Baby's On Fire
Phil Manzanera Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Better throw her in the water
Look at her laughing
Like a heifer to the slaughter
Baby's on fire
And all the laughing boys are bitching
Waiting for photos
Rescuers row row
Do your best to change the subject
Blow the wind blow blow
Lend some assistance to the object
Photographers snip snap
Take your time she's only burning
This kind of experience
Is necessary for her learning
If you'll be my flotsam
I could be half the man I used to
They said you were hot stuff
And that's what baby's been reduced to
Juanita and Juan
Very clever with maracas
Making their fortunes
Selling secondhand tobaccoes
Juan dances at Chico's
And when the clients are evicted
He empties the ashtrays
And pockets all that he's collected
But baby's on fire
And all the instruments agree that
Her temperature's rising
But any idiot would know that
Phil Manzanera's "Baby's on Fire" is a song that provides a commentary on the exploitation of women in the entertainment industry. The title becomes a metaphor for the bubbling frustrations, temptations, and dangers that come with this sort of lifestyle, where women's bodies are often reduced to mere commodities to be sold to the highest bidder. The lyric "Better throw her in the water" is like a warning to the girl to be careful, which is contrasted by her laughing "Like a heifer to the slaughter," which evokes a sense of helplessness and resignation towards her fate.
The second half of the song switches perspectives, with "Juanita and Juan" being introduced. This is a clever diversion from the theme of the song, and it's unclear how the narrative connects to the rest of the song. But the final verse circle back to the title phrase: "But baby's on fire/And all the instruments agree that/Her temperature's rising/But any idiot would know that." In a way, the song suggests that we are all complicit in this system of exploitation, with the audience being reduced to "laughing boys" who are "bitching" and "photographers" who are "snip snap" taking pictures.
Line by Line Meaning
Baby's on fire
The subject of discussion is in deep trouble
Better throw her in the water
Taking drastic action is needed to fix the situation
Look at her laughing
Despite the situation, the individual finds the situation humorous
Like a heifer to the slaughter
The outcome is probably not going to be pleasant
And all the laughing boys are bitching
Those around are making a fuss with no help to offer
Waiting for photos
People are specking about the situation for personal gain
Oh, the plot is so bewitching
The situation is captivating
Rescuers row row
Those meant to help need to take action
Do your best to change the subject
It's time to shift focus and address the problem at hand
Blow the wind blow blow
Nature can play a role as well, help if you can
Lend some assistance to the object
Assistance could help fix the problem
Photographers snip snap
People are recording the event for posterity
Take your time she's only burning
It's important to document everything without rushing
This kind of experience
Going through tough times can be educational
Is necessary for her learning
It's possible to learn from a bad situation
If you'll be my flotsam
Be by my side through good and bad times
I could be half the man I used to
I could change for the better with your support
They said you were hot stuff
You were hyped up to have a lot of potential
And that's what baby's been reduced to
You haven't lived up to the expectations set for you
Juanita and Juan
Names of two people
Very clever with maracas
They are skilled in a certain area
Making their fortunes
They're profiting
Selling secondhand tobaccoes
They're selling used tobacco
Juan dances at Chico's
Juan works at Chico's as a dancer
And when the clients are evicted
When it's time to leave, Juan takes what he can
He empties the ashtrays
Juan collects items left behind
And pockets all that he's collected
Juan keeps what he's taken
But baby's on fire
The situation is still the main focus
And all the instruments agree that
Everyone is looking at the situation
Her temperature's rising
The situation is getting worse
But any idiot would know that
It's obvious that things aren't going well
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BRIAN ENO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
おいしいみかん
Nice. The studio version of this was a childhood favorite of mine more than 40 years ago. The first time I heard it on the radio (WMMS in Cleveland) was an eye-opening experience -- like wow, what IS this music!? In fact, HCTWJ was the first rock album I ever bought, and I bought it for this song. I slipped in the snow and broke it on the way home. Took it back to the store and said it was broken when I opened it (true), and the nice people gave me another.
おいしいみかん
@PepperWhite62 Yeah, I had the t-shirt!
PepperWhite62
Home of the buzzard !
Κυριάκος Νικολούτσος
A perfect psychedelic underground rock live album like no other !!