(Love Is Like A) Heat Wave

Song Meaning

This song captures the overwhelming, almost disorienting intensity of new love. The narrator describes an immediate, physical reaction whenever the object of her affection is near, a sensation so powerful it makes her question its origin. It's a feeling that starts as a "burnin'" inside, a "desire" that prompts her to wonder if it's "a devil in me" or simply how love "supposed to be." The central tension lies in the narrator's inability to reconcile this intense feeling with her understanding of normalcy. The recurring question, "Or is this the way love's supposed to be?" highlights her confusion and awe. This isn't a gentle affection; it's a force that causes her to "burnin'" and feel a "flame," leading to uncontrollable "cryin'" and a sense of being "tearin' me apart." The core metaphor, comparing love to a "heat wave," is brilliantly effective. It conjures images of oppressive, inescapable warmth and intensity that can be both exhilarating and destructive. This "heat wave" isn't just a feeling; it's a physical phenomenon that causes her "head's in a haze" and leaves her "amazed" and unsure of what to do, emphasizing the loss of control. Ultimately, the lyrics resonate because they articulate the raw, almost frightening power of falling in love. The narrator's confusion and the extreme physical reactions she describes – the burning, the crying, the haze – make the experience feel visceral and undeniable. It's a potent depiction of love as an elemental force that arrives without warning and completely reshapes one's inner world.