Roll of the Dice: The Fire Engines Are Returning Home

I consider myself to be pretty decent at interpreting Bruce’s songs, but I have to cry “uncle” on this one.

“The Fire Engines Are Returning Home” is one of Bruce’s Steel Mill-era compositions. As far as I know, the band never recorded it, but it’s likely they at least rehearsed it.

Bruce’s lyrics appear to be complete, along with chord notations, on a surviving hand-written lyrics sheet. (There only seems to be three short verses, but Bruce’s Steel Mill material was often short on lyrics to make room for the band’s epic-length mid-song jams.)

As for what’s the song about, you tell me. Please.

The fire engines are returning home
There are bunnies in the rain
Cars are tuned to The Rolling Stones
and are deaf to the whistling train

The fire engines are returning home
There are bunnies in the rain
Teddy bears lie left alone
As sleepytime children sing the refrain

Something for nothing, nothing for something
Isn’t it all the same?
The bunnies are returning home
Like fire engines in the rain

Fire engines returning home in the rain implies that they aren’t needed–the rain is putting the fire out. That notion would be reinforced by the abandoned teddy bears in the second verse, no longer required by their lullabied owners.

But what’s it in service of? Does Bruce have a message here?

Beats the heck out of me. Anyone care to enlighten?

The Fire Engines Are Returning Home
Never recorded
Never performed

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