Fields of Fire (song)
Encyclopedia
"Fields of Fire" 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.
is playing the bagpipes
on the railway line. The band then leave their carriage and follow the Scotsman to find themselves watching the 1746 Battle of Culloden
.
in 1984
and reaching the top ten in the UK Singles Chart. On their album review of The Crossing, Rolling Stone Magazine noted that the song was "one of the great, resounding anthems of this or any other year" and praised the "bagpipelike single-string riffs" . Big Country's vocalist and bassist Tony Butler has also claimed this song to be one of his favorites.
compilation album brand included the song on their The Best Scottish Album in the World... Ever! release.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
rock band
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
Big Country
Big Country
Big Country are a Scottish rock band formed in Dunfermline, Fife in 1981. They were most popular in the early to mid-1980s, but they still release material for a cult following...
. It was first released as a single in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
in 1983
1983 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1983.-January-April:*January – ZTT Records is founded.*January 8 – The UK singles chart is tabulated from this week forward by The Gallup Organization...
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 ScotsmanScotsman
Scotsman may mean:* a man from Scotland, in common parlance - see also Scottish people.* No true Scotsman, a common logical fallacy.*The Scotsman, a national newspaper based in Edinburgh, Scotland....
is playing the bagpipes
Bagpipes
Bagpipes are a class of musical instrument, aerophones, using enclosed reeds fed from a constant reservoir of air in the form of a bag. Though the Scottish Great Highland Bagpipe and Irish uilleann pipes have the greatest international visibility, bagpipes of many different types come from...
on the railway line. The band then leave their carriage and follow the Scotsman to find themselves watching the 1746 Battle of Culloden
Battle of Culloden
The Battle of Culloden was the final confrontation of the 1745 Jacobite Rising. Taking place on 16 April 1746, the battle pitted the Jacobite forces of Charles Edward Stuart against an army commanded by William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland, loyal to the British government...
.
Reception
The song was a big hit, introducing the band to mainstream audiences in the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1984
1984 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1984.-Janury-March:*January 21 – "Relax" by Frankie Goes to Hollywood reaches number one in the UK singles chart, despite being banned by the BBC; it spends a total of forty-two weeks in the Top 40.*January 27 – Michael Jackson's...
and reaching the top ten in the UK Singles Chart. On their album review of The Crossing, Rolling Stone Magazine noted that the song was "one of the great, resounding anthems of this or any other year" and praised the "bagpipelike single-string riffs" . Big Country's vocalist and bassist Tony Butler has also claimed this song to be one of his favorites.
Chart positions
| Chart (1983-1984) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| New Zealand Singles Chart | 26 |
| UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
10 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
52 |
Credits
- Music and lyrics: Stuart AdamsonStuart AdamsonStuart Adamson , born William Stuart Adamson, was an English-born Scottish guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter, described by legendary music journalist John Peel as “Britain’s answer to Jimi Hendrix”...
, Bruce WatsonBruce Watson (guitarist)Bruce Watson is a Canadian-born Scottish guitarist, best known for being a founding member of the Scottish-based rock band Big Country....
, Mark BrzezickiMark BrzezickiMark Brzezicki is a rock drummer, who is primarily known for his work with Big Country, and was a member of the groups The Cult, Ultravox, and Procol Harum. He has also played with Pete Townshend, Roger Daltrey, Midge Ure, Fish, The Pretenders and many others...
, Tony Butler - Production: Steve LillywhiteSteve LillywhiteSteve Lillywhite is an English Grammy Award winning record producer. Since he began his career in 1977, Lillywhite has been credited for working on over 500 records and has collaborated with a variety of musicians including XTC, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Dave Matthews Band, U2, Peter Gabriel,...
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, and in 1997, the long-running The Best... Album in the World...Ever!The Best... Album in the World...Ever!
The Best... Album in the World...Ever! is a compilation album brand from Circa Records...
compilation album brand included the song on their The Best Scottish Album in the World... Ever! release.
External links
- Big Country's Official Website Retrieved May 2009