Fire

This smoldering song was written by Bruce Springsteen, who at the time was embroiled in litigation with his former manager, which kept him from recording his own songs. His friend Robert Gordon was the first to record it, releasing it on his 1978 album Fresh Fish Special. The song became a hit when the Pointer Sisters recorded it later in 1978 at the suggestion of their producer, Richard Perry, their version hitting #2 in the US.

Springsteen wrote this for Elvis Presley, his idol growing up. He sent Elvis a demo of it in 1977, but Presley died soon after. The song would have fit well for Elvis, as it's about a passionate lust a couple has for each other.

Springsteen sometimes writes from the perspective of a man burning with desire, which can come off a bit predatory. In this song, the girl is saying no, but he's not accepting that answer because her kiss tells a different story. When sung from the girl's point of view, these concerns are allayed - The Pointer Sisters make it clear they are welcoming these advances: My words say split, but my words they lie 'Cause when we kiss, ooooh, fire Another Springsteen song with a similar theme is "Because The Night," which became a big hit for Patti Smith.