Fireball

Deep Purple

About Fireball

"Fireball" is a song by the English rock band Deep Purple, from the album of the same name. It was also released as the band's second single of 1971, and peaked at No. 15 on the UK Singles Chart. It is one of several songs based on Ian Gillan's real life experiences: "She was a complete mystery to me. This is another tale of unrequited love", he explained. The song begins with the sound of an air conditioner being switched on, recorded by assistant engineer Mike Thorne. Roger Glover suggested to engineer Martin Birch that the sound of a machine starting up would be a good way to begin both the song and the album, but Birch could not think of anything available that would fit the purpose. Thorne suggested the sound of an air conditioning unit, and duly recorded it, to the band's delight. At the time the members of Deep Purple claimed that the sound was produced by a "special" synthesizer. A promo clip was made for the song, consisting of the band miming to the studio recording in front of a dancing audience. The notes Jon Lord is seen playing do not correspond to the music, and Ritchie Blackmore plays his guitar with the back facing out. Unusually for Deep Purple, the song does not contain a guitar solo. Instead, a bass solo played by Roger Glover is followed by a Jon Lord organ solo. "Fireball (Take 1 - Instrumental)", a bonus track on the remastered album, features a guitar solo near the end, after the fade-out of the original version. It is one of the few Deep Purple songs to feature Ian Paice using double bass drums. When performed live, before double pedals were available, a second bass drum was added to Paice's drum kit by a stagehand, and removed after the song's conclusion. 


Year:
2001
3:22
74 
#1

 Watch: New Singing Lesson Videos Can Make Anyone A Great Singer

The golden light above you shows me where you're from
The magic in your eye bewitches all you gaze upon
You stand up on your hill, behop all around you
They wonder where you're from, oh yeah
They wonder where I found you

Oh my love it's a long way
Where you're from it's a long way

I tried to understand you, I tried to love you right
The way you smile and touch me always sets my heart alight
Your lips are like a fire burning through my soul
And people ask me where you're from
They really wanna know

Oh my soul it's a long way
Where you're from it's a long way

Magic woman wreckin' up my soul
Things you tell me have never been told
Magic woman I don't know
Electric before me, I love you so, I love you so

You're racing like a fireball dancing like a ghost
You're Gemini and I don't know which one I like the most
My head is getting broken and my mind is getting bust
But now I'm coming with you down the road of golden dust

Oh my love it's a long way
Where you're from it's a long way

The golden light above you show me where you're from
The magic in your eye bewitches all you gaze upon
You stand up on your hill, behop all around you
They wonder where you're from, oh yeah
They wonder where I found you

Oh my love it's a long way
Where you're from it's a long way

 Watch: New Singing Lesson Videos Can Make Anyone A Great Singer


Deep Purple

Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in Hertford in 1968. They are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal and modern hard rock, although some band members claimed that their music cannot be categorised as belonging to any one genre. They were once listed by the Guinness Book of World Records as "the globe's loudest band", and have sold over 100 million albums worldwide, including 7.5 million certified units in the US. Deep Purple were ranked number 22 on VH1's Greatest Artists of Hard Rock programme. more »

8 fans

Written by: IAN GILLAN, IAN PAICE, JON LORD, RITCHIE BLACKMORE, ROGER GLOVER

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


11 facts about this song

Band Membership
"Fireball" was recorded by seasoned English rock band, Deep Purple. By the time this album was released in 1971, the band was made up of renowned members: Ian Gillan, Jon Lord, Ian Paice, Ritchie Blackmore, and Roger Glover.
Album Performance
"Fireball", the title track of the band's fifth studio album, helped secure the album's place at No. 1 in the UK charts and No. 32 in the U.S. charts.
Genre Classification
The song, similar to most Deep Purple tracks, is classified under the genre of hard rock and heavy metal. It exemplifies the band's signature use of organ and guitar solos.
Distinctive Opening
The song is known for its peculiar opening, which starts with a sound of an air conditioning unit, recorded in the corridor of the recording studio.
Sonic Differences
"Fireball" is unique and stands out in Deep Purple's discography for its fast-paced tempo, unusually prominent bassline, and absence of guitar solo, a regular feature in the band's compositions.
Track Origin
The song was written by all five members of the band. Its lyrics tell a fantasy story, a common theme in Deep Purple’s repertoire, often drawing from medieval and chivalric imagery.
Vinyl Inclusion
Some early copies of the "Fireball" album included "Demon's Eye" as a track, which was later replaced by the song "Strange Kind of Woman" after it became a hit single. However, "Fireball" remained a constant presence on the album listings.
Concert Performances
Despite its success, "Fireball" wasn't a regular on Deep Purple's concert setlists. The band performed it rather sparingly compared to their other hits like "Smoke on the Water" and "Highway Star".
Music Video
The music video for “Fireball” was one of the earliest to be aired on BBC’s Top of the Pops in 1971; however, other tracks from the same album did not receive the same treatment.
Cover Versions
Although not covered as widely as some other Deep Purple songs, "Fireball" has been reinterpreted by several artists in a variety of styles, including the Swedish rock band The Hellacopters.
Use in Media
The song "Fireball" has been used in several media outlets, most notably as the opening theme for the popular comedy television series "The Big Bang Theory".

Discuss the Fireball Lyrics with the community:

0 Comments

    Citation

    Use the citation below to add these lyrics to your bibliography:

    Style:MLAChicagoAPA

    "Fireball Lyrics." Lyrics.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 29 Mar. 2024. <https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/6316437/Deep+Purple/Fireball>.

    Missing lyrics by Deep Purple?

    Know any other songs by Deep Purple? Don't keep it to yourself!

    Watch the song video

    Fireball

    2.8M
    13,159     332

    Browse Lyrics.com

    Quiz

    Are you a music master?

    »
    Which rapper perform the song Big Stepper?
    A Pop Smoke
    B Future
    C Roddy Ricch
    D Quavo

    Free, no signup required:

    Add to Chrome

    Get instant explanation for any lyrics that hits you anywhere on the web!

    Free, no signup required:

    Add to Firefox

    Get instant explanation for any acronym or abbreviation that hits you anywhere on the web!

    Deep Purple tracks

    On Radio Right Now

    Loading...

    Powered by OnRad.io


    Think you know music? Test your MusicIQ here!

    Movies soundtrack

    Fireball

    »