"4th of July" is a song by Irish

rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...

band U2, and is the sixth track from their 1984 album, ''

The Unforgettable Fire ''The Unforgettable Fire'' is the fourth studio album by Irish rock band U2. It was produced by Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois, and released on 1 October 1984 by Island Records. The band wanted to pursue a new musical direction following the har ...

''. The song is an instrumental ambient track that was spontaneously improvised by bassist

Adam Clayton Adam Charles Clayton (born 13 March 1960) is an English-born Irish musician who is the bass guitarist of the rock band U2. He has resided in County Dublin, Ireland since his family moved to Malahide in 1965, when he was five years old. C ...

and guitarist

the Edge David Howell Evans (born 8 August 1961), better known as the Edge or simply Edge,McCormick (2006), pp. 21, 23–24 is an English-born Irish musician, singer, and songwriter. He is best known as the lead guitarist, keyboardist, and backing voca ...

while producers Brian Eno and

Daniel Lanois Daniel Roland Lanois ( , ; born September 19, 1951) is a Canadian record producer, guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter. He has produced albums by artists including Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Peter Gabriel, Robbie Robertson, Emmylou Harris, Willie ...

recorded, unbeknownst to the band. It has never been performed live, although Clayton did play it as a warm-up during a soundcheck before U2's concert in San Jose on 20 April 2001.

Description

"4th of July" came about almost entirely through a moment of inspiration from Eno. At the end of a studio session, Eno happened to overhear Adam Clayton doodling on a simple bass figure; he liked what he was hearing, so recorded it ''ad hoc'' as it was being played. Guitarist

The Edge David Howell Evans (born 8 August 1961), better known as the Edge or simply Edge,McCormick (2006), pp. 21, 23–24 is an English-born Irish musician, singer, and songwriter. He is best known as the lead guitarist, keyboardist, and backing voca ...

happened to join in, improvising a few guitar ideas over the top of Clayton's bass; neither knew they were being recorded. Eno added some treatments and then transferred the piece straight to two-track master tape – and that was the song finished, with no possibility of further overdubs.Stokes, Niall, ''Into the Heart: The Stories Behind Every U2 Song''. U2 called it "4th of July" to commemorate the birth of Edge's daughter, Hollie, Bono's godchild, who was born on that date, right in the middle of making the album. It is the only instrumental song on a regular full-length U2 album (not including Passengers). It was frequently used as the last song played before U2 took the stage during the

Unforgettable Fire Tour The Unforgettable Fire Tour was a concert tour by Irish rock band U2 that took place in 1984 and 1985 in support of band's album ''The Unforgettable Fire''. Beginning in August 1984 with the band's first tour to Australia and New Zealand, the t ...

. The song is regularly played on

Music Choice Music Choice (abbreviated as MC) is an American television music service that digitally broadcasts audio-based music channels and video-related content to cable television providers in the United States. Music Choice reaches 65 million househol ...

's "Sounds of the Seasons" channel when playing patriotic music in the days leading to (and during) the

Fourth of July Independence Day (colloquially the Fourth of July) is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the Declaration of Independence, which was ratified by the Second Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, establishing the United States ...

holiday.

References

1984 instrumentals U2 songs Rock instrumentals Songs written by Bono Songs written by Adam Clayton Songs written by the Edge Songs written by Larry Mullen Jr. Song recordings produced by Brian Eno Song recordings produced by Daniel Lanois {{1980s-rock-song-stub