Fire On The Mountain - Mickey Hart Versions

Mickey Hart has recorded and played a number of different versions of "Fire On The Mountain" over the years, including an instrumental version "Happiness Is Drumming" with the Diga Rhythm Band in 1976. A range of versions with lyrics are set out below: the early 1970s 'rap' version; a version with Mystery Box in 1996; and a version with the Rhythm Devils in 2006.

Original 'rap' version

Mickey Hart recorded at least two versions of "Fire On The Mountain" in the early 1970s with Jerry Garcia, Barry Melton, David Freiberg and others. Both have Mickey's 'rap' lyrics. One version is from the Area Code 415 sessions, and one from the sessions for Mickey Hart's unreleased album titled Fire On The Mountain. The two versions have very similar vocals, but different backing tracks (the guitar part in particular). Another version with most of the same lyrics was recorded by Jim McPherson using the original track with Jerry's guitar and Mickey Hart's vocals replaced.
Wrong way Billy, what you standing there for?
Get up, get off, get out of the door
You're playing cold music on the bar room floor
Drowned in your laughter and dead to the core
There's a dragon with matches that's loose on the town
Takes a whole pail of water just to cool him down

Cut up in sections, squirming alive
Lost to the world on that fifty-cent jive
Fireman, fireman, call off your dog
This isn't a blaze, it's just a hog in the log
There's a fire on the mountain, running around
What doesn't go up can never come down

Fire, fire on the mountain
Fire up on the mountain, there's a
Fire, fire on the mountain
Right up on the mountain there's a
Fire, fire on the mountain

Wound in barbed wire, hell I ain't sore
Only hurts when I laugh, or roll on the floor
Only hurts a little, that's what I'm told
When you drown in hot oil it can even feel cold
I know I'm in love but I can't tell you why
It feels like poison, shoot me down when I cry

There's a
Fire, fire on the mountain
Fire, fire on the mountain
Can you see the fire, fire is getting higher
Fire, fire on the mountain
How's it going, how's it going, are you coming through the
Fire, fire on the mountain

She's running around, she's coming down
Up, up, up, up, right up on the mountain there's a fire
Here she comes, here she comes

She's running down, she's coming around
There's a fire
Let me tell you
Here she comes

Gonna drink a hot water before I die
It cools me down, I ain't telling no lie
Out of the frying pan and into the fire
Over the rat trap and under the wire

My baby's in scarlet, her shackles in gray
If loves to love she's got it slated away
Put it down heavy, pick it up lean
Got to lay it down dirty and play it back clean

Fire, fire on the mountain
Right up on the mountain there's a fire
You know it's getting closer
Fire, fire on the mountain
Here she comes, here she comes
Running round, coming down
Fire, fire on the mountain
Right up on the mountain there's a
Getting higher, here she comes, here she comes
Fire, fire on the mountain
She running around, she's coming down
[etc]
Mickey Hart posted an image on Instagram which looks as if it's an early manuscript of the lyrics:
Wrong way Billy, what you standing there for?
Get up, get off, get out of the door
You're playing cold music on the bar room floor
Drowned in your laughter and DEAD to the core
There's a dragon with matches that's loose on the town
Takes a whole pail of water to cool him down

There's a FIRE, FIRE on the mountain (3x)

Wound in barbed wire, hell I ain't sore
Only hurts when I laugh, or roll on the floor
Only hurts a little, that's what I'm told
When you drown in hot oil it can even feel cold
I know I'm in love but I can't tell you why
It feels like poison, shoot me down when I cry

FIRE (3x)

FIREMAN, FIREMAN, call off your dogs
This isn't a blaze, it's just a hog in the log
There's a fire on the mountain, it's running around
What doesn't go up can never come down

FIRE (3x)

Baby's in scarlet, shackles in gray
If loves to love she's got it salted away
Put it down heavy, pick it up lean
Got to lay it down dirty and play it back clean

Mystery Box

This is the Mystery Box version from 1996, again with Mickey's 'rap' lyrics.
Fire, fire on the mountain
Fire, fire on the mountain

Long distance runner, what you standing there for
Caught in slow motion in a dash to the door
You're playing cold music on the barrom floor
Drowned in your laughter and dead to the core
There's a dragon with matches that's loose on the town
Take a whole pail of water just to cool him down

Almost aflame, still you don't feel the heat
It takes all you got just to stay on the beat
You say it's a living, we all gotta eat
But you're here alone, there's no one to compete
If mercy's in business, I wish it for you
More than just ashes when your dreams come true

Fire, fire on the mountain
Fire, fire on the mountain
Fire, fire on the mountain
Fire, fire on the mountain

Long distance runner, what you holding out for
Caught in slow motion in a dash to the door
The flame from your stage has now spread to the floor
You gave all you got, why you want to give more?
The more that you give, the more it will take
To the thin line beyond which you really can't fake

Wound in barbed wire, hell I ain't sore
Only hurts when I laugh, or roll on the floor
It only hurts a little, at least that's what I'm told
When you drown in hot oil it can even feel cold

Gonna drink a hot water before I die
It cool me down, I ain't telling no lie
Out of the frying pan and into the fire
Over the rat trap and under the wire
You put it down heavy, pick it up lean
Got to lay it down dirty and play it back clean

Fire, fire on the mountain
Fire, fire on the mountain
Fire, fire on the mountain
Fire, fire on the mountain
[etc]

Rhythm Devils

This is the Rhythm Devils version from 2006, with Jen Durkin singing
Long distance runner, what you standing there for
Caught in slow motion in a dash to the door
You're playing cold music on the barrom floor
Drowned in your laughter and dead to the core
There's a dragon with matches that's loose on the town
Take a whole pail of water just to cool him down

Almost aflame, still you don't feel the heat
It takes all you got just to stay on the beat
You say it's a living, we all gotta eat
But you're here alone, there's no one to compete
If mercy's in business, I wish it for you
More than just ashes when your dreams come true

Fire, fire on the mountain
Fire, fire on the mountain
Fire, fire on the mountain
Fire, fire on the mountain

Long distance runner, what you holding out for
Caught in slow motion in a dash to the door
The flame from your stage has now spread to the floor
You gave all you got, why you want to give more?
The more that you give, the more it will take
To the thin line beyond which you can't really fake

Fireman, fireman, call off your dog
This isn't a blaze, it's just a hog in the log
That fire on the mountain, it's running around
What doesn't go up, can never come down

Fire, fire on the mountain
Fire, fire on the mountain
Fire, fire on the mountain
Fire, fire on the mountain

Wound in barbed wire, hell I ain't sore
Only hurts when I laugh, or roll on the floor
Only hurts a little, at least that's what I'm told
When you drown in hot oil it can even feel cold
My baby's in scarlet, her shackles in gray
If love to love, she's got it salted away
I know I'm in love but I can't tell you why
It feels like a poison, shoots me down when I cry

Fire, fire on the mountain
Fire, fire on the mountain
Fire, fire on the mountain
Fire, fire on the mountain

Gonna drink a hot water before I die
It cools me down, I ain't telling no lie
Out of the frying pan and into the fire
Over the rat trap and under the wire
Put it down heavy, pick it up lean
Got to lay it down dirty and play it back clean

Fire, fire on the mountain
Fire, fire on the mountain
Fire, fire on the mountain
Fire, fire on the mountain

[etc]
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