Cat People (Putting Out Fire)

Infobox Single
Name = Cat People (Putting Out Fire)


Artist = David Bowie
from Album = Cat People: Original Soundtrack
B-side = Paul's Theme (Jogging Chase)
Released = March 1982
Format = 7"/12" single
Recorded = Mountain Studios, Montreux, July 1981
Genre = Rock
Length = 4:08
Label = MCA - MCA 770
Producer = Giorgio Moroder
Chart position =
* #1 (Sweden; Norway; New Zealand)
* #26 (UK)
* #67 (US)|
Last single = "Baal"
(1982)
This single = "Cat People (Putting Out Fire)"
(1982)
Next single = "Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy"
(1982)
Misc = Extra tracklisting
Album = Let's Dance
Type = studio
prev_track = "Criminal World"
prev_no = 6
this_track = "Cat People (Putting Out Fire)"
track_no = 7
next_track = "Shake It"
next_no = 8

"Cat People (Putting Out Fire)" is a song by David Bowie. It was recorded for Paul Schrader's 1982 remake of the film "Cat People" with producer Giorgio Moroder.

Schrader engaged Bowie for a theme song in 1981, with Moroder having already recorded most of the music. Bowie was to put lyrics to the main theme. The words only had a basic relation to the film. The B-side is a Moroder-only instrumental which featured no input from Bowie.

The song itself, in keeping with the dark tone of the film, has some slight goth rock influences, with Bowie singing in a deep croon while being backed up by a female chorus, a combination that The Sisters of Mercy would commonly employ years later.

Due to Moroder's contract, the single was issued by MCA. The full-length version would appear on the soundtrack album, and the 12" single, while a 4:08 edited version was made for the 7" release. The single would reach #26 in the UK, and #67 in the US - Bowie's biggest hit there since "Golden Years". It peaked at #1 in New Zealand, remaining there for three weeks. It was also #1 in Norway for seven consecutive weeks, and then returned to the top for a further week.

The single was released three separate times by MCA. First with "Cat People" as the A-side, then again two months later with "Paul's Theme" as the A-side, and finally in November 1982 with "Cat People" back on the A-side. Notable contribution as orchestrator was made by Hungarian-born composer, Sylvester Levay.

In 1983, Bowie would re-record the song for his "Let's Dance" album. This version would also be released as the B-side to the title track's single release, and be performed on Bowie's Serious Moonlight Tour.

Track listing

7": MCA / MCA 770 (UK)

# "Cat People (Putting Out Fire)" (Bowie, Moroder) – 4:08
# "Paul's Theme (Jogging Chase)" (Moroder) – 3:51

12": MCA / MCAT 770 (UK)

# "Cat People (Putting Out Fire)" (Bowie, Moroder) – 6:41
# "Paul's Theme (Jogging Chase)" (Moroder) – 3:51

12": MCA / DS 12087 (Australia)

# "Cat People (Putting Out Fire)" (Bowie, Moroder) – 4:08
# "Cat People (Putting Out Fire)" (Bowie, Moroder) – 9:20

* label states running time of 6:41, but is actually 9:20

Production credits

* Producers:
** Giorgio Moroder

* Musicians:
** David Bowie: Vocals
** Giorgio Moroder: Synthesizer

Other releases

* The "Let's Dance" version was released as the B-side of the single "Let's Dance" in March 1983.
* It also appeared on the compilation "" in 1993.
* The "Let's Dance" version contains lead guitar work by a then little-known Stevie Ray Vaughan.

Cover versions

* Big Electric Cat - "Goth Oddity: A Tribute to David Bowie" (1999)
* Cruciform - "Goth Oddity 2000: A Tribute to David Bowie" (2000)
* Terror Pop - Live recording
* Tina Turner
* Gosling for the "" Soundtrack
* Danzig - The Lost Tracks of Danzig (2007)
* Krust - for the "Long Time Dead" Soundtrack

References

Pegg, Nicholas, "The Complete David Bowie", Reynolds & Hearn Ltd, 2000, ISBN 1-903111-14-5