Fire (U2 song)
Encyclopedia
"Fire" is a song by Irish
rock band U2
. It is the fifth track on the band's 1981 album, October
, and was released that year as the album's first single.
in the Bahamas
while U2 took a break from the Boy Tour
in April 1981. After its initial release, "Fire" was U2's first song to chart in the UK
, where it managed to break the top 40, peaking at #35.
Some vinyl and cassette versions of U2's debut album Boy
included a 30-second instrumental hidden track after the album's closer, "Shadows and Tall Trees
". This track featured the same guitar riff as the one from "Fire". It was not until the release of the 2008 Deluxe Edition of Boy and its bonus CD that this track was shown to be "Saturday Night", a previously unreleased song that featured the same guitar riff from "Fire" and almost the same instrumentation, but with different lyrics. "Saturday Night" was eventually rewritten into what became "Fire".
with the first being "I Fall Down." "Fire" was a setlist regular for much of the October Tour, although it was not played at any of the tour's shows where U2 acted as support for the J. Geils Band. It then appeared on the War Tour
's "Pre-Tour", and its last live performance was at the first proper date of the War Tour on 26 February 1983. Most of its live appearances were in the encore, often as the first encore song. "Fire" was also the song U2 played for their first appearance on Top of the Pops
.
" and on the phrase "U2 are OK." A fourth version was released ten years later on CD
in 1991, also under the title "U2 R.O.K."
The song was later included as a b-side on the Japanese version of the "A Celebration
" single in 1982, and as a live version on several versions of the "New Year's Day
" single in 1983.
The single was not released in North America.
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
rock band U2
U2
U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group consists of Bono , The Edge , Adam Clayton , and Larry Mullen, Jr. . U2's early sound was rooted in post-punk but eventually grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music...
. It is the fifth track on the band's 1981 album, October
October (album)
October is the second album by Irish rock band U2, released in 1981. The album featured spiritual themes, inspired by Bono, The Edge, and Larry Mullen, Jr.'s memberships in a Christian group called the "Shalom Fellowship", which led them to question the relationship between the Christian faith and...
, and was released that year as the album's first single.
History
The October album version of "Fire" was recorded at Compass Point StudiosCompass Point Studios
Compass Point Studios were founded in 1977 by Chris Blackwell, the owner of Island Records.In the late 1970s and mid-1980s, many musical artists from across the world came to the Bahamas to record music at its facilities. Many producers, including Chris Blackwell himself, used the studio to produce...
in the Bahamas
The Bahamas
The Bahamas , officially the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, is a nation consisting of 29 islands, 661 cays, and 2,387 islets . It is located in the Atlantic Ocean north of Cuba and Hispaniola , northwest of the Turks and Caicos Islands, and southeast of the United States...
while U2 took a break from the Boy Tour
Boy Tour
The Boy Tour was a concert tour by Irish rock band U2 that took place in 1980 and 1981 to support the band's first studio album, Boy, which was released in October 1980.-Itinerary:...
in April 1981. After its initial release, "Fire" was U2's first song to chart in the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, where it managed to break the top 40, peaking at #35.
Some vinyl and cassette versions of U2's debut album Boy
Boy (album)
Boy is the debut album from Irish rock band U2, released October 20, 1980. Produced by Steve Lillywhite, the album received generally positive reviews. Common themes among the album's songs are the thoughts and frustrations of adolescence. The album included the band's first United Kingdom hit...
included a 30-second instrumental hidden track after the album's closer, "Shadows and Tall Trees
Shadows and Tall Trees
"Shadows and Tall Trees" is a song by Irish rock band U2. It is the eleventh and final track of their debut album Boy, which was released in October, 1980. The song's title was inspired by William Golding's 1954 novel Lord of the Flies, as a chapter from the book is entitled "Shadows and Tall...
". This track featured the same guitar riff as the one from "Fire". It was not until the release of the 2008 Deluxe Edition of Boy and its bonus CD that this track was shown to be "Saturday Night", a previously unreleased song that featured the same guitar riff from "Fire" and almost the same instrumentation, but with different lyrics. "Saturday Night" was eventually rewritten into what became "Fire".
Live performances
"Fire" was played in concert for the first time on 27 May 1981 a month after the album version was recorded. It was the second of two songs from the October album played on the Boy TourBoy Tour
The Boy Tour was a concert tour by Irish rock band U2 that took place in 1980 and 1981 to support the band's first studio album, Boy, which was released in October 1980.-Itinerary:...
with the first being "I Fall Down." "Fire" was a setlist regular for much of the October Tour, although it was not played at any of the tour's shows where U2 acted as support for the J. Geils Band. It then appeared on the War Tour
War Tour
The War Tour was a concert tour by the Irish rock band U2, which took place in 1982 and 1983 in support of the group's third album War. It was their first tour as full-time headlining acts....
's "Pre-Tour", and its last live performance was at the first proper date of the War Tour on 26 February 1983. Most of its live appearances were in the encore, often as the first encore song. "Fire" was also the song U2 played for their first appearance on Top of the Pops
Top of the Pops
Top of the Pops, also known as TOTP, is a British music chart television programme, made by the BBC and originally broadcast weekly from 1 January 1964 to 30 July 2006. After 25 December 2006 it became a radio program, now hosted by Tony Blackburn...
.
Releases
The July 1981 single release of came in three versions — a two-track 7", a double 7" pack, and a 12" single titled "U2 R.O.K.," a pun on the word "rockRock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
" and on the phrase "U2 are OK." A fourth version was released ten years later on CD
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
in 1991, also under the title "U2 R.O.K."
The song was later included as a b-side on the Japanese version of the "A Celebration
A Celebration
-Chart positions:-External links:* lyrics at U2.com* lyrics at U2.com...
" single in 1982, and as a live version on several versions of the "New Year's Day
New Year's Day (song)
"New Year's Day" is a song by rock band U2. It is on their 1983 album War and it was released as the album's lead single in January 1983. Written about the Polish Solidarity movement, "New Year's Day" is driven by Adam Clayton's distinctive bassline and The Edge's keyboard playing...
" single in 1983.
The single was not released in North America.
Track listings
Chart positions
| Chart (1981) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Irish Singles Chart Irish Singles Chart The Irish Singles Chart is Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on behalf of the IRMA by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured... |
4 |
| UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
35 |