Fires
Procol Harum & The Danish National Concert Orchestra and Choir Lyrics


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The rusty stream of dawn completes
The scenes where cars once crawled these streets
A face against the moving sky
Brings back an alien hope

Just like they said to me
Keep your heart inside your coat
Well there's muddy shoes outside your door
Is anybody home I ask once more

A silver-plated jet comes home
But the map leads her astray
Just like they said to me
Find your heart and lose your way

A fire burns inside me
The snow still falls in flakes
The reins around a horse's throat
Turn into a lake

And people so familiar
Their words are in my mind
A fire burns inside me
Dancing cool and blind

Beside the wall the flowers grow
And down the sticky stems I go
Watching changing skies below
Your arms so far away





Just like they said to me
Life is worth another stay

Overall Meaning

The song "Fires" by Procol Harum with The Danish National Concert Orchestra and Choir is a poetic and introspective piece that explores themes of loss, nostalgia, and the complexities of memory. The opening lines describe a desolate, yet evocative image of a dawn breaking on empty streets where cars once roamed. The singer's gaze is drawn upwards towards the sky, where they see a face that conjures up a sense of hope that is simultaneously foreign and familiar, much like the memories that haunt them.


In the next verses, the lyrics shift to a more personal level as the character reflects on their own experiences, their heart encased in their coat as a metaphor for emotional detachment. The muddy shoes outside their door and the absence of anyone home create a sense of isolation and longing for connection. The image of a silver-plated jet returning home, only to be led astray by a map, highlights the character's own sense of being lost and finding it difficult to navigate their way in life.


The chorus of the song is a powerful description of the character's inner turmoil- a fire burning inside them even as snowflakes fall around them. The lyrics evoke a sense of struggle, yet also a profound sense of beauty and wonder. The echoes of familiar voices and the dance of flames create an almost mystical atmosphere, as the character grapples with the complexities of their own emotions and memories.


Line by Line Meaning

The rusty stream of dawn completes
The sunrise finishes the scenery of this place where cars used to move slowly in the street


The scenes where cars once crawled these streets
The visual memories of the past when automobiles were still creeping in these roads


A face against the moving sky
A countenance gazing up into the sky that keeps on changing


Brings back an alien hope
It rekindles a foreign aspiration


Just like they said to me
Similar to the way others reminded me


Keep your heart inside your coat
To avoid being hurt, guard your emotions closely


Well there's muddy shoes outside your door
I see dirty footwear lying on your entrance


Is anybody home I ask once more
I inquire again if somebody is present in this house


A silver-plated jet comes home
An airplane with a shiny exterior arrives


But the map leads her astray
However, the navigation guide misleads the plane's direction


Find your heart and lose your way
Locate your passion but get lost on your path


A fire burns inside me
There's an intense yearning within me


The snow still falls in flakes
Snowflakes keep on falling


The reins around a horse's throat
The straps that control a horse's movement


Turn into a lake
Transform into a body of water


And people so familiar
Individuals so recognizable


Their words are in my mind
Their statements are lingering in my thoughts


Dancing cool and blind
Dancing in a composed and uninformed manner


Beside the wall the flowers grow
Flowers emerge and thrive beside the wall


And down the sticky stems I go
I descend along the viscous stems


Watching changing skies below
Observing the evolving skies beneath me


Your arms so far away
Your embrace is distant


Life is worth another stay
Life is valuable and deserves another chance




Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@rayhalfeld7451

Beautiful Melody progressive rock uk

@narayupita

this song is so beautiful

@alaincelos476

The lady singing was the sister of thé pianist composer , Michel Legrand , her name was Christiane Legrand from the swingle singers I thinck...yes really béautifull...somptous...

@carelopes

This war we are waging is already lost
The cause for the fighting has long been a ghost
Malice and habit have now won the day
The honours we fought for are lost in the fray

Standards and bugles are trod in the dust
Wounds have burst open, and corridors rust
Once proud and truthful, now humbled and bent
Fires which burnt brightly, now energies spent

Let down the curtain, and exit the play
The crowds have gone home and the cast sailed away
Our flowers and feathers as scarring as weapons
Our poems and letters have turned to deceptions

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