Ice on Fire

The title of the album contains a line from the lyrics of "Nikita": "With eyes that looked like ice on fire".

Guests on the recording include Nik Kershaw; Sister Sledge; Pino Palladino; Mel Gaynor and Millie Jackson, who duetted with John on "Act of War"; George Michael, then of Wham!, who appears on "Nikita" and "Wrap Her Up"; and Roger Taylor and John Deacon of Queen who play drums and bass guitar on "Too Young".

According to Elizabeth Rosenthal in her book, His Songs: The Musical Journey of Elton John (p. 260; First edition), the LP's closing track, "Shoot Down the Moon", was considered for the James Bond film A View to a Kill, but the producers instead decided to go with the title track as performed by Duran Duran for the film's soundtrack.{{cite book |first=Elizabeth J. |last=Rosenthal |year=2001 |title=His Song: The Musical Journey of Elton John |publisher=Watson-Guptill |location=New York City |isbn=0-8230-8893-6 |pages=260 }}

{{track listing

| all_writing = Elton John and Bernie Taupin, except where noted

| headline = Side one

| title1 = This Town

| length1 = 3:56

| title2 = Cry to Heaven

| length2 = 4:16

| title3 = Soul Glove

| length3 = 3:31

| title4 = Nikita

| length4 = 5:43

| title5 = Too Young

| length5 = 5:12

}}

{{track listing

| headline = Side two

| title1 = Wrap Her Up

| note1 = John, Taupin, Davey Johnstone, Fred Mandel, Charlie Morgan, Paul Westwood

| length1 = 6:21

| title2 = Satellite

| note2 = 4:37 in length on CD reissue

| length2 = 3:57

| title3 = Tell Me What the Papers Say

| length3 = 3:40

| title4 = Candy by the Pound

| length4 = 3:56

| title5 = Shoot Down the Moon

| length5 = 5:09

| total_length = 45:41

}}

• Sides one and two were combined as tracks 1–10 on CD reissues.

{{track listing

| headline = Bonus track (On the 1985 original CD and the 1992 MCA reissue)

| title11 = Act of War

| note11 = Duet with Millie Jackson

| length11 = 4:43

| total_length = 50:24

}}

{{track listing

| headline = Bonus tracks (1999 Mercury reissue)

| title11 = The Man Who Never Died

| note11 = John

| length11 = 5:12

| title12 = Restless

| note12 = Live 1984

| length12 = 4:25

| title13 = Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word

| note13 = Live 1977 (Erroneously listed as "Live 1984")

| length13 = 3:23

| title14 = I'm Still Standing

| note14 = Live 1984

| length14 = 4:52

| total_length = 64:13

}}

Notes

• The remastered 1999 version did not include "Act of War"; the 1999 remaster had a longer intro to "Satellite" than the LP and the 1985 CD issue, and has a slightly different vocal mix. The live version of "Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word" is not the version found on the 12" single of "Nikita", but is an unreleased version from 1977 (Live at Rainbow Rock in May). It is unknown why the switch occurred. The other two live tracks were recorded at Wembley Stadium during the tour for the album Breaking Hearts.
• "The Man Who Never Died" is a song written about John Lennon, in addition to "Empty Garden (Hey Hey Johnny)", from Elton John's album Jump Up!

Track numbering refers to CD and digital releases of the album.

{{Div col|colwidth=30em}}

• Elton John – lead vocals, acoustic piano (1–3, 5, 8, 10, 11), Yamaha GS1 piano (4, 5), synthesizer (4, 7, 9, 11), backing vocals (4)
• Fred Mandel – synthesizers (1, 4, 5, 10, 11), keyboards (2, 3, 6–9), sequencer (6), electric guitar (7, 11), finger snaps (7), arrangements (10)
• Davey Johnstone – electric guitar (1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11), Spanish guitar (2), synth guitar (2, 7), backing vocals (3, 5, 6–9)
• Nik Kershaw – electric guitar (4, 7, 11), backing vocals (4)
• Paul Westwood – bass (1, 2, 6)
• Deon Estus – bass (3, 7, 11)
• David Paton – bass (4, 8, 9)
• John Deacon – bass (5)
• Pino Palladino – bass (10)
• Charlie Morgan – drums (1, 2, 6)
• Mel Gaynor – drums (3, 7, 11)
• Dave Mattacks – drums (4, 8, 9), military snare (5)
• Roger Taylor – drums (5)
• Frank Ricotti – percussion (3, 5), vibraphone (9)
• James Newton Howard – string arrangements (3, 6)
• Gus Dudgeon – horn arrangements (3, 6), Simmons drums (5, 11), arrangements (10)
• David Bitelli – horn arrangements (1, 3, 6, 9), baritone saxophone (1, 6, 9), tenor saxophone (3, 6)
• Bob Sydor – tenor saxophone (3)
• Phil Todd – alto saxophone (6)
• Nick Pentelow – tenor saxophone (9)
• Pete Thomas – tenor saxophone (9)
• Rick Taylor – trombone (1, 3, 6, 9), horn arrangements (9)
• Chris Pyne – trombone (9)
• Raul D'Oliveira – trumpet (1, 3, 6, 9)
• Paul Spong – trumpet (1, 3, 6, 9)
• Sister Sledge – backing vocals (1)
• Alan Carvell – backing vocals (3, 5, 7–9)
• Kiki Dee – backing vocals (3, 5, 6, 8, 9)
• Katie Kissoon – backing vocals (3, 5, 6, 8, 9)
• Pete Wingfield – backing vocals (3, 5, 6–9)
• George Michael – backing vocals (4), featured vocals (6)
• Millie Jackson – lead and backing vocals (11)

