ALBUM: The Best of Firefall (1981)
MVC Rating: 3.5/$$
I hate doing this because I kind of did this with the group America. Like America, Firefall writes pretty radio friendly songs that, if put on a loop, would qualify as a torture device. I mean this lovingly Because these songs do have value, they take me back to a place and time..(Please take that schmaltzy saxophone out of ‘Just Remember I Love You.’)
I kind of like ‘Strange Way.’ Their biggest hit ‘You are the Woman’ embodies everything that is good and bad about this group. Good musicianship, catchy melodies with generic love song lyrics. They were so good that Top 40 radio put them on a loop. And you know what that does to me. Torture.
Funny, the song ‘Cinderella,’ as it opens, seems like it could be their best song, until you pay attention to the words. As you listen you hear that his girl comes to him ‘heavy with child,,’
I know this is just the narrator of a song, but listen to his reaction:
I said “goddamn girl can’t you see
That I’m breakin’my back
Just tryin’ to keep my head above water
And it’s turnin’ me wild”
He then says, sings in the song, to take herself “and the child away.’
For this reason, I’ll take America and their best hits over Firefall, however, ‘Muskrat Love’ must be deleted from America’s list.
Some good inoffensive flute solos in here. And Stephen Stills co-wrote a number of the songs with Rick Roberts, but not the offensive ‘Cinderella.’. Some good guitar in ‘Mexico.’