Born in Flames

Poster for the 1929 Soviet film Born in Flames

Lyrics

At a new life we took aim We set the vast conglomerates aflame The working class avowed its name Of America's mysteries none remain

We broke the hidden tyrannies Of the reptilian joint-stock companies Nor did their armed brutalities Ever bring us to our knees

We are born in flames We are born in flames We are born in flames

Into the darkness of the past We've thrown the shamans of the ruling class The struggle of the exploited mass Has broken the oppressors' lash

We are born in flames We are born in flames

The war of great heroic deeds Confirmed the death of inhuman creeds The people now can fill their needs On truth and reason now we feed

We are born in flames We are born in flames

Against external perturbation The party-hearth of culture education Achieves all history’s confirmation Our social democrat consolidation

In brotherhood and sisterhood We are prepared to give our blood Defend new life-crush those who would Deny the right for which we stood

We are born in flames We are born in flames We are born in flames We are born

Chronology

• Born in Flames
  • Lora Logic - vocals
  • Mayo Thompson - piano
  • Gina Birch - bass
  • Epic Soundtracks - drums
  • Kangaroo? (cassette only)
  • Singles

Interpretations

Rough Trade press release, 1980

"Born in Flames" is the title of a film made in the U.S.S.R. in 1929, Director Vladimir Korsh, Screenplay by Anatoly Volny. The film concerns the fight of the Red Army against the nationalists and the Germans during the civil war in Russia.

This song is programme music for a new film by Lizzie Borden about the enthusiastic amateurs of social change.

Retrospectives

Lizzie Borden, 2016

Mayo Thompson (the leader of the band, Red Krayola) was involved with Art & Language, so I asked him to write a song. He wrote “Born in Flames.” I loved the title so much, I used it for the title of the film, which I was originally going to call “Les Guerilleres” after the book by Monique Wittig. [...] I didn’t want Born In Flames to be a boring art film, so I wanted a driving, rhythmic track to run simultaneously with speeches, so they didn’t have to be listened to. I hoped the words could work subliminally. The film is about a multiplicity of voices, so even if you hear some words it’s enough. The message, such as it is, is about the need for action.

Lora Logic, 2023

Just another Red Crayola day…

In true Mayo style, I was handed a lyric sheet 5 minutes before the bulbous red recording booth light went on!

Alone in the dark booth, confronted with strange, unusual words like “reptilian joint stock companies” and “set the vast conglomerates aflame”, I felt some comfort upon hearing Gina Birch’s deep pumping bass and Epic Soundtrack’s crisp, determined drum kit

When I landed on the runway about 4 minutes later, Geoff Travis greeted me through the mixing room window with a grinning smile

I’ll never know how this unexpected ditty, with it’s higher than helium notes was navigated

RIP Epic Soundtracks

Live recordings

Show
April 29, 2006	video, partial	vocal: ?	YouTube

Various artists compilations

• August 1980: Rough Trade New Releases 2 (UK)
• 1981: Rough Trade Records Compilation (Germany)
• 1982: Long Distance - Rough Trade Compilación (Spain)
• 2003: Fanfare In The Garden: An Essential Logic Collection (US)