Bruce Springsteen Wrote This Hit Single in Two Minutes, Inspired by Johnny Cash

In 1985, Bruce Springsteen released “I’m On Fire”, one of his many hit singles. On his Born In The U.S.A. album, Springsteen wrote “I’m On Fire” by himself.

One of the sexiest songs Springsteen has ever released, “I’m On Fire” says, “Sometimes it’s like someone took a knife, baby, edgy and dull / And cut a six-inch valley through the middle of my skull / At night, I wake up with the sheets soaking wet / And a freight train running through the middle of my head / Only you can cool my desire / Oh, oh, oh / I’m on fire / Oh, oh, oh / I’m on fire / Oh, oh, oh / I’m on fire.”

It may seem like a love interest inspired this massive Springsteen hit, but that isn’t the case. Instead, Springsteen says he drew inspiration from Johnny Cash when writing “I’m On Fire”.

“I’m On Fire” was a bit of a departure for Springsteen. The music video for this song marks the first time he acted as a character in one of his videos. In “I’m On Fire”, Springsteen portrays himself as an auto mechanic.

How Johnny Cash Inspired “I’m On Fire” by Bruce Springsteen

Springsteen was reportedly thinking about a Cash rhythm when he wrote “I’m On Fire”. He had no idea that the song would become one of his biggest hits.

“That was literally a song I wrote in two minutes,” Springsteen tells Rolling Stone. “Didn’t even think about it. Didn’t think it was ever going to be on a record. And in the studio, there’s me playing that Johnny Cash Tennessee Three guitar. And then there’s the synthesizer, and there’s Max [Weinberg] playing a bass foot. I think that’s all that’s on that record.”

Springsteen goes on to say he drew a lot of influence from both Cash and Hank Williams for his songwriting on several of his other songs.

“I’m On Fire” remains one of Springsteen’s most noteworthy songs. So it’s surprising that it did not reach No. 1. Interestingly, neither did some of his other hit singles from Born In The U.S.A., including the title track and “Glory Days”. Surprisingly, Springsteen never actually had a No. 1 single as a solo artist.

Cash later covered Springsteen’s “I’m On Fire” as part of the 2000 album, Badlands: A Tribute to Bruce Springsteen’s Nebraska. The record also includes artists like Deana Carter, Johnny Cash, Raul Malo and more, all singing songs written solely by Springsteen.

Photo by Bob Riha, Jr./Getty Images