Next to Dancing in the Dark, I’m on Fire is perhaps Springsteen’s most popular song. It rivalled – or even eclipsed – classics such as Born in the USA or Born to Run in terms of mainstream appeal. As a single, it reached No. 6 on the U.S. Billboard during the height of Born in the U.S.A. mania, while the title track itself only climbed to No. 9. On Spotify, I’m on Fire remains Bruce’s second most played song, which is remarkable given his massive catalogue.
Yet despite that success, it was curiously underrepresented in his own career retrospectives – only showing up on the 2009 Greatest Hits (the E Street Band edition). Among hardcore fans, it doesn’t usually rank as a top-tier Springsteen track either. Spotify numbers can be misleading anyway, since they often skew younger and don’t necessarily reflect where the “average” Springsteen diehard is coming from. I wouldn’t personally put it in my Bruce top tier either, but I still resoundingly dig it.
Most people still picture his goofy, awkward dancing in the Dancing in the Dark video (and fair enough—it’s a bit of a shocker), but I’m on Fire is its polar opposite. It’s dark, minimalist, and hypnotic, with a moody country twang which fits into “alternative 80s” playlists and gives it unexpected indie credibility. At the same time, it’s so clean and versatile it can show up anywhere: an oldies station, a soft-rock mix, even playing over the PA at a grocery store. Unlike some of the big, booming stadium rockers, it doesn’t feel as rooted in its era, and it still retains a pop edge that something like Nebraska – for all its brilliance – just doesn’t.
I’m on Fire was released in February 1985 as the fourth single from Born in the U.S.A., and was one of seven Top 10 hits from the album, cementing Springsteen’s status as a huge global star. But what set it apart (as alluded to above) was its atmosphere: a simple drum-machine beat, hushed synths, and a muted guitar line – a more vulnerable Bruce, if you will. Also the video, cast him as a small-town mechanic yearning for the unattainable, amplifying a restrained sensuality. Basically it showed that Bruce could whisper as effectively as he could roar.
[Verse 1]
Hey, little girl, is your daddy home?
Did he go away and leave you all alone?
I got a bad desire
Oh, oh, oh, I’m on fire
[Verse 2]
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
[Bridge]
Sometimes it’s like someone took a knife, baby, edgy and dull
And cut a six-inch valley through the middle of my skull
[Verse 3]
At night, I wake up with the sheets soakin’ wet
And a freight train runnin’ 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
Reference:
1. I’m on Fire – Wikipedia
“The more I live, the more I learn. The more I learn, the more I realize, the less I know.”- Michel Legrand
Observation Blogger 
not a fan of bruce…
You’re kidding?
because he spoke up against the radical right?
I don’t think like him, that’s cool he’s easy to ignore. Actually I’ve seen him a couple of times, only probably bought 1 album. I just don’t like his music, for me it doesn’t age well.
I don’t really share his views — at least politically, since he’s been more outspoken in recent times — but his music has always remained as enjoyable, poignant, and relevant as when I first started listening to him in my early teens.
Still, Dylan, thanks for opening up about your detachment from him and his music. We can’t all like the same things. Cheers, man.
“Born in the U.S.A.” was the album that finally got Bruce Springsteen on my radar screen, and I’ve listened to the Boss ever since. Prior to that the only song I had known was “The River,” which I’ve always loved.
When it comes to “Born in the U.S.A.”, while I still fairly enjoy the album overall, some of the songs clearly have been overexposed. Among that latter group, I think “I’m On Fire” remains my favorite. “Dancing in the Dark,” by comparison, doesn’t hold up as well. I also could also do without the title track. If I could only pick one song from “Born in the U.S.A.” nowadays, I think I’d go with “Bobby Jean.”
I’m more than mid way through doing a write-up on each song from his monumental record barring ‘Working on the Highway’. I think the title track is immense as a live number, rather than the studio release. I’m very fond of Bobby Jean as well.
Absolutely one of my favorites by the Boss! Thank you.
You’re welcome. What other songs by him are your absolute favourites?
I probably haven’t seen that video since the 80s…wow. I never thought about it but it is way up there as far as his most popular songs.
I too, until researching the article, hadn’t considered its popularity status, and the stats and its classification over some bigger-known songs really surprised me.
I’ve seen that video only a handful of times, and like the ‘Glory Days’ one, it sure jolts me back to growing up in the 80s and my friends and I getting into Bruce’s music.
If you would have asked me that question the other day…I would have said Hungry Heart but no…it didn’t chart as high.
You know what? I had assumed I had Hungry Heart in my collection, but not to be. Crazy, man. Thanks for jolting this beauty back to my senses.
I would have thought Born to Run was his most popular, but according to Spotify it’s Dancing in the Dark, I’m on Fire, then BITUSA. Interesting.
You have a good weekend Max. Its unlikely I’ll be writing this weekend. Busy time with kids. Cheers.
Have fun with your kids Matt!
I LOVE BRUCE. I love his music, his political views, his look, his East-Coast sensibility that stretches across America, everything about him.
Someone mentioned “Hungry Heart”. Maybe because this song was released during the fall of 1980 & was getting a LOT of airplay in December of that year, it seems to me to be a holiday song. I always play it with my other Yuletime music. Don’t we all have a hungry heart during the holidays? I know I do.
“I’m on Fire”. I used this for a final encore when I was a dancer. It was quiet, it was powerful, it was short. After two 20-minute sets & a final encore set of 3 songs, this was the final song. Moving very slowly ~ & erotically, of course ~ to Bruce’s voice, moving ever slower to that “whoo-hoo” fade-out, making sure that the lights faded out as well. It was perfect ending.
The tips were incredible, baby.
1985 was such a great year. I would give anything to live just one night of 1985 again. I don’t think I ever got over being that girl.
I second your description about ‘his look, his East-Coast sensibility that stretches across America’. I agree also, that ‘Hungry Heart’ always seemed like a Holiday song, although I’m not American. Your vocational connection with ‘I’m on Fire’ was a cool read. Thanks for sharing.
This is a throwaway, if you ask me. Plenty of songs he wrote around that time that are much better.
It is his second most-ever played song. He must have done something right. Having said that, it would probably be lucky to get into my favourite 50 Springsteen songs. So I get ya.