"Cat People (Putting Out Fire)" is a song by David Bowie. It was recorded for Paul Schrader's 1982 remake of the film Cat People with producer Giorgio Moroder.

Schrader engaged Bowie for a theme song in 1981, with Moroder having already recorded most of the music. Bowie was to put lyrics to the main theme. The words only had a basic relation to the film. The B-side is a Moroder-only instrumental which featured no input from Bowie.

The song itself, in keeping with the dark tone of the film, has some slight goth rock influences, with Bowie singing in a deep croon while being backed up by a female chorus, a combination that The Sisters of Mercy would commonly employ years later.

Because of Moroder's contract, the single was issued by MCA. The full-length version appeared on the soundtrack album, and the 12" single, while a 4:08 edited version was made for the 7" release. The single reached #26 in the UK, and #67 in the US - Bowie's biggest hit there since "Golden Years". It peaked at #1 in New Zealand, remaining there for three weeks, as well as in Sweden for four weeks. It was also #1 in Norway for seven consecutive weeks, and then returned to the top for a further week.

The single was released three separate times by MCA. First with "Cat People" as the A-side, then again two months later with "Paul's Theme" as the A-side, and finally in November 1982 with "Cat People" back on the A-side. Notable contribution as orchestrator was made by Hungarian-born composer, Sylvester Levay.

In 1983, Bowie re-recorded the song for his album Let's Dance. This version was also released as the B-side to the title track's single release, and performed on Bowie's Serious Moonlight Tour.

In 2009, the track was used in another film, Quentin Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds. Despite being anachronistic, the lyrics are related to the plot, occurring when a character is preparing to commit arson in order to put out the "fire" of Nazi rule; the character has also been putting out the "fire" of her hatred of the Nazis with "gasoline" ever since her family's murder at their hands. The lyrics also mention "one thousand years", and the song appears in the film not long after several characters drink a toast to the "Thousand Year Reich".

Sharleen Spiteri recorded a new version of the song in 2010 which was included on her album The Movie Songbook.

Track listing

7": MCA / MCA 770 (UK)

1. "Cat People (Putting Out Fire)" (Bowie, Moroder) ? 4:08
2. "Paul's Theme (Jogging Chase)" (Moroder) ? 3:51

12": MCA / MCAT 770 (UK)

1. "Cat People (Putting Out Fire)" (Bowie, Moroder) ? 6:41
2. "Paul's Theme (Jogging Chase)" (Moroder) ? 3:51

12": MCA / DS 12087 (Australia)

1. "Cat People (Putting Out Fire)" (Bowie, Moroder) ? 4:08
2. "Cat People (Putting Out Fire)" (Bowie, Moroder) ? 9:20

• label states running time of 6:41, but is actually 9:20

Charts

Production credits

• Producers:
  • Giorgio Moroder

• Musicians:
  • David Bowie: Vocals
  • Giorgio Moroder: Synthesizer
  • Stevie Ray Vaughan: Electric guitar

Other releases

• The "Let's Dance" version was released as the B-side of the single "Let's Dance" in March 1983.
• It also appeared on the compilation Bowie: The Singles 1969-1993 in 1993.
• It also appeared on the compilation The Best of 1980/1987 in 2007.
• The "Let's Dance" version contains lead guitar work by a then little-known Stevie Ray Vaughan.
• Also used in the score of the Quentin Tarantino film Inglourious Basterds in 2009.

Cover versions

• Big Electric Cat - Goth Oddity: A Tribute to David Bowie (1999)
• Cruciform - Goth Oddity 2000: A Tribute to David Bowie (2000)
• Terror Pop - Live recording
• Tina Turner
• Gosling for the Underworld: Evolution soundtrack
• Danzig - The Lost Tracks of Danzig (2007)
• Krust - for the Long Time Dead Soundtrack
• Nick Douglas - Hero: The Main Man Records Tribute to David Bowie (2007)

Notes

References

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