Every #1 Country Single of the Eighties: Alabama, “(There’s a) Fire in the Night”

“(There’s a) Fire in the Night”

Alabama

Written by Bob Corbin

Radio & Records

#1 (4 weeks)

December 21, 1984 – January 11, 1985

Billboard

#1 (1 week)

January 26, 1985

Alabama had already pulled three No. 1 singles off of Roll On. With “(There’s a) Fire in the Night,” the album became their first to produce four No. 1 singles.

It’s a tale of a one night stand told from the perspective of a respectful man who delivers what a woman needs, fully understanding that in the morning, they will go their separate ways. Think “Tight Fittin’ Jeans” with a bit less personality.

How much mileage you get from “Fire in the Night” is dependent upon how much you like the basic Alabama sound. There’s nothing here musically that we haven’t already heard before. Randy Owen is still in fine voice, but he’s singing on this one like it was just going to be a B-side.

In its own way, it demonstrates why Alabama had 21 consecutive No. 1 hits in the eighties.

If you’ve already got the radio on, you won’t change the channel when “Fire in the Night” comes on. It’s pleasant and inoffensive background music. Nothing more and nothing less.

“(There’s a) Fire in the Night” gets a C.

Every No. 1 Single of the Eighties

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