Things We Lost In The Fire

Bastille's 'Things We Lost In The Fire' is a poignant exploration of loss and the transformative power of tragedy. The song uses the metaphor of a fire to represent a catastrophic event that has led to the loss of tangible items as well as intangible elements such as memories and relationships. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of the aftermath of a disaster, where all that was once valued is reduced to ashes, symbolizing how quickly life can change and how precious our possessions and experiences truly are.

The chorus, repeating the line 'These are the things, the things we lost in the fire, fire, fire,' serves as a haunting reminder of the permanence of loss. The fire here could be literal, as in a house fire, or metaphorical, representing any life-altering event. The song suggests that such events force us to reevaluate what is truly important, as material possessions can be consumed and destroyed, leaving behind only memories and the emotional residue of their existence.

The bridge of the song shifts the perspective, suggesting that the narrator and their counterpart may have been complicit in the metaphorical fire, with the lines 'I was the match and you were the rock / Maybe we started this fire.' This introduces the theme of accountability and the idea that sometimes we are responsible for the changes that happen in our lives. The song closes with a reflection on change and the inevitability of moving forward, acknowledging that the future holds a different reality that is shaped by the events of the past.