A Celebration

Infobox Single
Name = A Celebration


Caption = UK cover
Artist = U2
from Album =
Released = start date|1982|3
B-side = "Trash, Trampoline and the Party Girl"
Format = 7" vinyl
Recorded = 1982
Genre = Rock, post-punk
Length = 2:57
Label = flagicon|Ireland CBS - CBS 2214 flagicon|UK Island - WIP6770 flagicon|Japan Polystar - 7S-69
Producer = Steve Lillywhite
Chart position =
* #47 (UK Singles Chart)
Misc =
Last single = "Gloria" (1981)
This single = "A Celebration" (1982)
Next single = "New Year's Day" (1983)
Misc =Extra album cover 2
Upper caption = Alternate Covers
Type = single


Lower caption = France cover
Border = yesExtra album cover 2
Background = khaki


Lower caption = Japan cover"A Celebration" was a non-album single released by U2 between the "October" and "War" albums in 1982. It is probably better known for its B-side, "Trash, Trampoline and the Party Girl" (later shortened to "Party Girl"), which has become a fan favorite throughout the years. In recent years, when questioned about "A Celebration" by fans, the band has made comments implying that they do not like the song,Fact|date=December 2007 and the fact that it is noticeably absent from any U2 compilation CDs appears to support this view. Nevertheless, the band did film and release a video for the song, most of which was shot in and around a prison in Dublin.This video was never included into any official video compilation, released by the band.

"A Celebration" made its live debut in late February 1982 and sporadically appeared at concerts throughout that year until it became a regular of the Pre-War Tour during the month of December. It then appeared at some early dates of the War Tour in February and March 1983. Its last live appearance was on November 30, 1983 in Tokyo.

In contrast, after its debut on start date|1983|2|26 at the first "War" Tour concert, "Party Girl" became a regular of the tour's encores. This happened despite the fact that after the initial performance, Bono stated "that is the first and probably last time we play that song." It continued to be a regular for the next couple of tours (earning an inclusion on the live album "Under a Blood Red Sky") and has appeared sporadically at U2 concerts since then, usually for special occasions such as the birthday of a band member. The only tour on which it was never played was the PopMart Tour in 1997-1998, and it is the most frequently performed b-side in U2's live history, and the only b-side to be played more than a hundred times. Only one non-album song has been played more times, the 1980 single "11 O'Clock Tick Tock."

"A Celebration" was available on CD only on the 1999 compilation "Now That's What I Call Music! 1982 - The Millennium Series" (released in the UK and now out of print) and on iTunes either separately or as part of "The Complete U2", which also is no longer available. "A Celebration" will make its first appearance on an official U2 compact disc, together with "Trash, Trampoline and the Party Girl" and other tracks from the period, on the bonus CD of the remastered "Deluxe Edition" of "October", to be released on start date|2008|7|21.

Music Video

Despite the band's apparent dislike of the song, a video for it was filmed at Kilmainham Jail in Dublin, later a setting for the film "In the Name of the Father".

Drummer Larry Mullen Jr. said of the music video in 1983, "We did a video of it. We went to this prison in Dublin, where the 1916 uprising took place, called Kilmainham Jail, and filmed it with the idea of breaking out. It was very much a look at ourselves. Like when we were in school and everyone was telling us 'you're crap' and we couldn't get a record deal, it was the triumph of breaking through." [cite web |url=http://u2_interviews.tripod.com/id18.html |title=Larry Mullen Interview |date=1983-04-01 |publisher=White Lucy |accessdate=2007-11-06]

Track listings

7": Ireland / WIP6770 flagicon|UK

#"A Celebration" – 2:57
#"Trash, Trampoline and the Party Girl" – 2:32

* regular 7" release in most countries.

7": Polystar / 7S-69 flagicon|Japan

#"A Celebration" – 2:56
#"Fire" – 3:50

Chart positions

References

External links

* [http://www.u2-vertigo-tour.com/song224.html A Celebration's performance history at U2-Vertigo-Tour.com] —Lists all concerts at which A Celebration is known to have been performed.
* [http://www.u2-vertigo-tour.com/song64.html Party Girl's performance history at U2-Vertigo-Tour.com] —Lists all concerts at which Party Girl is known to have been performed.
* [http://www.u2wanderer.org/disco/sing008.html Discography entry at U2 Wanderer] —Comprehensive details on various editions, cover scans, lyrics, and more.