Pride (In the Name of Love)

Infobox Single
Name = Pride (In the Name of Love)


Artist = U2
from Album = The Unforgettable Fire
Released = September 1984
format = 7" vinyl, 12" vinyl, cassette, CD single (re-release only)
Recorded =
Genre = Rock
Length = 4:40
Label = Island
Producer = Brian Eno, Daniel Lanois
Chart position =

• #3 (UK Singles Chart)
• #33 (US Billboard Hot 100)
• #2 (US Mainstream Rock Tracks)

Last single = "40" (Germany only) (1983)
This single = "Pride (In the Name of Love)" (1984)
Next single = "The Unforgettable Fire" (1985)
Misc = Extra tracklisting
Album = The Unforgettable Fire
prev_track = "A Sort of Homecoming"
Type = studio
prev_no = 1
this_track = "Pride (In the Name of Love)"
track_no = 2
next_track = "Wire"
next_no = 3 Extra tracklisting
Album = Rattle and Hum
Type = live
prev_track = "Silver and Gold" (Live)
prev_no = 8
this_track = "Pride (In the Name of Love)" (Live)
track_no = 9
next_track = "Angel of Harlem"
next_no = 10 Extra tracklisting
Album = The Best of 1980-1990
Type = compilation
prev_track = n/a
prev_no =
this_track = "Pride (In the Name of Love)"
track_no = 1
next_track = "New Year's Day"
next_no = 2 Extra tracklisting
Album = U218 Singles
Type = compilation
prev_track = "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For"
prev_no = 2
this_track = "Pride (In the Name of Love)"
track_no = 3
next_track = "With or Without You"
next_no = 4

"Pride (In the Name of Love)" is the second song on U2's 1984 album "The Unforgettable Fire" and was released as the album's first single. Written about Martin Luther King, Jr., "Pride" is one of the band's most recognized songs, and appeared as the opening track on the compilation "The Best of 1980-1990", and on the 2006 compilation "U218 Singles". The song was a mixed critical but major commercial success for the band and has since come to be regarded as one of the band's best songs. It was named the 378th greatest song by "Rolling Stone" on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

Origin and recording

The melody and the chords came out of a 1983 War Tour sound check in Hawaii. The song was originally intended to be about Ronald Reagan's pride in America's military power but writer Bono had been influenced by Stephen B. Oates's book "Let The Trumpet Sound: A Life of Martin Luther King, Jr." as well as by a biography of Malcolm X. These caused Bono to ponder the different sides of the civil rights campaigns, the violent and the non-violent. [cite book |last=U2 Limited |title=U2 by U2 |publisher=HarperCollins"Publishers" |date=2006 |location=London |pages=145 |id=ISBN0-00-719668-7] In subsequent years, Bono has expressed his dissatisfaction with the lyrics, which he describes, along with another "Unforgettable Fire" song "Bad", as being "left as simple sketches". He blames this on being swayed by Edge and producers Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois, who played down the need to develop the lyrics as they thought the impressionistic nature was more important to the songs' feeling, particularly when heard by non-English speakers. [cite book |last=U2 Limited |title=U2 by U2 |publisher=HarperCollins"Publishers" |date=2006 |location=London |pages=151 |id=ISBN0-00-719668-7]

quote
"I looked at how glorious that song was and thought: 'What the fuck is that all about?' It's just a load of vowel sounds ganging up on a great man. It is emotionally very articulate - if you didn't speak English."
Bono |"U2 by U2" [cite book |last=U2 Limited |title=U2 by U2 |publisher=HarperCollins"Publishers" |date=2006 |location=London |pages=179 |id=ISBN0-00-719668-7]

The last line of the middle verse refers to Jesus was betrayed by Judas Iscariot, "One man betrayed with a kiss"

The first line of the last verse erroneously refers to King's shooting as "Early morning, April 4", when it was actually after 6 p.m. Bono admits the error and in live performances he occasionally changes the lyric to "Early evening...". [cite book |last=U2 Limited |title=U2 by U2 |publisher=HarperCollins"Publishers" |date=2006 |location=London |pages=151 |id=ISBN0-00-719668-7]

Chrissie Hynde of The Pretenders sang backing vocals on the recording. As she was married to Jim Kerr of Simple Minds at the time, her credit is in the name "Christine Kerr".

Reception

"Pride" reached #3 on the UK Singles Chart and made #8 on the Dutch Singles Chart. The song was the band's first top 40 hit in the United States, peaking at number 33. While not a big chart hit in the US, it gained considerable album oriented rock radio airplay and its video was on heavy rotation on MTV, thus helping U2 continue its commercial breakthrough begun with the "War" album.It was on the New Zealand singles chart that "Pride" reached #1 givng the band their first chart topping single

Critical opinion on "Pride" was mixed. Besides Loder, Robert Christgau in "The Village Voice" complained of "the moralism with the turn-somebody-else's-cheek glorification of Martin Luther King's martyrdom." [Village Voice Consumer Guide, " [http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_artist.php?id=1634&name=U2 The Unforgettable Fire] ".]

