A jazz pianist, bandleader, session man, Hammond B3 player, Auger has played or toured with artists such as Rod Stewart, Tony Williams, Jimi Hendrix, Sonny Boy Williamson, Led Zeppelin, Eric Burdon and other legends. He has incorporated jazz, early British pop, R&B, soul and rock, and he has been nominated for a Grammy, Keyboard Magazine Organ Player of the Year, 3 million record sales.
This Wheel's On Fire
Brian Auger Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We were goin' to meet again and wait
So I'm going to unpack all my things
And sit before it gets too late
No man alive will come to you
With another tale to tell
But you know that we shall meet again
If your mem'ry serves you well
Wheel's on fire rolling down the road
Best notify my next of kin
This wheel shall explode!
If your mem'ry serves you well
I was goin' to confiscate my lace
And wrap it up in a sailor's knot
And hide it in your case
If I knew for sure that it was yours
But it was oh so hard to tell
And you know that we shall meet again
If your mem'ry serves you well
Wheel's on fire rolling down the road
Best notify my next of kin
This wheel shall explode!
If your mem'ry serves you well
You'll remember you're the one
That called on me to call on them
To get you your favors done
And after ev'ry plan had failed
And there was nothing more to tell
You knew that we would meet again
If your mem'ry serves you well
This wheel's on fire rolling down the road
Best notify my next of kin
This wheel shall explode!
The song "This Wheel's On Fire" by Brian Auger tells a story of two people who plan to meet again after being separated for some time. The singer unpacks all their belongings and waits for the other person to arrive, hoping that their memory will serve them well and they will come. The singer also plans to give something to the other person, a lace wrapped up in a sailor's knot. However, it's hard for the singer to be certain that the lace in question belongs to the other person. Despite this uncertainty, the singer believes that they will meet again if the other person's memory serves them well.
The chorus of the song, "This wheel's on fire rolling down the road, best notify my next of kin, this wheel shall explode," brings a sense of danger and tension in the story. The wheel on fire can be interpreted as a metaphor for the unpredictable nature of life and how things can change in an instant. The singer seems to be unsure of whether they will actually meet the other person again or not, but the urgency in the chorus suggests that they fear that time is running out, and anything could happen.
Overall, the song reflects on the uncertainty and unpredictability of life, reminding us to cherish our memories and relationships.
Line by Line Meaning
If your mem'ry serves you well
You're familiar with our arrangement
We were goin' to meet again and wait
We agreed to meet after some time apart
So I'm going to unpack all my things
I'm settling in for a while
And sit before it gets too late
I want to sit down before it gets too dark
No man alive will come to you
No one can replace me
With another tale to tell
With a better story or excuse
But you know that we shall meet again
We both know we'll see each other again
Wheel's on fire rolling down the road
Things are moving quickly and uncontrollably
Best notify my next of kin
This situation could potentially be dangerous
This wheel shall explode!
This situation is going to reach a breaking point
I was goin' to confiscate my lace
I was planning on taking my belongings
And wrap it up in a sailor's knot
I was going to pack it up neatly
And hide it in your case
And leave it with you for safekeeping
If I knew for sure that it was yours
If I was certain it belonged to you
But it was oh so hard to tell
But it was difficult to discern
You'll remember you're the one
You'll recall that you're the reason
That called on me to call on them
That asked me to ask others for a favor
To get you your favors done
To accomplish something on your behalf
And after ev'ry plan had failed
Despite all attempts falling short
And there was nothing more to tell
When there was nothing else to say
You knew that we would meet again
You were confident we'd cross paths again
Contributed by Ella H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@fortuner123
My dream girl from the '60s. I was 19 years old then. In 2024, she still looks wonderful.
@campyoldie
I saw her at The Plaza in Handsworth , Birmingham; she did a brilliant verion of Don Covay's "See Saw". Fabulous looking lady with great voice and 'Mod Crop' - only English people of a certain age will understand that !
@philipross2013
Ah , 1968 . Riding around in a Morgan , 21 years old . Dutch Au pair in the passenger seat. Never got any better. Now 74 and driving a Toyota Vios.
@ridersusan11
Sounds like my dream. Bit to young though, I'm 68. I'd swap with the au pair though 😊
@68blues
Lol, you wish! Stupid comment! Only a loser would post guff like that.
@ulvarzaiss4894
beatles popworms 😅
@ulvarzaiss4894
wonderful
@kevinlimcool
You're my hero
@joannebeauchamp1169
This song is just as HIP today as it was back in 1968! Julie Driscoll was an exquisite, soulful singer who deserved FAR more recognition than she got, especially in the U.S. Yes, Julie ranked right up there with Dusty…the best of the best!
@firsteerr
true. there are some fantastic performances on the beat club channel to back this up