Ice on Fire

John's previous two albums, Too Low for Zero (1983) and Breaking Hearts (1984) featured the original Elton John Band lineup of Davey Johnstone on guitar, Dee Murray on bass, and Nigel Olsson on drums. Both albums symbolized a comeback for John after a string of less successful albums and singles throughout the late 1970s and early 1980s. However, the tour for Breaking Hearts proved to be grueling, with one show being cancelled after John collapsed backstage from a viral infection. After this tour, John had tired of live performances and made the decision to dismiss Murray and Olsson from the band, desiring a change in sound. ==Writing and recording==

Inspired by Tina Turner's massively successful Private Dancer (1984) album, John decided to utilize multiple rhythm sections for his next album rather than a single band lineup. Ultimately, four unique rhythm sections would contribute to the recording of Ice on Fire. The album's first two tracks, "This Town" and "Cry to Heaven", as well as "Wrap Her Up", featured drummer Charlie Morgan (who had previously worked with Air Supply and Cyndi Lauper, among others) and bassist Paul Westwood. The latter song, which also featured prominent vocals from George Michael, was borne out of a full-band jam session, leading to Morgan and Westwood, as well as Johnstone and Mandel, receiving writing credits. "Soul Glove", "Satellite", and the CD and cassette-only "Act of War" utilized the rhythm section of Mel Gaynor (drums) and Deon Estus, while "Too Young" featured John Deacon and Roger Taylor of Queen. Drummer Dave Mattacks and bassist David Paton (previously successful as a member of the band Pilot) appear on the tracks "Nikita", "Tell Me What the Papers Say", and "Candy by the Pound". Other musicians appearing on the album include guitarist Nik Kershaw, keyboardist Fred Mandel, and Kiki Dee, who provides backing vocals. Though John had originally intended to work with producer Chris Thomas, he was unavailable, already working with INXS at the time. John also asked Trevor Horn to produce, who was interested but ultimately too busy. It proved to be a very prolific period for John; in a May 1985 interview, John claimed to have already recorded eighteen songs for the new album, while also stating his desire to record additional material. Upon learning that Sister Sledge would be performing in England, John pursued the group to have them perform on "This Town"; John would approach Millie Jackson in a similar fashion for "Act of War". ==Music and lyrics==

Elizabeth Rosenthal, author of His Song: The Musical Journey of Elton John, considers Ice on Fire to be John's "first genuine soul album of the 1980s." Jeff Giles of Ultimate Classic Rock characterizes John's sound at the time of the album as a "mechanized strain of soul and R&B", while AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine describes the album's aesthetic as "pure 1985, heavy on synthetic drums and keyboards". Rosenthal also notes a "huskiness" to John's voice throughout the album, an early sign of the vocal issues that would result in John's 1987 surgery. The album opens with "This Town", a commentary on the decline of the United States' Rust Belt. The lyrics' "images of despair" are juxtaposed against upbeat music which includes a horn section as well as vocal exchanges between John and Sister Sledge displaying elements of gospel music. "Cry to Heaven" takes place in an unidentified war-torn area, and reflects the hopelessness felt by the innocent citizens affected by the conflict. Conversely, "Soul Glove" is an upbeat love song, using the metaphor of a "tight-fitting glove" to demonstrate the compatibility of the two partners. As implied by the title, the song exhibits a strong soul music influence, with a prominent horn section. "Nikita", the album's best-known song, is a ballad Judy Parkinson, author of Elton: Made in England (2003), calls the track "an evocative love song to a lonely East European girl". Rosenthal likens the song to John's earlier song "Daniel" (1973), and also cites it as another example of John's "huskier" voice and increased use of a lower register on the album. that despite being known primarily as a female name in the US, Nikita is a traditionally male name in Russia. The album's first side closes with "Too Young", narrated by a man in love with a woman whose parents disapprove of the relationship, due to their age gap. John likened the song to 1960s torch songs in the vein of the Righteous Brothers. Included on the original CD and cassette is "Act of War", a duet with Millie Jackson. Jeff Giles of Ultimate Classic Rock considers the track to be "one of Elton's more musically aggressive" songs from the 1980s, while also noting the appearance of the soul and R&B influences present on the album proper. Rosenthal considers the track to be an update of John's earlier "Hard Luck Story" (from Rock of the Westies (1975)), depicting a conflict between a married couple. Musically, the track features "aggressive" guitar and a "percussive, minimalist" melody. ==Release and reception==

