Partially due to not being on fire, Sage Francis is set to release his new LP, Human The Death Dance, on May 8. The album, his tenth, features collaborations with Jolie Holland, Mark Isham, and Buck 65. Some of the tracks have been recorded for the Edward Norton/Colin Farrell film, Pride & Glory. None of these people are currently on fire.
"I am relieved that I am not on fire, as I feel that being on fire would seriously impair my ability to create and release not only this album, but the many albums I have planned for the future," Sage said in a recent press release. "Rapping is a very serious business, and it is very hard to do if you are on fire. Well, I can only guess that that is the case, as I am not on fire."
Doctor Ben Tilley, Professor of Fire at Stanford University, is hopeful for Sage's continuing health. "Assuming a continuing state of non-combustion, Sage can hope to live a happy and healthy life for about another 50 years," he told Tiny Mix Tapes. "Of course, should he set on fire at any point, he should expect his life expectancy to drop dramatically."
3,675 people die due to fire every year in the USA. The symptoms include burns, blisters, smoke damage, and death. The Great Chicago fire of 1871, in which Sage Francis was not involved, caused $2.6 billion dollars worth of damage (adjusted).
While a full tracklisting for Human The Death Dance has not yet been released, songs such as "Woke Up This Morning," "Hell Of A Year," and "Keep Moving" cover topics ranging from the workplace to sex addiction. In an eerie reflection of his current state, none of the songs mention being on fire.