PRODIGY - FIRESTARTER / BREATHE 

FIRESTARTER

Released: March 18, 1996

Charted:  UK: #1 (3 weeks) US: #30 

"Firestarter" was the debut single from the Prodigy’s album "The Fat of the Land." Co-written and produced by Liam Howlett, the track features vocals by Keith Flint. It became the group's first UK number-one single, holding the spot for three weeks, and achieved international success by also reaching the top of the charts in several countries including the Czech Republic, Finland, Hungary, and Norway.

"Firestarter" marked the first time Keith Flint provided vocals for The Prodigy. Originally written by Liam Howlett as an instrumental, Flint expressed interest in adding vocals despite not showing previous enthusiasm for singing. Flint wrote the lyrics, which essentially describe him, as "flint" is a material used to start fires. Despite feeling his English wasn't strong, Flint's vocal delivery added a menacing quality to the track.

In an interview with Melody Maker, Keith Flint explained that the lyrics "I'm the Firestarter. Twisted firestarter," were the first he had written for the band. He clarified that the rave rock anthem wasn't about literally starting fires but rather about performing in front of large crowds and stirring them up into a frenzy. Flint expressed his desire to create memorable experiences for the audience, emphasizing the song's theme of stirring people up.

The songwriting credits include Kim Deal of the Breeders, as the looped wah-wah guitar riff was sampled from their track "S.O.S." The drums are sampled from a remix of Ten City's song "Devotion," and the "hey" sample is from "Close (to the Edit)" by Art of Noise. Additionally, then-members Anne Dudley, Trevor Horn, J. J. Jeczalik, Gary Langan, and Paul Morley also receive songwriting credits.

The video was filmed in a tube tunnel at the disused Aldwych station in London, featuring Keith Flint in an American flag T-shirt and a menacing Mohican haircut. The intense visuals drew criticism from the fire service, accusing it of encouraging arson, while tabloids slammed it for frightening young children.

BREATHE

Released: November 11, 1996

Charted:  UK: #1 (2 weeks)

"Breathe" by the Prodigy, released in November 1996, served as the second single from their third album, "The Fat of the Land" (1997). Notably, it incorporates a drum break from the song "Johnny the Fox Meets Jimmy the Weed" by Thin Lizzy. Additionally, the whiplashing sword sound effect is sampled from "Da Mystery of Chessboxin" by Wu-Tang Clan. Similar to "Firestarter," Jim Davies contributed guitar work to "Breathe." The single achieved widespread success, topping charts in various countries including the United Kingdom, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Hungary, Ireland, Norway, and Sweden.

"Breathe" stands out as the best-selling single of the band in the UK, with total sales reaching 709,000 copies, including an impressive 195,000 sold in its first week alone. Despite radio play being limited to evening shows, the song garnered widespread popularity. Notably, the Prodigy later recorded a new version of the track featuring vocals from Wu-Tang Clan's RZA. This updated rendition, known as the "Liam H And René LaVice Re-Amp," was produced by the band's own Liam Howlett in collaboration with Canadian producer René LaVice.

The music video was directed by English director Walter Stern and set in what appeared to be an abandoned, dilapidated apartment building. Throughout the video, the band members encounter a series of surreal and unsettling experiences, with Keith Flint and Maxim representing these phenomena, while Leeroy Thornhill and Liam Howlett are depicted as being caught in them. The video features various animals, including an alligator and crickets, which evoke different types of phobias. This visually striking and psychologically intense video earned the band two MTV Video Music Awards in 1997: Viewer's Choice and International Viewer's Choice Award for MTV Europe.