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The 22-time Grammy award-winning band U2 has many accolade-worthy albums, but 1983’s War is a particular gem in their discography.
This was the Irish band’s third studio album and their first commercial success. It peaked at No. 1 in the UK, knocking out Michael Jackson’s smash 1982 hit Thriller.
This album is U2’s first overtly political album, a theme that they carried into their future work. Details such as the title, the album cover, and the lyrics all show the bands’ perception of the world at the time.
The album produced one of U2’s most popular songs, “Sunday Bloody Sunday.” This song describes the terror inflicted due to a 1972 incident in Derry, Northern Ireland, known as Bloody Sunday, when British troops shot and killed civil rights protesters. This song is just one example of political unrest expressed in the album.
The lead single, “New Year’s Day,” started off being written as a love song, but grew to be heavily inspired by the Polish Solidarity movement. This was an anti-authoritarian movement, seeking to improve on social change and workers’ rights.
A particularly underrated song is “Two Hearts Beat As One,” which is not a politically inspired song at all. This song builds off a strong bassline and the dynamic, rich vocal capability of lead singer Paul Hewson, more commonly known as Bono. The song’s lyrics were written by Bono about his love for his wife.
These three songs are only a small insight into the album. All of the tracks have different meanings and special qualities with their instruments and lyrics. The album is a must-listen for fans of older artists, or anyone looking to hear some good music
