THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

106-Kings of Leon-Sex on Fire.

2008-Number 1 single.

Best Bit-At 2.56. They say sex sells anything, but I have a sneaky feeling this would have sold anyway.

The Kings of Leon were formed in Mt. Juliet, Tennessee, United States, in 1999, by Caleb, Jared, and Nathan Followill, along with their cousin Matthew Followill, for the discography of the band see best songs 551.

Prior to the release of ‘Sex on Fire’ the Kings of Leon had already achieved some success, especially in the UK, with their three previous Albums, but it was this single which greatly helped take the band to the next level, particularly in America where up until then their success had been very limited. ‘Sex on Fire’ was the first of six singles released from the King of Leon’s fourth studio Album ‘Only by the Night’ from September 2008, the lyrics were written by the groups lead singer Caleb Followill, with all four band members credited with writing the music. The song was jointly produced by Angelo Petraglia, and Jacquire King, who has also produced three other Kings of Leon Albums to date.

Caleb Followill wrote the lyrics with his then girlfriend Lily Aldridge in mind (they married in 2011.) Nathan Followill has said that the band never intended the song to be named ‘Sex on Fire,’ and that it was not intended to be about sexuality. He has said,’They were totally different lyrics. Depending on whether a song starts with a melody or starts with lyrics, you know if it starts with a melody you just keep playing the melody over and over until you get it down and just throw in any lyrics that fit the verbal flow. It was actually going to be “Set Us on Fire”, but one of the sound mixers in the studio walked in as we were playing and said, “‘Sex on Fire’, huh?” And it just kind of became a running joke, and we stuck with it. Commenting on the song Caleb Followill has jokingly said,’There’s always been an element of sex in our music, so I thought I’d just wrap it all up in one song and be done with the sex for the rest of the record.’ Caleb has also said, ‘It’s about a great sexual relationship with hot, hot sex that you remember for ever.’

As well as reaching Number 1 in the UK, ‘Sex on Fire’ also made Number 1 in Australia, Ireland, and Finland, although in America on the Billboard Hot 100 it stalled at Number 56. It did find greater success in the States though by reaching Number 1 on the ‘Alternative Airplay’ chart, and Number 10 on the ‘Hot Rock & Alternative Songs’ chart, greatly helping to raise the bands profile in their home country. With sales in excess of 1.2 million copies ‘Sex on Fire’ is one of the best selling songs of the 21st Century in the UK. It has also spent a total of 90 nonconsecutive weeks in the UK top 40, which makes it the third most charted single of all time in that country.

‘Hot as a fever, rattle of bones. I could just taste it, taste it. But it’s not forever, but it’s just tonight. Oh we’re still the greatest, he greatest, the greatest.’