After the Fire

[William Spencer Watson <wswatson@indiana.edu>]

On Sat, 1 May 1999, Mark R. Leaman wrote:

> When it comes down to it, I also believe After The Fire is about the
> breakup. Listen to the lyrics and see what you think, and we can discuss
> that too if anyone is interested.

I doubt it.  This song was written specifically to be performed by the Who
at Live Aid, but I don't think the lyrics are actually about the Who.
When Pete introduces it during the Deep End concert that was commercially
released, he says it's about "what was happening in Ethiopia and Africa
being like a fire, and that what would happen is that the concert would
put out the fire but it would still smolder, still burn."  The question
is, did Pete intend to give it the double meaning that would relate it to
the Who's breakup?  I doubt he would be callous enough to relate the
breakup of the Who to suffering and tragedy in Africa.

I don't see anything in the first verse that points to the Who:

I heard a voice askin' "What happens after the fire?"
And the sound of a breaking window and the scream of a tire.
And then the sound of a Brixton gun and the scream of a child.
The night is hot and nothing's gonna stop this gang runnin' wild.

The second verse:

I saw Matt Dillon in black and white; there ain't no color in my memories.
He rode his brother's old Harley across the TV screen while I was laughing
at Dom DeLuise.
I'm sackin' through all my videotapes, I'm crying and I'm joking.
I gotta stop drinking, I gotta stop thinking, I gotta stop smoking.

I dunno, I don't see anything beyond some kind of statement about
universal suffering, and maybe his feelings of guilt about living a life
of luxury while others suffer.  I suppose you could tie that ("I gotta
stop thinking") to the Who in some way, but it seems quite a stretch to
say it's about the breakup, and I doubt that was his intention.  Of
course, Roger may have chosen to "make" it about the Who, and maybe that's
why he recorded it.  Incidentally, the bit where he rhymes "Dom DeLuise"
with "memories" just may get my vote for all-time worst Townshend lyric.
Still, I like the song.

Bill