MLK (song): Difference between revisions

{{RefimproveMore citations needed|date=January 2011}}

|Name name = MLK

|Cover cover =

|Type alt = [[Song]]

|Artist type = [[U2]]=

|alt Artistartist = [[U2]]

|Album album = [[The Unforgettable Fire]]

|Recorded studio = =

|Genre venue =
| genre = [[Ambient music|Ambient]]

|Length length = 2:32

|Writer label = {{flatlist[[Island Records|Island]]

*| U2 ([[composer|music]]) = U2

|Producer = *[[Brian Eno]] and [[Daniel Lanois]]

"'''MLK'''" is thea tenthsong andby finalIrish song[[rock frommusic|rock]] band [[U2]]'s, and is the tenth and final track on their 1984 album, ''[[The Unforgettable Fire]]''. AAn [[lullabyelegy]] to honor [[Martin Luther King, Jr.]], it is a short, pensive piece with simple lyrics ("Sleep/Sleep tonight/And may [[I Have a Dream|your dreams]]/Be realized/If the thundercloud/Passes rain/So let it rain/Rain down on me"). It was because of this song, along withand "[[Pride (In the Name of Love)]]", another tribute to King, that earnedlead vocalist [[Bono]] received the highest honor of the [[Martin Luther King, Jr.Center Nationalfor HistoricNonviolent Site|KingSocial CenterChange]], an organization founded by [[Coretta Scott King]].

Its live debut was on 18 October 1984, as an intro to "[[The Unforgettable Fire (song)|The Unforgettable Fire]]", and the two songs were performed together at almost all [[Unforgettable Fire Tour]] shows and most [[Joshua Tree Tour]] shows. However, by the end of the Joshua Tree Tour, the band started to use "MLK" to precede other songs, especially "[[One Tree Hill (song)|One Tree Hill]]", and it continued in this capacity on the [[Lovetown Tour]]. It failed to appear on the [[Zoo TV Tour]] but returned to the set list on the [[PopMart Tour]], especially after the deaths of [[Diana, Princess of Wales]] and [[Michael Hutchence]]. It went into another hiatus after PopMart, missing the entire [[Elevation Tour]], but was notably performed as the intro to "Where the Streets Have No Name" at U2's appearance during the [[Super Bowl]] [[listXXXVI of Super Bowl halftime shows|halftime show]] in 2002. After the death of [[Rosa Parks]], it made five [[Vertigo Tour]] appearances; in all five instances, it was sung after "[[One (U2 song)|One]]" to conclude the main set. "MLK" was a part of the main set list for the [[U2 360° Tour]], as the prelude to "[[Walk On (U2 song)|Walk On]]". andThe tosong bewas hopefuldropped formidway through the releasetour ofand was replaced with "Scarlet". It was not played live again until [[AungThe SanJoshua SuuTree KyiTours 2017 and 2019]], fromduring housewhich arrestit was played on opening night before being replaced by "[[Bad (U2 song)|Bad]]" the following night.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.u2gigs.com/MLK-s114.html|title=U2 MLK – U2 on Tour|website=U2gigs.com|access-date=13 March 2021}}</ref>

"MLK" was director [[Richard Kelly (director)|Richard Kelly]]'s original choice for the soundtrack to the final sequence of the 2001 film ''[[Donnie Darko]]''. After difficulties licensing the song, it was decided to use [[Gary Jules]]' rendition of the [[Tears for Fears]] song "[[Mad World]]" instead.<ref>[http://www.boston.com/news/globe/living/articles/2004/03/21/out_of_the_realm_of_imagination/ "Out of the realm of imagination"], Geoff Edgers, [[The Boston Globe]], March 21, 2004.</ref>

In the[[Stephen Chbosky]]'s 1999 novel ''[[The Perks of Being a Wallflower]]'', "MLK" is mentioned as one of Charlie's favorite songs, along with "[[Blackbird (Beatles song)|Blackbird]]".<ref>{{cite book |title=[[The Perks of Being a Wallflower]] |first=Stephen |last=Chboksy |authorlinkauthor-link=Stephen Chbosky |publisher=[[Pocket Books]] |year=1999 |page=37 |location=[[New York City|New York]] |isbn=0-671-02734-4}}</ref>

{{U2 songs}}

{{Martin Luther King Jr.|expanded=Media}}

[[Category:Songs in memory ofabout Martin Luther King Jr.]]