People are only just finding out what Adele’s hit song ‘Set Fire To The Rain’ actually means
Adele is known for turning the topic of heartache into hugely successful tunes, but there may be some lyrics that don't quite mean what we'd assumed they did.
The superstar currently has a residency in Las Vegas called Weekends with Adele, which is being held at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace, and has recently been extended until November 2023.
Her string of dates was supposed to end in March, but after announcing that her time at The Colosseum had 'brought her back to life', she decided she would be back this summer.
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At the time, Adele said: “My life is tiny. I don’t really leave my house and that’s by choice.
“My life used to be massive when I was younger, but it is like the bigger my career has gotten, the more scared and anxious I have become.
“I hang out with my dogs, my son and my boyfriend, and chat away with my housekeeper.
“On Friday and Saturdays, I really look forward to coming [to Vegas] and it feels like having a night out and seeing my friends.
"It’s brought me back to life."
At one of her recent concerts, the singer decided to open up to fans about the meaning and origin of several songs - including 'Set Fire to the Rain', which, despite the emotional lyrics, is literally about just trying to light a cigarette in the pouring rain.
She recounted having an argument with her then-boyfriend to the audience, explaining that she had stormed outside, out of the house, and into the rain to stop him from seeing that she was upset.
Her boyfriend said during the altercation: “You’re not going to be able to light that cigarette in the rain.”
And she managed to do it, which is why the song is called 'Set Fire To The Rain'… we love clever song lyrics!
The song was released as the third single on her album 21, which was released in January 2011.
The video of Adele explaining the meaning behind her songs is currently doing the rounds on TikTok.
In response to the video, one user wrote: “Trying to light a cigarette in the rain is a whole mood.”
While another said: “I love this because it makes songwriting so much more accessible, you can write about ANYTHING.”
Adele went on to discuss some of the other meanings behind a few of her big hits.
She explained that 'Turning Tables' was about her and her boyfriend sitting in a Chinese restaurant with a spinning table. The server put her dish on his side of the table, and he kept putting his hands on the table so it wouldn’t spin… these songs now have a whole different meaning for all of us!
Mia Williams