"Fire Away"
Song by Chris Stapleton
from the album Traveller
StudioRCA Studio A
Length4:04
LabelMercury Nashville
Songwriter(s)
  • Chris Stapleton
  • Danny Green
Producer(s)
Music video
"Fire Away" on YouTube

"Fire Away" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Chris Stapleton for his studio album Traveller (2015). It was written by Stapleton and Danny Green. The song's accompanying music video was released on February 26, 2016.

Composition

After listening to live renditions of "Fire Away", Billboard writer Elias Leight opined the song features "dragging beat in a classic soul-ballad time signature,"[1] while for Tad Dickens of The Roanoke Times, a "waltz-time."[2]

Music video

The music video concept for "Fire Away" was conceived by Stapleton and directed by Tim Mattia, starring Ben Foster and Margarita Levieva.[3] The video follows a couple through courtship and marriage, going through exciting life moments such as buying a home and decorating it together. The happy memories soon fade, dissolving into struggle and ultimately tragedy, as it is evident that the woman is suffering from mental illness and tries multiple times to commit suicide.[4] The video ends displaying the website for the Campaign to Change Direction. "Fire Away" visually depicts what the organization calls the Five Signs of suffering emotionally which includes change in personality, agitation, withdrawal, decline in personal care, and hopelessness.[5] Stapleton makes a cameo as a bartender.[4]

It won the award for Music Video of the Year at the 2016 Country Music Association Awards,[6] and for Breakthrough Video of the Year at the 2016 CMT Music Awards.[7] Reviewing the clip, Jon Freeman of Rolling Stone opined, "Though the video isn't a literal interpretation of Stapleton's lyrics, the video captures the song's weary sadness and brings the doomed resilience of his narrator to life in Foster's performance."[3] Jim Casey of Nash Country Daily concluded saying, "Through a heartbreaking conclusion, it shows just how serious mental health issues can be."[8]

Charts

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[12] 3× Platinum 3,000,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. ^ Leight, Elias (May 6, 2016). "Chris Stapleton Shows His Inner Stax Soul Man at Album Release Party In New York: Live Review". Billboard. Retrieved April 30, 2017.
  2. ^ Dickens, Tad (April 21, 2017). "Concert review - Chris Stapleton energizes a sold-out Berglund Coliseum". The Roanoke Times. Retrieved April 30, 2017.
  3. ^ a b Freeman, Jon (February 29, 2016). "See Chris Stapleton's Harrowing 'Fire Away' Video". Rolling Stone. Retrieved February 29, 2016.
  4. ^ a b Vain, Madison (February 29, 2016). "Chris Stapleton releases Fire Away music video". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved April 30, 2017.
  5. ^ Reuter, Annie (February 29, 2016). "Chris Stapleton Raises Awareness for Suicide Prevention With 'Fire Away' Video". Taste of Country. Retrieved April 30, 2017.
  6. ^ "CMA Award Winners 2016: Complete List". Billboard. November 2, 2016. Retrieved November 2, 2016.
  7. ^ "CMT Music Awards 2016: See the Full Winners List". Billboard. August 6, 2016. Retrieved April 30, 2017.
  8. ^ Casey, Jim (November 2, 2016). "Chris Stapleton's "Fire Away" Wins CMA Award for Video of the Year". Nash Country Daily. Retrieved April 30, 2017.
  9. ^ "Chris Stapleton Chart History (Bubbling Under Hot 100)". Billboard.
  10. ^ "Chris Stapleton Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.
  11. ^ "Hot Country Songs – Year-End 2016". Billboard. Retrieved April 24, 2020.
  12. ^ "American single certifications – Chris Stapleton – Fire Away". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved August 10, 2022.
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