Heat Wave
Linda Ronstadt Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Whenever I'm with him
Something inside starts to burning
And I'm filled with desire

Could it be the devil in me
Or is this the way love's supposed to be?

It's like a heat wave
Burning in my heart
Can't keep from crying
It's tearing me apart

Whenever he calls my name
Soft, low, sweet and plain, I feel, yeah yeah
Well I feel that burning flame

Has high blood pressure got a hold on me
Or is this the way love's supposed to be?

It's like a heat wave
Burning in my heart
Can't keep from crying
It's tearing me apart

Sometimes I stare into space
Tears all over my face
I can't explain it don't understand it
I hadn't ever felt like this before

Now that funny feeling has me amazed
I don't know what to do my head's in a haze

It's like a heat wave
Burning in my heart
Can't keep from crying
It's tearing me apart

Yeah yeah yeah yeah
Yeah yeah, oh oh
Yeah yeah yeah yeah, oh

Don't pass up this chance
This time it's true romance

Heat wave
Heat wave




Heat wave
Ooh, heat wave

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Linda Ronstadt's Heat Wave describe the intense physical and emotional sensations that come with being in love. The singer's heart is burning with desire whenever she is with her lover, and the passion is so strong that she cannot keep from crying. She wonders if this is just the way love is supposed to feel or if there is something more sinister at play, like the devil tempting her to act on her emotions.


The chorus of the song compares the intensity of her love to a heat wave. This metaphor signifies a period of extreme weather conditions that are difficult to withstand, just like how the singer's love is tearing her apart. She cannot seem to resist the pull of this burning passion, even if it may be causing her physical and mental distress.


In the second verse of the song, the singer describes how this love has completely consumed her. She stares into space with tears streaming down her face, unable to explain or understand what she is feeling. The chorus repeats once more, emphasizing the all-consuming nature of this love and suggesting that the singer should not pass up the chance for true romance.


Overall, the lyrics to Heat Wave offer a vivid and emotional depiction of the intense sensations that come with falling in love, and how this passion can be both thrilling and overwhelming.


Line by Line Meaning

Whenever I'm with him
Every time I am with him


Something inside starts to burning
I feel an intense internal burning sensation


And I'm filled with desire
I become consumed with a strong feeling of wanting


Could it be the devil in me
I wonder if this feeling is due to a demonic influence


Or is this the way love's supposed to be?
Perhaps this is what love is meant to feel like


It's like a heat wave
This feeling is comparable to the intensity of a heat wave


Burning in my heart
An intense burning sensation is felt in my heart


Can't keep from crying
I am unable to prevent myself from crying


It's tearing me apart
This feeling is causing great emotional distress


Whenever he calls my name
Every time he says my name


Soft, low, sweet and plain, I feel, yeah yeah
His tone is gentle and pleasant, and I feel a deep connection to him


Well I feel that burning flame
The same intense burning sensation is felt again


Has high blood pressure got a hold on me
I wonder if my high blood pressure is contributing to this feeling


Or is this the way love's supposed to be?
Again, I contemplate if this is what love should feel like


Sometimes I stare into space
There are times where I find myself lost in thought


Tears all over my face
At times, I cry uncontrollably


I can't explain it don't understand it
I am unable to come up with an explanation or fully comprehend what is happening


I hadn't ever felt like this before
This is a completely new and foreign feeling to me


Now that funny feeling has me amazed
I am utterly astonished by this unusual sensation


I don't know what to do my head's in a haze
I feel lost and confused, unable to make sense of everything and anything in my mind


Yeah yeah yeah yeah
This line is a form of emphasis/confirmation


Yeah yeah, oh oh
This line represents a feeling of longing or deep emotion


Yeah yeah yeah yeah, oh
This line is similar to the first one in that it emphasizes the meaning of the previous line


Don't pass up this chance
Do not let this opportunity pass you by


This time it's true romance
This time it is an authentic love affair


Heat wave
The heat wave simulation is used as a set of imagery to describe the intense nature of her current feeling


Heat wave
The chorus repeats this imagery and establishes it as the main theme of the song


Heat wave
The chorus repeats this imagery and establishes it as the main theme of the song


Ooh, heat wave
Similar to the previous line, this one is also a repeat of the chorus




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Edward Jr. Holland, Lamont Dozier, Brian Holland

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@robtpenn9666

I recall her singing this song wearing cut-off jeans when I was a young guy. Now I'm old and that image never left me.

@user-id1kq2ip3l

Positively one of the best out of the year 1975

@peterhutchins9246

I love Linda Ronstadt.

@16greenguy

Linda is extremely talented and has a voice that just doesn't quit.. She has had over 30 songs chart on billboards top 100 singles, ironically she didn't write a single one, but covered many great artists. To no surprise she recorded, performed, outdid and made millions of dollars doing so! This song is one of my many favorites, Linda, the harmony vocals and entire band are 100% on point.. doesn't get much better than this! I was fortunate to be able to see her perform here in Denver, I was a teenager who pleaded and begged my brother to please take me, I agreed to pay for tickets and all costs associated.. I also agreed to do his choirs and/or whatever he wanted,40 years after the fact I'm still paying my debt to him, ugh brothers!! Lol.. As expected, Linda was impeccable, her voice was flawless from the very first note until the very last.. Definitely on top of my favorite concert list!!
G. 👁️💜💮

@timdudley963

Linda one of the greatest. She still brings us so much enjoyment listening to her amazing voice.

@joeyd1957

In the words of Willie Nelson " There are two kinds of men out there, those who had a crush on Linda and those who don't know who she is'

@susanjones4904

She is terrifically talented and her greatest hits including this song is my go-to for long car rides. So sad she cannot sing anymore because of Parkinson's disease. Thanks for all the BEAUTIFUL music Linda!!!

@chrissyparks2000

Horrible disease. Neil Diamond also has it and can’t sing anymore.

@peterhutchins9246

I absolutely love the music of Linda Ronstadt. I love her, and the great era of music she came from.

@robertdry7271

@@peterhutchins9246 she's my favorite singer. Very talented, an very beautiful person!!!

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