Fight Fire with Fire (song)

Song

Tour Dates

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 lines, "nuclear warfare shall lay us to reset"). 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” was first performed live on October 31, 1983, in Palo Alto, California.
• As of August 2016, it's been performed live 314 times.

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