36 Songs About Fire, from Ring of Fire to Girl on Fire

What is the most famous song about fire?

"Ring of Fire" by Johnny Cash and "Light My Fire" by The Doors are the most famous songs about fire, and "Great Balls of Fire" by Jerry Lee Lewis is the rock and roll original. For modern listeners, "Girl on Fire" by Alicia Keys and "Set Fire to the Rain" by Adele are the best known.

Classic fire songs

1. "Ring of Fire", Johnny Cash: co-written by June Carter.
2. "Light My Fire", The Doors: the long organ solo classic.
3. "Great Balls of Fire", Jerry Lee Lewis: wild piano rock and roll.
4. "Burning Love", Elvis Presley: his last big hit.
5. "Fire", The Pointer Sisters: written by Bruce Springsteen.
6. "Disco Inferno", The Trammps: the disco floor filler.
7. "Fire and Desire", Rick James and Teena Marie: a soulful duet.
8. "Play with Fire", The Rolling Stones: a moody 60s warning.

Rock fire songs

9. "Fire", The Jimi Hendrix Experience: fast and fiery.
10. "Smoke on the Water", Deep Purple: about a real fire at a Montreux casino.
11. "I'm on Fire", Bruce Springsteen: quiet and burning.
12. "Burning Down the House", Talking Heads: the new wave classic.
13. "Through the Fire and Flames", DragonForce: the famously fast guitar song.
14. "Firestarter", The Prodigy: 90s electronic punk.
15. "My Songs Know What You Did in the Dark (Light Em Up)", Fall Out Boy: a stadium anthem.

Country songs about fire

16. "Kerosene", Miranda Lambert: fiery revenge.
17. "Fire Away", Chris Stapleton: a raw, soulful ballad.
18. "Fire on the Mountain", The Marshall Tucker Band: a gold rush story.

Pop songs about fire

19. "Girl on Fire", Alicia Keys: an anthem of confidence.
20. "Set Fire to the Rain", Adele: the soaring breakup ballad.
21. "Firework", Katy Perry: a song about believing in yourself.
22. "Burn", Ellie Goulding: a festival favorite.
23. "Fire Burning", Sean Kingston: a 2009 club hit.
24. "Burnin' Up", Jonas Brothers: bouncy and fun.
25. "Fireball", Pitbull: high-energy party pop.
26. "Fire Meet Gasoline", Sia: a dramatic love song.

Songs about real fires and hard times

27. "Fire and Rain", James Taylor: written after the loss of a friend.
28. "We Didn't Start the Fire", Billy Joel: a rapid-fire history lesson.
29. "Into the Fire", Bruce Springsteen: written for the firefighters of 9/11.

Campfire singalongs

30. "Kumbaya": the classic campfire song.
31. "This Land Is Your Land", Woody Guthrie: everyone knows the chorus.
32. "Take Me Home, Country Roads", John Denver: the ultimate singalong.
33. "Wagon Wheel", Darius Rucker: easy on any guitar.
34. "Leaving on a Jet Plane", John Denver: a gentle favorite.
35. "Riptide", Vance Joy: an upbeat ukulele favorite.
36. "Blowin' in the Wind", Bob Dylan: the folk classic.

Fire as passion in love songs

In love songs, fire usually means desire: "Light My Fire", "Burning Love", "I'm on Fire" and "Fire Meet Gasoline" use flames for a love that cannot be contained. For something gentler, see our songs about falling in love.

Songs about fire for confidence

Fire can also mean strength. "Girl on Fire" and "Firework" are favorites for anyone who needs a confidence boost before a big day. For more, see our songs about confidence.

Fireworks songs for the Fourth of July

For a fireworks show, "Firework", "Fireball", "Burning Love" and "Great Balls of Fire" fit the moment. For a full playlist, see our Fourth of July songs.

Fire songs for a workout

For running or the gym, "Through the Fire and Flames", "Firestarter", "Burn" and "Girl on Fire" keep the energy high, and "Disco Inferno" makes even a treadmill feel like a dance floor.

Songs for firefighters

For a firefighter's retirement, a station party or a memorial, "Into the Fire" by Bruce Springsteen honors their courage, and "Fire Away" and "Through the Fire and Flames" bring the energy. A song written about them by name means even more.

How to build a campfire playlist

Around a campfire, the best songs are the ones everyone can sing without lyrics: start with "Country Roads" and "This Land Is Your Land", add "Wagon Wheel" and "Riptide" for the younger crowd and end with something quiet like "Leaving on a Jet Plane" as the fire burns down. For more outdoor songs, see our songs about nature and road trip songs.

Why fire appears in so many songs

Fire is warm and dangerous at once, which makes it perfect for songs about love, anger, change and survival. A single word like "burning" can mean desire in one song and grief in the next, which is why fire has lit up every genre from country to metal, and why a fire song fits a love story, a breakup or a comeback equally well.

A song about the spark between you

If someone lit a fire in your life, a personalized song can tell the story: the night it started, the moments that keep it burning and their name in every chorus. It makes a passionate anniversary or Valentine's Day gift.

How to create a personalized song

1. Choose a style from 14 genres: rock, pop, country, R&B and more.
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The full 3 to 4 minute song costs $24.99, or $29.99 for Premium with four full versions and editable lyrics. You get the MP3, a gift page and the lyrics as a PDF.

Put your spark into a song: create a song and hear four previews for free.