WAR is the third studio album by Irish rock band U2, released on February 28, 1983. While the central themes of their earlier albums BOY and OCTOBER focused on adolescence and spirituality, respectively, WAR focused on both the physical aspects of warfare, and the emotional aftereffects. The album has been described as the record where the band "turned pacifism itself into a crusade."
WAR established U2 as one of the great cutting-edge bands of early 80's rock and the definitive post-punk commercial breakout. From the insularity and ruminative splendor of their studio work, U2 blossomed into a visceral live band capable of turning elegant webs of sound into in-your-face rock and roll. The Edge's innovative guitar work was now augmented by his piano playing (particularly on the hit single "New Year's Day"), while Bono's lyrics turned explicitly to politics for the first time ("Sunday Bloody Sunday"), which stemed from the band's perception of the world at the time: Bono stated that "war seemed to be the motif for 1982."
WAR was a commercial success for the band, knocking Michael Jackson's THRILLER from the top of the charts to become the band's first #1 album in the U.K. It reached #12 in the U.S. and became their first Gold selling album there. In 2003, the album was ranked #221 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.
All songs written by U2.
U2: Bono (vocals); The Edge (guitar, pedal steel guitar, piano, background vocals); Adam Clayton (bass guitar); Larry Mullen, Jr. (drums, percussion).
War (1983) (ISLAND)
ReplyDeleteU2
Album Description:
WAR is the third studio album by Irish rock band U2, released on February 28, 1983. While the central themes of their earlier albums BOY and OCTOBER focused on adolescence and spirituality, respectively, WAR focused on both the physical aspects of warfare, and the emotional aftereffects. The album has been described as the record where the band "turned pacifism itself into a crusade."
WAR established U2 as one of the great cutting-edge bands of early 80's rock and the definitive post-punk commercial breakout. From the insularity and ruminative splendor of their studio work, U2 blossomed into a visceral live band capable of turning elegant webs of sound into in-your-face rock and roll. The Edge's innovative guitar work was now augmented by his piano playing (particularly on the hit single "New Year's Day"), while Bono's lyrics turned explicitly to politics for the first time ("Sunday Bloody Sunday"), which stemed from the band's perception of the world at the time: Bono stated that "war seemed to be the motif for 1982."
WAR was a commercial success for the band, knocking Michael Jackson's THRILLER from the top of the charts to become the band's first #1 album in the U.K. It reached #12 in the U.S. and became their first Gold selling album there. In 2003, the album was ranked #221 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.
All songs written by U2.
U2: Bono (vocals); The Edge (guitar, pedal steel guitar, piano, background vocals); Adam Clayton (bass guitar); Larry Mullen, Jr. (drums, percussion).
Additional personnel: Steve Wickham (electric violin); Kenny Fradley (trumpet); Cheryl Poirier, Adriana Kaegi, Taryn Hagey, Jessica Felton (background vocals).
Recorded at Windmill Lane Studios, Dublin, Ireland.
Produced by Steve Lillywhite & Bill Whelan.
Track Listing:
1. Sunday Bloody Sunday - 4:39
2. Seconds - 3:11
3. New Year's Day - 5:35
4. Like a Song... - 4:47
5. Drowning Man - 4:14
6. The Refugee - 3:40
7. Two Hearts Beat as One - 4:03
8. Red Light - 3:46
9. Surrender - 5:33
10. "40" - 2:39