Commercial performance Prior to the release of the album, "Act of War" was released as a single to only minor success, peaking at number 32 in the UK and failing to chart in the US. while in the US, "Wrap Her Up" was chosen as the lead single instead. The song was also successful in the US (where it was the album's second single and biggest hit), reaching number seven. A music video was filmed for the song (directed by Ken Russell) portraying a love story between John and a Russian female border guard. Ice on Fire was released on 4 November 1985. John, whose relationship with David Geffen had become strained at the time, would blame Geffen Records' lack of promotion for the album's low sales in the US. Hoerburger also called Taupin's lyrics to "This Town" "mindless" and "unsympathetic", while describing "Too Young" as "silly and ironic". However, he did reserve praise for "Nikita", which he compared to "Daniel" as "sure-voiced and emotional", and "Wrap Her Up", which he called "considerably more appealing" than the "empty calories [George Michael's group] Wham! usually serves up." Retrospective reviews of Ice on Fire are slightly more positive. In a review for AllMusic, Stephen Thomas Erlewine stated that while the album is "hardly a masterpiece", it is "still an enjoyable record" and "living proof of the power of professionalism." While lamenting that much of the material "never rises to the level of memorable", Erlewine finds the "state-of-the-art" production to be, while dated, "sort of fun, in a way, since it instantly brings back its era." Similarly, Spin placed the album at number 35 (out of 42, including soundtracks and select compilations), stating that "Nikita" and "Wrap Her Up" were not "really worthy of being the duo [of John and George Michael]'s only studio collaborations." ==Track listing==

Notes: • Later CD pressings of the album contain extended versions of "Wrap Her Up" and "Satellite", with durations of 6:21 and 4:37, respectively. • While all live tracks on the 1998 reissue are listed as being from a 1984 concert at Wembley Stadium, "Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word" actually originates from a 1977 performance. ==Personnel==

Adapted from the liner notes: Musicians • Elton John – vocals , piano , GS piano , Yamaha GS piano , synthesizer • Fred Mandel – synthesizer , keyboards , sequencer , electric guitar , finger clicks , arrangement • Davey Johnstone – electric guitar , Spanish guitar , synth guitar , guitar , synthesizer , backing vocals • Nik Kershaw – electric guitar • Charlie Morgan – drums • Mel Gaynor – drums • Dave Mattacks – drums , military snare • Roger Taylor – drums • Paul Westwood – bass • Deon Estus – bass • David Paton – bass • John Deacon – bass • Pino Palladino – bass • Frank Ricotti – congas , tambourine , shaker , timpani , cymbals , vibes • Gus Dudgeon – Simmons drum , horn arrangement , arrangement • George Michael – featured vocal , backing vocals • Sister Sledge – backing vocals • Kiki Dee – backing vocals • Katie Kissoon – backing vocals • Pete Wingfield – backing vocals • Alan Carvell – backing vocals • Onward International Horns :*David Bitelli – tenor saxophone , baritone saxophone , horn arrangement :*Paul Spong – trumpet :*Raul D'Oliviera – trumpet :*Rick Taylor – trombone , bass trombone , horn arrangement • Bob Sydor – tenor saxophone • Pete Thomas – tenor saxophone • Nick Pentelow – tenor saxophone • Phil Todd – alto saxophone • Chris Pyne – trombone • James Newton Howard – string arrangement ==Charts==

Weekly charts Year-end charts ==Certifications==