Fire Lake

first off, you guys are reading to much into it.bob seger himself said its about taking risks. back in the day chrome three wheelers were seen as sissy bikes,who is gonna make that first mistake is self explanitory,gypsy leathers are frilly leather jackets and chaps that came out in the late seventies,and everyone thought they were gay. uncle joe did not want to cut the cake cause he was afraid of marriage.braveing the bronze beauties are a reference to going upto beautiful women and not being shy and taking a chance,when he says am i really here at last is "i finally did it and it's awesome. eights and aces is another reference to the dead mans hand ,if he plays them will he die? "who wants a raise who needs a stake" ,are also risks that you take.and "who wants to take that long shot gamble" yet again is another risk. and finally fire lake is an imaginary place where if you take the risk and have the balls to do anything that is above the norm,you belong there.

end of story

This is one of the most underrated songs and definitely does not get enough airplay.

From segerfile.com/wind.html here is what the song means -

Fire Lake The single charted at #6. Seger began writing "Fire Lake" in 1971. Seger intended 'Fire Lake' for Beautiful Loser, which was released in 1975. It didn't make the cut, however, and wasn't released until 1980 when Against the Wind came out. Seger and Punch and Capitol decided to make it the first single of Against the Wind because it was so different from the other singles he had released at that time. Seger: "We decided to come with 'Fire Lake' as the first single because it was totally and unequivocally unlike anything we'd ever done before. The lyric is very ... different ... and very kind of unique. It's about taking risks. About risking love, chucking it all and just heading off with a bunch of wild people, whatever. "It is one of my favorite lyrics down through the years, and the track is very unusual. It's sort of an R&B meets country kind of thing. "I really wanted it to be the first single but I never thought Capitol would agree to it, and I believe it was Punch who talked them into it. What I liked about it was that it broke new ground for us. It really showed that we were unafraid to push the envelope of what we were doing before, which was basically pretty hot rock and roll, you know, with a few ballads thrown in."

For the record, billy, 8's and aces was the poker hand Wild bill hickkock held when he was shot in the back. Since then the hand is called "dead man's hand". I love the song too. wish it got more radio play

isn't this song about life and death? Dead Man's Hand...who wants to take that long-shot gamble? chrome three wheelers, bronze beauties..isnt' that heaven? i could be wrong, but i think the song speaks to risk and reward, a fulfilling life vs. a boring life. uncle joe finally took that chance and ended up at fire lake....but he's now in biker's paradise. and who's gonna tell aunt sarah that he's gone? seger probably wrote this about a loved one dying and then what happens to them in the afterlife for a hero's death. almost like viking mythology. but who knows.

My favorite Bob Seeger song after "Night Moves".

If only because we both agree on a pretty obscure take, I think da gumba pretty much hit it with the Viking Mythology aspect. The bronze beauties are valkyries, taking the fallen heroes to Fire Lake. "Lay you down" / "Am I really here at last?" pretty much cements that one. Speaking of which, if you don't mind mixing mythologies, the Lake of Fire is where Christians say you end up if you aren't "saved". The sort of bikers anyone means when they say "bikers" are the 1% outlaws who woudl likely be PROUD of not being bound by any commandments, loving neighbours etc.--you know, that "rather laugh with the sinners than cry with the saints" braggadoccio. I also agree that the 8s & Aces ties in with the "Long shot gamble" well enough to convince ME that they are oblique death imagery. I'm enough of a biker to know that gypsy leathers mean those of someone not attached to a club, and as the song says "Who wants THAT?" On the other hand, I'm not enough biker to see any meaning in a chrome 3 wheeler. Only way you'd catch ME on a trike would be if I lost a leg and couldn't ride a real bike anymore. I like Pee Wee's take on "Afraid to cut the cake"--I wrapped my head around that one for years and that's the first thing that evre made any sense. Uncle Joe was died on his bike; nobody wants to have to break it to his woman. Here's hoping he's having a good time with the Valkyries, and that his character will earn him an eternal home in Fire Lake.

I think AGM 88 has it to a point what this song is truely about. No need to say more.

AGM 88, I love your explanation. I listened carefully to the lyrics of this song earlier and was trying to figure it all out. I did think of the Fire Island gay resort connection, but the rest of it didn't really match with that, so I figured it wasn't about that. Very good song, and clearly a tribute to "Uncle Joe."

Ah this is a great song. It really grows on you, one of my favourite Bob Seger songs.

Can't say I relate to it but I still love it.

uncle joe ans aunt sara were bobs really aunt and uncle i bellieve.