| Fire It Up | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | October 16, 1979 | |||
| Recorded | 1979 | |||
| Studio | The Record Plant, Sausalito, CA | |||
| Genre | Funk, punk funk, funk rock | |||
| Length | 37:00 | |||
| Label | Gordy | |||
| Producer | Rick James | |||
| Rick James chronology | ||||
| ||||
Fire It Up is the third studio album by American musician Rick James. [1] [2] It was released on October 16, 1979, on the Motown sub-label Gordy Records. The first single was "Love Gun". [3] The album has sold more than a million copies. [4]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |    [5] |
| The Rolling Stone Album Guide | [6] |
| The Virgin Encyclopedia of R&B and Soul | [7] |
The Bay State Banner wrote that "James' vocal style remains functional, and the punk-funk horn section average... His strength is in his torrid compositions and captivating presentation." [8] The The San Bernardino County Sun noted that James relishes "loud, rowdy hand-clapping funk straight from the street." [9] Newsday determined that "when James sticks with unadulterated hard stuff ... he is among the most crackerjack practitioners of funk rock." [10]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide deemed the album "secondhand Bootsy Collins." [6]
All tracks composed by Rick James.
Side A
Side B
2010 Bonus Track / 2014 digital remaster bonus track / 2014 Complete Motown Albums bonus track
| Year | Album | Chart positions [11] | |
|---|---|---|---|
| US | US R&B | ||
| 1979 | Fire It Up | 34 | 5 |
| Year | Single | Chart positions [12] | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | US R&B | US Dance | ||
| 1979 | "Love Gun" | — | 13 | — |
| 1980 | "Love Gun" | — | — | 32 |
Standing in the Shadows of Motown is a 2002 American documentary film directed by Paul Justman that recounts the story of the Funk Brothers, the uncredited and largely unheralded studio musicians who were the house band that Berry Gordy hand-picked in 1959.
Street Songs is the fifth studio album by American musician Rick James, released in April 1981 on Gordy Records. It contained two of James's biggest hits: the singles "Give It to Me Baby" and "Super Freak".
"Ain't Too Proud to Beg" is a 1966 song and hit single by The Temptations for Motown Records' Gordy label, produced by Norman Whitfield and written by Whitfield and Edward Holland Jr. The song peaked at number 13 on the Billboard Pop Chart, and was a number-one hit on the Billboard R&B charts for eight non-consecutive weeks. The song's success, in the wake of the relative underperformance of the previous Temptations' single, "Get Ready", resulted in Norman Whitfield replacing Smokey Robinson, producer of "Get Ready", as The Temptations' main producer. In 2004 it finished number 94 in AFI's 100 Years...100 Songs poll thanks to its inclusion in The Big Chill soundtrack.
"Nowhere to Run" is a 1965 song by Martha and the Vandellas for the Gordy (Motown) label and is one of the group's signature songs. The song, written and produced by Motown's main production team of Holland–Dozier–Holland, depicts the story of a woman trapped in a bad relationship with a man she cannot help but love.
Come Get It! is the debut album by Rick James and the Stone City Band. It was released in April 1978 via the Motown sub-label Gordy Records. The singles "You and I" and "Mary Jane" propelled Come Get It! to double platinum status.
Bustin' Out of L Seven is the second album by the American musician Rick James, released in 1979 through Gordy Records. Included on the album is the top ten R&B hit, "Bustin' Out ". L7 is slang for "square", as in the opening lyrics of "Bustin' Out ", "Well, alright, you squares, it's time you smoked, Fire up this funk and let's have a toke". The letter L and the number 7 form a square.
Throwin' Down is the 6th studio album by Rick James, released in 1982 via the Gordy imprint of Motown Records. It peaked at No. 13 on the Billboard 200. Although not as popular as Street Songs, Throwin' Down is certified gold by the RIAA. It was nominated for an American Music Award for Favorite Soul/R&B Album.
Glow is the 8th studio album, and 9th overall by Rick James, released in 1985 on the Gordy Records imprint of Motown Records.
Wonderful is the 10th studio album by American musician Rick James, released in 1988 via Reprise Records. It includes the hit song "Loosey's Rap", which topped the US R&B Charts.
The Temptations with a Lot o' Soul is the fifth studio album by The Temptations for the Gordy (Motown) label released in 1967. Featuring four hit singles, With a Lot o' Soul is the most successful Temptations album from their "classic 5" era, during which David Ruffin, Eddie Kendricks, Paul Williams, Melvin Franklin, and Otis Williams constituted the Temptations' lineup.
Reunion is a 1982 album by The Temptations for Gordy Records. The album was released during the 1982 Temptations Reunion tour, which reunited David Ruffin and Eddie Kendricks with the Temptations after a decade-long absence. The album also features then-current Temptations Dennis Edwards, Glenn Leonard, Richard Street, and founding members Otis Williams and Melvin Franklin. Reunion featured the single "Standing on the Top", produced by and featuring Motown funk star Rick James, who had previously used the Temptations as the background vocalists for his 1981 hit "Super Freak". It was their first album to reach the top 40 since Wings of Love (1976).
Feets, Don't Fail Me Now is the twenty-seventh album by jazz pianist Herbie Hancock. The record was released in February 1979 by Columbia Records.
Love Tracks is the sixth studio album by Gloria Gaynor, released in November 1978 on Polydor Records.
Wild and Peaceful is the debut studio album by American singer-songwriter Teena Marie. Released on March 20, 1979 by Motown. It features significant contributions from Rick James who produced and wrote the bulk of material as well as providing co-vocals on "I'm a Sucker for Your Love".
Only Four You is the second and final studio album by the American vocal girl group Mary Jane Girls, released on February 14, 1985. As with their debut album, Mary Jane Girls, the album was produced and written by Rick James.
It Must Be Magic is the fourth studio album by Teena Marie, released on May 14, 1981. It was her last album for Motown and the highest-selling of Marie's tenure with Motown. The album peaked at No. 2 on the US Black Albums chart and No. 23 on the Pop Albums chart.
All This Love is the second studio album by DeBarge, released by Gordy Records on July 22, 1982.
So Soon We Change is a 1979 album from Temptations singer David Ruffin. It was his first album for Warner Bros. Records after years of being with Motown.
Cold Blooded is the 7th studio album by American singer-songwriter and musician Rick James, released on the Gordy Records imprint of Motown Records. The title track was written with actress Linda Blair in mind, whom James was dating at the time.
"Standing on the Top" is a funk song recorded by the Motown group The Temptations, written and produced by musician Rick James.
