Does Pride belong on The Unforgettable Fire?

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Larry Lovebucket

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Does Pride belong on The Unforgettable Fire?
« on: January 19, 2024, 03:19:45 AM »
For me, the song interrupts the dreamlike quality of what is otherwise arguably their best LP. What do you think?
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Tumbling Dice

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Re: Does Pride belong on The Unforgettable Fire?
« Reply #1 on: January 19, 2024, 04:50:22 AM »
I associate the album with reading John Le Carre's the Tailor of Panama and eating peppermint creams while I listened to it on a loop some time in the 90s.  Pride always struck a discordant tone.  The Unforgettable Fire (song) is the proper lead single for this album.

 





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Zoo adam

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Re: Does Pride belong on The Unforgettable Fire?
« Reply #2 on: January 19, 2024, 05:19:44 AM »
Considering TUF only had 10 songs & one of them was a studio jam Eno recorded, U2 were not spoilt for choice.

The other songs I have heard from that era were not classics.

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Zoo adam

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Re: Does Pride belong on The Unforgettable Fire?
« Reply #3 on: January 19, 2024, 05:23:57 AM »
U2 needed a hit single as much as in 83. Pride entered the UK charts at number 8, which at the time was impressive.

It is a great song, great guitars. U2 were a rock band so Pride, Indian Summer Sky & Wire were needed as a contrast to the slower stuff.

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Tumbling Dice

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Re: Does Pride belong on The Unforgettable Fire?
« Reply #4 on: January 19, 2024, 05:27:08 AM »
Pride was shoehorned onto the album because they needed an anthemic hit.  Pride was a New Year's Day downgrade.
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Larry Lovebucket

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Re: Does Pride belong on The Unforgettable Fire?
« Reply #5 on: January 19, 2024, 05:48:11 AM »
Pride was shoehorned onto the album because they needed an anthemic hit.  Pride was a New Year's Day downgrade.

Exactly this
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Zoo adam

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Re: Does Pride belong on The Unforgettable Fire?
« Reply #6 on: January 19, 2024, 06:06:12 AM »
It's been on there since 1984. Along with other rockers, a studio jam, a song over 6 minutes and a song of 2.33 minutes.

It was part of the making of TUF process. Emerging as the best song for lead single. Singles were important then.

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Tumbling Dice

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Re: Does Pride belong on The Unforgettable Fire?
« Reply #7 on: January 19, 2024, 06:28:49 AM »
The Reflex was a better single.

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Soloyan

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Does Pride belong on The Unforgettable Fire?
« Reply #8 on: January 19, 2024, 07:15:58 AM »
I never thought Pride was out of place on this album. It sits really well between ASOH and Wire. Sonically it fits all right.

I don’t think it alters the album in any way. Goes to show how multi faceted the band once was. In fact, I think one of the things I’ve always loved about U2 is how contrasted their albums are / were.

To me it’s a strength, not a weakness.

And I really think Pride suffers from having been overplayed. Hence it’s been pulled out from the rest of the album.
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MPare1966

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Re: Does Pride belong on The Unforgettable Fire?
« Reply #9 on: January 19, 2024, 07:30:48 AM »
Obviously, yes.

Would sound out of place on WAR and maybe on TJT, but it’s perfectly suited for TUF.
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Zoo adam

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Re: Does Pride belong on The Unforgettable Fire?
« Reply #10 on: January 19, 2024, 10:45:32 AM »
If U2 wanted to make TUF a 100% mood album, Pride, Wire & Indian SS would have to be taken off.

But they didn't have any ready made replacements. So more time needed. In the 80's, time waits for no young band.

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Zoo adam

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Re: Does Pride belong on The Unforgettable Fire?
« Reply #11 on: January 19, 2024, 10:48:27 AM »
The SOS version of Pride would have suited TUF as a mood album more.

They could have then released an 8 song album. As Simple Minds did in 1985.

TUF or an edited version of Bad/ASOH as lead single.

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So Cruel

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Re: Does Pride belong on The Unforgettable Fire?
« Reply #12 on: January 19, 2024, 11:23:28 AM »
Does Jump belong on side 1 of 1984? Of course it does. Let it go Lovebucket
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Zoo adam

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Re: Does Pride belong on The Unforgettable Fire?
« Reply #13 on: January 19, 2024, 11:36:20 AM »
TUF becoming an 8 song album would be really pushing it. Considering 3 of the songs were short.

The songs on Once Upon a Time were all at the least medium lenght.

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Zoo adam

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Re: Does Pride belong on The Unforgettable Fire?
« Reply #14 on: January 19, 2024, 11:46:24 AM »
Pride on TJT I would have as first song on side 2. I wouldn't have the 3 chord intro.

RHMT would be the perfect calm down next song. As RTSS was for Bullet.