Wide Awake in America is a four-track extended play by Irish rock band U2. It was released on May 20, 1985 through Island Records. It combines two live performances of songs from the group’s 1984 album The Unforgettable Fire with two B-sides from the era, which had previously been available only in the United Kingdom. Wide Awake in America was originally released only in North America and Japan but it charted in the UK as an import. It was re-released internationally in 1990.
The EP’s centerpiece, “Bad”, a song about heroin addiction, would become a staple of their live set, particularly after an extended performance at Live Aid in which lead vocalist Bono danced with a woman in the audience. Radio programmers often chose this Wide Awake in America version over the original studio recording for airplay. The EP’s title is inspired by the chorus of “Bad”, with its refrain, “Wide awake / I’m wide awake / I’m not sleeping.”
- “Bad” (live) 8:00
- “A Sort of Homecoming” (live) 4:05
- “The Three Sunrises” 3:50
- “Love Comes Tumbling” 4:45
Bono – vocals
The Edge – guitar, keyboards, vocals
Adam Clayton – bass
Larry Mullen Jr. – drums
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