Her first album was Santa Claus Lane (2002), a collection of Christmas songs which included duets with Lil Romeo, Christina Milian, and her sister Haylie Duff. Accompanied by the Disney Channel-only single “Tell Me a Story”, it peaked well outside the top 100 on the U.S. Billboard 200 album chart, but eventually received a gold certification. The album’s title track was included on the soundtrack to The Santa Clause 2, and another song, “What Christmas Should Be” was used in Cheaper by the Dozen. Duff sang several tracks for the soundtrack to The Lizzie McGuire Movie, including “Why Not”, which became a modest top twenty hit in Australia.
Duff’s second studio album, Metamorphosis (2003), included contributions by songwriter-producers such as The Matrix and reached number one on the U.S. and Canadian charts. It became one of the biggest selling albums of the year in the U.S. and has since gone to sell over 3.7 million copies. The lead single, “So Yesterday”, was a top ten hit in several countries and its music video received heavy airplay on MTV, while “Come Clean” became Duff’s first top forty U.S. hit and reached the top twenty elsewhere. The third single, “Little Voice”, was not released in the U.S. and was a minor hit in Canada and Australia. In late 2003 Duff embarked on her first concert tour, the Metamorphosis Club Tour and later the Most Wanted tour. All shows on her tour were sold out, a feat neither Britney Spears nor Christina Aguilera achieved that year. She won the award for Best New Artist at the 2004 World Music Awards and Best Female Artist at the Kids Choice Awards of 2004.
Duff’s third album, Most Wanted (2005), comprised her favorite tracks from her previous two albums, remixes, and new songs inspired by pop-rock musicians such as The Killers and Muse. Duff stated that it was not a greatest hits album, but that her label told her it was time to release a new album. She had more creative control over Most Wanted compared to her previous releases, co-writing and co-producing all of the new material with Joel Madden and his brother Benji, both of the band Good Charlotte. The lead single, “Wake Up”, became Duff’s highest debut on the Billboard Hot 100 and her highest peaking single in the U.S., and its video received heavy rotation on MTV. The video for the second single, “Beat of My Heart”, was also popular, but the single itself did not chart in the U.S. The album itself debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and became her third number-one debut in Canada. By March 2006, it had sold 1.3 million copies in the U.S. An Italy-only compilation, 4Ever, was released in 2006.
Duff’s fourth album, Dignity, was released on April 4 2007. It reached the top five in the U.S. and Canada, the top twenty in Australia and the top forty in the UK. Duff co-wrote all but two of the material for the album with Kara DioGuardi, and she also worked with producer-songwriter Rhett Lawrence in Toronto, Canada. It shows her more mature side. The Dignity tour began in mid-2007.
Although Hollywood Records was planning to release up to five singles from Dignity, only three were actually released: “Play with Fire”, presiding the album release, became a minor club hit but failed to chart in the U.S.; the second single, “With Love”, was more successful, becoming Duff’s biggest U.S. Hot 100 hit and topping the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart. The music video for “With Love” was used as a commercial for Duff’s first fragrance, With Love… Hilary Duff, which was launched in September 2006; “Wrapped With Love” a new fragrance was released latter in 2008. The music video for “Stranger” was released on July 6. Critics applauded Duff for the music and video, pointing: “this is how a modern pop anthem should sound”. The video has Duff dressing up as a snake charmer in a sexy Balinese-inspired costume. The video received heavy airplay on MTV and Muchmusic and was very active in charts.
On September, 2008, It was officially announced that Hilary would be leaving her record label Hollywood Records after six years of service due to lack of promotion Dignity had been having since its release and lack of creative freedom since the very first album.
In November 2008, Duff’s second greatest hits album (and last album with Hollywood Records), Best of Hilary Duff, was released with two new songs: “Holiday,” and the album’s first single “Reach Out,” which samples Depeche Mode’s “Personal Jesus.” The song became Duff’s third #1 dance hit despite the lack of airplay.
Between labels, Duff took a hiatus for recording new music. During this time, she began appearing in independent films such as War, Inc. (2008), According to Greta (2009), and Bloodworth (2010). She later released the novel Elixir (2010), which became a New York Times best seller. The book was followed by the sequels Devoted (2011) and True (2013).
She returned to music in 2014, signing with RCA Records. Through RCA, she released two new singles, "Chasing the Sun" and "All About You", originally planned to be the lead single from her new album. Citing a change in the musical direction of the album, she released another new single "Sparks" on April 6, 2015, which debuted and peaked at number 93 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became her fourth top ten hit on the Billboard Dance Club Songs chart. Her fifth studio album Breathe In. Breathe Out. was released on June 12, 2015. It debuted at number 5 on the Billboard 200, becoming her fifth top five album. Duff also has worked with numerous charities and organizations throughout her career, and currently stars in the comedy-drama series Younger as Kelsey Peters. She has sold an estimated 15 million records since her debut in 2002.
Play With Fire
Hilary Duff Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Been so long, you look good
I hear you're doing really well
Don't ask me, let me tell you
How I've been since when you left
Since you left me for dead
Finally every tear has dried
I've wiped you from my life
Do you remember all the times you said you'd call me
'Cause I remember all the reasons people warned me
And now I hear you saying that you still adore me
But if you think I'd ever get with you again
Then you can just
Love me, love me
Feed the flame
If you want me back again
Burns in the sky, higher and higher
Baby, can you play with fire?
