If you’ve had the pleasure of seeing Soccer Mommy (real name Sophie Allison) live, it’s very possible you’ve seen her perform a cover of Bruce Springsteen’s classic “I’m On Fire,” as she busts it out pretty often. Her rendition puts it through her distinct bedroom indie rock filter and gives the song a new energy that burns slowly in a different way than the original. It’s a delight, and now she’s shared a studio recording of it: On October 5, she’ll release a single featuring a new version of “Henry” — which originally appeared on 2016’s For Young Hearts — and today, she’s released the B-side, her cover of “I’m On Fire.”
“I wanted to make a version of ‘I’m On Fire’ that connected with the sadness of the song,” Allison says. “I think that doing a more stripped-down version allowed me to make something that feels emotionally raw.”
Allison holds a longtime love for “I’m On Fire”: She previously cited the song as one that’s been important to her, saying it’s been in her life for a long time:
“My dad is a big Bruce Springsteen fan, so I probably heard this song for the very first time in the car when I was really young. It’s my favorite song of his, there’s just something super classic about it. People use fire as a metaphor for love in songs a lot, but ‘I’m On Fire’ feels very unique and very original compared to a lot of other songs that do that. It has a really deep sincerity and a deep innocence to it that starts from the very beginning of the song.
It’s not very intense in terms of the words he uses, but there are really intense moments in the song that makes it feel really deep and really emotional. Towards the end of the song the bridge and the last verse really build towards these really emotional lines that are really simple. It’s just got a nice, simple sincerity to it and a really strong emotional pull.”
Listen to Soccer Mommy’s cover of “I’m On Fire” above.
The “Henry”/”I’m On Fire” single is out 10/05 via Fat Possum. Pre-order it here.
