The World Is On Fire

Album: Furnaces (2016)
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Songfacts®:

  • This sparse track is a warning about the threat that humanity poses to the Earth. Ed Harcourt told The Quietus about the apocalyptic song.

    "We don't own this goddamn world. We are the ultimate arrogant species and we seem to be losing in a pointless battle against Mother Nature. Hey! Let's destroy everything that gets in our way for the sake of comfort! We will always lose and we are losing now unless we stop being so f---ing ignorant. There are animals that have more style and grace than many humans yet we use phrases like 'pig-headed' or 'dog-eared'. She's a bitch. You're a cow. YOU DIRTY RAT! YOU LYIN' SNAKE! We're the worst of the lot!

    We have pillaged, plundered and ransacked this earth, stripping it of its natural resources. There is much beauty to be experienced and enjoyed whilst we're alive and we are destroying our future for our descendants.

    I feel angry at the sheer repugnant disrespect some people have for each other, the celebration of narcissism, the lack of empathy running in correlation with our immersion in unnecessary technology, that somehow cutting yourself off from other people is progression. We are losing touch with reality and we are becoming desensitised to suffering.

    So... this song is that we are basically insignificant. Perhaps we can only survive if we realise this. Otherwise you might as well throw yourself into the flames love."
  • The song features percussive thumping from Warpaint drummer Stella Mongawa.

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