Maps of Music

Ice on Fire (1985)

Where the lyrics of Ice on Fire take you, and where it was really made.

Elton John fired the rhythm section that had played on his previous two albums and built this record from four separate session lineups.

Key places

Where recording began in 1985 (1985)

Recording site Sol Studios — Recording for Ice on Fire began in the spring of 1985 at Sol Studios in Cookham, Berkshire. It was the first album produced by Gus Dudgeon for John since Blue Moves in 1976. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• Ice on Fire: nineteenth studio album by Elton John
• Released 4 November 1985 by Geffen Records in North America and The Rocket Record Company elsewhere
• Produced by Gus Dudgeon, who had not worked with John since Blue Moves (1976)
• Pop rock base with soul and R&B elements, plus 1980s synthesizers and electronic percussion
• Bernie Taupin's lyrics cover war, the decline of working-class communities and Cold War themes
• CD and cassette editions add a duet with Millie Jackson, "Act of War"

Background

• Follows Too Low for Zero (1983) and Breaking Hearts (1984), both made with the original Elton John Band lineup of Davey Johnstone, Dee Murray and Nigel Olsson
• Those two albums marked a comeback after a run of less successful albums and singles in the late 1970s and early 1980s
• The Breaking Hearts tour was grueling, and one show was cancelled after John collapsed backstage from a viral infection
• After that tour John had tired of live performances and dismissed Murray and Olsson, wanting a change in sound
• Inspired by Tina Turner's Private Dancer (1984), he chose several rhythm sections instead of a single band

Recording

• Four rhythm sections contributed, among them drummer Charlie Morgan with bassist Paul Westwood, and Mel Gaynor with Deon Estus
• Guests included Sister Sledge, George Michael, Kiki Dee, and John Deacon and Roger Taylor of Queen on "Too Young"
• Recording began in spring 1985 at Sol Studios in Cookham, Berkshire
• Chris Thomas, the first choice to produce, was unavailable because he was working with INXS
• Trevor Horn was interested but too busy, so John reunited with Gus Dudgeon
• In a May 1985 interview John said he had already recorded eighteen songs for the album

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Tracklist

Sources: musicbrainz.org

Artist

Formation

• Born Reginald Kenneth Dwight in Pinner, Middlesex, on 25 March 1947.
• Won a junior scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music at age 11.
• Formed the blues band Bluesology in 1962; took the name Elton John in 1967.
• Joined DJM Records as a staff songwriter with lyricist Bernie Taupin in 1968.

Members

• Partnered with lyricist Bernie Taupin since 1967; Taupin writes lyrics and John composes the music.
• Backing band over the years included Davey Johnstone, Nigel Olsson, Dee Murray and Ray Cooper.

Career

• Debut album Empty Sky (1969); Honky Château (1972) became his first US number-one album.
• Seven consecutive US number-one albums between 1972 and 1975.
• Composed The Lion King and Aida with Tim Rice; won Academy Awards and a Tony Award.
• Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour (2018–2023) was the highest-grossing tour at the time.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Reception

At release

• Rolling Stone: Rob Hoerburger found the album lacked a foundation of personal style and criticized the piano playing as distant and heavy-handed
• Rolling Stone: Hoerburger praised "Nikita" and "Wrap Her Up" while calling the lyrics to "This Town" mindless
• Smash Hits: Steve Bush gave the album 5.5 out of 10
• Smash Hits: Bush praised "Shoot Down the Moon" and "Nikita" but lamented the lack of slower ballads
• Critical response at release was mixed overall

Reappraisal

• AllMusic: Stephen Thomas Erlewine called the album hardly a masterpiece but still an enjoyable record
• AllMusic: Erlewine found the production dated yet fun because it brings back its era
• Ultimate Classic Rock ranked the album 30th out of 33 John albums
• Spin placed the album 35th out of 42 entries
• Rankings of John's discography still tend to place the album near the bottom

Records

• UK: peaked at number three, John's third top-ten album in a row, 23 weeks on the chart
• UK: BPI Platinum certification
• US: stalled at number 48 on the chart, John's lowest-charting album there up to that point
• US: 28 weeks on the chart and RIAA Gold certification
• "Nikita": peaked at number three in the UK and number seven in the US
• "Wrap Her Up": peaked at number 12 in the UK and number 20 in the US
• "Cry to Heaven": stalled at number 47 in the UK

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• "Nikita" had a music video directed by Ken Russell, portraying a love story between John and a Russian female border guard
• Nikita is known mainly as a female name in the US but is a traditionally male name in Russia
• "Shoot Down the Moon" closes the vinyl version and features none of the four rhythm sections, with only Pino Palladino on bass
• Later CD pressings contain extended versions of "Wrap Her Up" and "Satellite", running 6:21 and 4:37
• Some material left over from the sessions went on to John's next album, Leather Jackets (1986)

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

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