The Fire – English Lyrics

• By: Chris Stapleton
• Album: Higher

Lyrics & Translation

Explore the poignant emotions of longing and unrequited love with Chris Stapleton's "The Fire." This heartfelt ballad showcases Stapleton's soulful vocals and offers a glimpse into the complexities of desire and emotional distance, making it a powerful piece for understanding nuanced emotional expression in music.

[English]

I watch your light

In the dark of night

Your shadow moves

Across a lonely room

Whoo, I hear your name

Through the wind and rain

Whoo, why can't you see

The fire inside of me?

I fantasize

That I'm your lover's eyes

And in my mind

Your body is next to mine

Whoo, I hear your name

Through the wind and rain

Whoo, why can't you see

The fire inside of me?

...

This fire I feel

Oh, this fire is real

You're so close to me

But always out of reach

Whoo, I hear your name

Through the wind and rain

Whoo, why can't you see

The fire inside of me?

Whoo, I hear your name

Through the wind and rain

Whoo, why can't you see

The fire inside of me?

The fire inside of me

The fire inside of me

The fire inside of me

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
light /laɪt/ A1	noun - visible radiant energy that makes things visible
dark /dɑːrk/ A1	adjective - having little or no light; not bright
night /naɪt/ A1	noun - the period of darkness between sunset and sunrise
shadow /ˈʃæd.oʊ/ A2	noun - a dark shape produced by a body coming between rays of light and a surface
move /muːv/ A1	verb - to change position or go from one place to another
lonely /ˈloʊn.li/ B1	adjective - sad because one has no friends or company
room /ruːm/ A1	noun - an enclosed space within a building
hear /hɪər/ A1	verb - to perceive sound with the ears
name /neɪm/ A1	noun - a word or set of words by which a person or thing is known
wind /wɪnd/ A1	noun - the natural movement of air
rain /reɪn/ A1	noun - water droplets that fall from clouds
fire /faɪər/ A1	noun - combustion that produces heat and light
inside /ɪnˈsaɪd/ A2	noun - the inner part or interior
fantasize /ˈfæntəsaɪz/ C1	verb - to imagine or daydream about something that is unlikely to happen
lover /ˈlʌvər/ B2	noun - a person who is in a romantic relationship
eyes /aɪz/ A1	noun - organs of sight
mind /maɪnd/ A2	noun - the part of a person that thinks, feels, and remembers
body /ˈbɒd.i/ A1	noun - the physical structure of a person or animal
close /kloʊz/ B1	adjective - near in space or time; not far away
real /riːəl/ A2	adjective - actually existing; not imagined or fictitious

Key Grammar Structures

• I watch your light

  ➔ Simple Present Tense

  ➔ The simple present tense "watch" is used to express a habitual or ongoing action. In this context, it shows the speaker continuously observing someone's presence.

• Why can't you see

  ➔ Modal Verb (can't) + Simple Present

  ➔ The modal verb "can't" (cannot) expresses inability or lack of possibility. Combined with the base verb "see", it forms a question about why someone is unable to perceive something.

• I'm your lover's eyes

  ➔ Present Continuous with 'be' verb

  ➔ The contraction "I'm" (I am) uses the present tense of the verb "be" followed by a noun phrase. Here it expresses a metaphorical identification rather than a temporary action.

• Your body is next to mine

  ➔ Simple Present with Possessive Pronouns

  ➔ This sentence uses the simple present tense "is" with possessive pronouns "your" and "mine" to express a state of proximity or relationship between two entities.

• This fire I feel

  ➔ Inverted Sentence Structure (Emphasis)

  ➔ This sentence uses inversion by placing the object "This fire" before the subject and verb "I feel". This structure creates emphasis on the object and adds poetic quality to the expression.

• But always out of reach

  ➔ Ellipsis (Omission of Subject and Verb)

  ➔ This phrase uses ellipsis by omitting the subject and verb (it is/you are). The complete form would be "But it is always out of reach" or "But you are always out of reach." This creates a more poetic and concise expression.

• I fantasize

  ➔ Simple Present Tense

  ➔ The simple present tense "fantasize" expresses a current mental activity or state of mind. It shows the speaker's ongoing imaginative thoughts rather than a habitual action.

• You're so close to me

  ➔ Present Continuous with 'be' verb + Adjective Phrase

  ➔ The contraction "You're" (You are) uses the present tense of the verb "be" followed by an adjective phrase "so close to me". This structure describes a current state or condition of proximity.