{{div col end}}

• Produced by Gus Dudgeon
• All lyrics by Bernie Taupin
• Recorded by Stuart Epps
• Mixed and edited by Graham Dickson and Gus Dudgeon
• Additional mixing and editing by Tom Pearce
• Mastered by Gordon Vicary at The Townhouse (London, UK)
• Design – David Larkham
• Photography – Terry O'Neill

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{{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications and sales for Ice on Fire}}

{{Certification Table Entry|type=album|relyear=1985|relmonth=11|region=Austria|award=Gold|certyear=1987|certref={{cite web|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/80s/1987/M&M-1987-12-26.pdf|title=The European Best Sellers of 1987 – Gold & Platinum Awards 1987|publisher=worldradiohistory.com|work=Music and Media|page=44|date=26 December 1987|access-date=21 April 2021}}}}

{{Certification Table Entry|type=album|relyear=1985|relmonth=11|region=Belgium|award=Gold|certyear=1986|certref={{cite web|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/80s/1986/M&M-1986-12-27.pdf|title=European Gold & Platinum Awards 1986|publisher=worldradiohistory.com|work=Music and Media|page=33|date=27 December 1986|access-date=21 April 2021}}}}

{{Certification Table Entry|type=album|relyear=1985|relmonth=11|region=France|award=Gold|certyear=1986|source=infodisc|artist=Elton John|title=Ice on Fire|access-date=21 April 2021}}

{{Certification Table Entry|type=album|relyear=1985|relmonth=11|region=Germany|award=Gold|certyear=1986|artist=Elton John|title=Ice on Fire|access-date=21 April 2021}}

{{Certification Table Entry|type=album|relyear=1985|relmonth=11|region=Netherlands|award=Gold|certyear=1986|artist=Elton John|title=Ice on Fire|access-date=21 April 2021|salesamount=80,000|salesref={{cite web|first=Chris|last=White|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1990/MM-1990-12-22.pdf|title=Elton John – Record Man Across The Water|publisher=worldradiohistory.com|work=Music and Media|pages=17–19|date=22 December 1990|access-date=21 April 2021}}}}

{{Certification Table Entry|type=album|relyear=1985|relmonth=11|region=New Zealand|award=Platinum|certyear=1986|artist=Elton John|id=1986-04-18|source=newchart|access-date=2024-11-20|title=Ice on Fire}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Spain|nocert=yes|salesamount=48,500|salesref=}}

{{Certification Table Entry|type=album|relyear=1985|relmonth=11|region=Sweden|award=Platinum|certyear=1989|access-date=21 April 2021}}

{{Certification Table Entry|type=album|relyear=1985|relmonth=11|region=Switzerland|award=Platinum|number=2|certyear=1989|artist=Elton John|title=Ice on Fire|access-date=21 April 2021}}

{{Certification Table Entry|type=album|relyear=1985|relmonth=11|region=United Kingdom|award=Platinum|certyear=1986|id=3186-2982-2|artist=Elton John|title=Ice on Fire|access-date=21 April 2021}}

{{Certification Table Entry|type=album|relyear=1985|relmonth=11|region=United States|award=Gold|certyear=1986|artist=Elton John|title=Ice on Fire|access-date=21 April 2021}}

{{Certification Table Bottom}}

{{Reflist}}

• {{Discogs master|type=album|87214|name=Ice on Fire}}

{{Elton John}}

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Category:Elton John albums

Category:1985 albums

Category:Albums produced by Gus Dudgeon

Category:Geffen Records albums

Category:The Rocket Record Company albums