Keep the Fire

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For the song, see Keep the Fire (song).
Keep the Fire
Kenny Loggins, a long-haired bearded man, holding football-sized glowing sphere, standing in front of fantastic space scene above an ocean.
Studio album by
Kenny Loggins
ReleasedOctober 1979
Recorded1979
GenreSoft rock
Length40:48
LabelColumbia
ProducerTom Dowd
Kenny Loggins chronology
Nightwatch
(1978) 		Keep the Fire
(1979) 		Caddyshack: Music from the Motion Picture Soundtrack
(1980)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic3.5/5 stars[1]
Christgau's Record GuideC+[2]
Record Collector1/5 stars[3]
Rolling Stone[4](favorable)

Keep the Fire is the third studio album by American singer-songwriter Kenny Loggins, released in 1979.[1] It is perhaps best known for the hit single "This is It". The song was co-written by Michael McDonald, who also performed on the track. Michael Jackson sings backup vocals on the track "Who's Right, Who's Wrong".

Track listing[]

No.TitleWriter(s)GuestLength
1."Love Has Come of Age"Kenny Loggins 3:51
2."Mr. Night"Loggins, Richard Stekol 3:20
3."This Is It"Loggins, Michael McDonaldMichael McDonald:
backing vocals		4:06
4."Junkanoo Holiday (Fallin'-Flyin')"Loggins 4:30
5."Now and Then"Jeff Bouchard, Loggins 3:52
6."Who's Right, Who's Wrong"Loggins, Richard PageMichael Jackson, Richard Page:
backing vocals		5:38
7."Keep the Fire"Eva Ein, Loggins 4:34
8."Give It Half a Chance"Stephen Bishop, Loggins 4:57
9."Will It Last"Ein, Loggins 5:50

Personnel[]

  • Kenny Loggins – lead and backing vocals, guitars, vocoder (7)
  • Brian Mann – keyboards, horn arrangements (1, 3-6, 8, 9), accordion solo (5)
  • Michael McDonald – acoustic piano (3), harmony vocals (3)
  • Max Gronenthal – ARP synthesizer programming
  • Mike Hamilton – guitars, backing vocals, harmony vocals (3, 8)
  • Fred Tackett – acoustic guitar (8, 9)
  • George Hawkins – bass guitar, backing vocals, harmony vocals (2, 3, 8)
  • Tris Imboden – drums, percussion
  • Milt Holland – percussion
  • Paulinho da Costa – percussion (3)
  • Jon Clarke – tambourine, English horn, flute, oboe, recorder, saxophone, horn arrangements (2, 7)
  • Vince Denham – cabasa, saxophone, flute
  • Michael Brecker – tenor sax solo (6)
  • Richard Stekol – harmony vocals (2)
  • Michael Jackson – harmony vocals (6)
  • Richard Page – harmony vocals (6)
  • Jeff Bouchard – harmony vocals (8)

Production[]

  • Producer – Tom Dowd
  • Engineer – Steve Gersky
  • Second Engineer – Michael Carnavale
  • Recorded at Filmways/Wally Heider Recording, Hollywood, CA, and Santa Barbara Sound Recording (Santa Barbara, CA).
  • Mastering – Mike Fuller at Criteria Studios (Miami, FL).
  • Guitar Synthesizer Technician – Wayne Williams
  • Visual Coordinator – Tony Lane
  • Design Concept – Kenny Loggins and Scott Thom
  • Cover Painting – Scott Thom
  • Cover Photography – Ed Caraeff
  • Sleeve Photography – Eva Ein Loggins
  • Crew – Mitch Miller, Johnny Pace and C. Wolfstock Wittenberg.
  • Management – Larson & Recor Associates

Reception[]

Rolling Stone magazine described it as "the new sound of Southern California: a sophisticated, diffuse, jazz-inflected pop rock performed by an augmented rock band in which guitar and keyboards share equal prominence" and "churning romantic atmosphere constructed around a matinee idol's voice".[4]

Legacy[]

"We Will Survive" by Nas from the album I Am... sampled the song "This Is It".

The award-winning short film, "Keep the Fire" by Jake Rice serves as a fictionalized "Behind The Album Cover" story, detailing the origin of the glowing white orb in Kenny's hands on the cover and the people who were involved in the creation of his hit record. The film includes computer graphics enhanced dramatizations depicting Michael McDonald, Tom Dowd, George Daly, Scott Thom, and Eva Ein. It features musical performances of "This Is It" and the acoustic version of "What A Fool Believes" as performed by Loggins and McDonald on the live recording "Outside: Live From The Redwoods".[5]

Charting History[]

Charting Singles[]

Single Chart Position
"This Is It" Australian (ARIA Chart) 85
Canada (RPM)
 9
Netherlands Singles Top 100
 26
Official New Zealand Music Chart
 35
U.S.Billboard Hot 100 11
U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary
17
U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs 19
"Keep The Fire" Canada (RPM)
 52
U.S.Billboard Hot 100 36
U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary
40

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b Keep the Fire at AllMusic. Retrieved 2011-06-17.
  2. ^ Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: L". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved March 1, 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.
  3. ^ Pinfold, William. "Kenny Loggins-Keep the Fire". Record Collector. Retrieved 26 June 2020.
  4. ^ Jump up to: a b Holden, Stephen (February 7, 1980). "Album reviews: Keep the Fire". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on June 30, 2007. Retrieved June 28, 2013.
  5. ^ Rice, Jake. Keep the Fire (A/V stream). Retrieved June 28, 2013.
  6. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 179. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
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