<P> The song had been intended to be based on Ronald Reagan 's pride in America 's military power , but Stephen B. Oates 's book Let The Trumpet Sound : A Life of Martin Luther King , Jr. and a biography of Malcolm X caused the lyricist Bono to ponder the different sides of the civil rights campaigns , the violent and the non-violent . In subsequent years , Bono has expressed his dissatisfaction with the lyrics , which he describes , along with another Unforgettable Fire song `` Bad '' , as being `` left as simple sketches '' . He says that he was swayed by the Edge and producers Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois , who played down the need to develop the lyrics as they thought their impressionistic nature would give added forcefulness to the song 's feeling , particularly when heard by non-English speakers . In U2 by U2 , Bono said : `` I looked at how glorious that song was and thought : ' What the fuck is that all about ? ' It 's just a load of vowel sounds ganging up on a great man . It is emotionally very articulate - if you did n't speak English . '' </P>
what is pride in the name of love about
ponder the different sides of the civil rights campaigns