Wide Awake in America

Infobox Album
Name = Wide Awake in America
Type = ep
Artist = U2


Border = yes
Released = May 1985
Recorded = 1984–1985
Genre = Rock
Length = 20:42
Label = Island
Producer = U2, Tony Visconti, Brian Eno, Daniel Lanois
Reviews =
*Allmusic Rating|2|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:g4520r3ac48v link]
*Robert Christgau (B) [http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_artist.php?name=u2 link]
*"Rolling Stone" (mixed) [http://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/album/_/id/104913 link]
Last album = "The Unforgettable Fire" (1984)
This album = "Wide Awake in America" (1985)
Next album = "The Joshua Tree" (1987)

"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.

ong 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.

Track listing

Music by U2, words by Bono.

ide one

#"Bad" (live) – 7:59
#"A Sort of Homecoming" (live) – 4:06

ide two

#"The Three Sunrises" – 3:52
#"Love Comes Tumbling" – 4:45

Chart positions and sales

Album

Personnel

*Bono – vocals
*The Edge – guitar, keyboards, vocals
*Adam Clayton – bass
*Larry Mullen Jr. – drums

ee also

*Music of Ireland
*"The Unforgettable Fire"
*U2 discography

References

External links

* [http://www.u2wanderer.org/disco/sing017.html "Wide Awake in America"] at U2 Wanderer, with comprehensive details on various editions, cover scans, lyrics, and more
* [http://www.threechordsandthetruth.net/u2lyrics/wideawake.htm Lyrics]