# Fireboy

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For other uses, see [Fireboy (disambiguation)](/source/Fireboy_(disambiguation)).

***Fireboy*** is the second solo album by [Grant McLennan](/source/Grant_McLennan), a member of [the Go-Betweens](/source/The_Go-Betweens).[2][3] It was released in 1993.[4] In the album's liner notes McLennan said the songs were for [Gloria Swanson](/source/Gloria_Swanson), [Kenneth Slessor](/source/Kenneth_Slessor), [Brett Whiteley](/source/Brett_Whiteley) and [Dean Martin](/source/Dean_Martin). Produced by [Dave Dobbyn](/source/Dave_Dobbyn), it was recorded in [Woolloomooloo](/source/Woolloomooloo).[5] The first single was "Surround Me".[6]

## Critical reception

*[Trouser Press](/source/Trouser_Press)* called the album "a near-perfect convergence of observant, passionate words and jangly, surging tunes."[7] The *[Calgary Herald](/source/Calgary_Herald)* wrote that McLennan "sings with conviction [and] poetic insight."[8]

[AllMusic](/source/AllMusic) wrote: "If there are hints of older rock styles here and there, McLennan's singing in particular still has the sharp, modern edge that helped make the Go-Betweens great, all while not losing his trademark warmth."[9]

## Track listing

All tracks written by Grant McLennan, except where noted.

1. "Lighting Fires" – 3:36
1. "Surround Me" – 3:55
1. "One Million Miles from Here" – 3:45
1. "The Dark Side of Town" – 3:46
1. "Things Will Change" – 2:45
1. "The Pawnbroker" – 8:12
1. "Whose Side Are You On?" – 3:09
1. "Fingers" (Grant McLennan, [Dave Dobbyn](/source/Dave_Dobbyn))– 3:34
1. "Signs of Life" – 4:23
1. "The Day My Eyes Came Back" – 4:08
1. "Bathe (in the Water)" – 3:30
1. "When I Close My Eyes" – 1:24
1. "Riddle in the Rain" – 6:29

## Personnel

- [Grant McLennan](/source/Grant_McLennan) – vocals, guitars, tambourine, maracas
- [Dave Dobbyn](/source/Dave_Dobbyn) – guitars, keyboards, backing vocals
- Ian Belton – bass
- Pedro Bull – organ, piano
- Michael Barclay – drums, backing vocals
- Penny Flanagan – vocals ("Surround Me", "Bathe")
- Julia Richardson – vocals ("Surround Me", "Bathe")
- Karin Jansson – vocals ("The Dark Side of Town", "Things Will Change")
- Mae Moore – vocals ("Bathe")
- Nicky Ferguson – vocals ("Lighting Fires")
- Stephen Hurley – organ ("Bathe")

## References

1. Forster, Robert (14 August 2017). ["Grant & I: Inside and Outside the Go-Betweens"](https://books.google.com/books?id=imYsDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT130). Omnibus Press. – via Google Books.

1. ["Grant McLennan Biography, Songs, & Albums"](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/grant-mclennan-mn0000661443/biography). *AllMusic*

1. Mathur, Paul (Mar 6, 1993). "Fireboy by GW McLennan". *Melody Maker*. Vol. 69, no. 10. p. 29.

1. Buckley, Peter (20 September 2003). ["The Rough Guide to Rock"](https://books.google.com/books?id=7ctjc6UWCm4C&pg=PA430). Rough Guides. – via Google Books.

1. Wilson, Bridget (May 21, 1992). "PRINCE TAKES SHINE TO SOME LOCAL TALENT". *The Sydney Morning Herald*. p. 5.

1. Kearns, Lisa (April 2, 1993). "Dancing towards oblivion". *The Age*. p. 10.

1. ["G.W. McLennan"](https://trouserpress.com/reviews/g-w-mclennan/). *Trouser Press*. Retrieved 20 September 2022.

1. Muretich, James (4 Apr 1993). "G.W. McLennan: Fireboy". *Calgary Herald*. p. C2.

1. ["Grant McLennan - Fireboy Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic"](https://www.allmusic.com/album/fireboy-mw0002016239). – via www.allmusic.com.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Fireboy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fireboy) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fireboy?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.