What is this song?

March 8, 2012 8:57 PM

Extremely vague song description: I heard a woman playing acoustic guitar in Boston at South Station tonight. She was playing a fairly famous song from the 60's or 70's. The song is sung by a male with a deep scratchy voice, like hungover whiskey voice. He is singing powerfully and it is a powerful song. Not a happy song. It's a singer's song, not so much about the music. The song is definitely famous enough, but not something you would regularly hear, or hear at all on a classic rock radio station. I picture the man singing it to have a lot of facial hair. The lyrics may contain the word 'fire' or they may not.
posted by comatose to Grab Bag (24 answers total)

Is Fire and Rain too obvious?
posted by Snarl Furillo at 9:00 PM on March 8, 2012

The needle and the damage done. EVERYBODY plays it.
posted by modernserf at 9:02 PM on March 8, 2012

Video. I must have heard a dozen MBTA performers do this song.
posted by modernserf at 9:04 PM on March 8, 2012

Who by fire? by leonard cohen?

after the mindblowing assist from sonny rollins! who could resist that sh*t!
posted by Rube R. Nekker at 9:12 PM on March 8, 2012 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: Not Neil Young. Despite not being born in either of those decades I am fairly well versed in classic rock and Neil Young would be way too obvious.
posted by comatose at 9:14 PM on March 8, 2012

I know there was a 70s version of the Pointer Sisters' Fire by a guy, but can't find that version.
posted by pH Indicating Socks at 10:42 PM on March 8, 2012

Well that sure sounds like a description of Tom Waits voice.
Come on up to the House, has fire in the lyric.

Harry Nillson: Jump into the fire
posted by artdrectr at 10:44 PM on March 8, 2012

Maybe not scratchy enough, but something by Gordon Lightfoot?
posted by caclwmr4 at 10:49 PM on March 8, 2012

Hoyt Aston Flash of Fire?
posted by fshgrl at 10:56 PM on March 8, 2012

Another vote for Tom Waits. You could start by checking out songs from Asylum Years. From these I might guess "Kentucky Avenue" which has a verse about burning down a house.
posted by rongorongo at 11:01 PM on March 8, 2012

How Do You Do? is probably too happy to be the song you heard, but your description of a hairy guy with a scratchy voice reminded me of the singer here.
posted by Oriole Adams at 12:10 AM on March 9, 2012

Maybe Sunday Morning Coming Down?
posted by Ducks or monkeys at 1:08 AM on March 9, 2012

I'm On Fire by Bruce Springsteen came instantly to mind after reading your description, except that as far as I know, its from the 80s.
posted by DuchessProzac at 2:07 AM on March 9, 2012

And I've just noticed it was mentioned a little way up. D'oh!
posted by DuchessProzac at 2:09 AM on March 9, 2012

Cat Stevens has a beard.
posted by Orchestra at 2:39 AM on March 9, 2012 [1 favorite]

Ring of Fire?
posted by jet_silver at 4:47 AM on March 9, 2012

Fire on the mountain. Jerry was hairy.
posted by kenaldo at 5:47 AM on March 9, 2012

The Pointer Sisters' Fire was a Springsteen cover.
posted by brujita at 5:50 AM on March 9, 2012

The Heather Nova version of 'I'm On Fire'?
posted by ninebelow at 5:55 AM on March 9, 2012

The Doors, Light My Fire?
posted by doorsfan at 6:31 AM on March 9, 2012

Joe Cocker fits the scratchy, powerful, famous-in-the-60s and hairy parts. As for the song, maybe Love is Alive?
posted by Killick at 6:35 AM on March 9, 2012 [1 favorite]

How bout Bob Seger?
Fire Down Below
Fire Inside
posted by teekat at 7:20 AM on March 9, 2012

Something by Kris Kristopherson? (may have misspelled the last name)
posted by Eicats at 7:50 AM on March 9, 2012

No facial hair, but This Wheel's on Fire by Bob Dylan?
posted by MeiraV at 5:49 PM on March 9, 2012