Full Of Fire

Album: Three For Love (1980)
Charted: 55
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Just as Al Green was full of fire in 1975, Shalamar was burning hot in 1980 with this disco track. The song is a duet between Howard Hewett and Jody Watley, with them trading verses about finding a lover who lights their fires. It's not clear if they're singing to each other or each singing about a different person, but during performances they didn't sing their lines to each other.
  • Shalamar was in the middle of a strident run of hits when they released "Full Of Fire" as the first single from their fourth album, Three For Love. It was their second album with Howard Hewett, who joined original members Jody Watley and Jeffrey Daniel. In 1980 - the same year the album was released - Watley had her first child, but she continued to keep up a hectic pace with the group.
  • The song was written by group member Jody Watley along with Richard Randolph and Joey Gallo. Randolph was a member of the group Dynasty, which like Shalamar, was produced by Leon Sylvers and recorded for SOLAR Records. Joey Gallo was a keyboard player who also worked on tracks for Gladys Knight and Atlantic Starr.
  • "Full Of Fire" is one of just two songs Jody Watley co-wrote with Shalamar, the other being "Work It Out" from the same album. Watley proved she was a major talent by launching a solo career that earned her the Best New Artist Grammy Award in 1988, but with Shalamar, she didn't get a chance to shine. She was brought into the group because she was such a popular dancer on Soul Train, but she had ambitions beyond singing backup and dancing. She felt marginalized in Shalamar, and left the group in 1983 while they were still churning out hits. As the group waned in the late '80s, Watley became a star.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Wedding Bell Blues

Wedding Bell BluesSong Writing

When a song describes a wedding, it's rarely something to celebrate - with one big exception.

Pam Tillis

Pam TillisSongwriter Interviews

The country sweetheart opines about the demands of touring and talks about writing songs with her famous father.

Queen

QueenFact or Fiction

Scaramouch, a hoople and a superhero soundtrack - see if you can spot the real Queen stories.

Barry Dean ("Pontoon," "Diamond Rings And Old Barstools")

Barry Dean ("Pontoon," "Diamond Rings And Old Barstools")Songwriter Interviews

A top country songwriter, Barry talks about writing hits for Little Big Town, Tim McGraw and Jason Aldean.

Don Brewer of Grand Funk

Don Brewer of Grand FunkSongwriter Interviews

The drummer and one of the primary songwriters in Grand Funk talks rock stardom and Todd Rundgren.

Sending Out An SOS - Distress Signals In Songs

Sending Out An SOS - Distress Signals In SongsSong Writing

Songs where something goes horribly wrong (literally or metaphorically), and help is needed right away.