Famously described by John Peel as being "always different, always the same… Read Full Bio ↴Famously described by John Peel as being "always different, always the same", The Fall were formed in Manchester, England in 1976 during the Punk era although their style quickly evolved into something more idiosyncratic.

The one permanent fixture amidst the Fall's ever-changing line-up was Mark E. Smith (1957 – 2018). Smith's lyrics are free, unboxed and unpredictable, touching on an extremely wide range of subjects and places, and caring little for being tied down to easily digestible messages.

Smith's singing could put off some people, but others find it a uniquely expressive instrument. Smith was not a conventionally great vocalist, but his keen sense of rhythm, his energy and personality more than made up for this.

The Fall's music changed depending on the line-up at a given time. Always experimental, Mark E. Smith claimed to invent several musical genres, including house music; "we were doing that years ago" and even the internet. "He told me I didn't understand, that we were from the bleak industrial wastes of North England, or something, and that we didn't understand the Internet. I told him Fall fans invented the Internet. They were on there in 1982." One thing that is for sure is that The Fall (and their fans) always pushed the boundaries, and were never afraid to experiment.

The Fall were a favorite group of DJ John Peel, recording 24 sessions for his BBC1 radio program over the years.

The Fall's back catalogue consists of 29 studio albums, and is very fragmented with a seemingly endless number of compilations and semi-official live albums.

In 2006, British music-critic Dave Simpson published an entertaining account of a journalist's attempt to track down all 43 former members of The Fall in the Guardian. Many previous members have been fired, often with little or no notice. Simpson's ongoing effort was subsequently described at greater length in his book "The Fallen" (2008). His effort to track down the final unaccounted stragglers of at least 50 previous members of The Fall - including drummer Karl Burns - continues in his blog. Having decried Simpson's book as a "hatchet job" in the pages of Pseud. Mag., a Fall fan-mag, Mark E. Smith countered in short order with his autobiography "Renegade: The Lives and Tales of Mark E. Smith" (Viking, 2008/Penguin 2009).

Mark E. Smith died on 24 January 2018, aged 60.

Key Albums include:

# Live At the Witch Trials (debut)
# Dragnet
# Totale's Turns (It's Now Or Nevr)
# Grotesque (after the Gramme)
# Perverted By Language
# Hex Enduction Hour
# This Nation's Saving Grace
# Middle Class Revolt
# Bend Sinister
# Extricate
# The Infotainment Scan
# Country on the Click aka The Real New Fall LP
# Fall Heads Roll
# Reformation Post TLC (new)
Compilations/Singles/B-Sides:

# 50,000 Fall Fans Can't Be Wrong: 39 Golden Greats
# The Complete Peel Sessions 1978-2004
# Totally Wired: The Rough Trade Anthology (disc 1) and Totally Wired: The Rough Trade Anthology (disc 2)
# 458489 A-Sides
# 458489 B-Sides

Fiery Jack
The Fall Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

My face is slack
And kidneys burn
In the small of my back
Will never learn
Well I'm not going back
To the slow life
Because every step is a drag
And pieces of kite

Of materials you never catch
Come up for a snatch
Up from hell
Once in a while
Cause I am Jack
From a burning ring
My face is slack
And I think think think
I just think think think
Too fast to write
Too fast to work
Just burn burn burn
I sat and drank
While my dreams decay
I'm 45
Cause I am Jack
From a burning ring
And my face is slack
And I think think think
I just drink drink drink
Too fast to write
Too fast to work
I just burn burn burn
I eat hot dogs
I live on pies
I'm 45
Cause I am Jack
And I think think think
Just think think think
Too fast to write
Too fast to work
Just burn burn burn
And put down left-wing tirades
And the musical trade
End free trade
I say eat this grenade
Gonna eat this grenade
Cause I am Jack
Some man from the docks
They are smart
Their brains are half
They never end
Just follow trends
But I am Jack
From a burning ring
My face is slack
And I think think think
Just think think think
Too fast to write
Too fast to work
I just burn burn burn
I am Jack
And put down left-wing tirades
And the musical trade
End all free trade
I said eat this grenade
I said eat this grenade

End all free trade
I said eat this grenade

Overall Meaning

The Fall's "Fiery Jack" is a song that embodies the free-spirited, rebellious nature of punk music. It's filled with raw energy and a sense of defiance that is characteristic of the genre. The lyrics evoke a feeling of restlessness and existential unease, with lines such as "My face is slack, and kidneys burn in the small of my back, will never learn," painting a picture of a disaffected protagonist who is disillusioned with the slow pace of life.

