This house is on fire!
Kick off your boots, come sit a spell.
Listen to me worry, come and listen well
All you better best come and lean in boys,
I don't dare raise my voice
I've been sitting here for the longest time reading all the warning and the danger signs
I don't have the gift of the prophecy,
Telling everybody how it's going to be

Soon come, soon come the day this tinderbox
Is gonna blow in your face
I don't have the gift of the prophesy,
Telling everybody how it's going to be
You go passing wrong for right
And right for wrong
People only stand for that for just so long

It's all gonna catch like a house on fire,
Spark an evil blaze and burn higher
Well, I don't have the gift of the prophesy, Telling everybody how it's going to be
You go passing wrong for right
And right for wrong
People only stand for that for just so long
I don't have the gift of the prophesy,
Telling everybody how it's going to be
There's a wild fire catching
In the whip of the wind
That could start a conflagration
Like there has never been
This house is on fire!

Overall Meaning

In Natalie Merchant's song "This House is on Fire," she uses the metaphor of a house being on fire to convey her message about warning signs and dangers that are prevalent in society. The song has a sense of urgency that is conveyed through the repetition of "this house is on fire" and the demand for the listener's attention. The opening lines, "Kick off your boots, come sit a spell. Listen to me worry, come and listen well," invite the listener to engage with her message and to take it seriously.

Merchant describes herself as not having "the gift of prophecy," meaning that she cannot predict the future or what will happen. However, she warns that there are warning signs and dangers that people are ignoring or not taking seriously. She warns about people passing wrong for right and right for wrong and how this can only last for so long before it catches up to them. The repetition of this warning reinforces the idea that people need to pay attention and take action before it is too late.

Overall, "This House is on Fire" is a powerful song that uses metaphor and repetition to convey a message about the need for vigilance and action in the face of warning signs and dangers that may not yet be obvious.

Line by Line Meaning

This house is on fire!
The situation is urgent and dire.

Kick off your boots, come sit a spell.
Take a moment to relax and listen.

Listen to me worry, come and listen well
I have concerns that need to be heard.

All you better best come and lean in boys,
Everyone needs to pay attention.

I don't dare raise my voice
I'm trying to convey my message calmly and respectfully.

I've been sitting here for the longest time reading all the warning and the danger signs
I've been paying attention to the signs around me.

I don't have the gift of the prophecy,
I can't predict the future.

Telling everybody how it's going to be
I don't claim to know exactly what will happen.

Soon come, soon come the day this tinderbox
The situation is building towards disaster.

Is gonna blow in your face
The consequences will be severe.

You go passing wrong for right
People are confusing morality and making poor choices.

And right for wrong
This is causing further confusion and bad decision-making.

People only stand for that for just so long
Eventually, people will realize the error of their ways.

It's all gonna catch like a house on fire,
The situation is going to escalate out of control.

Spark an evil blaze and burn higher
The consequences will be dire and significant.

There's a wild fire catching
The situation is building and it's unstoppable.

In the whip of the wind
It's being fueled by outside factors.

That could start a conflagration,
The situation could escalate to a disaster.

Like there has never been
The consequences will be severe and possibly unprecedented.

This house is on fire!
The situation is truly dire.

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