Man on Fire

A "man on fire" will certainly attrack attention on any street anywhere in the world. But, why is he on fire? I believe the singer is going through a purification process that burns off anything that is not love.

In my assessment, this song is mostly about the process of transformation and the singers "one desire left in me" is to help with the transforming all who can hear his song as he is "Walking through your street, with one guitar and two dancing feet."

It's his desire (proof of desire is pursuit) to pursue people with his message (song) that have experienced "heartache and rage, heartache and shame" that they do not have to continue life with these pointless emotions that burden and pollute the mind and soul.

His words of love can "Come and set us free" is to loosen the bonds, shackles and hinderances of a selfish love that has entangled and damned the world.

If the listener realizes, the singer moves through various types of "love; "Everybody want safety (safety love), most peoples basic need is to be safe and secure,in their surroundings which may or may not include other people, safety love. It may include a bridge or a cardboard box to sleep under, a very basic need, or safety. "Everybody want comfort (comfort love)" then their second need is to comforted, to be soothed in time of affliction or distress. This could be food, perhaps an addiction, but still, it is for the individual and self only. "Everybody want certain (certain love)", And then, only when these very basic needs are met, one may get a revelation of a very particular type of love, a love that brings people together, a certainty that is established beyond doubt.

This is where faith and grace comes together, a blessed assurance

I think it's about appreciating the bad things that happen to us in life as learning experiences. He wants to get as much as he can out of life and become a better man by living through the "heartache and shame" instead of having a perfect life with romance, safety and comfort.

That's what I got out of it anyway. Beautiful song.

the lyrics are "over murder and pain." keeps in the theme of the other.

this song is so incredible and quite dynamic. might be my favorite of edward sharpe thus far. it's just a lovely ditty about being happy and basking in the gifts of life rather than the bad that can exist.

very optimistic about the new record. love this

this song is about spiritual alchemy. purifying the self and achieving spiritual enlightenment to develop higher qualities like learning and love ("purification = fire"). it's about becoming the highest self ("fire = the highest divine self") through spiritual ascension. transforming one's lower self into a higher spiritual state is what this song is about and how the singer wants everyone in the whole damn world to achieve this with him.

This song is about himself "Walking through the street with one guitar"and others who share that strong internal flame to succeed. He wants to be famous and have the whole world know him "I want the whole damn world To come dance with me". He hasnt had a past which has been successful enough for him "over heartache and same.

He wants others to have that burn and eventually succeed as well. "I wanna see our bodies burning like the old big sun I wanna know what we’ve been learning and learning from" OThers passion may be love, comfort and safety. "Everybody want romance (romance love) Everybody want safety (safety love) Everybody want comfort (comfort love)"

His internal fire is singular. He has but one goal.
"Everybody but me"

I'm not sure what is said at "I'm a hunter at bay." It could be, "I'm a herder/hurter at bay/day." I'm not sure. If you have a better idea, let me know and I'll fix it. There are a few other parts I wasn't sure about such as ""two dancing feet" could be "to a dancing beat". Just let me know and it will be fixed.