Wikipedia

Keep the Fire

For the song, see Keep the Fire (song).

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".

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
ReleasedSeptember 28, 1979
Recorded1979
StudioFilmways/Wally Heider Recording, Hollywood, California; Santa Barbara Sound Recording, Santa Barbara, California
GenreSoft rock, jazz, pop
Length40:48
LabelColumbia
ProducerTom Dowd
Kenny Loggins chronology
Nightwatch
(1978) 		Keep the Fire
(1979) 		Caddyshack: Music from the Motion Picture Soundtrack
(1980)

Reception

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Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic     [1]
Christgau's Record GuideC+[2]
MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide     [3]
Record Collector     [4]
Record Mirror     [5]

Rolling Stone described the album 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".[6] The Globe and Mail noted that, "occasionally, he stumbles into some of the good-time hokey rockin' fun that made such Loggins and Messina numbers as 'Your Mama Can't Dance' so nauseating."[7]

Film

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The award-winning short film "Keep the Fire", by Jake Rice, is a fictionalized "Behind the Album Cover" story.[8]

Track listing

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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 McDonaldMcDonald: backing vocals3:57
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 vocals5:38
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

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  • Kenny Loggins – lead and backing vocals, guitars, Sennheiser 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

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  • Producer – Tom Dowd
  • Engineer – Steve Gersky
  • Second Engineer – Michael Carnavale
  • Recorded at Filmways/Wally Heider Recording, Hollywood, California, and Santa Barbara Sound Recording (Santa Barbara, California).
  • Mastering – Mike Fuller at Criteria Studios (Miami, Florida).
  • 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

Charts

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Weekly charts

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Chart (1979–80) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[9] 95
US Top LPs & Tape (Billboard) 16

Year-end charts

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Chart (1980) Peak
position
US Billboard Top Albums[citation needed] 16

References

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  1. ^ 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. ^ MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1996. p. 417.
  4. ^ Pinfold, William (September 2012). "Kenny Loggins-Keep the Fire". Record Collector. No. 405. Retrieved 26 June 2020.
  5. ^ Sexton, Paul (16 February 1980). "Kenny Loggins: Keep The Fire / Jimmy Messina: Oasis". Record Mirror. p. 17.
  6. ^ Holden, Stephen (February 7, 1980). "Album reviews: Keep the Fire". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on June 30, 2007. Retrieved June 28, 2013.
  7. ^ Niester, Alan (29 Dec 1979). "Keep the Fire Kenny Loggins". The Globe and Mail. p. F4.
  8. ^ Rice, Jake. Keep the Fire (A/V stream). Retrieved June 28, 2013.
  9. ^ 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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