Today in 1983 Irish rock band U2 released their third album, War. It’s considered their first overtly political album, in part because of the album’s title and subject matter in songs like "Sunday Bloody Sunday" and "New Year's Day.” Lead vocalist Bono stated that "war seemed to be the motif for 1982."
The album was a commercial success, knocking Michael Jackson's Thriller from the top of the UK charts to become U2's first number-one album there. In the United States, it reached number 12 and became the band's first album certified gold.
"Two Hearts Beat as One" was released as the second single in March of 1983. Bono was inspired to write the lyrics while on his honeymoon about two people who come together. He said that while writing the song, he was hoping to create something that Aretha Franklin or Barbra Streisand would cover.
U2 made a video for this song with Meiert Avis, who directed most of their early videos. It was filmed outside the Basilica of Sacré Coeur de Montmartre in Paris in March 1983 with the band performing the song. The video includes scenes of an acrobat and others that feature Peter Rowen, the boy who appears on the War album cover and the band’s debut album, Boy.
Today's ear X-tacy features a classic track or deep-cut from the Alternative era every weekday at 10:10.
