Wide Awake in America
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| Wide Awake in America | |||||
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| EP by U2 | |||||
| Released | May 1985 | ||||
| Recorded | 1984–1985 | ||||
| Genre | Rock | ||||
| Length | 20:42 | ||||
| Label | Island | ||||
| Producer | U2, Tony Visconti, Brian Eno, Daniel Lanois | ||||
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Wide Awake in America is a four-track EP by the Irish rock band U2, released in 1985. It combines two live performances of songs from the group's 1984 album The Unforgettable Fire with two B-sides from the era, which had previously been available only in the United Kingdom.
It was originally released only in North America and Japan but sold so well that it charted in the UK as an import. It was re-released internationally in 1990.
The EPs centerpiece, "Bad", a song about heroin addiction, would become a staple of their live set, particularly after a remarkable extended performance at Live Aid in which Bono danced with a girl in the audience. Radio programmers often chose this Wide Awake in America version over the original studio recording for airplay.
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[edit] Song notes
"Bad" was produced by the band and recorded live from the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham, England on November 12, 1984, as part of the Unforgettable Fire Tour. The Edge misplayed the very last note of this song, but U2 decided to use this version anyway, and the error was fixed during mixing.
"A Sort of Homecoming" is live from Wembley Arena in London, England on November 15, 1984. The song was produced by Tony Visconti and recorded during a soundcheck at the concert, with the crowd noise was mixed in later during post-production at Good Earth Studios.
"The Three Sunrises" (also listed as "Three Sunrises") was produced by the band with Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois. It can also be found on the B-sides disc of the limited edition of The Best of 1980–1990 compilation from 1998.
"Love Comes Tumbling" was produced by the band and also appears, with a slightly different beginning, on the B-sides disc of The Best of 1980–1990.
All tracks except "Bad" originally appeared on the "The Unforgettable Fire" single, released in April 1985 outside the US. The mix on "A Sort of Homecoming" from that single is different on this release and includes some studio-dubbed backing vocals by The Edge.
[edit] Track listing
Music by U2, words by Bono.
[edit] Side one
- "Bad" (live) – 7:59
- "A Sort of Homecoming" (live) – 4:06
[edit] Side two
- "The Three Sunrises" – 3:52
- "Love Comes Tumbling" – 4:45
[edit] Chart positions and sales
[edit] Album
| Country | Peak position | Certification | Sales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | Platinum [1] | 100,000+ | |
| United Kingdom | Silver [2] | 60,000+ |
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | The Billboard 200 | 37 |
[edit] Singles
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | "The Three Sunrises" | Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks[3] | 16 |
[edit] Personnel
- Bono – vocals
- The Edge – guitar, keyboards, vocals
- Adam Clayton – bass
- Larry Mullen Jr. – drums
[edit] See also
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- Wide Awake in America at U2 Wanderer, with comprehensive details on various editions, cover scans, lyrics, and more
- Lyrics
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