Devil's Plaything

Danzig's 'Devil's Plaything' delves into the dark and tumultuous nature of love, portraying it as a dangerous and consuming force. The song opens with the metaphor of love as a flame, a 'devil's thing,' suggesting that love is inherently linked to pain and destruction. This imagery sets the tone for the rest of the song, where love is depicted as a violent storm, something that is both irresistible and perilous. The repeated references to flames and burning emphasize the intensity and potential harm of getting too close to this powerful emotion.

The lyrics also explore themes of deception and the duality of pleasure and pain. The narrator warns that the flame inside them can burn others alive, indicating that their love is not only passionate but also potentially destructive. The line 'All these words I speak, you cannot deny' suggests a sense of inevitability and truth in the narrator's warnings. The song's chorus, 'Devil's plaything in my hands,' reinforces the idea that love, in this context, is a tool of manipulation and control, something that can bring immense pain if not understood or respected.

Throughout the song, there is a recurring motif of light and darkness. The 'gentle light' that 'will never be' contrasts with the burning flame, symbolizing the unattainable nature of a pure, gentle love in the face of the narrator's fiery passion. The invitation to 'come unto me' if one wants to 'touch flames' serves as a seductive yet ominous call, highlighting the allure and danger of engaging with such intense emotions. Ultimately, 'Devil's Plaything' is a powerful exploration of the darker aspects of love, where desire and danger are inextricably linked.