Won't Set Fire
Kenz Hall Lyrics
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That you need me to be
Dress me up and shake me down
Until there's nothing left of me
You can change my composition
So you can feel like you conform
But I won't set fire to myself to keep you warm
Ooh the devil don't come with horns
Ooh he came with everything I wished for
You think I'm the answer to the storm
but I won't set fire to myself to keep you warm
You say I should wear clothes that will bring out your eyes
Where does that leave me when you're not standing by my side
Shine a bit of light on your parasites that swarm
But I won't set fire to myself to keep you warm
Ooh the devil don't come with horns
Ooh he came with everything I wished for
You think I'm the answer to your storm
but I won't set fire to myself to keep you warm
Instrumental
Ooh the devil don't come with horns
Ooh he came with everything I wished for
You think I'm the answer to your storm
but I won't set fire to myself to keep you warm
No I won't set fire to myself to keep you warm
No I won't set fire to myself to keep you warm
In "Won't Set Fire," Kenz Hall sings about the pressures to conform to someone else's expectations and the importance of maintaining one's own identity. The song's opening lines, "Something in your head/ That you need me to be," alludes to the expectations that someone else has placed on the singer. The next lines - "Dress me up and shake me down/ Until there's nothing left of me" - indicate the extent to which the singer feels like she is being asked to change her very being in order to meet these expectations.
The chorus, "But I won't set fire to myself to keep you warm," drives home the point that the singer is not willing to sacrifice her own sense of self just to make someone else feel more comfortable (even if that person thinks she is "the answer to the storm"). In other words, the singer is saying that she will not allow someone else's expectations of her to consume her to the point where she loses her own sense of self.
The bridge, "You say I should wear clothes that will bring out your eyes/ Where does that leave me when you're not standing by my side," emphasizes that the person's expectations are solely for their own benefit, leaving no consideration for the singer's own identity outside of that context. The song ultimately conveys a message to prioritize one's own sense of self over other people's expectations, even if it means not fulfilling what they want or think they need.
Line by Line Meaning
Something in your head
You have an idea or expectation of who you want me to be
That you need me to be
You require me to fulfill this imagined persona
Dress me up and shake me down
You mold me into this ideal through external means and scrutiny
Until there's nothing left of me
Your desire to conform me has stripped away my true self
You can change my composition
You can alter fundamental aspects of who I am
So you can feel like you conform
So that you can conform to external expectations and societal norms
But I won't set fire to myself to keep you warm
I won't sacrifice myself to meet your unrealistic expectations
Ooh the devil don't come with horns
The evil and manipulation can come in various forms
Ooh he came with everything I wished for
It's difficult to recognize the negative consequences until it's too late
You think I'm the answer to the storm
You believe that conforming to your expectations will alleviate any issues or chaos
but I won't set fire to myself to keep you warm
I won't sacrifice who I am for your comfort or convenience
You say I should wear clothes that will bring out your eyes
You want me to alter my appearance to appeal to your desires
Where does that leave me when you're not standing by my side
My own self-worth and identity should not be dependent on your presence or approval
Shine a bit of light on your parasites that swarm
You should examine your own toxic behavior and those who enable it
But I won't set fire to myself to keep you warm
I refuse to compromise myself for your comfort or satisfaction
Instrumental
No I won't set fire to myself to keep you warm
I won't sacrifice my own well-being and authenticity to appease you
Contributed by Zoe V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.