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Released on a single and on the album The
Bewitching Miss Bassey. This song can be found on the
Classic Tracks/Magic Of compilation, or on
the Readers' Digest CD set This Is My Life.
From the feature film "Fire Down Below" (1957). It starred Hollywood acting
legends Robert Mitchum as Felix and Jack Lemmon as Tony, two men who own a boat
in the Caribbean and sail around having fun whilst being involved in various
illegal dealings. They encounter a good-looking woman, Irena, played by another
legend of the silver screen, Rita Hayworth, whom both the pair subsequently fall
for. This leads to an inevitable break-up of their friendship and a series of
terrifying events. In a bizarre coincidence, the film also starred Anthony
Newley, who together with Leslie Bricusse wrote one of Shirley Bassey's biggest
hits, What Kind Of Fool Am I?
(from the stage show "Stop The World, I Want To Get Off").
In the film's title sequence, the song "Fire Down Below" was sung by American
singer Jeri Southern. Probably thanks to her version being used in the film,
Jeri's was a bigger hit in Britain than Shirley's version, reaching #22 for two
weeks. In fact, it wasn't until another 9 weeks later in August 1957 that
Shirley's recording of the sung made any impression, and unfortunately all it
could do on the charts was enter at #30 and then drop out the following week.
The flipside of the single, You You Romeo, did however manage to peak a place
higher two weeks afterwards.
The sheet music to the song sold well, reaching #16 on the sheet music charts.
That chart listed the songs with the artists who currently had versions released
on record. Thus it is unsure whose version turned the sheet music into a
bestseller.
UK Release: Aug 1957 on Philips 723 (78rpm shellac disc)
Highest Charted: Single UK: #30
Run: *30* (1 wk) [Aug 24 1957]
Ned Washington, who co-wrote the song with
Lester Lee, was one of Hollywood's most prolific songwriters, penning lyrics for
many Broadway shows and successful films with various composing partners. Born
15 August 1901 in Pennsylvania, USA, his career started in the 1930s during the
vaudeville music hall era. He was originally an agent for some of the stars
involved, but soon began writing his own material for them and their acts. He
was hired by Warner Bros and quickly moved on to work for MGM, Paramount Studios
and Walt Disney Studios ("When You Wish Upon A Star" being his composition for
"Pinocchio" (1941), and garnering him an Academy Award for Best Song). While
Washington wrote the lyrics, others worked with him and provided the music. High
profile collaborators included Victor Young, Hoagy Carmichael and Lester Lee.
"My Foolish Heart", "High Noon" and "The Man From Laramie were successful songs
Washington later collaborated on, the latter being a UK #1 in 1955 for Jimmy
Young and co-written with Lee. Ned Washington died on 20 December 1976 in Los
Angeles, California.
Lester Lee, the song's co-writer, was born 7 November 1904 in New York. He died
on 19 June 1956 in Los Angeles, California of a heart attack.
|
Performed On The Muppet Show |
Shirley performed this song on her guest
appearance on The Muppet Show in 1980. The following screenshots are taken from
that performance.
Don't believe my eyes, they're the coldest eyes
But I'm not so cold, let me put you wise
Keeping the temperature so low, this is a work of art
For there's a fire down below, down below in my heart
And my crazy lips, they're such lazy lips
But there'll come to life should we come to grips
If you have anything in mind, warn you before you start
There is a fire down below, down below in my heart
Now that you're getting my number, know what I'm talking about
Pile on the coal and the lumber, don't let the fire go out
I'll admit my face is the quiet type
This can all be changed when the time is right
Call out the volunteer brigade, call out the fire cart
For there's a fire down below, down below, down below
Down below in my heart
Now that you're getting my number, know what I'm talking about
Pile on the coal and the lumber, don't let the fire go out
I'll admit my face is the quiet type
This can all be changed when the time is right
Call out the volunteer brigade, call out the fire cart
For there's a fire down below, down below, down below
Down below in my heart
(repeat to fade)
Information kindly researched and provided by Theo Morgan
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