quote
"'Pride' gets over only on the strength of its resounding beat and big, droning bass line, not on the nobility of its lyrics, which are unremarkable."
Kurt Loder |"Rolling Stone" [cite news |last=Loder |first=Kurt |coauthors= |title=The Unforgettable Fire Album Review |work= |pages= |language= |publisher=Rolling Stone |date=11 October 1984 |url= |accessdate=]

However, the 1984 Pazz & Jop poll of 240 music critics ranked "Pride" as the 12th best single of that year, a higher ranking than the overall album, which finished 29th. [" [http://www.robertchristgau.com/xg/pnj/pjres84.php The 1984 Pazz & Jop Critics Poll] ". Retrieved 14 December 2006.] The single's ranking remained the highest of any U2 single until "One" achieved 8th in 1992. [" [http://www.robertchristgau.com/xg/pnj/pjres92.php The 1992 Pazz & Jop Critics Poll] ". Retrieved 14 December 2006.] "Rolling Stone" magazine placed the song at #378 in their list of the 500 greatest songs of all time.

"Pride" has appeared in virtually every U2 concert since the Unforgettable Fire Tour. As of 2006, it is the second-most performed song in the band's history, registering 746 known performances [ [http://www.u2-vertigo-tour.com/tourdb-stats.html TourDB statistics - U2 on tour ] ] . ("I Will Follow" has 753 known performances with many more earlier performances not documented). Clips from King speeches are often shown on the stage's video screens during these performances.

Music video

Three music videos were made. The most-shown one features opening and closing shots of the docklands area in Dublin (including the recently opened East-Link) in between which U2 performs the song in an empty school auditorium that gradually draws in children and staff members. There are two variations of it - the first is in black and white video, and the second one is colour. Both were directed by Donald Cammell. The other video portrays recording the song at Slane Castle, and also features Eno and Lanois. The third clip (rejected by the band) features faces of the band members, filmed from a close range. It was directed by Anton Corbijn.

Track listings

Version 1

#"Pride (In the Name of Love)" (Single Version) – 4:40
#"Boomerang II" – 4:48

A 7" release.

Version 2

#"Pride (In the Name of Love)" (Single Version) – 4:40
#"Boomerang I" (Instrumental) – 2:47
#"Boomerang II" – 4:48
#"4th of July" (Long Version) – 2:38

A 12" release in Ireland and the UK. The CD re-release has the same tracklisting. The CD itself does not list "4th of July" on the track list.

Version 3

#"Pride (In the Name of Love)" (Single Version) – 4:40
#"Boomerang I" (Instrumental) – 2:47
#"Boomerang II" – 4:48
#"11 O'Clock Tick Tock" (Long Version) – 4:10
#"Touch" – 3:21

The second 12" release, with the tracks from the "11 O'Clock Tick Tock" single.

Version 4

#"Pride (In the Name of Love)" (Single Version) – 4:40
#"Boomerang I" (Instrumental) – 2:47
#"Boomerang II" – 4:48
#"11 O'Clock Tick Tock" (Long Version) – 4:10
#"A Celebration" – 2:54

A cassette version released in the UK.

Chart positions

Covers

* The Christian band Delirious? sang a version of this song on the album "".
* The French cover band Nouvelle Vague covered the song on their "Bande à Part" album.
* Shawn Colvin covered the song on the Barnes & Noble exclusive edition of her 2006 album "These Four Walls".
* Flyleaf performed live version of the song with Richard Patrick of Filter on Family Values Tour 2006 and the performance is available on the live compilation from this tour.
*C+C Music Factory, as Clivilles + Cole, remade the song in 1991. This version was referred to as "In the Name of Love."
*Kane covered the song on their live CD/DVD album "With or Without You".
*An orchestral version of "Pride" was covered by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra on their 1999 album "".
* The Hawaiian folk duo Hapa's 1997 album "In the Name of Love" includes a Hawaiian-style rendition of "Pride" featuring a traditional chant performed by Charles Ka'upu. The album debuted on Billboard's Top Ten World Music chart.
* In celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr., musician John Legend performs his rendition of the song on the piano while singing." [cite web |url=http://www.history.com/minisite.do?content_type=Minisite_Generic&content_type_id=58320&display_order=3&mini_id=58198 |title=King: Pride (in the Name of Love)]
* The song can be heard in the 2001 film Moulin Rouge! as it is sung as part of the Elephant Love Medley by actors Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor.
* The song was covered by the Soweto Gospel Choir for the 2008 tribute album "In the Name of Love: Africa Celebrates U2". [cite web |url=http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/news.php?id=16175 |title="In the Name of Love: Africa Celebrates U2" Due April 1 |publisher=All About Jazz |date=December 5, 2007 |accessdate=2008-04-15]
* Pride (In the Name of Love) is one of two group medleys at the American Idols LIVE! Tour 2008.
* U2 were shown performing the song on an episode of The Simpsons before being interrupted by Homer.They continued performing the song over a video of Homer being beaten by security guards

References and notes

External links

* [http://www.u2gigs.com/Pride_(In_The_Name_Of_Love)-s40.html Pride's performance history at U2gigs.com] —Lists all concerts at which "Pride" has been performed.
* [http://www.u2wanderer.org/disco/sing015.html Discography entry at U2 Wanderer] —Comprehensive details on various editions, cover scans, lyrics, and more.
*youtube|5rmGGlznSz8|"Pride (In the Name of Love)" video

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