California is in flames. It happens every year around this time, but it’s still pretty dramatic. Not to mention dangerous to lots of people. Here are a few tunes for my friends in the Golden State to listen to while they flee the fires.

GIANTfingers “Baby’s On Fire” (Brian Eno)
The original version is pretty foreboding. This one chugs along quite innocently, despite the disturbing lyrics.

Shirley Bassey “Light My Fire” (The Doors)
Shirley Bassey can certainly belt out a tune. She’s been doing a lot of covers lately of contemporary songs, apparently trying to follow the Tom Jones career track.

Albert Kuvezin and Yat-Kha “Play With Fire” (Rolling Stones)
Every time there are fires in California they end up busting some idiot for starting some of the fires intentionally. Remember kids, if you play with fire Smokey the Bear will maul you in your sleep.

The Goddard High School Stage Band “Fire” (Jimi Hendrix Experience)
I’m sure that the band director had big sideburns and desperately wanted the kids to think he was hip.

This Kid Named Miles “Ring Of Fire” (Anita Carter/Johnny Cash)
Let’s say you’re a reggae band and you want to cover a song that wasn’t written by Bob Marley or Peter Tosh. What’s the most logical choice? “Ring Of Fire” of course.