(Come on and feel the sky)
Love me, love me
(Come on and feel the sky)
If you want me
You never know just what you got
'Till it's gone, you forgot
But I'm not falling for the game
Boys like you never change
You made me feel I wasn't enough
Wasn't enough for your love
But it was insecurity that made you run
It wasn't me
So don't you sit there trying
To give me more excuses
I don't have time 'cause it's
I'm off to play in Houston
And I'm too busy with a million things I'm doing
You can't make up for what you've done
But you still try to be the one
Love me, love me
Feed the flame
If you want me back again
Burns in the sky, higher and higher
Baby, can you play with fire?
Oh, by the way
By the way I've found someone who gives me space
Keeps me safe, makes me sane
Found someone to take your place
Now I'm safe in his arms
And I decide
Only he can play with fire
Love me, love me
Feed the flame
If you want me back again
Burns in the sky, higher and higher
Baby, can you play with fire?
In Hilary Duff's song Play With Fire, she sings about an ex-lover who left her feeling insecure and not enough for his love. The lyrics touch on the feeling of longing for someone who has left and then returns, only to realize that they were never good for you. The singer expresses how they have moved on and found someone who makes them feel safe and sane, and only that person can play with fire.
The song's lyrics capture the emotional cycle of a toxic relationship where lovers continually drift apart and come back to each other, trying to rekindle the flame of love but always ending up getting burned. The chorus, "Love me, love me, feed the flame. If you want me back again. Burns in the sky, higher and higher. Baby, can you play with fire?" speaks of the relationship's highs and lows, highs that are worth playing with fire for, and bottoms that leave scars that no apology can heal.
In conclusion, the song's lyrics are both relatable and empowering, highlighting the importance of loving oneself and not settling for less. It emphasizes the need to move on, find someone who makes you feel secure, and refrain from going back to a harmful relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
I can't believe it's really you
The singer is surprised to see the person whom they address.
Been so long, you look good
The singer comments on the time gone by since they saw the other person and compliments their appearance.
I hear you're doing really well
The singer has heard that the other person is doing well.
Don't ask me, let me tell you
The artist wants to share about their own life before being asked about it by the other person.
How I've been since when you left
The artist wants to share about how their life has been since the other person left them.
Since you left me for dead
The singer feels like they were abandoned by the other person when they left.
Finally every tear has dried
The singer has fully gotten over the emotional impact of the other person's departure.
I've wiped you from my life
The artist has moved on and doesn't want to have anything to do with the other person anymore.
Do you remember all the times you said you'd call me
The artist reminds the other person about their past behavior of promising to call but not following through.
'Cause I remember all the reasons people warned me
The artist recalls that others warned them about the other person's unreliable behavior.
And now I hear you saying that you still adore me
The other person is expressing love or admiration towards the singer in the present time.
But if you think I'd ever get with you again
The artist expresses that they have no interest in being with the other person romantically again.
Then you can just
The singer prepares to give a response to the other person's attempt to woo them back.
Love me, love me
Feed the flame
If you want me back again
Burns in the sky, higher and higher
Baby, can you play with fire?
The singer is challenging the other person to win their love back and prove themselves by taking risks and showing assertiveness.
You never know just what you got
'Till it's gone, you forgot
The singer comments on the irony of realizing the importance of someone after they are gone.
But I'm not falling for the game
Boys like you never change
The artist has learned from experience that people with the other person's characteristics never change, and they will not allow themselves to be hurt again.
You made me feel I wasn't enough
Wasn't enough for your love
But it was insecurity that made you run
It wasn't me
The artist identifies the other person's insecurities as the reason for the breakdown in their relationship rather than any fault of their own.
So don't you sit there trying
To give me more excuses
I don't have time 'cause it's
I'm off to play in Houston
And I'm too busy with a million things I'm doing
The singer does not want to hear any more apologies or reasons from the other person, as they are focused on moving forward with their life without them.
You can't make up for what you've done
But you still try to be the one
The singer has come to terms with the other person's actions and realizes that they cannot make up for them, yet the other person keeps trying anyway.
Oh, by the way
By the way I've found someone who gives me space
Keeps me safe, makes me sane
Found someone to take your place
Now I'm safe in his arms
And I decide
Only he can play with fire
The artist has found a new partner and is happy and fulfilled with them, and is now the only person who is allowed to take risks in their life.
Love me, love me
Feed the flame
If you want me back again
Burns in the sky, higher and higher
Baby, can you play with fire?
The artist reiterates their challenge to the other person to prove themselves and win their love back.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Will Adams, Kara Dioguardi, Hilary Duff, Rhett Lawrence
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@xarliorigliasso
It's 2023 and I'm still playing this song on my playlist ❤ the Dignity era was my favorite.
@calicomoonchild
Her finest, most artistic moment. It’s just a shame it never had an extended dance/ club mix.
@Spyrica
Is the Richard Vision Remix not good enough for you?
@TheAndyVegan
I just absolutely love Hilary Duff. Always have. Always will. She is just uniquely herself and I love it. Metamorphosis was amazing. The self-titled “Hilary Duff” album was gold. “Dignity” is such a treat. Even her newer music is beautiful.
@mcleanblades9234
her christmas CD is great too
@porcelainboy264
Fifteen years and this is still a banger
@ZoeeSavX
When this song was released I was so young I didn't know you could just google lyrics to songs, so I tried to write the lyrics down by listening to the song over and over again hahaha
@samanthabuss3314
I used to do that too when I was really young till I was about 15 or 16 them I would Google search them! LOL!!
@brendabanuelos8851
Lmao omg i would do that too!
@cosetteshuman1815
I THOUGHT I WAS THE ONLY ONE