WCSX Classic Cuts : Fire Lake
WCSX Classic Cuts
Bob Seger: “Fire Lake”
The Hook: Seger says it’s about “risk-taking” and “freedom versus commitment.”
Album: Against the Wind
Year: 1980
Writer: Bob Seger
Stats: Peaked at number-six on the Billboard Hot 100
Background: “Fire Lake” was the first single from Bob Seger’s only number one album, Against the Wind. He talks about the song’s lyrics.
Bob Seger on his lyrics to “Fire Lake.” OC:…a newspaper. :27
“There’s some cool lines in that about risk-taking and everything and about freedom versus commitment. Like, ‘Who wants to spread the news about Uncle Joe? You remember Uncle Joe? He was the one afraid to cut the cake.’ In other words, they’re afraid to get married. ‘Who’s going to tell poor Aunt Sara Joe’s run off to Fire Lake?’ That whole idea of Jack Nicholson in Five Easy Pieces leaving his wallet in the car and pretending to go to the john and jumping on a truck and disappearing — we used to call that in the band, ‘going for a newspaper.’”
