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Fight Fire With Fire is the opening track on Metallica's second studio album, Ride the Lightning, written by James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich, and Cliff Burton.
About[]
The song is about the end of the world being caused by heavy use of nuclear warfare (hence the line, "nuclear warfare shall lay us to rest"). The song suggests to "fight fire with fire" to potentially stop it, or possibly the term has been used so much, it is causing the end of the world.
The same topic is also explored in a song called "Blackened", which is the opening track of Metallica's fourth album, ...And Justice for All.
Fight Fire With Fire is also known to be one of Metallica's fastest and heaviest songs to date, with the main riff consisting of all sixteenth notes, requiring incredibly fast playing.
Live[]
- "Fight Fire with Fire" been performed live 361 times as of May 2025.
- "Fight Fire with Fire" was first performed live on October 31st, 1983, in Palo Alto, California.
- It was last performed live on May 3rd, 2025, in Nashville, Tennessee, during the 72 Seasons tour.
Trivia[]
Lyrics[]
Do unto others as they've done to you
But what the hell is this world coming to?
Blow the universe into nothingness
Nuclear warfare shall lay us to rest
Fight fire with fire
Ending is near
Fight fire with fire
Bursting with fear
We all shall die
Time is like a fuse, short and burning fast
Armageddon's here, like said in the past
Fight fire with fire
Ending is near
Fight fire with fire
Bursting with fear
Soon to fill our lungs, the hot winds of death
The gods are laughing, so take your last breath
Fight fire with fire
Ending is near
Fight fire with fire
Bursting with fear
Fight fire with fire
Fight
References[]
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Ride the Lightning |
|---|---|
| Songs | Fight Fire with Fire • Ride the Lightning • For Whom the Bell Tolls • Fade to Black • Trapped Under Ice • Escape • Creeping Death • The Call of Ktulu |
| Members | James Hetfield • Lars Ulrich • Kirk Hammett • Cliff Burton |
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Guitar Hero Metallica |
|---|---|
| Songs | For Whom the Bell Tolls • The Unforgiven • Nothing Else Matters • Enter Sandman • King Nothing • Sad But True • No Leaf Clover • Orion • Fade to Black • The Memory Remains • Wherever I May Roam • Welcome Home (Sanitarium) • Fuel • Frantic • One • All Nightmare Long • Hit the Lights • Mercyful Fate • Seek & Destroy • Creeping Death • Master of Puppets • Battery • The Shortest Straw • Whiplash • Dyers Eve • Disposable Heroes • Fight Fire with Fire • The Thing That Should Not Be • Broken, Beat & Scarred • Cyanide • My Apocalypse |
| Featured Band Songs | Turn the Page • Tuesday's Gone • Am I Evil? • Stone Cold Crazy |
