Fire

Brown was born Arthur Wilton in Yorkshire, England. Bridging the gap between Screaming Jay Hawkins and Alice Cooper, his incendiary hit was a sensation in 1968, but the flames burned out fast, as "Fire" proved to be his only chart entry.

Although the group is considered a one-hit wonder, there is a lot more to this album. Growing up in England after World War II, Brown spent a lot of time around people whose lives were destroyed by the war, many of whom suffered from PTSD or other difficulties. When he started making music, instead of writing about girls, cars or relationships, he came up with a concept of an inner journey, developing a story about a man who faces his demons, heading into a figurative fire. Along this journey, he encounters the "God of Hellfire," who shows up in "Prelude/Nightmare," the first track on The Crazy World of Arthur Brown concept album. As the man enters the inferno, he finds himself deep in a psychedelic trip, which is described in the second track, "Fanfare/Fire Poem." As he falls into an abyss, the character returns, telling him: "I am the god of hellfire, and I bring you... Fire." This marks the beginning of the song "Fire," where our hero is taken to burn. While it works best within the concept of the album, it also serves as a standalone track, as the lyric on its own can be interpreted as a story about a man facing up to his past. Running 2:52 with the ear-catching spoken intro, it was a tasty, digestible slice of a much more complex work.

Brown often performed this song while wearing a flaming hat. He was known for his zany and outrageous stage act, as witnessed by British beat writer Charles Fox on the album notes: "At first - with Arthur Brown being lowered by crane on to the stage - it looked like being just another piece of zaniness. But once Brown began his (not legible) dancing, his face concealed inside a glistening helmet and visor, a saffron robe floating from his shoulders, one became aware of a uniqueness. He belongs to a tradition which goes beyond Music Hall, right back to Mummers' plays. Yet there is a sinister element, too, and one which recalls the smell of seaweed and the rattle of spades and pails. For somehow Arthur Brown contrives to be both the malevolent Punch and - in drag, with grotesque wig and flowered gown - a psychedelic Judy. The effect is disquieting, especially when joined to the singing - fastish blues, and sung exceptionally well, with a voice that can swoop and screech and flutter. So far the Hippies have done little except to opt for smugness instead of hypocrisy. Arthur Brown could easily be the first genuine artist to come out of our local underground. He's disconcerting, even faintly perverse, but distinctly original and very, very English."