Growing up in a poor family living and hand-to-mouth in central Wisconsin, Glenn eventually gravitated to Milwaukee’s local music scene where he fronted over a dozen bands, and wrote and performed solo acoustic music-—all before turning nineteen years of age.
With his adolescence plagued by drug and alcohol abuse, Glenn got clean through following Jesus after a life-changing spiritual confrontation around his eighteenth birthday. During this time his music got heavier and in many ways, deeper. His former song writing motif celebrating drugs, sex and other vices gave way to lyrics about spiritual struggle, personal temptation, institutional sin, poverty, exploitation, racism, materialism and other issues that few musicians seemed willing to tackle.
Now, after more than three decades of making original music, Kaiser is known for his raw, bluesy vocals, fiery guitar playing, bottleneck slide and harmonica work on thirty recordings and innumerable live shows. Glenn and his family have lived in Chicago’s inner city for over thirty years doing mission work with people not unlike he once was. Kaiser has released several acoustic-based CDs between his electric blues and blues/rock albums. His seminal delta blues projects Trimmed and Burnin’ and follow-up Slow Burn (both with harp player/singer Darrell Mansfield) established him as a singular and authentic Christian bluesman.
Three contemporary worship albums, along with the folk-pop Time Will Tell, fill out the acoustic discography. Acoustic cuts also comprise half of Kaiser’s critically acclaimed Ripley County Blues project which was recorded in a log cabin lodge in rural Missouri.
Glenn’s most recent recording, the acoustic-based Bound For Glory features his unique arrangements of old hymns and spiritual choruses done mostly in the blues tradition he so loves.
Playing With Fire
Glenn Kaiser Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Eye for an eye can leave you blind
Unforgiveness, me oh my
That ol' me, myself, and I
Gossip in the courtroom,
Singin' in the choir
Prepare, prepare to get burned
Watch what you plant
Watch what you do
Sowin' and reapin'
Comin' back on you
Talk too much,
Everybody says
Like a career
Reap it all in the end
It's right to be careful
Respect what God says
Cause Jesus will come
To judge the quick and the dead
Wisdom begins with the fear of the Lord
Love for my neighbor the end of discord
Everybody's fightin' for a piece of pie
But the oven is smokin' and there's tears in the eyes
God is true,
Though every man's wrong
Pretend we don't get it
That's just playin' with fire
Sit in the back room,
Call truth a lie
Prepare to get burned
If you're playin' with fire
Talk too much,
Everybody says
Like a career
Reap it all in the end
Sit in the back room,
Livin' a lie
Prepare to get burned
If you're playin' with fire
Glenn Kaiser's song "Playing With Fire" is a warning of the dangers of gossip, unforgiveness, and deceit. The chorus of the song warns "prepare to get burned if you play with fire," warning listeners that their actions will have consequences. The verses of the song delve into specific examples of behaviors that can lead to getting burnt. The first verse touches on the danger of unforgiveness, warning that "eye for an eye can leave you blind." The second verse speaks to the danger of gossip, using the metaphor of "sowin' and reapin'" to say that one's words will come back around to them. The third verse warns against living a lie and pretending to not understand God's truth, saying that those who do so are "just playin' with fire."
Overall, the song seems to be a warning against destructive and harmful behaviors that will ultimately lead to negative consequences. The chorus is a clear call to action, telling listeners that they must be careful and wise in their actions to avoid getting burnt.
Line by Line Meaning
Once bitten, twice shy
If you've been hurt before, you would be more careful the next time
Eye for an eye can leave you blind
Revenge can make you lose sight of what's important
Unforgiveness, me oh my
Being unforgiving can be harmful to yourself
That ol' me, myself, and I
Being selfish and only thinking of yourself
Gossip in the courtroom,
Spreading rumors and speaking ill of others in a place of judgement
Singin' in the choir
Appearing or pretending to be righteous
Prepare, prepare to get burned
Be ready for the consequences of your actions
If you play with fire
If you engage in dangerous or harmful behavior
Watch what you plant
Be careful of what you sow
Watch what you do
Be mindful of your actions
Sowin' and reapin'
You will face the consequences of your actions
Comin' back on you
You will face the consequences of your actions
Talk too much,
Speaking more than necessary
Everybody says
People often point out when someone talks excessively
Like a career
Like it's a profession or a habit
Reap it all in the end
Eventually, everyone will face the consequences of their actions
It's right to be careful
Being cautious is wise
Respect what God says
Following God's guidance is important
Cause Jesus will come
Jesus will return to judge everyone
To judge the quick and the dead
To determine the fates of both the living and the dead
Wisdom begins with the fear of the Lord
True wisdom starts with having reverence for God
Love for my neighbor the end of discord
Loving your neighbor is the solution to ending conflicts
Everybody's fightin' for a piece of pie
Everyone is trying to get their share of something
But the oven is smokin' and there's tears in the eyes
The situation is getting out of hand and someone is likely to get hurt
God is true,
God is faithful and reliable
Though every man's wrong
Even though everyone is capable of making mistakes
Pretend we don't get it
Acting ignorant or oblivious
That's just playin' with fire
That's engaging in dangerous behavior
Sit in the back room,
Hiding or avoiding the truth
Call truth a lie
Denying or rejecting the truth
Livin' a lie
Being dishonest or living a false life
If you're playin' with fire
If you're engaging in dangerous or harmful behavior
Contributed by Ava S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.