Earth and Fire (1967-1983 and 1987-1990) was a slightly psychedelic and sym… Read Full Bio ↴Earth and Fire (1967-1983 and 1987-1990) was a slightly psychedelic and symphonic pop band, with singer and front woman Jerney Kaagman and twin brothers Chris Koerts (guitars) and Gerard Koerts (keyboards) as its core members. The band members hailed from places Voorschoten, Voorburg and Leidschendam, suburban towns of The Hague, The Netherlands.

The band was founded in 1967 as Opus Gainfull, but changed its name into Earth and Fire as early as in 1968. The Koerts twins were two of the founding members.

The band's big break in The Netherlands came in 1970 with Seasons, a song written by George Kooymans, guitarist of fellow The Hague rockers Golden Earring. The single reached #2 in the Dutch charts. Between 1970 and 1983 eighteen Earth and Fire singles charted in The Netherlands. Nine made it to the top ten, two (1972's Memories and 1979's Weekend) reached #1. The latter was also hit internationally.

The band released eight studio albums, of which Reality Fills Fantasy (1979) was the most succesful one, reaching #2 in the Dutch album charts.

The departure of founding member Chris Koerts in 1979 marked the beginning of the end for Earth and Fire. The group eventually folded in 1983, after which Jerney Kaagman embarked on a solo career, to little commercial success.

Earth and Fire briefly resurfaced briefly in 1987, without the Koerts brothers and with Ton Scherpenzeel (formerly of symphonic rock band Kayak) as its musical leader. 'Earth and Fire Mark II' released one single that failed to chart, and no albums.

You Know the Way
Earth and Fire Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

You know the way you look at life
And you know the way
you got to hide from danger
You know how to realize your words
That everybody heard
It’s good to see the way you look at life
My friend, my friend
You don’t know how to kiss me

And you don’t know how to hold my hand
And still don’t understand
It’s bad to see the way you treat me

You know the way you look at life
And you know the way
you got to hide from danger
You know how to realize your words
That everybody heard
It’s good to see the way you look at life
My friend, my friend
You don’t know how to kiss me
And you don’t know how to hold my hand

And still don’t understand
It’s bad to see the way you treat me

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Earth and Fire’s song, You Know the Way are emotional and raw, exploring the complexity of a relationship with unfulfilled desires. The song speaks to a deep divide between two individuals, where one person understands how to navigate life and the other does not, despite their intimate connection. The first verse reflects on the way one person has a good understanding of how to face and overcome challenges, while the other seemingly does not. However, despite this difference, the singer of the song still admires the way their friend looks at life.

The second verse reflects on the physical aspect of the relationship, where the singer longs for physical affection that their partner seems unable to provide. They cannot find a way to hold hands or kiss them properly. Despite their admiration for their partner’s outlook on life, the treatment they are receiving is ultimately leaving them feeling empty.

The chorus ties these two verses together, emphasizing that the partner may understand how to face the challenges of life, but they do not understand how to be intimately connected with their partner. This shows a deeper divide in the relationship.

In conclusion, Earth and Fire’s You Know the Way is a song that expresses the complexity of an unfulfilled relationship. Despite admiring their partner’s approach to life, the lack of physical affection and connection leaves the singer feeling unfulfilled and ultimately discontent in the relationship.

Line by Line Meaning

You know the way you look at life
You have a clear perspective on how you choose to live your life

And you know the way you got to hide from danger
You possess the knowledge on how to protect yourself from harmful situations

You know how to realize your words that everybody heard
You understand the impact of your words and take responsibility for their consequences

It’s good to see the way you look at life, my friend, my friend
I admire and appreciate how you view the world and live your life, my dear friend.

You don’t know how to kiss me
You lack the skill to express your love physically through kissing

And you don’t know how to hold my hand
You lack the ability to provide physical comfort and support through intimate touches like holding hands

And still don’t understand, it’s bad to see the way you treat me
You are unable to comprehend that your actions and treatment towards me are hurtful and unhealthy.

Contributed by Hannah I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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