THE SINGLES CLUB #1
BIG COUNTRY - FIELDS OF FIRE
Label: Mercury (via Phonogram UK)
US Chart Position #52 (Billboard) Feb. 1984 (Original release, UK 1983)
Non Album B-Side: Yes!
Extra incentive to buy: Cover that turns out to be a fold out poster
US One Hit Wonder - the follow up and next to final Hot 100 appearance
I respect Big Country's music, especially with their first three albums and B-Sides, and I was a serious listener back in the day. Sadly, it was a tough sell in the US as I'm sure that in the narrow minded point of view of the business it was the old adage: Too Rock for the Pop stations and Too "New Wave" for the Rock (Translation from the Meathead line of belief: they had short hair and were from another country - in this case Scotland). You can throw any theory and assumption, but it was kind of sad that they did not break through in The States after the first album, usually seen as part of that First Wave of MTV successes after the clock struck Midnight for 1984, although there was a strong following knew that they were more that that.
Stuart Adamson's music had the right amount of hooks with strong feelings mainly learned from being in The Skids. For The US, there were hardly any Skids fans around with the exception of those looking through the imports or specialty stores, so there were not many who knew why he's considered among to be great. Although I also did not know at the time, there was something that stood out right away from the high tech 80's production and expensive videos.
This was at the time when the composition credit went to the band in full - with Adamson were Bruce Watson (guitar), Tony Butler (Bass), and Mark Brzezicki (Drums). A unique sound deserves it!
"Fields of Fire" still ranks among my favorites of their long line of (UK and European) hits, with it's lead riff right from "The Guns of Navarone" and thundering rhythm that placed them right in the Top 10 in The UK back in April 1983. From the album The Crossing, which at least did well in The US for a while, it's one of many great songs from the album produced by Steve Lillywhite. Sadly, the single was not a major success - it debuted in Billboard the same week as Adam Ant's "Strip" and ABC's "That Was Them, but This Is Now" (Yup, months after the UK release and right around the time ABC were sending out an "S.O.S." that was only heard by a few in the UK...bad pun I know).
The major selling point of this release was the fold out poster one got when the sleeve was opened, but a "Smooth Move Ex-Lax!" award must be given to the people who assembled the US edition of the sleeve for not having an extra single bag to hold the record in once the poster was hung up! Still, for fans of the band's music, you have a stirring non-LP B Side in "Angle Park", which still gets played on my turntable now and then.
It was great to catch a lot of this new music being sold with attempts to get more buyers, and with about half of it actually holding up well today (I will try to get to the other half sometime in this journal!) it was fun spotting the rare chance to get these singles when they contained two fine songs. Yeah, I know, people interested these days will just sit back and enjoy a whole mega presentation of The Crossing with bonus tracks, and deservedly so, but there seems to be a special magic when one just gets out the single and think back on some nice times (and the relief that you did not spend much of your allowance!).
A great 80's single - despite a missing detail that at least encourages the buyer not to put the cover/poster on the wall and remain in decent condition.
Live on The Tube
Rare Angle Park clip