Fire It Up (Rick James album) explained

Fire It Up
Type:Album
Artist:Rick James
Cover:Rick James - Fire It Up album cover.jpg
Released:October 16, 1979
Recorded:1979
Studio:The Record Plant, Sausalito, CA
Genre:Funk, punk funk, funk rock
Length:37:00
Label:Gordy
Producer:Rick James
Prev Title:Bustin' Out of L Seven
Prev Year:1979
Next Title:Garden of Love
Next Year:1980

Fire It Up is the third studio album by American musician Rick James.[1] [2] It was released on October 16, 1979, on the Motown sub-label Gordy Records. The first single was "Love Gun".[3] The album has sold more than a million copies.[4]

Critical reception

The Bay State Banner wrote that "James' vocal style remains functional, and the punk-funk horn section average... His strength is in his torrid compositions and captivating presentation."[5] The San Bernardino County Sun noted that James relishes "loud, rowdy hand-clapping funk straight from the street."[6] Newsday determined that "when James sticks with unadulterated hard stuff ... he is among the most crackerjack practitioners of funk rock."[7]

The Rolling Stone Album Guide deemed the album "secondhand Bootsy Collins."

Track listing

All tracks composed by Rick James.

Side A

  1. "Fire It Up" – 3:59
  2. "Love Gun" – 5:44
  3. "Lovin You Is a Pleasure" – 4:08
  4. "Love in the Night" – 6:22

Side B

  1. "Come into My Life" – 7:10
  2. "Stormy Love" – 2:05
  3. "When Love Is Gone" – 7:32

2010 Bonus Track / 2014 digital remaster bonus track / 2014 Complete Motown Albums bonus track

  1. "Love Gun" (Promotional 12-Inch version) – 10:46

Personnel

The Stone City Band

Charts

Singles

YearSingleChart positions[9]
USUS
R&B
US
Dance
1979"Love Gun"13
1980"Love Gun"32

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Palmer . Robert . The Pop Life . The New York Times . 26 Oct 1979 . C15.
  2. News: du Lac . J. Freedom . Free Fall . The Sacramento Bee . 19 Feb 1995 . EN16.
  3. News: Hawthorne . Marc . James burns on his best disc . The Courier-News . 10 Nov 1979 . B6.
  4. Goldberg . Michael . Rick James: Sex, street smarts and success . Rolling Stone . Jun 24, 1982 . 372 . 28.
  5. News: Wynn . Ron . Shades of Blue . Bay State Banner . 2 . 1 Nov 1979 . 19.
  6. News: Lundahl . Mark . On the Record . The San Bernardino County Sun . 28 Oct 1979 . C4.
  7. News: Robins . Wayne . Record Capsules . Newsday . 8 Nov 1979 . Part II . 47.
  8. Web site: [{{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p4589/charts-awards/billboard-albums|pure_url=yes}} Rick James US albums chart history]. allmusic.com. 2011-06-15.
  9. Web site: [{{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p4589/charts-awards/billboard-singles|pure_url=yes}} Rick James US singles chart history]. allmusic.com. 2011-06-15.