Who’d have thought that some of the greatest songs written about Martin Luther King, Jr. would’ve come from four Irish rockers? The Unforgettable Fire, U2’s fourth album, was released in 1984 and contained not one, but two songs about the influential civil rights leader. “Pride (In The Name Of Love)” is a hugely anthemic rocker that was the first single released from The Unforgettable Fire. It would easily go on to become one of U2’s most loved songs. Despite the “early morning” lyrical flub (which Bono corrects to “early evening” during live performances), “Pride” stands out as one of the most notable songs to champion Martin Luther King’s legacy. As a bonus, listen out for Pretenders’ front woman Chrissie Hynde on background vocals as well. On the musical flipside, “MLK” is a somber ballad that comes across as more of an ambient poem than a fully realized song. In fact, in concert U2 mostly employs “MLK” as a moving introduction to other songs. “MLK” closes out The Unforgettable Fire with the poignant and sadly still relevant lines:
“Sleep, sleep tonight and may your dreams be realized.”
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