Fire (U2 song)

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“Fire”
“Fire” cover
UK cover
Single by U2
from the album October
B-side "J. Swallow"
Released July 1981
Format 7" vinyl
Genre Rock
Length 3:48
Label Flag of Ireland CBS - CBS 1376
Flag of the United Kingdom Island - WIP6679
Producer Steve Lillywhite
U2 singles chronology
"I Will Follow"
(1980)		 "Fire"
(1981)		 "Gloria"
(1981)
Alternate Cover
"U2 R.O.K." cover (12" vinyl)
"U2 R.O.K." cover (12" vinyl)
October track listing
"Rejoice"
(4)		 "Fire"
(5)		 "Tomorrow"
(6)

"Fire" was the first single from U2's 1981 album, October.

Contents

[edit] History

"Fire" was recorded at a studio in the Bahamas while U2 took a break from the Boy Tour in April 1981, and it debuted live the next month on 27 May 1981. It was the second of two October songs played on the Boy Tour, 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 final 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. 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. This chart position would not be surpassed until 1983's "New Year's Day."

[edit] Releases

The first appearance of "Fire" was an early 30-second instrumental version of the song that appeared on some versions of Boy as a hidden track after "Shadows and Tall Trees."

When the single was released, three versions were produced — a two-track 7", a double 7" pack, and a 12" single titled "U2 R.O.K.," a pun on the word "rock" and on the phrase "U2 are OK." A fourth version was later released ten years later on CD in 1991, also under the title "U2 R.O.K."

In addition to the "Fire" singles, 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.

[edit] Track listings

[edit] 7": Island / WIP6679 Flag of the United Kingdom

  1. "Fire" (Album Version) – 3:48
  2. "J. Swallo" – 2:18

[edit] 2x7": Island / UWIP6679 Flag of the United Kingdom

  1. "Fire" (Album Version) – 3:48
  2. "J. Swallow" – 2:18
  1. "11 O'Clock Tick Tock" / "The Ocean" (Live from Boston March 6, 1981) – 7:03
  2. "Cry / The Electric Co." (Live from Boston, March 6, 1981) – 4:53

This is the version on The Complete U2.

[edit] 12": Island / 600.417 Flag of Germany

  1. "Fire" (Album Version) – 3:48
  2. "J. Swallow" – 2:18
  3. "11 O'Clock Tick Tock" / "The Ocean" (Live from Boston March 6, 1981) – 7:03
  • released as "U2 R.O.K."

[edit] CD: Island / 664 972 Flag of Germany

  1. "Fire" (Album Version) – 3:50
  2. "J. Swallow" – 2:20
  3. "11 O'Clock Tick Tock" (Live from Boston March 6, 1981) – 4:52
  4. "The Ocean" (Live from Boston March 6, 1981) – 2:14
  • released as "U2 R.O.K." in 1991

[edit] Chart positions

Chart (1981) Peak
position
UK Singles Chart 35

[edit] External links

v • d • e
U2's singles discography
1980s

1980: "Another Day" • "11 O'Clock Tick Tock" • "A Day Without Me" • "I Will Follow" • 1981: "Fire" • "Gloria" • 1982: "A Celebration" • 1983: "New Year's Day" • "Two Hearts Beat as One" • "Sunday Bloody Sunday" • "40" (Germany only) • 1984: "Pride (In the Name of Love)" • 1985: "The Unforgettable Fire" • 1987: "With or Without You" • "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" • "Where the Streets Have No Name" • "In God's Country" (North America only) • 1988: "One Tree Hill" (Australia / New Zealand only) • "Desire" • "Angel of Harlem" • 1989: "When Love Comes to Town" (with B. B. King) • "All I Want Is You"
1990s
2000s

2000: "Beautiful Day" • 2001: "Stuck in a Moment You Can't Get out Of" • "Walk On" • "Elevation" • 2002: "Electrical Storm" • 2004: "Vertigo" • 2005: "All Because of You" • "Sometimes You Can't Make It on Your Own" • "City of Blinding Lights" • "Original of the Species" • "One" (with Mary J. Blige) • 2006: "The Saints Are Coming" (with Green Day) • 2007: "Window in the Skies" • 2008: "The Ballad of Ronnie Drew" (with The Dubliners, Kíla, and A Band of Bowsies)
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