After The Fire Is Gone
Loretta Lynn Lyrics


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Love is where you find it
When you find no love at home
And there's nothin' cold as ashes
After the fire is gone

The bottle is almost empty
The clock just now struck ten
Darlin' I had to call you
To our favorite place again

We know it's wrong for us to meet
But the fire's gone out at home
And there's nothin' cold as ashes
After the fire is gone

Love is where you find it
When you find no love at home
And there's nothin' cold as ashes
After the fire is gone

Your lips are warm and tender
Your arms hold me just right
Sweet words of love you remember
That the one at home forgot

Each time we say is the last time
But we keep hangin' on
And there's nothin' cold as ashes
After the fire is gone

Love is where you find it
When you find no love at home





And there's nothin' cold as ashes
After the fire is gone

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to "After the Fire Is Gone" by Loretta Lynn and Conway Twitty explore the topic of infidelity and the search for love outside of a marriage. The first verse talks about love being found in unexpected places when it is lacking at home. The second verse sets the scene of a secret rendezvous at a bar, one that the two have been to before. They know it is wrong to meet, but the fire has gone out in their respective marriages. The last verse speaks to the longing that the two have for each other. They acknowledge that they should stop it, but they cannot help themselves.


The lyrics are evocative and capture the feelings of passion and longing, even in the context of something that is, technically, wrong. The idea of nothing being colder than ashes after a fire is a powerful one, as it suggests that even the passion of an extramarital affair will eventually leave the two feeling empty and alone, just like ashes in a cold fireplace.


Line by Line Meaning

Love is where you find it
Love can be found anywhere, in any form


When you find no love at home
When you are not receiving love from your partner/spouse


And there's nothin' cold as ashes
There is nothing colder and more lifeless than the remnants of a burned out fire


After the fire is gone
After the love has faded away and the passion has died


The bottle is almost empty
They have been drinking and perhaps using alcohol as a way to cope with their unhappy relationships


The clock just now struck ten
It's late at night and they couldn't resist the urge to call each other and meet up


Darlin' I had to call you
Even though they know it's not right, they can't resist the temptation of meeting up with each other


To our favorite place again
To their usual meeting spot, where they have probably spent many secret nights together


We know it's wrong for us to meet
They both know that they are committing adultery and that it's morally and ethically wrong


But the fire's gone out at home
They both acknowledge that the love they once had at home is gone


Your lips are warm and tender
They are kissing each other passionately and enjoying the warmth and tenderness of each other's lips


Your arms hold me just right
They are embracing each other and the physical touch feels comforting and satisfying


Sweet words of love you remember
They are exchanging sweet and loving words that they haven't heard from their partners in a long time


That the one at home forgot
They are comparing how their partners have stopped saying sweet things to them, whereas they still continue to do so


Each time we say is the last time
They both make promises to themselves that this will be the last time they'll meet, but they never keep that promise


But we keep hangin' on
They keep holding on to each other, even though they are aware of the consequences of their actions


And there's nothin' cold as ashes
Just like ashes from a burned out fire, their situation feels lifeless and emotionless


After the fire is gone
The song ends with this line being repeated again, emphasizing how the passion and love has faded away and all that's left is emptiness




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: L WHITE, L E WHITE

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@miajane3878

yay and amen to that I remember '70s with them I used to sing it all all the time

@miajane3878

Thank you what a blessing country music that's all I listen to my whole life

@jennifergray3345

This is what I call real raw talent! This is real country music!

@sarahpirkle8847

Yes sir ,

@Country_boy-sz3bn

Exactly

@glenncambray626

Pure country.Great American tradition.

@davidallen8242

I agree with Jennifer.

@johnfulton4061

Yes this is the.real THANG!!!

3 More Replies...

@forrestrobbins3107

One of the greatest country songs ever written.

@stuwrightfrom53

Loretta's 5th number one, a duet with Conway, how could it miss? 1971.

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