The song's chorus, "Cause I am Jack from a burning ring, my face is slack and I think think think, too fast to write, too fast to work, just burn burn burn," is a rallying cry for anyone who feels trapped by the monotony of work and routine. It's a call to embrace the chaotic, creative energy of the moment, regardless of the consequences. The references to hot dogs, pies, and grenades suggest a desire to live life on one's own terms, even if that means risking everything.

Overall, "Fiery Jack" is a celebration of individualism and an assertion of personal freedom. It's a reminder that life is short, and we should make the most of every moment, even if that means defying convention and taking risks.

Line by Line Meaning

My face is slack
I am disoriented and out of sorts

And kidneys burn
I am in physical pain

In the small of my back
The pain is concentrated in one specific area

Will never learn
I am resigned to my situation and do not see a way out

Well I'm not going back
I refuse to return to a life that is slow and unfulfilling

To the slow life
I am rejecting a mundane and uneventful lifestyle

Because every step is a drag
Life is really hard and frustrating

And pieces of kite
Opportunities I cannot grasp or capture

Of materials you never catch
Opportunities and objects are fleeting and hard to keep

Come up for a snatch
Opportunities seem to arise suddenly and without warning

Up from hell
Life is difficult and unpleasant

Once in a while
Opportunities are rare and few in between

Cause I am Jack
I am a person who is experiencing these things

From a burning ring
My life is like a circus act or a spectacle

And I think think think
I spend a lot of time reflecting and pondering my situation

I just think think think
I am consumed by my thoughts and cannot escape them

Too fast to write
My thoughts come too quickly for me to record them

Too fast to work
I am too consumed by my own thoughts to be productive

Just burn burn burn
I feel a sense of intense pressure, pain, or unease

I sat and drank
I am trying to ease my pain with alcohol

While my dreams decay
I feel like my hopes and aspirations are crumbling away

I'm 45
I am middle-aged

And put down left-wing tirades
I reject political movements that prioritize social justice and equality

And the musical trade
I do not value the arts or creative expression

End free trade
I want to limit the movement of goods and services across borders

I say eat this grenade
I urge others to take drastic (even violent) actions to push their agenda forward

Gonna eat this grenade
I am willing to take dangerous risks to achieve my goals

Some man from the docks
People who work with their hands and are in a lower social class than I am

They are smart
They are intelligent and capable

Their brains are half
They are not as educated or sophisticated as I am

They never end
These people seem to go on forever or never change

Just follow trends
These people are easily influenced by popular ideas and fashion

And put down left-wing tirades
I reject political movements that prioritize social justice and equality

And the musical trade
I do not value the arts or creative expression

End all free trade
I want to limit the movement of goods and services across borders

I said eat this grenade
I urge others to take drastic (even violent) actions to push their agenda forward

End all free trade
I want to limit the movement of goods and services across borders

I said eat this grenade
I urge others to take drastic (even violent) actions to push their agenda forward

Cause I am Jack
I am a person who is experiencing these things

And my face is slack
I am disoriented and out of sorts

And I think think think
I spend a lot of time reflecting and pondering my situation

Just think think think
I am consumed by my thoughts and cannot escape them

Too fast to write
My thoughts come too quickly for me to record them

Too fast to work
I am too consumed by my own thoughts to be productive

I just burn burn burn
I feel a sense of intense pressure, pain, or unease

I eat hot dogs
I engage in unhealthy eating habits or do not care about what I eat

I live on pies
I indulge in sugary, unhealthy treats or do not care about my health