I'm On Fire

Album: Sincerely (1975)
Charted: 16
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Songfacts®:

  • This was Twilley's first single. It was credited to The Dwight Twilley Band, which Twilley formed with Phil Seymour. This song got them off to a great start, but the band was signed to Shelter Records, which was in turmoil at the time, and as a result could not release their debut album until a year later, which killed the momentum generated by this song. Under different circumstances, Twilley could have been a major star, but his career followed a path closer to that of Leon Russell, who was also from Tulsa and ran Shelter Records. When we spoke with Twilley in 2010, he told us: "I learned a lot from Leon. We were a Tulsa-based band when we were originally signed, and Leon lived here. And we ended up being signed to his label. A lot of people thought that Leon was the driving force behind it. But we didn't really meet Leon until after we'd had our hit single 'I'm On Fire.' And I guess the surprising thing was just what a kind man he was, and how generous he was. He invited us into his own home studio and had us recording in his 40-track studio. And for little kids who six months ago had only been in a 4-track studio, that was a big deal. He was very kind and super talented, and he really didn't say much. Just by following and by example we could see some of the things that he did that were just amazing. And I think he's a terrific talent. I'm really proud of the way that he has sustained, that he's out there still doing it."
  • Along with his 1984 hit "Girls," this is Twilley's best known song. When we asked if he was sick of it, Twilley told us: "I'm fortunate, because I know a lot of people who had hits, maybe they had them when they were younger, and they sang it like real high or something, they have a terrible time going out and having to sing this song for the rest of their lives. But in that area I've been fortunate. My biggest hits, 'I'm On Fire' and 'Girls,' I still find easy and a lot of fun to perform. Some people, they have this big hit record, and at the end of the day when nobody's looking, they say, 'I hate that song.' (laughing) But I'm fortunate because I'm proud of both of those songs, and it really is a lot of fun to get out there and do those songs."

Comments: 2

  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn February 14, 1981, Phil Seymour performed "Precious To Me" on the Dick Clark ABC-TV Saturday-afternoon program, 'American Bandstand'...
    At the time the song was at #46 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart, six weeks later it would peak at #22 {for 2 weeks} and it spent sixteen weeks on the Top 100...
    And the same 'Bandstand' show he also performed his next release, "Let Her Dance", it didn't make the Top 100...
    "Precious To Me" was his only Top 100 record as a solo artist...
    As a member of the Dwight Twilley Band he charted in 1975 when "I'm On Fire" peaked at #16 on the Top 100...
    He also appeared on Tom Petty's "American Girl" {peaked at #40 in the U.K.} and "Breakdown {reached #40 on the Top 100}...
    Philip Warren Seymour passed away at the young age of 41 on August 17th, 1993...
    May he R.I.P.
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn July 26th 1975, the Dwight Twilley Band performed "I'm on Fire" on the ABC-TV program 'American Bandstand'...
    Three months earlier on April 20th, 1975 it entered Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart at position #99; and at the time of this appearance on 'Bandstand" the song was at #18, a week later it would peak at #16 (for 2 weeks) and spent a total of 18 weeks on the Top 100...
    Mr. Twilley celebrated his 63rd birthday last month on June 6th, 2014.
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