She Crossed Herself...

I've never been a huge fan of guitar solos over the years but there is one in particular that still makes the hairs on my neck stand up almost 30 years after it was released and that is the one on "Forest Fire", courtesy of Neil Clark.

I have written before about the masterpiece that is Rattlesnakes and although the entire album is pretty much perfection the standout track has to be "Forest Fire". I love the way it starts with those hushed vocals and minimal instrumentation with the tension slowly building until being finally released with that long, lyrical guitar solo which turns an already remarkable song into a classic.

I was fortunate to see The Commotions on their comeback tour a few years back at The Barrowland and heard the full beauty of that solo in the flesh. Simply sublime.

She crossed herself as she put on her things
She has promised once before not to live this way
If she don't calm down she will burn herself out
Like a forest fire, well doesn't that make you smile
If you don't slow down, I swear that I'll come round
And mess up your place, let's go for a spin
They say we shouldn't even know each other
And that we'll be undone
Don't it make you smile like a forest fire
I believe in love, I'll believe in anything
That's gonna get me what I want and get me off my knees
Then we'll burn your house down, don't it feel so good
There's a forest fire every time we get together
Doo doo doo, doo doo doo doo doo doo
Doo doo doo doo doo, doo doo doo doo doo doo
Hey pick you up, put you down
Rip you up and spin you round
Just like we said we would
'cause we're a forest fire
Believe you me, we'll tear this place down
If we get caught in this wind then we could burn the ocean
If we get caught in this scene we're gonna be undone
It's just a simple metaphor, it's for a burning love
Don't it make you smile like a forest fire..