“The Heat is On” by Glenn Frey
In actuality, the lyrics of Glenn Frey’s “The Heat is On” are very ambiguous, being centered on the concept of ‘the heat being on’. To say something “is on” not only means it’s happening in the moment but also that whatever it is, it is very lively and requires some type of direct response.
So that would be the verb upon which this track is based. As far as the noun, “the heat”, as detailed in the first verse, would be akin to a ‘high pressure’ situation.
As expounded later in the post, this track is actually from an action-comedy movie. So when the vocalist sings of “being caught up in the action” that’s “on the street” in the hook, he means that quite literally, if you will.
However, as alluded earlier, the lyrics aren’t specifically based on any type of plot or narrative per se. The subject would actually be ‘you’ or whoever it is these lyrics pertain too, not the vocalist himself. And basically, there’s some type of life-or-death situation said addressee is facing “on the street”.
And… that’s about it. There doesn’t appear to be any type of moral to the story, like the singer encouraging the addressee or anything like that. Rather the former is fundamentally putting forth that under such situations, when “the heat is on” this, either an individual will rise to the challenge or shrink to it.
Beverly Hills Cop
So the lyrics do a good job of obviously being inspired by Beverly Hills Cop – the afore-referenced movie – yet not using any proper nouns or language that would tie it directly to an action flick.
Instead, if we were forced to derive a thesis sentiment from this, well first the premise would be that there’s a certain aspect of the streets, “the darker side” as Glenn puts it, which may be exhilarating but at the same time dangerous. So if a person actually decides to go there, then it behooves said individual to be up to the task of dealing with “the heat” that may come with it.
Glenn Frey
Glenn Frey is a name that some readers may not be familiar with as a soloist. He is more recognizable as part of a unit, the Eagles, who currently hold the distinction of having the highest-selling album in American history.
Glenn’s solo discography is truly only about a decade long, primarily encompassing the 1980s. And whereas he didn’t really blow up on his own, Frey is responsible for dropping a couple of unforgettable hits from that era. One of them would be “You Belong to the City” (1985).
And the other is the song we’re covering today, “The Heat Is On”, which MCA released on 19 June 1984. It was the second single from Beverly Hills Cop: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack. And to note Beverly Hills Cops (1984) is one of the earliest films in comedian’s Eddie Murphy’s filmography, during his own heyday of the 1980s.
Glenn was enlisted to participate on the above project by MCA. At the time, being that the makers of the film knew it was going to be a hit, other musicians, such as Stevie Wonder and Quincy Jones, were also involved as potentially participating on the soundtrack.
Some of the big name acts that did go on to actually be featured were Patti LaBelle and The Pointer Sister. And considering that Frey himself, as noted earlier, never had a big hit of his own before this point, he didn’t feel that he had a chance.
Facts about “The Heat is On”
The saxophone playing, which is one of the most prominent parts of this song, is rendered by David Woodford. But to note, he’s not the person depicted doing so on the music video.
This song has also been utilized by some professional sports teams, perhaps most notably the St. Louis Cardinals, in the name of encouraging fans and discouraging opponents.
Glenn Frey acted as one of the producers of this song, accomplishing the task alongside regular collaborator All Blazek (1950-2021).
“The Heat Is On” charted in a dozen countries, breaking the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 and top 15 of the UK Singles Chart in the process. But as implied above, it has enjoyed a usage and popularity which has extended beyond its chart showing.
