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"Cat People (Putting Out Fire)" is a song by David Bowie. It was
recorded for Paul
Schrader's 1982 remake of the film Cat
People with producer Giorgio Moroder.
Schrader engaged Bowie for a theme song in 1981, with Moroder
having already recorded most of the music. Bowie was to put lyrics
to the main theme. The words only had a basic relation to the film.
The B-side is a Moroder-only instrumental which featured no input
from Bowie.
The song itself, in keeping with the dark tone of the film, has
some slight goth rock influences, with Bowie singing in
a deep croon while being backed up by a female chorus, a
combination that The Sisters of Mercy would
commonly employ years later.
Due to Moroder's contract, the single was issued by MCA.
The full-length version appeared on the soundtrack album, and the
12" single, while a 4:08 edited version was made for the 7"
release. The single reached #26 in the UK, and #67 in the US -
Bowie's biggest hit there since "Golden Years". It peaked at #1 in
New Zealand, remaining there for three weeks, as well as in Sweden
for four weeks. It was also #1 in Norway for seven consecutive
weeks, and then returned to the top for a further week.
The single was released three separate times by MCA. First with
"Cat People" as the A-side, then again two months later with
"Paul's Theme" as the A-side, and finally in November 1982 with
"Cat People" back on the A-side. Notable contribution as
orchestrator was made by Hungarian-born composer, Sylvester
Levay.
In 1983, Bowie re-recorded the song for his Let's Dance album.
This version was also released as the B-side to the title track's
single release, and performed on Bowie's Serious Moonlight Tour.
In 2009 the track was used in
another film, Quentin Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds. Despite
being anachronistic, the lyrics are related to the plot, occurring
when a character is preparing to commit arson in order to put out the "fire" of Nazi
rule; the character has also been putting out the "fire" of her
hatred of the Nazis with "gasoline" ever since her family's murder
at their hands. The lyrics also mention "one thousand years", and
the song appears in the film not long after several characters
drink a toast to the "Thousand Year Reich".
Track
listing
7": MCA / MCA 770
(UK)
- "Cat People (Putting Out Fire)" (Bowie, Moroder)
– 4:08
- "Paul's Theme (Jogging Chase)" (Moroder) –
3:51
12": MCA / MCAT 770
(UK)
- "Cat People (Putting Out Fire)" (Bowie, Moroder)
– 6:41
- "Paul's Theme (Jogging Chase)" (Moroder) –
3:51
12": MCA / DS 12087
(Australia)
- "Cat People (Putting Out Fire)" (Bowie, Moroder)
– 4:08
- "Cat People (Putting Out Fire)" (Bowie, Moroder)
– 9:20
- label states running time of 6:41, but is actually 9:20
Charts
Production
credits
Other
releases
- The "Let's Dance" version was released as the B-side of the
single "Let's Dance" in March
1983.
- It also appeared on the compilation Bowie: The Singles
1969-1993 in 1993.
- It also appeared on the compilation The Best of 1980/1987 in 2007.
- The "Let's Dance" version contains lead guitar work by a then
little-known Stevie Ray Vaughan.
- Also used in the score of the 2009 Quentin Tarantino film, Inglourious Basterds.
Cover
versions
Notes
References
- Pegg, Nicholas, The Complete David Bowie, Reynolds
& Hearn Ltd, 2000, ISBN 1-903111-14-5
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