The Flame Lyrics
Another night slowly closes in
And I feel so lonely
Touching heat freezing on my skin
I pretend you still hold me
[Pre-Chorus]
I'm going crazy, I'm losing sleep
I'm in too far, I'm in way too deep over you
I can't believe you're gone
You were the first, you'll be the last
[Chorus]
Wherever you go, I'll be with you
Whatever you want, I'll give it to you
Whenever you need someone
To lay your heart and head upon
Remember after the fire, after all the rain
I will be the flame
I will be the flame
[Verse 2]
Watching shadows move across the wall
Feels so frightening
I wanna run to you, I wanna call
But I've been hit by lightning
Just can't stand up for fallin' apart
Can't see through this veil across my heart over you
You'll always be the one
You were the first, you'll be the last
[Chorus]
Wherever you go, I'll be with you
Whatever you want, I'll give it to you
Whenever you need someone
To lay your heart and head upon
Remember after the fire, after all the rain
I will be the flame
I will be the flame
[Guitar Solo]
[Pre-Chorus]
I'm going crazy, I'm losing sleep
I'm in too far, I'm in way too deep over you
You'll always be the one
You were the first, you'll be the last
[Chorus]
Wherever you go, I'll be with you
Whatever you want, I'll give it to you
Whenever you need someone
To lay your heart and head upon
Remember after the fire, after all the rain
I will be the flame
I will be the flame
Whatever you want, I'll give it to you
Wherever you go, I'll be with you
And whatever you want, I'll give it to you
Oh, whatever you want, I'll give it to you
About
In an interview by Gerry Galipault (of Pause & Play), Bun E. Carlos explained the origin of the song, unusual for Cheap Trick being written by professional songwriters as opposed to being written or co-written by their guitarist Rick Nielsen.
Tom rejoined (in 1988), and then the vice president at Epic told us he had these two songs and they’re both gonna be No. 1. He goes, ‘We got one for you and one for the group Chicago, but you can have first choice.’ He said, ‘I think the one ‘The Flame’ would be good for you guys.’ The other one was ‘Look Away’, and it sounded like some girl singing on the demo. We really didn’t like that song anyway, so ‘Sure, we’ll do ‘The Flame.’ We’re game.’
The song focuses on the first love of the narrator. The narrator can’t seem to move on after their first love and still carries a torch (i.e. the “flame” referenced in the chorus and title of the song) for their former partner, despite that love being unrequited.
Q&A
Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning
In a 1988 interview, when goaded about the professional song-writing aspect, Rick Nielsen responded in a fictionalised self interview:
When I get asked:
“Do you wish you would have written that?”
Yes! I wish I would have written it.
“But did you write it?”
No…
“Are you happy that it went to number 1?”
Yes…
“Well that’s not your song.”
Well now it is. Because when we first got it, the demo sounded terrible. It sounded like Oliva Newton John or something.
Rick continued later in the interview that he thought his song If You Want My Love was just as good, referring to the fact that it went to number 1 in Australia (possibly incorrectly, as available records only show it peaking at number 2).
- 1.Let Go
- 2.No Mercy
- 3.The Flame
- 4.Space
- 9.Ghost Town
- 10.All Wound Up
