Fire means desire, danger, and destruction, often in the same breath. These songs use it for all of it, from slow burns to full blaze.
Updated 2026
Ring of Fire by Johnny Cash 1963
Falling in love compared to a burning ring.
Read the meaning behind the songGreat Balls of Fire by Jerry Lee Lewis 1957
Rock and roll at its most combustible.
We Didn't Start the Fire by Billy Joel 1989
A century of history rattled off at speed.
Burning Down the House by Talking Heads 1983
Chaos and release on the dancefloor.
Through the Fire and Flames by DragonForce 2006
Speed metal that earns the title.
Smoke on the Water by Deep Purple 1972
The riff born from a real casino fire.
Where the fire smolders rather than roars.