Fields of Fire (song)
| "Fields of Fire" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Big Country | ||||
| from the album The Crossing | ||||
| Released | 18 February, 1983 | |||
| Recorded | 1982-1983 | |||
| Genre | Celtic rock | |||
| Length | 3:31 | |||
| Label | Mercury | |||
| Writer(s) | Stuart Adamson, Mark Brzezicki, Tony Butler, Bruce Watson | |||
| Producer(s) | Steve Lillywhite | |||
| Big Country singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"Fields of Fire" (single version subtitled "400 Miles")[1] is one of the biggest hits by the Scottish rock band Big Country. It was first released as a single in the United Kingdom in 1983 and included on the band's debut album The Crossing.
Music video
The music video begins with a young boy playing with his toy train set. The members of the band are passengers on a train that has left the railway station and are seen playing their instruments inside their train coach. After going through a tunnel, the train is stopped because a Scotsman is playing the bagpipes on the railway line. The band then leave their carriage and follow the Scotsman to find themselves watching a First World War Battle in which the band members themselves are taking part. [2]
Reception
The song was a big hit, introducing the band to mainstream audiences in the United States in 1984 and reaching the top ten in the UK Singles Chart.[1] On their album review of The Crossing, Rolling Stone noted that the song was "one of the great, resounding anthems of this or any other year" and praised the "bagpipelike single-string riffs".[3] Big Country's bassist Tony Butler has also claimed this song to be one of his favorites.[4]
Chart positions
| Chart (1983-1984) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| New Zealand Singles Chart | 26 |
| UK Singles Chart[1] | 10 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 52 |
Credits
- Music and lyrics: Stuart Adamson, Bruce Watson, Mark Brzezicki, Tony Butler
- Production: Steve Lillywhite[8]
Compilation album usage
The song has been included on several notable compilation albums since its release. For instance, in 1992, the track was included on the Time Life:The Rock Collection-Hot Rock release,[9] and in 1997, the long-running The Best... Album in the World...Ever! compilation album brand included the song on their The Best Scottish Album in the World... Ever! release.[10]
References
- 1 2 3 Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. pp. 56–7. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
- ↑ "YouTube". YouTube. Retrieved 2014-04-08.
- ↑ "Album Reviews and Ratings". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2014-04-08.
- ↑ "Greatest Hits (News of the World)". Bigcountryinfo.com. 2006-12-10. Retrieved 2014-04-08.
- ↑ "RetroUniverse: Big Country - The Settlement Years". Rqsretrouniverse.blogspot.com. 2009-02-07. Retrieved 2014-04-08.
- ↑ Steffen Hung. "australian-charts.com". australian-charts.com. Retrieved 2012-03-31.
- ↑ "Big Country". UMD Music. Retrieved 2012-03-31.
- ↑ Steffen Hung. "Big Country - Fields Of Fire (400 Miles)". australian-charts.com. Retrieved 2014-04-08.
- ↑ Steffen Hung. "Time Life: The Rock Collection - Hot Rock". australian-charts.com. Retrieved 2014-04-08.
- ↑ "The Best Scottish Album in the World...Ever! - Various Artists | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 2014-04-08.
External links
- Big Country's Official Website Retrieved May 2009
- Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics