| "Bad" | |
|---|---|
| Promotional single by U2 | |
| from the album The Unforgettable Fire | |
| Released | 1 October 1984 |
| Genre | Rock |
| Length | 6:09 |
| Label | Island |
| Composer(s) | U2 |
| Lyricist(s) | Bono |
| Producer(s) | |
"Bad" is a song by Irish rock band U2 and the seventh track on their 1984 album, The Unforgettable Fire. Thematically, the song is about heroin addiction, though lead vocalist Bono has given varying accounts of who was the inspiration behind his lyrics. "Bad" is considered a fan favourite and is one of U2's most frequently performed songs in concert.[1] The band's 12-minute performance of the song at the Live Aid charity concert in 1985 was a breakthrough moment for them.
A live version of the song appears on U2's 1985 EP Wide Awake in America; this rendition became popular on album-oriented rock radio stations.[2] In the United States, the song peaked at number 19 on the Billboard Top Rock Tracks chart.[3] The album version of the song featured on the trailer of Brothers and in the opening and closing sequences of Taking Lives.
mainstreamrock was invoked but never defined (see the help page).