U2’s ‘WAR’ Turns 40!
40 years ago today, U2 released their seminal third studio album, ‘War’, via Island Records. The band teamed up with producer Steve Lillywhite once again (‘Boy’ & ‘October’) to begin recording the LP in late 1982 at Windmill Lane Studios in Dublin, Ireland. This was the third consecutive album to be made by U2 and Lillywhite at that particular studio. The album is considered to be U2’s first overly political album, with songs like “Sunday Bloody Sunday” and “New Years Day”, as well as the title, which was interpreted from the band’s assessment of the world at the time. Since its release, ‘War’ has sold over 11 million copies worldwide.
U2’s previous albums ‘Boy’ & ‘October’ had central themes of adolescence and spirituality, ‘War’ focused on both the physical aspects of warfare, and the emotional aftereffects. ‘War’ was a commercial success, becoming U2’s first number one album in the UK knocking Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller’ from the top spot. ‘Thriller’ spent 37 non-consecutive weeks at #1 in 1983 and was the best selling album of 1983 AND 1984! First time ever that has happened.
According to Bono in 1982, he said the album was titled ‘War’ for several reasons – “War seemed to be the motif for 1982”, adding that “Everywhere you looked, from the Falklands to the Middle East and South Africa, there was war. By calling the album ‘War’ we’re giving people a slap in the face and at the same time getting away from the cozy image a lot of people have of U2”
The boy on the cover of the LP is Peter Rowen, brother of Bono’s friend, Guggi, who is an avant-garde Irish artist. Rowen also appears on U2’s 1979 EP ‘Three’, their debut LP ‘Boy’ and their ‘The Best of 1980-1990’ compilation album. Bono said the reasoning behind the cover was “Instead of putting tanks and guns on the cover, we’ve put a child’s face.” War can be a mental ting, an emotional thing between loves. It doesn’t have to be a physical thing.”
The 1983 ‘War’ Tour came through the Philadelphia area for 2 nights at the Tower Theatre in Upper Darby on May 13th & 14th that year.
Check out the setlist from those shows:
- Out of Control
- Twilight
- An Cat Dubh
- Into the Heart
- Surrender
- Two Hearts Beat as One
- Seconds
- Sunday Bloody Sunday
- The Cry
- The Electric Co.
- I Fall Down
- October
- Gloria
- I Threw a Brick Through a Window
- A Day Without Me
- New Year’s Day
- Encore: Trash, Trampoline and the Party Girl
- 11 O’Clock Tick Tock
- I Will Follow
- 40
In 2008, U2 released a remastered edition of of ‘War’ in three different formats including a deluxe edition that includes a bonus CD with b-sides, live tracks and rarities. It also includes a 32-page booklet with previously unseen band photos, full lyrics ad new liner notes.
