U2The Unforgettable Fire

Label:

Island Records – U2 5

Format:

Vinyl , LP, Album, Stereo

Country:

UK

Released:

Genre:

Rock

Style:

Pop Rock

Tracklist

A1 A Sort Of Homecoming
A2 Pride (In The Name Of Love)
A3 Wire
A4 The Unforgettable Fire
A5 Promenade
B1 4th Of July
B2 Bad
B3 Indian Summer Sky
B4 Elvis Presley And America
B5 MLK

Companies, etc.

  • Recorded AtSlane Castle
  • Recorded AtWindmill Lane Studios
  • Published ByBlue Mountain Music Ltd.
  • Phonographic Copyright ℗Island Records Ltd.
  • Pressed ByEMI Records

Credits

  • Arranged By [Strings]Noel Kelehan
  • Artwork [Realisation - For The Creative Dept. Ltd.]Anton Corbijn
  • BassAdam Clayton
  • Crew [U2]Tom Mullally
  • Design Concept [Based On Concept Of]Simon Marsden
  • DrumsLarry Mullen
  • Engineer [Additional]Kevin Killen
  • Engineer [Assistant]Randy Ezratty
  • Guitar, Keyboards, VocalsThe Edge
  • Lacquer Cut ByGraeme*
  • ManagementPaul McGuinness (2)
  • Management [Principle Management - Dublin]Anne-Louise Kelly
  • Management [Principle Management - New York]Ellen Darst
  • Music ByU2
  • Producer, EngineerLanois*
  • Sleeve [Sleeve-conception]Stephen Averill*
  • Synthesizer [Fairlight]Paul Barrett
  • VocalsBono
  • Vocals [Additional], Instruments, Other [Treatments]Lanois*
  • Words ByBono

Notes

Printed inner sleeve showing credits and picture. Side opening with a die cut thumb section.
Outer sleeve is textured dense matte.

All tracks recorded in Ireland at Slane Castle, Co, Meath and Windmill Lane Studios, Dublin.

Thanks to Mrs. Christine Kerr.

Drums: Yamaha. Strings: James Howe Industries.

℗ 1984 Island Records Ltd.

Barcode and Other Identifiers

  • Matrix / Runout (Label side A): U2 5-A
  • Matrix / Runout (Label side B): U2 5-B
  • Matrix / Runout (Side A runout, stamped, variant 1): U 25 A-4-U-1-C-
  • Matrix / Runout (Side B runout, stamped, [GRAEME] etched, variant 1): U 25 B-8-U-1-2 1 GRAEME
  • Matrix / Runout (Side A runout, stamped, variant 2): U 25 A-4U-1-5-37
  • Matrix / Runout (Side B runout, stamped, [GRAEME] etched, variant 2): U 25 B-8U-1-2-X1 GRAEME
  • Matrix / Runout (Side A runout, stamped, variant 3): U 25 A-4U-1-5-27
  • Matrix / Runout (Side B runout, stamped, [GRAEME] etched, variant 3): U 25 B-8U-1-1-7 GRAEME
  • Matrix / Runout (Side A runout, stamped, variant 4): U 25 A-4U-1- 1 1 6
  • Matrix / Runout (Side B runout, stamped, [GRAEME] etched, variant 4): U 25 B-8U-1-3+ 1 GRAEME
  • Matrix / Runout (Side A runout, stamped, variant 5): U 25 A-4-U-1-5-30
  • Matrix / Runout (Side B runout, stamped, [GRAEME] etched, variant 5): U 25 B-8U-1-1- X1 GRAEME
  • Matrix / Runout (Side A runout, stamped, variant 6): U 25 A-6U -1 - 1 -
  • Matrix / Runout (Side B runout, stamped, [GRAEME] etched, variant 6): U 25 B-8U-1-2-11 X GRAEME

Other Versions (5 of 394)

View All
Title (Format) Label Cat# Country Year
Recently Edited
The Unforgettable Fire (Cassette, Album, Club Edition, Dolby HX Pro) Island Records ISLC-1011 Canada 1984
The Unforgettable Fire (LP, Album) Island Records 206 530-620, 206 530 Europe 1984
Recently Edited
The Unforgettable Fire (LP, Album, Stereo, Specialty Pressing) Island Records 7 90231-1, 90231-1 US 1984
Recently Edited
The Unforgettable Fire (Cassette, Album) Island Records 822 898-4 1984
Recently Edited
The Unforgettable Fire (Cassette, Album, Green print) Island Records UC2 5 UK 1984

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Reviews

  • trevorbrolund's avatar
    trevorbrolund
    I find this pressing to be extremely bright in the upper mids to highs.

