“Fire” by Barns Courtney – A Song Review

     Is it an advantage or disadvantage when your name is nearly a reversal of one belonging to a performer who recently experienced a popularity explosion? Barns Courtney shares more than the arrangement of letters in his name – both he and Courtney Barnett meaningfully transfer their life experiences into their music.

     “Fire” is receiving attention, but not as much as the song deserves. The song is part Folk and part Spaghetti Western. The Spaghetti Western element is most strongly felt at the two-minute mark, when the background whistling and shouts almost create an illusion that a Clint Eastwood character is moving toward an impending dramatic scene.

     “Fire” is a song that fits well within the soundtrack of “Burnt.” But the song is about its author. Barns Courtney explained, “[T]he song is about my struggle to hold onto the nativity and passion I had for music as a child, after years of setbacks and (specifically when I was writing this song) losing my record deal with Island and having to work in a computer store.” He continued, “Jaded and disillusioned after having spent 3 months pouring my heart and soul into recording the first major record, and 4 years touring and promoting the band only to never receive the tracks from the producer, I was finding it difficult to maintain the will to carry on.”

     “Fire” by Barns Courtney

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/barnscourtney/

Website: http://www.barnscourtney.com

Lyrics of “Fire” by Barns Courtney

Lonely shadows following me

Lonely ghosts come a crawlin’

Lonely voices talking to me

Now I'm gone, now I'm gone, now I'm gone

And my mother told me “Son let it be”

Sold my soul to the calling

Sold my soul to a sweet melody

Now I'm gone, now I'm gone, now I'm gone

Now give me that fire

Now give me that fire

Now give me that fire

Burn, burn, burn

Oh, a thousand faces staring at me

Thousand times I've fallen

Thousand voices dead at my feet

Now I'm gone, now I'm gone, now I'm gone

And my mother told me “Son let it be”

Sold my soul to the calling

Sold my soul to a sweet melody

Now I'm gone, now I'm gone, now I'm gone

Now give me that fire

Now give me that fire

Now give me that fire

Burn, burn, burn

Ghosts and devils come a calling

Calling my name out, lost in the fire

Sweet Virginia blood is calling

Calling my name out, lost in the fire

Now give me that fire

Now give me that fire

Now give me that fire

Burn, burn, burn

Now give me that fire

Now give me that fire

Now give me that fire

Burn, burn, burn