10. Adele, "Set Fire to the Rain" (2011)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ri7-vnrJD3k
"But I set fire to the rain Watched it pour as I touched your face Let it burn while I cried 'Cause I heard it screaming out your name, your name."
Adele is highly gifted at writing boring song lyrics, so it's a treat to hear her dive into something as exciting as nonsense. On the most superficial of levelslevels having to do with the laws of naturethis refrain makes zero sense. In approaching the lyrics on a "deeper" level, one could argue that the chorus is a metaphor for transforming one's grief into rage, or asserting one's dignity within a relationship. But that analysis leads to a few key questions. How is Adele able to watch the rain pour if it's on her own face? Are there mirrors involved? And who is being burned? The guy? Is there a guy? If there is a guy, then who or what is screaming out his name, and why?