Description
U2 – War / Island Records Audio CD 1983 / IMCD 141
UPC 042281114823
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."
U2 recorded the album from September–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, War focused on both the physical aspects of warfare, and the emotional after-effects. Musically, it is also harsher than the band's previous releases. The album has been described as the record where the band "turned pacifism itself into a crusade".
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".
| Label: | Island Records – IMCD 141 |
|---|---|
| Format: |
CD, Album
|
| Country: | Europe |
| Released: |
1983 |
| Genre: | Rock |
| Style: | Alternative Rock, Pop Rock |
Tracklist:
| 1 | Sunday Bloody Sunday | 4:38 | |
| 2 | Seconds | 3:09 | |
| 3 | New Year's Day | 5:38 | |
| 4 | Like A Song... | 4:48 | |
| 5 | Drowning Man | 4:12 | |
| 6 | The Refugee | 3:40 | |
| 7 | Two Hearts Beat As One |
4:00 | |
| 8 | Red Light | 3:46 | |
| 9 | Surrender | 5:34 | |
| 10 | "40" | 2:36 |
- Backing Vocals – Adriana Kaegi, Cheryl Poirier, Jessica Felton (tracks: 8, 9), Taryn Hagey
- Bass – Adam Clayton
- Design – RX
- Drums, Percussion – Larry Mullen Jr
- Electric Violin – Steve Wickham (tracks: 1, 5)
- Engineer – Paul Thomas
- Engineer [Assisted By] – Kevin Killen
- Guitar, Piano, Lap Steel Guitar – The Edge
- Management – Paul McGuinness (2)
- Mixed By – Steve* (tracks: 6)
- Photography By [Band Photograph] – Anton Corbijn
- Photography By [Boy Photograph] – Ian Finlay (2)
- Producer – Bill Whelan (tracks: 6), Steve Lillywhite (tracks: 1 to 5, 7 to 10)
- Trumpet – Kenny Fradley
- Vocals – The Edge (tracks: 2)
- Vocals, Guitar – Bono
