Bob Seger: Fire Lake Meaning

Song Released: 1980

Fire Lake Lyrics

Who's gonna ride that chrome 3-wheeler?
Who's gonna make that first mistake?
Who wants to wear those gypsy leathers
All the way to fire lake?

Who wants to break the news about Uncle Joe?
You remember Uncle Joe?
He was the one afraid to...

1. anonymous

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   Apr 1st 2019 !⃝

   Silver Lake used to be a party spot for hanging out. Likely, it still is.
   
   At night the wind coming off the water could chill you to the bone even in the summer. There were barrels around, probably for trash, we'd gather around and burn driftwood in to stay warm.
   
   But the reflection of the flames off the water made it look like the water was on fire.
   
   Everyone called it Fire Lake from way before I was a kid longing to grow up and be cool.
   
   Maybe I never quite made it to being cool, but the experience of being there WAS totally cool.
   
   I believe Silver Lake really is the Fire Lake he wrote about.
   
   Best guess on Uncle Joe being afraid to cut the cake is that Joe was a bit older than the crowd he hung with hence the nickname Uncle Joe. Afraid to cut the cake is a nice way of saying he'll never keep his promise of getting married to his old lady Sarah.
   
   Joe will keep chasing the teenybopper chicks till he's so far over the hill he becomes a bad joke.
   
   But the nature of real art is that a hundred people will see a hundred different things, and they will all be correct in their interpretations.
2. anonymous

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   Jan 23rd 2019 !⃝

   I believe it's about a man who is middle class he wasn't faithful and in the end you pay the price the funny thing is my father's name was Joe and my mother's name was Sarah and my father died when I was 15 he committed suicide but he had gotten into really bad things and everytime I hear the song I think of them both.
3. anonymous

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   Nov 1st 2018 !⃝

   My interpretation is it is a badass song by one of the greatest rockers of all time it's not meant to make you think too hard you are supposed to enjoy it and take you back to a better time in life and rock on!!! A.Cotten Aye
4. anonymous

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   May 26th 2018 !⃝

   I interpret the lyrics as definitely relating to death. A Chrome 3 wheeler is used in morgues and funeral homes to move body's and caskets around on. Very easy to maneuver. Fire Lake is death itself. Eight's and Aces refers to the dead mans hand. As everyone knows they were the cards Wild Bill Hickok was holding when he was shot.
   Yep ...Uncle Joe croaked and headed off to Fire Lake. The Bronze beauties are tanned good looking sinful woman...Not caskets.
   While your enjoying the sinful life you suddenly realize life is over and it's your time to find religion but it may be too late.. There are too many references that Seger makes that point to death.
   Not that hard a song to figure out. Don't read too much into the lyrics. Keep it simple...Be Cool!
5. anonymous

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   Mar 5th 2018 !⃝

   Firelake is a casino outside Shawnee, Oklahoma. When you're in Shawnee and you want to gamble you're going out to Firelake.
6. anonymous

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   Oct 31st 2017 !⃝

   I want to believe there is a fire lake why not ask Bob Steger that would solve it.if there is a fire lake I want to go there but it seems like it's a secret. I've loved that song for 50 years it's time I find out that's one of my bucket list.please respond if you really know no bullshit waiting patiently.
7. anonymous

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   Aug 16th 2017 !⃝

   Fire lake is real place, it's in the depths of he'll. I think this song tells about the life we lead as sinners and the outcome of our actions.Not to live the life that he has planned for us will defiantly get us to fire lake!
8. anonymous

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   Aug 6th 2017 !⃝

   It's about a fat guy named scott. Uncle joe is his gay cousin.
9. anonymous

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   Mar 12th 2017 !⃝

   It's about a gay man who is afraid to tell anyone because it means the death of his image.
10. anonymous

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    Mar 21st 2016 !⃝

    Bronze beauties- caskets.
11. anonymous

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    Dec 2nd 2015 !⃝

    Fire lake is like the biker Valhalla. Riding the chrome 3 wheeler is like the ultimate way to get anywhere. Make that first mistake, it only takes one mistake on a bike to get killed. Gypsie leathers signify you make the trip alone.
    Poor uncle joe died, who is gonna tell his old lady?
    8's and aces are the "dead man's hand", you wanna push your luck and raise the stakes? It's a thrill, but you could end going to fire lake, with awesome babes as a reward.
12. Rodney

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    Aug 19th 2013 !⃝

    Ride that chrome 3 wheeler means: The guy wiped out, still lives in a wheel chair but no feeling below the waist, a Unick..
    Going to Fire Lake means: the guy bought the farm, DOA....

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