Bruce Springsteen has drawn from many musical inspirations through the years. From Elvis Presley and Chuck Berry to The Beatles and The Animals, the foundation of rock ’n’ roll is clearly heard on any album by Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band. When Springsteen was working on songs for his 1978 album Darkness on the Edge of Town, he recorded a song called “Spanish Eyes,” which was not included on the final release. The song contained lyrics that would resurface three albums later, during the making of Born in the U.S.A. Let’s take a look at the story behind “I’m on Fire” by Bruce Springsteen.
Hey little girl, is your daddy home?
Did he go and leave you all alone? Mhmm
I got a bad desire
Oh, oh, oh, I’m on fire
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“Spanish Eyes”
Springsteen returned to the abandoned subject matter of “Spanish Eyes” in January 1982 while he was working on material for Born in the U.S.A. While exploring a Johnny Cash rhythm, Springsteen put the existing lyrics with the new melody. Pianist Roy Bittan and drummer Max Weinberg were the only other E Street Band members on the recording, contributing to the sparse feel of the song as Springsteen sang about his yearning and desires. When the track listing was finalized for Born in the U.S.A., “I’m on Fire” was the last song on side one. It stood out among the rest of the upbeat numbers as the side closed with a pensive number much the way side two finished with “My Hometown.” “I’m on Fire” was the fourth of seven singles off of Born in the U.S.A. All seven reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Tell me now, baby, is he good to you?
And can he do to you the things that I do? Oh no
I can take you higher
Oh, oh, oh, I’m on fire
Baby It’s You
Born in the U.S.A. sold over 30 million copies worldwide, making it one of the biggest-selling albums of all time. “I’m on Fire” was the fourth single released from the album, peaking at No. 6 in America and No. 5 in the UK. John Sayles directed the music video, which was the first time Springsteen did a narrative video. In the past, he had only done performance videos. Sayles used four Springsteen songs in his 1983 movie Baby It’s You. It was the first time the singer had allowed any of his material to be used in a film.
Springsteen asked Sayles to direct a music video for “Born in the U.S.A.” It was the first time the director had worked in that medium. Critics disliked the lack of lip-synching, but that choice was made entirely by Springsteen, who was less than happy with his video for “Dancing in the Dark,” which was heavy on the miming. Springsteen told Kurt Loder of MTV News, “Lip-synching is one of those things—it’s easy to do, but you wonder about the worth of doing it.” “I’m on Fire” was more of a joint effort. As the band was about to depart for Australia and Japan, the video was filmed quickly with Springsteen doing some acting in the introduction and throughout the song. Critics praised the performance, and MTV gave the clip the Best Male Video award for 1985.
Sometimes it’s like someone took a knife, baby
Edgy and dull, and cut a six-inch valley
Through the middle of my skull
Jackson Browne
In 2018, Rolling Stone magazine ranked the top 100 Bruce Springsteen songs. “I’m on Fire” came in at No. 21. Said singer/songwriter Jackson Browne, “I’m on Fire’ is one of [Springsteen’s] most intimate songs. And it’s not claiming any high ground. It’s about fundamental, deep-seated desire. The drums are played with a cross stick. He says, I’m on fire, but he lets all this muscular playing fall away. The performance has its own power. It’s something that exists in him. It’s just there. And it’s astonishing to see somebody who relied that much on physical power to let the music and his voice be understated like this. It’s a great moment. … It’s interesting that Bruce never wanted to act. But what he’s doing is above that. There is acting taking place—a willingness to portray. He’s created a body of work that is possible to perform and act out.”
At night, I wake up with the sheets soaking wet
And a freight train running through the middle of my head
Only you can cool my desire
Oh, oh, oh, I’m on fire
Oh, oh, oh, I’m on fire
Oh, oh, oh, I’m on fire
Oh, oh, oh, I’m on fire
“I Walk the Line”
Tori Amos covered the song in 1996 and included it in her VH-1’s Crossroads appearance. In 2000, in a full-circle moment, Johnny Cash recorded “I’m on Fire” as part of the Badlands: A Tribute to Bruce Springsteen’s Nebraska. The Man in Black had previously recorded “Johnny 99” and “Highway Patrolman” in 1983. After the attacks of September 11, 2001, many radio stations stopped playing songs with the mention of violence or fire. In 2008, Springsteen performed a bit of “I Walk the Line” in concert before kicking into “I’m on Fire.”
AWOLNATION recorded “I’m on Fire” in 2015 for the Fifty Shades of Grey soundtrack. Frontman Aaron Bruno told Billboard magazine, “It’s a song I’ve always loved, and someone gave me an opportunity to interpret it my way and see what happens. … If you give me the task of just doing my own version of a beautiful, perfect song, it’s an easy experience. I just made it moody and kind of lo-fi and trippy and dark, and in my mind, there was no way they were going to use it. But they liked it, and I felt blessed to have a reason to do that song my way.”
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