    Is that what tinnitus feels like?

    It helps to attenuate the tweets.

    Soundstage improved with the highs reduced.
    • kguy2know's avatar
      kguy2know
      Edited one year ago
      Guess i got lucky. My 1st UK pressing copy sounds quite punchy and quiet. I did by this used, in fantastic shape, and there may be faint simbilance in places, but very faint and hardly noticeable. Flunace rt-85
      • TheCoolVault's avatar
        TheCoolVault

        U2 THE UNFORGETABLE FIRE
        ISLAND RECORDS
        1984

        When I first heard this album I was absolutely shocked!

        It was so different from the other U2 albums. It had a certain melodic soundscape, and sounded like nothing else that was around at that time. It had a consistent mood and tone for the whole album, you never tried of it. Compositionaly it was out of this world.

        It's absolutely staggering that U2 scaled even dizzier heights with the Joshua Tree, Rattle And Hum, and Actung Baby.

        Looking back know, I view The Unforgettable Fire as U2's  Irish classic!

        What I mean by this, is that this was U2 firing up,  on all cylinders, with The Unforgetable Fire album. It was almost a statement of Intent!

        U2 in 1984 where pretty much still an Irish band, but a few short years later, they became global, and became a phenomenon, and shot Into the stratosphere with The Joshua Tree album, not only one of the best albums of the eighties, but many view The Joshua Tree as the best album of all time! It's up their, and pretty much a contender!

        I view The Unforgetable Fire as the primer for all the future success. They just seemed to nail down there sound with this record. It made them different from the rest of the rock bands around at the time.

        The band,  just seemed to keep layering this successful formula,and gave them the foundations of being the best, most original sounding group of the late eighties right into the nineties. During that time, very veiw, could hold a candle to them!

        This was an unforgettable band, totally on fire!

        A Cool Vault Chin wag
        • jloper's avatar
          jloper
          This is definitely not the best pressing of this album i own a usa 1st this uk 1st the 2009 -re-issue and the 2019 wine color reissue i need to check my 2009 usa press against the 2019 wine re-issue to see which is best i also own the anadisc mofi version but im not opening it lol . I noticed a lot of sibilance on this pressing and im using a sumiko moonstone on a pro-ject carbon evo so its not my table causing it i do believe it was cut and mastered with it unfortunately
          • amcd87's avatar
            amcd87
            I regularly calibrate my setup but notice defects in this pressing deteriorating badly by the end of side 2 where it becomes more unlistenable than "unforgettable" with shrill sibilance. Another owner also commented on the label. The label and centre hole appear off centre which i assume casues the mistracking and distortion. Overall just seems badly made and this isn't the first mediocre vinyl release I have of U2. Their 2008 pressing of Boy (LC 00268) i have is even worse than this.
            • hallrichard85's avatar
              hallrichard85
              Love this album. Brings back so many memories. Youth. Hope. A better future.
              • jfve's avatar
                jfve
                The album cover to U2 album the Unforgettable fire was taking in front of a castle in county Westmeath Ireland.
                Big houses were burned during the war of Independence and one can imagine the emotions running in everybody at that time, so it is a very emotive title for the music in this Rock album.
                • grahammur's avatar
                  grahammur
                  I highly recommend the coloured version of this album.Great pressing and finally I can listen to this classic album with no pops or clicks.
                  • YourVinylSucks's avatar
                    YourVinylSucks
                    If you have the original War then the records thickness is the same, i.e pretty damn thin. To compare, the vocals are mixed better than on War, the drums are also quite loud in the mix. The bass which I applauded on War is less noticeable here.

                    My copy has constant surface noise which is mostly only audible at quieter moments.
                    The inner sleeve is artwork on paper and not poly-lined which has probably not helped. I'll be putting Nagaoka's inside of it for future archiving.

                    Overall this is a very acceptable pressing, not that I can compare, but I imagine a different pressing would be considered the definitive version to own for quality.
                    • Daibread2's avatar
                      Daibread2
                      On mine, Matrix = Side 2 2 Stamped: U25 B-7U 1-1 ; Side 1:U25 A 7U 1 2

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