Startin' Fires Explained

Startin' Fires
Type:Studio
Artist:Blake Shelton
Cover:Startinfires.jpg
Genre:Country
Length:43:44
Label:Warner Bros. Nashville
Producer:
Prev Title:Pure BS
Prev Year:2007
Next Title:Hillbilly Bone
Next Year:2010

Startin' Fires is the fifth studio album by American country music singer Blake Shelton. The album was released on November 18, 2008 via Warner Bros. Nashville. Its lead-off single, "She Wouldn't Be Gone", became Shelton's fifth number one hit on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart for the week of February 7, 2009. "I'll Just Hold On" was released as the album's second single. For Starting Fires, Shelton co-wrote two tracks.

Content

In an interview with CMT, Shelton explained the album title saying, "it just seemed like the right statement for what we're trying to do with my career right now. And I never felt confident enough to make a statement like that on an album title - not until now. I feel like I'm coming with the most momentum that I've ever had on a record."[1]

The first single, "She Wouldn't Be Gone", debuted at number 52 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart for the week of August 23, 2008. It reached a peak of Number One on the chart week of February 7, 2009. "I'll Just Hold On" was released in February 2009 as the second single, which debuted at number 60 and peaked at number 8.

One of the album's songs, "I Don't Care", was first featured on Shelton's previous album, Pure BS. According to About.com, Shelton explained that he wanted the song to be "given its due", since it had not been released as a single. The song was not re-recorded for Startin' Fires.

Scott Hendricks produced all but two tracks on the album. "This Is Gonna Take All Night" was produced by Brent Rowan, and "I Don't Care" was produced by Bobby Braddock.[2] Shelton co-wrote the track "Bare Skin Rug" with his future wife, Miranda Lambert, who also sings duet vocals on it.[2]

Personnel

Chart performance

Singles

YearSinglePeak chart positions
US CountryUSCAN
2008"She Wouldn't Be Gone"14370
2009"I'll Just Hold On"876
"—" denotes releases that did not chart

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Blake Shelton's Startin' Fires Sparks New Phase of His Career. https://web.archive.org/web/20210121214105/http://www.cmt.com/news/1599676/blake-sheltons-startin-fires-sparks-new-phase-of-his-career/. dead. January 21, 2021. Whitney Self. CMT. November 18, 2008. January 15, 2021.
  2. Web site: Blake Shelton readies fifth CD . October 21, 2008 . October 3, 2008 . . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20131102085336/http://www.countrystandardtime.com/news/newsitem.asp?xid=2166 . November 2, 2013 .
  3. Web site: Top Country Albums – Year-End 2009. Billboard. December 20, 2020.