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A popular metaphor used in pop music is fire, sometimes to the point that it becomes a cliché. Many rocks, country, pop, and hip-hop songs are about fire, are used as a metaphor, or are at least included in the title of a song.
Of all the elements, fire is the one that appears most often in songs. It is used both literally and, more often, as a symbol of love (“I’m on Fire”) or something clearly more pleasurable (“The Fire Down Below”). Because of its various levels – from comforting heat to devastating burns – it’s also the most versatile element.
Our top list of the best fire songs is colorful. Some are about love and some are about sex.
Various Performerations of fire in song lyrics
Depending on the song, the word fire can mean a variety of different things. Often the word is associated with romance or breakups.
The term has also been used to describe the desire and intensity of missing someone or something.
Many songs use the word fire to describe the turmoil that follows an argument. Songs that use this metaphor are often narrative or confessional. Fire is the perfect metaphor for describing struggles and challenges in life.
How different genres have used fire as a metaphor
The word fire evokes strong emotions. Some rock bands, pop bands, and hip-hop groups have used the word to express fear and anger.
A number of folk musicians of the 60s and 70s used the term as a metaphor for the social changes that were taking place in their time. The word has been used as a symbol of revolution and rebellion.
In the R&B and soul genres, fire has been used to convey conflict or hidden longings regarding relationships. This “hot” word can be used for so many different things. It’s amazing how one word can be used to describe so many experiences in our lives!
(You can find a Spotify playlist at the end of the article.)
Ranked 1 – 100 of the best songs about fire & flames:
| №: | Song: | Performer: | Listen: |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | We Didn’t Start The Fire | Billy Joel |  |
| 2. | I’m on Fire | Bruce Springsteen | |
| 3. | Fight Fire With Fire | Metallica | |
| 4. | Sex on Fire | Kings Of Leon | |
| 5. | Ring of Fire | Johnny Cash | |
| 6. | Burning Down the House | The Talking Heads | |
| 7. | Light My Fire | The Doors | |
| 8. | London’s Burning | The Clash | |
| 9. | Feuerwerk | Wincent Weiss | |
| 10. | Fire Water Burn | Bloodhound Gang | |
| 11. | Ashes & Fire | Ryan Adams | |
| 12. | Feuer Frei! | Rammstein | |
| 13. | Firework | Katy Perry | |
| 14. | Set Fire to the Rain | Adele | |
| 15. | Beds are Burning | Midnight Oil | |
| 16. | Firestarter | The Prodigy | |
| 17. | Song on Fire | Nickelback | |
| 18. | Fire Woman | The Cult | |
| 19. | I See Fire | Ed Sheeran | |
| 20. | Just Like Fire | Pink | |
| 21. | Angel on Fire | Halsey | |
| 22. | Firewall | Bright Eyes | |
| 23. | Feuer | Capital Bra | |
| 24. | Sleep Now in the Fire | Rage Against The Machine | |
| 25. | Feuer | Marteria | |
| 26. | Burnin’ for You | Blue Oyster Cult | |
| 27. | Fire Burns | Nicki Minaj | |
| 28. | House on Fire | Ryan Cabrera | |
| 29. | Open Fire | The Darkness | |
| 30. | Heart on Fire | Clean Bandit | |
| 31. | Feuer | Loredana, Getinjo | |
| 32. | Original Fire | Audioslave | |
| 33. | Burning Bright (Field on Fire) | Nine Inch Nails | |
| 34. | Fire Your Guns | AC/DC | |
| 35. | Fireworks | Drake | |
| 36. | Forged in Fire | Anvil | |
| 37. | Blood Fire War Hate | Soulfly | |
| 38. | Jump Into the Fire | Nilsson | |
| 39. | Feuer | Jan Delay | |
| 40. | Paper in Fire | John Mellencamp | |
| 41. | Start a Fire | Passenger | |
| 42. | Cold Fire | Rush | |
| 43. | Death in Fire | Amon Amarth | |
| 44. | Eternal Flame | The Bangles | |
| 45. | Rooms on Fire | Stevie Nicks | |
| 46. | (You Will) Set the World on Fire | David Bowie | |
| 47. | Fire On The Inside | Pillar | |
| 48. | Hearts Burst Into Fire | Bullet for My Valentine | |
| 49. | The Fire Down Below | Bob Seger | |
| 50. | Heart on Fire | Scars on 45 | |
| 51. | Fire It Up | Modest Mouse | |
| 52. | Enter the Eternal Fire | Bathory | |
| 53. | Fire on the Mountain | Rob Thomas | |
| 54. | Feuer | Jennifer Rostock | |
| 55. | Play With Fire | The Rolling Stones | |
| 56. | Girl on Fire | Alicia Keys | |
| 57. | Fire and the Thud | Arctic Monkeys | |
| 58. | I Am the Fire | Halestorm | |
| 59. | Fireball | Pitbull | |
| 60. | Home Is A Fire | Death Cab for Cutie | |
| 61. | Set Me on Fire | Flyleaf | |
| 62. | Inside the Fire | Disturbed | |
| 63. | Chariots of Fire | Vangelis | |
| 64. | Full of Fire | Al Green | |
| 65. | Fire | The Jimi Hendrix Experience | |
| 66. | Lake of Fire | Meat Puppets | |
| 67. | Firewood | Regina Spektor | |
| 68. | Feuer | ELIF | |
| 69. | World On Fire | Sarah McLachlan | |
| 70. | Fire Lake | Bob Seger | |
| 71. | On Fire | Switchfoot | |
| 72. | Friendly Fire | Nothing More | |
| 73. | Fire and Rain | James Taylor | |
| 74. | Hearts on Fire | Passenger | |
| 75. | Fire Away | Skrillex | |
| 76. | The Flame | Cheap Trick | |
| 77. | All Fired Up | Pat Benetar | |
| 78. | Fireworks | Madina Lake | |
| 79. | Serpentine Fire | Earth, Wind & Fire | |
| 80. | Fireside | Arctic Monkeys | |
| 81. | Baptized in Fire | Kid Cudi | |
| 82. | This Fire | Killswitch Engage | |
| 83. | Lampshades on Fire | Modest Mouse | |
| 84. | Freedom or Fire | Fear Factory | |
| 85. | On Top of Old Smokey | The Weavers | |
| 86. | Fireball | Deep Purple | |
| 87. | Old Flame | Juice Newton | |
| 88. | Firehouse | KISS | |
| 89. | Attack Ships on Fire | Revolting Cocks | |
| 90. | Fireman | Lil Wayne | |
| 91. | Black Hearts (On Fire) Jet | Jet | |
| 92. | Cat People (Putting Out Fire) | David Bowie | |
| 93. | Fire and Desire | Drake | |
| 94. | Scream Aim Fire | Bullet for My Valentine | |
| 95. | Set My World on Fire | The Feeling | |
| 96. | Great Balls of Fire | Jerry Lee Lewis | |
| 97. | Fire Bomb | Rihanna | |
| 98. | Circle of Fire | Sam Phillips | |
| 99. | Through the Fire | Chaka Khan | |
| 100. | Halo on Fire | Metallica | |