Set Fire to the Rain

The harmony stays rooted in natural minor with three primary chords (i, III, VII) doing most of the work, making it very accessible for beginners. The avoidance of the dominant V throughout the verse and chorus gives the song its restless, unresolved quality, while the occasional A major in the pre-chorus provides a moment of harmonic minor tension that propels the song into its soaring chorus. The simplicity of the chord language allows the vocal melody and orchestral arrangement to carry the emotional weight.

Adele co-wrote the song with producer Fraser T. Smith. The lyrics explore the contradictions of a doomed relationship — the impossibility of letting go despite knowing the other person was never truthful. The paradoxical title image of setting fire to rain captures the futile intensity of trying to hold onto something that cannot be saved.

Released as the third single from Adele's blockbuster album 21 (2011), "Set Fire to the Rain" pairs raw vocal power with lush orchestral production by Fraser T. Smith. It became Adele's third consecutive US number-one hit and won the Grammy for Best Pop Solo Performance, cementing her dominance of the early 2010s pop landscape.