Nirvana – Lake of Fire

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[Chorus:]
Where do bad folks go when they die?
They don't go to heaven where the angels fly
They go down to the lake of fire and fry

Won't see 'em again till the fourth of July
I knew a lady who came from Duluth
She got bit by a dog with a rabid tooth
She went to her grave just a little too soon
And she flew away howling on the yellow moon

[Chorus]

Now the people cry and the people moan
And they look for a dry place to call their home
And try to find some place to rest their bones
While the angels and the devils
Fight to claim them for their own

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Lyrics submitted by bonj

Track duration: 02:56

"Lake of Fire" as written by C. Kirkwood

Lyrics © BUG MUSIC

Lyrics powered by LyricFind


Lake of Fire song meanings
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79 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment:this song .. it realy is creative and a song that makes everyone wonder
    Flag ashley15on February 16, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Sorry im not going to read all the comments for answer. But could someone share thier thoughts on.. See them again on the fourth of July. i dont get how the lake of fire (hell or whatever) relates back to seeing them agin on the fourth of July?

    if you understand what im saying feel free to share, troll me, hate me, or what ever it is you do.

    "I'm you, Without Skin"
    Flag JMESUNon June 02, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:i believe the song is about war veterans who have died in battle and because murder is a mortal sin the go to hell were they fry and the only time they get recognition and praise for their sins is on the fourth of july
    Flag chliv89on January 17, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Didn't read every post but this is my thought on the "fourth of July" line. Obviously bad folks go to hell when they dye...and burn. On the fourth we shoot "fire" into the sky and it could sort of symbolize the bad folks paying their penance and entering the heavens or at least returning to be judged again. I don't know? I like to think of it that way though :D
    Flag Hoojasayon November 15, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I agree this is a pretty straightforward song about the afterlife. Love it, both the Nirvana and MP versions. The only line that really requires interpretation is teh 4th of July thing. I disagree that it's a political or anti-founding fathers message. I strongly agree that it's related to the "fire"works. i.e., the fire from the fireworks is used here as a symbol for those who are now living eternity in the lake of fire. It's interesting that Kurt chose to do this song just months before his suicide - obviously spooky that he was contemplating the afterlife in this way.
    Flag cecsixon October 27, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I love it. Dignified cover.
    Flag DJgifon April 30, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Im lame but this is my FAV coversong by Nirvana. I love how Kurt gets the southern drawl going on!
    Flag CuteDee23on April 18, 2009   Link
  • -1
    General Comment:come on brothers and sisters its very simple what this song means..it is all about the annual national Rainbow Gathering..for those of you who dont know what that is..it takes place every year in a diffrent place on the weekend of the 4th of July. it is where people from all race and ages and places come together as one to celebrate and pray for peace.

    "Where do bad folks go when they die?"
    bad folks as in how the society looks at hippies, nomads.

    "They go to the lake of fire and fry"
    acid is a commonley known drug used at gathering to express and feel the peace and love, to analize and think about there life, fry-meaning trip.

    "Won't see them again 'till the fourth of July"
    people of The rainbow Gathering are called brothers and sisters they are your family that you will count on seeing again next year on the 4th of july.

    "I knew a lady who came from Duluth"
    people attend such an event from all around the world.

    "And flew away howling on the yellow moon"
    once again tripping.

    "They look for a dry place to call their home"
    they as in nomads which means does not have a home, travels .

    "While the angels and the devils try to make them their own"
    angels and devils means the goverment, normal people, ?good people?.
    this i smy interpitation of this song it actully seems to be very blant about the meaning
    Flag dre226669on October 11, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:"MEAT PUPPETS."


    ".NIRVANA... DID THE COVER.. FOR THEM."
    Flag SHOT_UP_AND_QUITon September 25, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I personally think that this song is about how people worry so much about material things, not realizing that it really doesn't make any difference because no matter what, it's all going to come to an end, and no matter what happens to your soul when you die, you're not going to need the material possessions you worried so much about while you were alive. The "fourth of July" part... I think it's likely they could have just used that to make another line that would rhyme with the rest of the chorus, as in a lot of older children's songs and rhymes (Miss Mary Mack, all dressed in black, silver buttons down her back, asked her mother for 15 cents to see the elephants jump the fence, jumped so high, touched the sky, never came back till the fourth of July)... either that, or it could have something to do with how the fourth of July is Independence Day for the United States and is seen basically as a time to celebrate our freedom. Basically "won't see them again till the fourth of July," to me, would mean (in this song) "you won't see them until you're free (from your body, the physical world, materialism, etc.)."
    Flag seacreature25on March 19, 2008   Link

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