Forest Fires Lyrics

Lyric discussion by thestarheart 

Cover art for Forest Fires lyrics by David Bazan

I don't think this is entirely autobiographical but I see where the correlation can be made. He stated in an interview that he doesn't believe that hell exists and this is reflected in the song:

But now you feel like a preacher Evoking the flames of Hell Some drunk fisherman Chasing after the white whale

It is entirely possible that he is the "drunk fisherman", referring to his time as a sunday school teacher and now he is trying to distance himself from that life through the use of song and art:

You used to feel like the prodigal returning But now you hate what you've made And you want to watch it burn