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crapfromthepast
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| Posted: 30 December 2016 at 7:22pm | IP Logged
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Just like "Roxy Roller" and "Y.M.C.A.", the 1975 disco song "I'm On Fire" by 5000 Volts has multiple versions with different lead singers.
The song was originally released in 1975 as a B-side to the song "Bye Love", when the band was still known as Airbus. The UK licensee of the song, Philips, changed the band's name to 5000 Volts, and rereleased the same Airbus version of "I'm On Fire" an A-side, now credited to 5000 Volts. It was a minor hit in the US, peaking at #26 in 1975, but went top 10 in the UK, Germany, Australia, and most of Europe.
The vocalist for the hit version was Tina Charles, who left the group after the single had run its course to pursue her own solo career. (She hit the UK top 10 three times in 1976 on CBS Records, with "I Love To Love", "Dance Little Lady Dance", and "Dr. Love".)
Meanwhile, 5000 Volts replaced vocalist Tina Charles with Linda Kelly. They recorded enough material with Linda Kelly to fill out a full album, 5000 Volts, which came out on Philips in 1976. (Discogs lists a bunch of countries for the LP, but not the US! Is it possible that the 5000 Volts album never came out in the US?)
Linda Kelly is the only vocalist credited on the 5000 Volts album (at least according to one of the releases on Discogs). She sang lead on the band's single, "Dr. Kiss Kiss", which turned out to be their only other UK hit in 1976. For the LP, the band rerecorded "I'm On Fire" with Linda Kelly, using the same backing track (slightly different mix but the same performance).
So, the 45 version of "I'm On Fire" has vocals by Tina Charles, and is considered the hit version in the US and around the world. This version shows up on three CDs in the US: Rhino's Disco Years Vol. 5 (1992), Rhino's The Disco Box, and Varese Sarabande's Disco Classics, all of which run 2:47. I assume that the mastering for the last two is based on Disco Years, but can't confirm.
The LP version of "I'm On Fire" has vocals by Linda Kelly, and is most definitely not considered the hit version, at least according to a bunch of annoyed reviews I saw on Amazon's CD release of the album. I have the Linda Kelly LP version on two foreign CDs: Connoisseur Collection UK's 5-CD 100 Dance Hits Of The '70s (1988) and BR Music Holland's 4-CD Definite 70's Vol. 3 (1997). Both run about 2:39.
Thanks to Mark M for doing some research for all this. He found that Universal seems to own the U.S. rights but overseas it's controlled by B.R. Music. Mark reports that usually it's either one or the other, not both. Interesting.
I should also point out that neither Mark nor I own the 5000 Volts LP, so we can't confirm firsthand that "I'm On Fire" is the rerecording with Linda Kelly. But I'd rate our confidence level at about 70%.
Edited by crapfromthepast on 30 December 2016 at 7:28pm
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Pat Downey
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| Posted: 31 December 2016 at 12:13pm | IP Logged
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Was the 5000 Volts self titled LP ever issued in the U.S.?
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Paul Haney
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| Posted: 01 January 2017 at 4:52am | IP Logged
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Very interesting info, Ron & Mark! I'm always amazed at how much I have yet to learn. Don't have anything more to add, other than the fact that the intro to "I'm On Fire" sounds a lot like "Black Is Black" by Los Bravos.
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EdisonLite
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| Posted: 01 January 2017 at 11:12am | IP Logged
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Paul Haney wrote:
| Very interesting info, Ron & Mark! I'm always amazed at how much I have yet to learn. Don't have anything more to add, other than the fact that the intro to "I'm On Fire" sounds a lot like "Black Is Black" by Los Bravos. |
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And that intro was based on the intro to a big Four Tops hit - "It's the Same Old Song", if I recall. I interviewed one of the writers of the Four Tops' hit, Lamont Dozier, about this. He was certainly aware of these usages (even Billy Ocean's intro to "Love Really Hurts Without You" is based on the same notes, but done with a shuffle feel). And Lamont said there was nothing he could do about this because the register of copyrights registers the melody and lyrics of songs (the only part that's copyrightable - at least back in the day - not so much these days as the case of Robin Thicke vs. Marvin Gaye proves.) So the bass line of the Four Tops song wasn't on the lead sheet - just the melody and lyrics!
Edited by EdisonLite on 01 January 2017 at 11:13am
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EdisonLite
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| Posted: 01 January 2017 at 11:21am | IP Logged
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A little more to add to this - I have the BR Music Holland's 4-CD Definite 70's Vol. 3, so I must have the Linda Kelly version. I also have the import CD "5000 Volts", a compilation of their material. I'll have to re-check to see which singer was used for this. Before purchasing, I'd wondered if it might be a bootleg from vinyl, but I believe it was released by the owners of the material, and tapes were used. I can't recall if it was Linda Kelly or Tina Charles singing on "I'm On Fire", but I think it was Linda Kelly. As this was a comp, I'm not even sure it contained every song on the UK LP. I'll have to look into that and see how they match up. Worth getting the CD if you like 5000 Volts - some other very good songs on there like "Can't Stop Myself from Loving You" (originally an Australian hit by a singer who went by the pseudonym 'William Shakespeare') and a song called "Give That Lovin' to Me". I recall it had the other 5000 singles I was aware of, that had been released overseas back in in the '70s.
Edited by EdisonLite on 01 January 2017 at 11:22am
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MMathews
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| Posted: 01 January 2017 at 5:53pm | IP Logged
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LOL..."could be 'Sugar Pie Honey Bunch' .. NO! sounds more
like Rescue Me'!" no wait... it's 'This Song'!
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EdisonLite
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| Posted: 02 January 2017 at 1:15pm | IP Logged
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MMathews wrote:
LOL..."could be 'Sugar Pie Honey Bunch' .. NO! sounds more
like Rescue Me'!" no wait... it's 'This Song'! |
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But "This Song" has nothing tricky about it. George Harrison even says so. That includes nothing that infringes on any other songs! :) lol
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Paul Haney
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| Posted: 02 January 2017 at 1:36pm | IP Logged
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I'm apparently not the only one who thinks so...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BgDTx5TFjAs
Edited by Paul Haney on 02 January 2017 at 1:37pm
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Topic: 5000 Volts (aka Airbus) - I’m On Fire
