The copyrighted words at the end are "I'll take you to learn", but that was only so the repressed, 1950s-type people wouldn't cause problems with the real last line, which is "I'll take you to bed". That's how it's listed at many lyrics sites, and it's also obviously what he's saying when you listen to the song.
Being careful about a reference to sex may sound ridiculous to you now, but I assure you that then, fear and sexual repression were the centerpieces of the dominant American culture, and it was a very big deal. Couples on TV shows slept in separate beds. The word "sex" was never, ever used in public. The old-culture people even burned piles of vinyl records just because they referred to raw animal passion, which they had been told was sin from Satan and hell.
The last word in the last line matters because the song is about a guy with a young girl.
You've been living like a little girl
In the middle of your little world
Fire represents the uncontrollable sexual insanity that suddenly overwhelms our brain when we're a teenager. Our mind is no longer in primary control, furious animal lust is.
He's about to release burning passion in her that she never even knew existed. She will learn what she really is, and everything will change.
The singer says it's something that should have happened to her already, like it has everyone else. But her mind, afraid of being overwhelmed and overthrown, hasn't allowed herself to see it.
And your mind, your tiny mind
You know you've really been so blind
Now's your time, burn your mind
You're falling far too far behind
Not just her attitude and experience will change, but who and (most of all) what she is will change—forever. All her achievements as a little girl (like making her parents happy by getting good grades) won't matter anymore, because something else will.
You've fought hard and you saved and earned,
But all of it's going to burn.
The singer tells her (correctly) that being fucked for the first time will be like waking up from a dream: everything she was, she won't be anymore.
Fire, to destroy all you've done
Fire, to end all you've become
The little girl life she had won't matter now, because she'll no longer be a little girl. She'll learn something new that will matter instead.
And he's going to "teach" it to her.
Fire, I'll take you to burn.
Fire, I'll take you to learn.
After it, she will be a new, different person—freer, happier, and (sadly, perhaps) not an innocent little kid anymore.
She will become what she always was, but didn't know: a female animal.
She will learn her true purpose: to mate—and die.
Though all this is obvious when you read the lyrics (I hope), it is only undeniable when the original word is in the last line.
Fire, I'll take you to burn
Fire, I'll take you to bed
--faye kane ♀ girl brain
I battled the fire in me for decades. When it finally burned away the fear, I discovered that it was good and wonderful and right and fine. I fought a war with myself for my whole life, and I didn't even know I was fighting on the wrong side.
@FayeKane I agree with most of your comment. But I've always thought that the main new experience that the singer wants the girl to experience is hard drugs as opposed to sex (although sex would be likely part of the experience, especially if he says "I'll take you to bed" at the end). "Burn your mind" sounds more like the effect of drugs than of sex. And the song came out in 1968, after the Sexual Revolution had been going on for several years but drug references in popular songs were probably at their peak. Then again, other contemporary songs...
@FayeKane I agree with most of your comment. But I've always thought that the main new experience that the singer wants the girl to experience is hard drugs as opposed to sex (although sex would be likely part of the experience, especially if he says "I'll take you to bed" at the end). "Burn your mind" sounds more like the effect of drugs than of sex. And the song came out in 1968, after the Sexual Revolution had been going on for several years but drug references in popular songs were probably at their peak. Then again, other contemporary songs entitled "Fire" were about sex and passion (I'm thinking Jimi Hendrix and the Poynter Sisters).
Incidentally, there is a fabulous parody of this song about Bernie Sanders called "Feel the Bern" on amiright.com: "We're the state of Vermont and we bring you... Sanders, he'll take all you earn..."
The copyrighted words at the end are "I'll take you to learn", but that was only so the repressed, 1950s-type people wouldn't cause problems with the real last line, which is "I'll take you to bed". That's how it's listed at many lyrics sites, and it's also obviously what he's saying when you listen to the song.
Being careful about a reference to sex may sound ridiculous to you now, but I assure you that then, fear and sexual repression were the centerpieces of the dominant American culture, and it was a very big deal. Couples on TV shows slept in separate beds. The word "sex" was never, ever used in public. The old-culture people even burned piles of vinyl records just because they referred to raw animal passion, which they had been told was sin from Satan and hell.
The last word in the last line matters because the song is about a guy with a young girl.
Fire represents the uncontrollable sexual insanity that suddenly overwhelms our brain when we're a teenager. Our mind is no longer in primary control, furious animal lust is.
He's about to release burning passion in her that she never even knew existed. She will learn what she really is, and everything will change.
The singer says it's something that should have happened to her already, like it has everyone else. But her mind, afraid of being overwhelmed and overthrown, hasn't allowed herself to see it.
Not just her attitude and experience will change, but who and (most of all) what she is will change—forever. All her achievements as a little girl (like making her parents happy by getting good grades) won't matter anymore, because something else will.
The singer tells her (correctly) that being fucked for the first time will be like waking up from a dream: everything she was, she won't be anymore.
The little girl life she had won't matter now, because she'll no longer be a little girl. She'll learn something new that will matter instead.
And he's going to "teach" it to her.
After it, she will be a new, different person—freer, happier, and (sadly, perhaps) not an innocent little kid anymore.
She will become what she always was, but didn't know: a female animal.
She will learn her true purpose: to mate—and die.
Though all this is obvious when you read the lyrics (I hope), it is only undeniable when the original word is in the last line.
--faye kane ♀ girl brain I battled the fire in me for decades. When it finally burned away the fear, I discovered that it was good and wonderful and right and fine. I fought a war with myself for my whole life, and I didn't even know I was fighting on the wrong side.
Maybe you are, too. tiny url dot com/geekassist
@FayeKane I agree with most of your comment. But I've always thought that the main new experience that the singer wants the girl to experience is hard drugs as opposed to sex (although sex would be likely part of the experience, especially if he says "I'll take you to bed" at the end). "Burn your mind" sounds more like the effect of drugs than of sex. And the song came out in 1968, after the Sexual Revolution had been going on for several years but drug references in popular songs were probably at their peak. Then again, other contemporary songs...
@FayeKane I agree with most of your comment. But I've always thought that the main new experience that the singer wants the girl to experience is hard drugs as opposed to sex (although sex would be likely part of the experience, especially if he says "I'll take you to bed" at the end). "Burn your mind" sounds more like the effect of drugs than of sex. And the song came out in 1968, after the Sexual Revolution had been going on for several years but drug references in popular songs were probably at their peak. Then again, other contemporary songs entitled "Fire" were about sex and passion (I'm thinking Jimi Hendrix and the Poynter Sisters).
Incidentally, there is a fabulous parody of this song about Bernie Sanders called "Feel the Bern" on amiright.com: "We're the state of Vermont and we bring you... Sanders, he'll take all you earn..."