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Knjizica od 4 str.


knjizica 4 Cd 4/4+

Studio album by U2
Released 28 February 1983
Recorded September–November 1982
Studio Windmill Lane (Dublin, Ireland)
Genre Post-punk
Length 42:03
Label Island
Producer Steve Lillywhite
U2 chronology
October
(1981) War
(1983) Under a Blood Red Sky
War is the third studio album by Irish rock band U2. It was produced by Steve Lillywhite, and was released on 28 February 1983 on Island Records. The album is regarded as U2`s first overtly political album, in part because of songs like `Sunday Bloody Sunday` and `New Year`s Day`, as well as the title, which stems from the band`s perception of the world at the time; lead vocalist Bono stated that `war seemed to be the motif for 1982.`[3]

U2 recorded the album from September to November 1982 at Windmill Lane Studios with Lillywhite producing, the group`s third consecutive album made at the studio with the producer. While the central themes of U2`s previous albums Boy and October were adolescence and spirituality, respectively,[4] War focused on both the physical aspects of warfare, and the emotional after-effects.[3] Musically, it is also harsher than the band`s previous releases.

War was a commercial success, knocking Michael Jackson`s Thriller from the top of the UK charts to become U2`s first number-one album there. In the United States, it reached number 12 and became the band`s first album certified gold. War received generally favourable reviews, although some British journalists criticised it. The band supported the album with the War Tour through the end of 1983. In 2008, a remastered edition of War was released. In 2012, the album was ranked 223rd on Rolling Stone`s list of `The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time`.[5]

Recording
In August 1982, Bono and his wife Alison Hewson honeymooned in Jamaica. It has been noted that it was not a typical honeymoon, as Bono reportedly worked on the lyrics for the upcoming album. The lyrics to `New Year`s Day` had its origins in a love song Bono wrote for his wife,[6] but the song was reshaped and inspired by the Polish Solidarity movement.[7] The band began recording the album in September 1982 at Windmill Lane Studios in Dublin with producer Steve Lillywhite, their third consecutive record at the studio with the producer.[8]

The album`s opener, `Sunday Bloody Sunday`, an ardent protest song, stems from a guitar riff and lyric written by the Edge in 1982. Following an argument with his girlfriend, and a period of doubt in his own song-writing abilities, the Edge – `feeling depressed... channeled [his] fear and frustration and self-loathing into a piece of music.`[9] Early versions of the song opened with the line, `Don`t talk to me about the rights of the IRA, UDA`.[9] After Bono had reworked the lyrics, the band recorded the song. The opening drum pattern soon developed into the song`s hook. A local violinist, Steve Wickham, approached the Edge one morning at a bus stop and asked if U2 had any need for a violin on their next album. In the studio for only half a day, Wickham`s electric violin became the final instrumental contribution to the song.[9]

During the sessions for `Sunday Bloody Sunday`, Lillywhite encouraged drummer Larry Mullen, Jr. to use a click track, but Mullen was firmly against the idea. A chance meeting with Andy Newmark (of Sly & the Family Stone) – a drummer who used a click track religiously – changed Mullen`s mind.[9] Mullen used the click track to stay in time for other songs on the album.[10] Mullen said of the album in a 1983 interview, `I think the drumming has always been pretty simple, I don`t think it needs to be flashy. For War I use a click track, something I haven`t used before, it`s a way of keeping time in my headphones. When I listened to the music in time with the click track I knew I had to bring it down to the real basics. Hopefully for the next LP it will be more complicated, I`ll move on. I think of it as a musical progression for myself because I learned a lot recording this album, just about my own style and that`s what I wanted to do. I think there is a definite style on War where there isn`t on the previous albums.`[10]

Three of the tracks featured backing vocals by the Coconuts, of Kid Creole and the Coconuts. In the words of Steve Lillywhite, `they just happened to be in Dublin on tour, so we hung out with them and they came in and sang on `Surrender`. So it was sort of random – this serious Irish rock band having the Coconuts on their album.`[11]

The studio version of `40` was recorded during the final hours of the recording sessions in November 1982. Bassist Adam Clayton had already left the studio, and the three remaining band members decided they did not have a good song to end the album.[12] Bono, the Edge, and Mullen Jr. quickly recorded the song with the Edge playing both the guitar and bass parts. Bono called the song `40` as he based the lyrics on Psalm 40. In live versions of the song, the Edge and Clayton switch roles, as Clayton plays guitar and Edge plays the bass.

All tracks are written by U2

Side one
No. Title Length
1. `Sunday Bloody Sunday` 4:38
2. `Seconds` 3:09
3. `New Year`s Day` 5:37
4. `Like a Song...` 4:48
5. `Drowning Man` 4:12
Side two
No. Title Length
1. `The Refugee` 3:40
2. `Two Hearts Beat as One` 4:00
3. `Red Light` 3:46
4. `Surrender` 5:34
5. `40` 2:36
Total length: 42:03

Personnel
U2

Bono – lead vocals, guitar
The Edge – guitar, piano, lap steel guitar, backing vocals, co-lead vocals on `Seconds`, bass guitar on `40` (uncredited on the album)
Adam Clayton – bass guitar (except `40`; still credited on the album)
Larry Mullen Jr. – drums, percussion
Additional personnel

Kenny Fradley – trumpet on `Red Light`
Steve Wickham – electric violin on `Sunday Bloody Sunday` and `Drowning Man`
The Coconuts: Cheryl Poirier, Adriana Kaegi, Taryn Hagey, Jessica Felton – backing vocals on `Red Light` and `Surrender`
Technical personnel

Steve Lillywhite – production (except `The Refugee`), mixing
Bill Whelan – production on `The Refugee`
Paul Thomas – engineering
Kevin Killen – engineering assistance
Gordon Vicary – mastering
Ian Finlay – photography (`Boy Photograph`)
Anton Corbijn – photography (`Band Photograph`)