Catch a Fire

For the 2006 film, see Catch a Fire (film).

Catch a Fire
Original cover of the first 20,000 copies of the vinyl release
Studio album by The Wailers
Released	13 April 1973
Recorded	Dynamic Sound Studios, Harry J. Studios and Randy's Studios, Kingston, Jamaica; Island Studios, London, England, May–October 1972
Genre	Reggae
Length	38:46
Label	Tuff Gong/Island
Producer	Chris Blackwell
The Wailers chronology
The Best of the Wailers (1971) Catch a Fire (1973) Burnin' (1973)
Alternative cover
Alternative version printed after it was realized the original was too difficult to mass produce

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic
Robert Christgau	A
Rolling Stone	(Favorable)
Rolling Stone

Catch a Fire is the major-label-debut album for Jamaican reggae band The Wailers, released on Island Records on 13 April 1973. The album established the band as international superstars. Leader Bob Marley in particular became world-famous. The socially aware lyrics and militant tone surprised many listeners, but others were attracted to Marley and Peter Tosh's confrontational subjects and optimistic view of a future free from oppression.

Catch a Fire peaked at #171 and #51 on Billboard's (North America) Pop Albums and Black Albums charts respectively. It is number 123 on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time, the second highest placement of the five Bob Marley albums on the list, after the posthumous compilation album Legend. It is also regarded as one of the top reggae albums of all time.

Remixing the "English" version

On completion, the multitrack tapes were taken to the UK for remixing, and Chris Blackwell enlisted the help of two US musicians – making an "English" version of the album. Wayne Perkins re-did some of the rhythm/ lead guitar, whilst John "Rabbit" Bundrick added some organ, electric piano, clavinet and synthesizer.

Cover art

The first 20,000 copies of the original 1973 vinyl release, designed by graphical artists Rod Dyer and Bob Weiner, were encased in a sleeve depicting a Zippo lighter. The sleeve functioned like a real Zippo lighter case, opening at a side hinge to reveal the record within. As machinery available was not sufficient to rivet the upper and lower halves of the sleeve together, the assembly operation required hand-manufacture and was deemed too expensive to mass-produce. Hence, subsequent pressings are recognizable by their alternative cover art containing an Esther Anderson portrait of Marley smoking a "spliff" or joint. Copies of the record from these original pressings have since become collectors' items. The original cover art was used again in 2001 for the Deluxe compact disc edition.

Track listing

All songs were written by Bob Marley, except where noted.

Original album (1973)

Side one

1. "Concrete Jungle" – 4:13
2. "Slave Driver" – 2:53
3. "400 Years" (Peter Tosh) – 2:45
4. "Stop That Train" (Tosh) – 3:55
5. "Baby We've Got a Date (Rock It Baby)" – 3:57

Side two

1. "Stir It Up" – 5:32
2. "Kinky Reggae" – 3:37
3. "No More Trouble" – 3:50
4. "Midnight Ravers" – 5:08

CD bonus tracks

1. "High Tide or Low Tide" – 4:40
2. "All Day All Night" – 3:26

Deluxe edition (2001)

Disc one: The unreleased original Jamaican versions

1. "Concrete Jungle" – 4:16
2. "Stir It Up" – 3:39
3. "High Tide or Low Tide" – 4:44
4. "Stop That Train" – 3:55
5. "400 Years" – 3:03
6. "Baby We've Got a Date (Rock It Baby)" – 4:05
7. "Midnight Ravers" – 5:09
8. "All Day All Night" – 3:29
9. "Slave Driver" – 2:57
10. "Kinky Reggae" – 3:45
11. "No More Trouble" – 5:16

Disc two: The released album

1. "Concrete Jungle" – 4:15
2. "Slave Driver" – 2:55
3. "400 Years" – 2:47
4. "Stop That Train" – 3:57
5. "Baby We've Got a Date (Rock It Baby)" – 3:59
6. "Stir It Up" – 5:35
7. "Kinky Reggae" – 3:39
8. "No More Trouble" – 4:00
9. "Midnight Ravers" – 5:08

Personnel

• Bob Marley – guitar, vocals
• Peter Tosh – organ, guitar, piano, vocals
• Bunny Wailer – bongos, conga, vocals
• Aston "Family Man" Barrett – bass guitar
• Carlton "Carlie" Barrett – drums
• John "Rabbit" Bundrick – keyboards/synthesizer
• Wayne Perkins – guitar
• Chris Blackwell – Production
• Bob Marley – Production
• Carlton Lee – Engineering
• Tony Platt – Engineering
• Bob Weiner – Design
• Rod Dyer – Design

See also

• Classic Albums