The Pointer Sisters
Released
October 2, 1978 (US)
March 9, 1979 (UK)
Format 7-inch single
Recorded 1978
Genre
Rock R&B
Length 3:28
Label Planet
Songwriter(s) Bruce Springsteen
Producer(s) Richard Perry
“Fire” is a song written by Bruce Springsteen in 1977 which had its highest profile as a 1978 single release by the Pointer Sisters.
The first single by the Pointer Sisters as the trio of Anita, June and Ruth Pointer, “Fire” was recorded for the group’s November 1978 album release Energy. The lead vocal on the track was by Anita Pointer. On hearing the song’s demo, which featured a deep Elvis Presley-type vocal, Anita Pointer told producer Richard Perry: “It’s too low for me: I guess you want Ruthie to sing it” to which Perry replied: “No – I want you to sing it.” Knight Ridder music critic Christine Arnold cited “Fire” as “Energy ‘s main highlight……Springsteen has created a song that might well have been done by the Ronettes in the ’60s, and the Pointers inherit and develop the legacy nicely. Lyrically it’s a simple song, but one that captures the indecision of a woman who wants and does not want a man all at the same time. And when the Pointers sing [the lyric] fire it’s enough to sear your turntable.”
Rising to no. 2 on the Hot 100 in Billboard magazine in February 1979 (behind Rod Stewart’s “Da Ya Think I’m Sexy?”), “Fire” was eventually tied by “Slow Hand” (1981) as the Pointer Sister’s highest-charting single. A hit on Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and Adult Contemporary charts at respectively no. 14 and no.. 22, “Fire” also afforded the Pointer Sisters an international chart hit, reaching no. 1 in Belgium, the Netherlands, South Africa and New Zealand, and charting in Australia (no. 7), Austria (no. 10), Canada (no. 3), Germany (no. 35) and the UK (no. 34).
Anita Pointer recalled, “‘Fire’ became [the Pointer Sisters’] first gold single: we had had gold albums before but I didn’t realize what a difference a gold single made ’cause…that one song [is played] over and over all over the world. ‘Fire’ really became a major hit for us and made a total difference in our career.”
Billboard named the song no. 48 on their list of 100 Greatest Girl Group Songs of All Time.
Personnel
• Anita Pointer – lead & backing vocals • Rick Jaeger – drums • Davey Johnstone – guitar
• Ruth Pointer – backing vocals • Lenny Castro – tambourine • David Paich – organ, high piano
• June Pointer – backing vocals • Gerald Johnson – bass • Jai Winding – acoustic piano
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia