the name of love,
What more in the name of love.
Early morning, April 4.
A shot rings out in the Memphis
sky.
Free at last, they took
your life,
But they could not take your
pride.
In the name of love,
What more in the name of love.
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WIRE Innocent
and in a sense I am
Guilty of the crime that's now in
hand
Such a nice day
To throw your life away
Such a nice day
To let it go
Oh these eyes, I can't
believe it
Cold, this heart is slow,
Heart is stone
Call me
Such a cold heart
Such a cold man
Watch you tear your self apart
Soul leaves on my soul to kill
Soul leaves on the longest sleep
The longest sleep
On I come and out you go you get
Here we are again, now place your
bets
Is this the time ?
The time to win or loose ?
Is this the time ?
The time to choose ?
Oh these eyes, I can't believe it
Soul burns with a cold fire
Cold, this heart is slow,
Heart is stone
Any time you're on there
Give some away
Wont you tell me
That's it just give me it
I'm on your side
Be on the same side
I'm alright jack
You get off my back
I won't go
I give you hope
Here's the rope
Here's the rope
Now swing away
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THE
UNFORGETTABLE FIRE Ice.
Your only rivers run cold,
These city lights,
They shine as silver and gold,
Dug from the night.
Your eyes as black as coal.
Walk on by, Walk on through,
Walk till you run.
And don't look back.
For here, I am.
Carnival, the wheels fly and the
colors spin
through alcohol.
Red wine that punctures the skin.
Face to face in a dry and
waterless place.
Walk on by, Walk on through
So sad to beseige your love so,
Head on, stay this time.
Stay tonight, in a lie.
I'm only asking but I think that
you know.
Come on take me away.
Come on take me away.
Come on take me home.
Home again.
And if the mountain should
crumble,
or disappear into the sea.
Not a tear, no not I stay in this
time.
Stay tonight in a light.
Ever after, this love in time.
And if you save it all,
save you love.
Don't push me too far
tonight.
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PROMENADE Earth,
sky, sea, and rain
Here she comes back again.
Men stroll, sneak the hall
Words that build or destroy.
Dirt dry bones and stones.
bobbed wire fence cut me down,
I'd like to be around.
In a spiral staircase
to the higher ground.
And I like a firewall
And explode.
Roman candlelightning lights up
the sky.
In cracked streets, tremble under
fort.
Sidestep, sidewalk.
I see you stare into space.
Have I gotten closer now,
behind the face.
Tell me, will you dance with me,
and turn me around tonight.
Up though the spiral staircase to
the higher ground.
See slide show, see side town,
coca-cola radio radio radio . . .
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4TH OF JULY y
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IF If you
twist and turn away.
If you tear yourself in two
again.
If I could, yes I would
If I could, I would let it go.
Surrender, dislocate.
If I could throw this
lifeless
Lifeline to the wind.
Leave this heart of clay,
See you walk, walk away,
Into the night.
And through the rain.
Into the half-light,
And through the flame.
If I could throw myself,
set your spirit free.
I'd lead your heart away,
See you break, break away
Into the light.
And to the day.
To let it go,
And so to fade away.
To let it go,
And so fade away.
I'm wide awake.
I'm wide awake.
I'm not sleeping.
Oh, no, no.
If you should ask then maybe
They tell you what I would say.
True colors fly in blue and
black,
through silken skies and burning
flak
Colors crash, collide in blood
shot eyes.
If I could, you know I would.
If I could, I would let it go.
This desparation.
Dislocation.
Separation.
Condemnation.
Revelation.
Temptation.
Isolation.
Desolation.
Let it go,
And so to fade away.
To let it go,
And so fade away.
Oh, no
I'm wide awake.
I'm wide awake.
I'm not sleeping.
Oh, no no
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INDIAN
SUMMER SKY In the ocean.
Cuts wind, deep the sky.
I like there - don't know why.
In the forest there's a clearing
eye.
Running toward the light.
Sky.
Blue sky.
In the aweful holding.
Deep decide. If I could, I would.
Up for swimming against the tide.
Up toward the sky.
It's a blue sky.
To loose along the way.
The spark that set the flame.
To flicker and to fade,
On this the longest day.
So the wind go through to
my heart.
So wind go through my
soul.
You give yourself to
this the longest day.
You give yourself, you give it
all away.
Two rivers run as deep as seas.
They change and so do I.
The light that strikes the
tallest trees.
The light , wait for I.
Up toward the sky.
It's a blue sky.
To loose along the way
The spark that set the flame.
To flicker and to fade,
Of this the longest days.
So wind go through to my
heart,
So wind blow through my soul.
You give yourself,
You give the longest days.
You give yourself,
You give it all away.
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ELVIS
PRESLEY AND AMERICA White
flash, under my own love.
Tell me of my own.
White flash come though my own
life.
Telling these things.
And I weary them.
And I believe in you.
White flash see the sky,
And it turns inside from you.
She won't turn my back.
And I know that it makes me blue.
And you hope.
And your sky is feeling blue.
And your heart, so cold when I'm
with you.
And you feel, like no one told
you to.
And your time was on your side.
Don't talk to me.
You know, like no one told you
how,
but you know the king that howls
has howled.
But you feel like sentimental.
But you don't care without
sharing in your heart.
But there's no hope, go to sleep.
So hope in sleep.
I breaking through for you and
me.
And you don't.
No one told you to.
And you found out
Where you were going to.
You were through with me,
but I know you should be back for
more
You know, And no one told you so.
And you know the sky,
And it's shade of blue.
And you walk, you walk to let go.
You pull from the outside, tell
me
Don't fade away.
Drop me down but don't break me.
In your sleep.
It's in your heart and mine.
The whole sea is dark.
Loving is on your side and
walking through.
So let me in your heart,
You beat is like something from
you.
They lost it.
So stay (sad) over midnight.
Oh stay (sad) under the sky.
And you know, and no one told you
how.
And you cared,
and no one told you tried.
And your heart, it lift out from
the side.
And the rain beats down.
And the shame beats down.
And this rain keeps on coming
down.
And this time is right.
Don't let them push you by,
You're going to go join God.
And if someone ask you why,
You tell them some old lie.
Give away some old lie.
You know, and no one told you
why.
And you feel,
Like you pretend you can
Go you live.
Don't you leave
Don't leave out part of me that I
can feel.
Like I can feel me fall.
I can't hold on,
see that flaw.
Let me feel.
Let the pieces only flow.
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MLK Sleep, sleep
tonight.
And may your dreams
Be realized
If the thunder cloud
Passes rain.
So let it rain, rain down him.
So let it be.
Sleep, Sleep tonight
And may your dreams be realized.
If the thundercloud passes rain,
so let it rain.
Let it rain, rain on him.
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