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Fire of Unknown Origin is an album by Blue Öyster Cult, released in 1981. It was produced by Martin Birch, a producer who had also worked with many heavy metal bands, including Deep Purple, Iron Maiden and Whitesnake.
Fire of Unknown Origin would be the final studio LP featuring the band's original lineup. On a subsequent tour the band fired original drummer Albert Bouchard.
The album continues BOC's tendency to write quirky songs, from the title track (featuring lyrics by Patti Smith) to "Joan Crawford". The album also contains the hit single "Burnin' For You". Many of the songs were intended for the soundtrack of the animated film Heavy Metal, such as "Vengeance (The Pact)", whose lyrics follow in detail the plot of the "Taarna" segment of the movie. However, only the song "Veteran of the Psychic Wars" (co-written by science fiction author Michael Moorcock) ended up in the film's final version and soundtrack.
[edit] Chart positions and airplay
- Fire of Unknown Origin reached #24 on the Billboard Charts in 1981.
- "Burnin' For You" reached #1 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart in 1981
- "Burnin' For You" reached #40 on the Pop Singles Chart
- "Joan Crawford" reached #49 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks Chart
[edit] Track listing
- "Fire of Unknown Origin" - (J. Bouchard, P. Smith, E. Bloom, A. Bouchard, D. Roeser) - 4:09
- "Burnin' for You" (D. Roeser, R. Meltzer) - 4:29
- "Veteran of the Psychic Wars" (E. Bloom, M. Moorcock) - 4:48
- "Sole Survivor" (E. Bloom, J. Trivers, L. Myers) - 4:04
- "Heavy Metal: the Black and Silver" (A. Bouchard, E. Bloom, S. Pearlman) - 3:16
- "Vengeance (The Pact)" (A. Bouchard, J. Bouchard) - 4:41
- "After Dark" (E. Bloom, J. Trivers, L. Myers) - 4:25
- "Joan Crawford" (A. Bouchard, David Roter, Jack Rigg) - 4:55
- "Don't Turn Your Back" (E. Bloom, J. Trivers, L. Myers) - 4:07
[edit] Personnel
