About the song
Background
- Release: The song was released in 1972 on Pickett’s album of the same name, “Fire and Water”.
- Collaborators: The track features notable slide guitar work from the legendary Duane Allman of the Allman Brothers Band. This gives the track a blues-rock infusion.
- Reception: While not one of Pickett’s biggest commercial hits, “Fire and Water” gained a following over the years, becoming a beloved track for its emotional power and musical collaboration.
Themes
- Heartbreak and Loss: The central theme of the song is the overwhelming pain and devastation of heartbreak. Pickett uses the imagery of fire and water to symbolize the conflicting emotions of burning passion that has been extinguished, leaving a sense of drowning in sorrow.
- Resilience: Despite the pain, a subtle hint of resilience runs through the song. Pickett recognizes he must rise and keep moving forward even when the world seems to drown him.
Lyrics
Here are some key lyrical snippets and their significance:
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“Every single day / I got a heartache comin’ my way / I don’t want to say goodbye / But look at the tears you made me cry”
- Sets up the central theme of heartbreak and the deep pain the speaker experiences.
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“If fire and water, baby, don’t mix / Why do I feel like I’m drowning / When your love just burns me up inside”
- The use of fire and water as opposites symbolizes the conflicting feelings of fiery passion and the overwhelming sorrow of the relationship’s end.
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“Can’t put out the fire / Can’t stop this rain from falling down on me”
- Demonstrates the feeling of being caught in a situation beyond control, with both the burning pain and the tears unstoppable.
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“You know it’s got to get better, yeah / ‘Cause it just can’t get no worse”
- Offers a note of resilience, acknowledging that the situation is at its worst and it has to improve eventually.
Overall
“Fire and Water” is a powerful soul ballad, showcasing Wilson Pickett’s raw emotional delivery along with his ability to blend blues and rock influences. It stands as a lasting testament to the enduring themes of heartbreak and the search for the strength to overcome it.
Video
Lyrics
Every single day I got a heartache comin’ my wayI don’t wanna say goodbye, but look at the tears you made me cryI don’t wanna say goodbye, mamaBut look at the way you made me cryEvery way that’s niceYou got a heart that’s made of ice
That’s why I know (fire and water musta made you their daughter)You’ve got what it takes to make a poor man’s heart breakA poor man’s heart break
Woman, you turn me on, but quick as a flash your love is goneBaby, I’m gonna leave you nowBut I’m gonna try to make you grieve somehow
You’ve got what it takes to make a poor man’s heart breakA poor man’s heart break
Aah, I don’t wanna say goodbyeBut look at the way you made me cry, yeahEvery way that’s niceYou got a heart that’s made of ice
That’s why I know (fire and water musta made you their daughter)You’ve got what it takes to make a poor man’s heart breakOh, oh, (fire, fire and water musta made you their daughter)Lord, got what it takes to make a poor man’s heart breakOw, (fire, fire and water musta made you their daughter)You’ve got what it takes to make a poor man’s heart break