Fire It Up (Rick James album)

Fire It Up
Studio album by Rick James
Released	October 16, 1979
Recorded	1979 at The Record Plant, Sausalito, CA
Genre	Funk, Soul
Length	48:18
Label	Gordy
Producer	Rick James & Levi Ruffin
Rick James chronology
Bustin' Out of L Seven (1979) Fire It Up (1979) Garden of Love (1980)

Fire It Up is the third album by American musician Rick James, released on October 16, 1979, on the Motown sub-label Gordy Records. This album was certified gold by the RIAA, and between 1978 and 1982 was a period where Rick James established himself as the historical bridge between P-Funk and Prince. Fire It Up was released on CD for the first time in 2010, by Universal Records. This item soon went Out Of Print and has become a much sought after and very rare item for fans of Rick James and funk in general.

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]

Track listing

All tracks composed by Rick James.

Side A

1. "Fire It Up" – 4:00
2. "Love Gun" – 5:44
3. "Lovin You Is a Pleasure" – 4:08
4. "Love in the Night" – 6:22

Side B

1. "Come into My Life" – 7:10
2. "Stormy Love" – 2:05
3. "When Love Is Gone" – 7:32

2010 Bonus Track / 2014 digital remaster bonus track / 2014 Complete Motown Albums bonus track

8. "Love Gun" (Promotional 12-Inch version) – 10:46

Personnel

• Rick James – acoustic guitar, piano, organ, Harpsichord, timbales, timpani (tympani), electronic drums [syndrums], drums, percussion

The Stone City Band

• Levi Ruffin – synthesizer, synthesizer (strings ensemble), percussion, backing vocals
• Tom McDermott – electric guitar, twelve-string guitar, guitar (6-string), acoustic guitar
• Greg Levias – keyboards, Fender Rhodes electric piano
• Danny LeMelle – alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, flute, harpsichord
• Lanise Hughes – drums
• Oscar Alston – bass guitar
• Shondu Akiem – percussion, electronic drums (syndrums)
• Cliff Ervin – trumpet, flugelhorn
• John Ervin – trombone
• Julia Waters, Maxine Waters, Pat Henderson, Jackie Ruffin, Lisa Sarna – backing vocals
• California St. Clair, Cynthia Gable, Cynthia Nettles, Danny LeMelle, Jackie Ruffin, Julia Waters, Keith "Star" Ragin, Lisa Sarna, Maxine Waters, Pat Henderson, Tom McDermott, Winston L. Allen - choir on "Love in the Night"
• John Cabalka - art direction
• Ron Slenzak - photography

Charts

Year	Album	Chart positions[2]
		US	US R&B
1979	Fire It Up	34	5

Singles

Year	Single	Chart positions[3]
		US	US R&B	US Dance
1979	"Love Gun"	—	13	—
1980	"Love Gun"	—	—	32

External links

• Rick James-Fire It Up at Discogs

References

1. http://www.allmusic.com/album/r1738101/review
2. "Rick James US albums chart history". allmusic.com. Retrieved 2011-06-15.
3. "Rick James US singles chart history". allmusic.com. Retrieved 2011-06-15.