Released: 1973
Elvis Presley’s ‘Burning Love’ is a fiery anthem of passion and desire. The lyrics depict an intense romantic attraction that’s so powerful, it’s compared to a burning flame. The song is a vivid portrayal of love’s overwhelming nature, likened to a physical sensation that’s both exhilarating and consuming.
The opening lines, ‘Lord Almighty, I feel my temperature risin’, mmm Higher, higher, it’s burning through to my soul’ sets the tone for the entire song. Elvis is expressing the intense physical reaction he’s experiencing due to his feelings of love. The phrase ‘burning through to my soul’ suggests that this love is not just physical, but deeply emotional and spiritual.
‘Girl, girl, girl, girl, you’re gonna set me on fire’ is a clear expression of his attraction towards his lover. The repetition of ‘girl’ emphasizes his fixation and fascination with her. The phrase ‘set me on fire’ is a common idiom used to describe a strong, often uncontrollable, passion or desire.
‘Your kisses lift me higher Like a sweet song of a choir’ uses metaphor to describe the effect of his lover’s affection. The act of kissing is compared to a ‘sweet song of a choir’, implying that her love is as uplifting and harmonious as a beautiful piece of music.
‘I just might turn into smoke, but I feel fine’ is a paradoxical statement that highlights the overwhelming intensity of his feelings. Despite the consuming nature of his love (implied by ‘turn into smoke’), he’s content and happy (‘I feel fine’) because of the joy that this love brings him.
The phrase ‘I’m just a hunk, a hunk of burning love’ is a playful self-declaration. Elvis is referring to himself as a ‘hunk’, a term often used to describe an attractive man, and combining it with the recurring theme of ‘burning love’. This line is both a statement of self-confidence and a testament to the power of love.
