| Paper in Fire | |
| Cover: | Paper in Fire Mellencamp.jpg |
| Type: | single |
| Artist: | John Cougar Mellencamp |
| Album: | The Lonesome Jubilee |
| B-Side: | Never Too Old |
| Studio: | Belmont Mall Studio, Indiana |
| Label: | Mercury |
| Producer: | John Mellencamp, Don Gehman |
| Prev Title: | Rumbleseat |
| Prev Year: | 1986 |
| Next Title: | Cherry Bomb |
| Next Year: | 1987 |
"Paper in Fire" is a song by American rock singer John Mellencamp, released on August 15, 1987, as the first single from his ninth studio album The Lonesome Jubilee.
The song was a commercial success, reaching number 9 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It also topped the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart and the Canadian Singles Chart, and charted on various European singles charts.
Mellencamp biographer David Masciotra called it a "ferocious song" that is the "aural equivalent of a wild beast breaking out of its cage."[1] Masciotra describes it as having a libertarian theme.[1] Mellencamp has said that the song is about his uncle Joe Mellencamp, who could be cruel to others and his own worst enemy, saying that "'Paper in Fire' is about Joe, and the family's ingrained anger...It is tragic when families don't grow up."[1]
Cash Box said that "AOR will undoubtedly benefit from this one - as will Top 40 radio, music video saturation is guaranteed."[2]
| Chart (1987) | Peak position | |
|---|---|---|
| Australian Singles Chart[3] | 13 | |
| Canadian Singles Chart[4] | 1 | |
| New Zealand Singles Chart[5] | 16 | |
| South African Singles Chart[6] | 8 | |
| UK Singles Chart[7] | 86 | |
| align=“left” | US Cashbox[8] | 10 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100[9] | 9 | |
| U.S. Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks | 1 | |
