After greatly increasing their visibility with Skin Tight, the Ohio Players became even more visible with Fire -- an unpredictable masterpiece that boasted such explosive horn-driven funk jewels as "Smoke" and the wildly addictive title song. The Players were always best known for their hard-edged funk, but in fact, there was much more to their legacy. "I Want to Be Free," the almost innocent "Together," and the remorseful "It's All Over" demonstrate that their ballads and slower material could be first-rate soul treasures. The influence of gospel imagery and the black church experience had asserted itself on Skin Tight's "Is Anybody Gonna Be Saved," and does so once again on the intense "What the Hell" and the hit "Runnin' From the Devil." Without question, Fire was one of the Ohio Players' greatest triumphs -- both commercially and artistically. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide
Tracks
Track Title
Composers
Performers
Time
Fire
The Ohio Players, Clarence "Satch" Satchell, Leroy "Sugarfoot" Bonner, James "Diamond" Williams, Marshall "Rock" Jones, Billy Beck, Ralph "Pee Wee" Middlebrooks
Leroy "Sugarfoot" Bonner (Guitar), Mervin Pierce (Trombone (Valve)), Billy Beck (Vocals), Billy Beck (Organ (Hammond)), Mervin Pierce (Flugelhorn), James "Diamond" Williams (Gong), Clarence "Satch" Satchell (Sax (Soprano)), James "Diamond" Williams (Drums), Billy Beck (Piano), Clarence "Satch" Satchell (Sax (Tenor)), James "Diamond" Williams (Vocals), Rob Kingsley (Assistant Engineer), Leroy "Sugarfoot" Bonner (Vocals (Background)), Billy Beck (Clavinet), Gilbert Kong (Engineer), Clarence "Satch" Satchell (Vocals), Marshall "Rock" Jones (Bass), James "Diamond" Williams (Vocals (Background)), Billy Beck (Vocals (Background)), James "Diamond" Williams (Percussion), Clarence "Satch" Satchell (Vocals (Background)), Clarence "Satch" Satchell (Percussion), Ralph "Pee Wee" Middlebrooks (Trumpet), Billy Beck (Keyboard Bass), Billy Beck (Wurlitzer), Mervin Pierce (Trumpet), Barry Mraz (Engineer), Billy Beck (Fender Rhodes), Leroy "Sugarfoot" Bonner (Vocals), Billy Beck (Percussion), James "Diamond" Williams (Cheng), Jim Ladwig (Art Direction), The Ohio Players (Producer), James "Diamond" Williams (Flugelhorn), Billy Beck (Arp), James "Diamond" Williams (Timbales), Clarence "Satch" Satchell (Sax (Baritone))
Fire is the second Mercury album by the funk band Ohio Players.
It is the third of five Ohio Players albums that were also available in quadraphonic (4-channel stereo), released as an 8-track tape in the U.S. and on vinyl in Japan. DTS Entertainment released the quad mix as a DTS Audio CD in 2001.
The album's lead single "Fire" is currently the theme song to the US television series Hell's Kitchen.
