Release of album The Unforgettable Fire

Partly recorded in Slane Castle , The Unforgettable Fire was released in October 1984 and marked a major change of style. It was ambient and abstract, and featured a rich, orchestrated sound. Under Lanois’ direction, Mullen’s drumming became looser, funkier, and more subtle, and Clayton’s bass became more subtle. Complementing the album’s atmospheric sound, the lyrics were left open to interpretation, providing what the band called a “very visual feel”. Due to a tight recording schedule, Bono felt songs like ” Bad ” and ” Pride (In the Name of Love) ” were incomplete “sketches”. The album reached number one in the UK, and was successful in the US. The lead single “Pride (In the Name of Love)”, written about civil rights movement leader Martin Luther King Jr. , was their first song to chart in the US top 40.