Fire (Arthur Brown song)

Single infobox
Name = Fire

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Album = Crazy World of Arthur Brown
Artist = Crazy World of Arthur Brown
B-side = "Rest Cure" (2:44)
Released = July 1968
Format = 7" single
Recorded = London, 1968
Genre = Psychedelic rock
Length = 2:54
Label = Track 604022 Polydor
Producer = Kit Lambert
Chart position =

• #1 (UK)
• #2 (US)
  Reviews =
  Last single = "Devil's Grip" (1967)
  This single = "Fire" (1968)
  Next single = "Nightmare" (1968) |

  "Fire" is a 1968 song by Arthur Brown, Vincent Crane, Mike Finesilver and Peter Ker. Performed by the Crazy World of Arthur Brown, it was released as a single and on the band's debut album, also called "The Crazy World of Arthur Brown". The single made #1 in the UK (in August 1968) and Canada. In October it made #2 in the US Billboard charts and #19 in Australia.

  The song is an example of the psychedelic rock of the period, though its lack of guitars distinguished it from many of its contemporaries. The lead instrument in this case was Vincent Crane's Hammond electronic organ, augmented by an orchestral section featuring prominent brass. The singer's opening proclamation of himself as "the god of hellfire" became a lasting epithet.

  During live performances and in the black and white promotional television clip, Brown performed the song wearing a burning helmet. The helmet was improvised with a leather skull cap onto which was bolted a metal dish that held lighter fluid or petrol. As the cap was not insulated, the heat from the burning fuel quickly conducted through the fixing bolt to the top of Brown's head, causing him considerable pain. Two studio mixes of "Fire" have been officially released, one in stereo and one in mono. The mono mix features no brass. Both versions are included on the CD reissue of "The Crazy World of Arthur Brown". The single B-side, "Rest Cure", was another track from the album.

  Credit for the composition of "Fire" on the original vinyl single was to Arthur Brown and Vincent Crane only; however, Mike Finesilver and Peter Ker successfully sued for co-credit and royalties based on melodic similarities to their song "Baby, You're a Long Way Behind". [John Kutner & Spencer Leigh (2005). "The 1000 UK Number One Hits": p.142]

  The song is briefly featured in the film "Hot Fuzz". It is also referenced in Julie Hearn's debut novel 'Follow Me Down'.

  Cover versions

  *Pete Townshend, the single's associate producer, covered "Fire" as a member of The Who on his 1989 album "".
  *Cirith Ungol covered the song on their 1991 album "Paradise Lost".
  *The Prodigy sampled the track for "Fire/Jericho", which was otherwise a completely different song, on their 1992 album "Experience".
  *Emerson, Lake & Palmer covered the song on their 1993 4-disc compilation album "The Return of the Manticore".
  *UK doom metal band Cathedral covered the song on their 1996 EP "Hopkins (The Witchfinder General)".
  *Die Krupps covered the song on their 1997 album "Paradise Now".
  *Dutch death metal band God Dethroned covered the song on their 1997 album "The Grand Grimoire".
  *Ozzy Osbourne included a version on his 2005 album "Under Cover".
  *US Hip hop duo Cunninlynguists sampled the song for "Hellfire" on their 2006 album "A Piece of Strange".
  *Appears in the musical "Disco Inferno", when the character of Duke turns out to be Satan in disguise.
  *Though it was not a true 'cover', Marilyn Manson's "Lunchbox" heavily samples "Fire".
  *Lizzy Mercier Descoux covered "Fire" on her record "Press Color", drastically changing the mood and style of the track.
  *Leningrad Cowboys covered the song in a metal style and included it on their 2006 album "Zombie's Paradise".
  * It is also used in one episode of Series 3 of "Monkey Dust" as the Paedofinder General burns the wrongly accused paedophiles with this music in the background, complete with bastardised lyrics.

  Personnel

  *Arthur Brown – vocals
  *Vincent Crane – keyboards, orchestral arrangement
  *Sean Nicholas – bass guitar
  *Drachen Theaker – drums

  Notes