What do you think Set Fire to the Rain means?

Adele: Set Fire to the Rain Meaning

Album cover for Set Fire to the Rain album cover

Song Released: 2011


Set Fire to the Rain Lyrics

Set Fire To The Rain lyrics

I let it fall, my heart,
And as it fell, you rose to claim it,
It was dark and I was over,
Until you kissed my lips and you saved me,
My hands, they were strong, but my knees were far too weak,
To stand in your...

  1. anonymous
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    Jun 6th 2011 !⃝

    I don't think the relationship ends exactly. I think she realizes he's doing her wrong and says "I trusted you. You made me whole. Now you're turning you're back on me. I gave you everything." I don't think she ends it I think she accepts it and is letting it end on its on (ie let it burn)

    This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
  2. anonymous
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    Jun 3rd 2011 !⃝

    Traditional relationships are controlled by the person who cares the least! She was leaving such a relationship and ended up in a similar one, again!

    She got a glimpse at a higher level relationship (We could have had it all). Had they both given up attempts at control. Alas - he couldn't (or wouldn't) So she chose to leave.... Not regretting loosing him nearly as much as their chance at "having it all"! Love The Song!

  3. anonymous
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    May 28th 2011 !⃝

    During an interview about the meaning behind the songs Adele described this song as "burning the pain and getting rid of it and demolishing it...and its sort of like a liberating song because you know when you break up and the other person who you've left or who has left you knows how much you love them and they try and make your life hell and make it so that you can never get over them by constantly being in touch...its kind of like that and its about taking it into your own hands and just saying go away f*** off"

  4. anonymous
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    May 28th 2011 !⃝

    First she sings about their first break up, when he dumped her. She was there with broken heart. But he came, kissed her and told her that he still loved her. She is singing how much she adored him and looked up to him.
    But true is that guy is just manipulative asshole who were playing with her games which he always win, he maked her fall into him so deep, he kept telling her half trues, but Platon told about them that they are lies and he was right!
    She was going crazy because she started to see his true face, his disguise couldn't fool her anymore and it was destroing everything. But when she touched his face, she felt that she is still into him. She cried, she wanted him back, eventhough she was sure that time that he is not good for her. But she couldn't forget on way how it felt to be with him. That feeling that nothing else matter, if you two are close.
    However she understood that only way how to get from his influence is stop every contact they had so she set fire to the rain and burned them in that. Desperated ha? True is you can break contact, but how you make your heart not feel anymore.
    Sometimes we love the person because who he is, sometimes in spite of that!

  5. anonymous
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    May 23rd 2011 !⃝

    when she says her hands were strong but her knees were far to weak to stand in your arms without falling to your feet it means that she fell to his feet of course but she is still holding out to him with her hands.

    This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
  6. anonymous
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    May 21st 2011 !⃝

    The rain is tears, the fire is anger.

  7. anonymous
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    Apr 30th 2011 !⃝

    I'm pretty sure there's much more to this song and can equally be interpreted in a positive love or even a negative one. There's a mirror switch - the listener is able to choose what meaning the song interprets. Very clever lyrics.

    By default anyone would assume it's all to be depicted as a crash and burn song... and even in it's negative light there's alot of depth presented.

    This actually captured me as a positive interpretation believe it or not. The fire burning rain isn't a negative thing because it screams out a name... - - flip the coin to understand what I mean. Also the bit about the words being a lie... and not knowing another side ... I've been able to see these bits in positive way!

    Gr8 song

  8. anonymous
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    Apr 27th 2011 !⃝

    The way i see it is, she had just ended a bad relationship when this boy came in play at just the right time with all the things she needed right then but as she slowly recovers from her former relationship she starts to see things in her bf she does not like and yet again ends the relationship.

  9. anonymous
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    Apr 19th 2011 !⃝

    Is this song really about a rational interpretation? She has found a new love on the rebound from a painful breakup, at one of the lowest, most confusing moments in her life. The person turns out to be taking advantage of her weakness. She's still terribly upset about the original split and her thoughts are a total mess.

    From one minute to the next she has no idea what she really thinks, she's just hanging on to anything she can find that will keep her from drowning in despair. Has she really split up with this new person? Or is all this just part of a new pain she's feeling?

  10. anonymous
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    Apr 14th 2011 !⃝

    Ok, this is how I see this song...

    She was down, broken but this person walked into her life at the right time to pick her back up again. She used all her strength to hold this person and fall deeply in love with them but saved no strengh back to protect her from getting hurt. All she saw were the good things this person could do, blinded by love...

    Then she realised that this wasnt the perfect person and that they were not as deep into the relationship as she was and they did not have as strong feelings.

    I see the setting fire to the rain to be a mixture of feelings of how angry and upset she feels. The fire being her anger and the rain being the tears she is crying. She doesnt know whether to feel empty or full of rage. She can clearly see though, that this is the end of the relationship and that it will never work no matter how much of herself she tries to throw at it. I believe that she feels it will be easier to get over if she is angry rather than upset, let it burn...let it burn.

  11. anonymous
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    Mar 28th 2011 !⃝

    Not only did she end the relationship, in retrospect she realizes STARTING the relationship at all was setting fire to a sad ending. For me, this song is accepting responsibly for knowing the pain is coming, but not stopping yourself until it actually comes.

  12. anonymous
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    Mar 28th 2011 !⃝

    She's singing about a boy that she was and is still in love with, and she knows she can never be with him. To be around him hurts and there is nothing she can do.

  13. anonymous
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    Mar 17th 2011 !⃝

    Again and amazing song! I love her so much. This is an exact interpretation of my past relationship. She was about to break and when she started to crack he came to glue her back together and made himself look so amazing to her cause he made her a stronger person. Then she finds out once again that he isnt the guy she thought he was and now that she knows he is a lying piece of shit. She is just saying that she is setting fire to the rain meaning that what she had is now going to be the opposite! I love ADELE

  14. anonymous
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    Mar 17th 2011 !⃝

    trying to get over a previous relationship, with this new person. you dont want to start something because you are too hurt and know that it wont last or go well. setting fire to the rain is impossible, but you wont know unless you try. the same is with a relationship, you dont know if it would work unless you try. even though deep down you feel it will never be.

  15. anonymous
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    Mar 13th 2011 !⃝

    someone hurt her very deeply. she thought he was someone he wasn't...or he was not in the same place as her. she fell for the passion and thought it was more than it was. He hurt her badly and i'm not sure she thinks she will ever heal.




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