Burning Down the House (4:06)
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“Burning Down the House” is a 1983 song by Talking Heads, from their album Speaking in Tongues. It became their highest-charting hit single in North America, reaching #9 on the US Charts and #8 in Canada in the year of its release. Outside of North America, however, it was not a hit. In the UK, where Talking Heads would release 14 charting singles, it failed to make the charts at all, and in Australia it peaked at a very modest #94.
Chris Frantz thought of the titular chorus after seeing a Parliament-Funkadelic show where the crowd chanted “Burn down the house.” The initial lyrics were considerably different, however. In an interview on NPR’s “All Things Considered” aired on December 2, 1984, David Byrne played excerpts of early worktapes showing how the song had evolved from an instrumental jam by Tina Weymouth (bass) and Chris Frantz (drums). Once the whole band had reworked the groove into something resembling the final recording, Byrne began chanting and singing nonsense syllables over the music until he had arrived at phrasing that fit with the rhythms— a technique influenced by former Talking Heads producer Brian Eno— “and then I just write words to fit that phrasing… I’d have loads and loads of phrases collected that I thought thematically had something to do with one another, and I’d pick from those.”
Chris Frantz thought of the titular chorus after seeing a Parliament-Funkadelic show where the crowd chanted “Burn down the house.” The initial lyrics were considerably different, however. In an interview on NPR’s “All Things Considered” aired on December 2, 1984, David Byrne played excerpts of early worktapes showing how the song had evolved from an instrumental jam by Tina Weymouth (bass) and Chris Frantz (drums). Once the whole band had reworked the groove into something resembling the final recording, Byrne began chanting and singing nonsense syllables over the music until he had arrived at phrasing that fit with the rhythms— a technique influenced by former Talking Heads producer Brian Eno— “and then I just write words to fit that phrasing… I’d have loads and loads of phrases collected that I thought thematically had something to do with one another, and I’d pick from those.”
Video
Added by proudnewyorker82
Toby Rand kicking ass singing "Burning Down the House" by Talking Heads on the Aug 8th episode of Rockstar Supernova
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Shouts
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heaventree22 wrote:
FUCKIN DANCE PARTY
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dazmusic wrote:
WATCH OUT!! you might get what you"re after :)
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waterbug5331 wrote:
When the house is burning down, take me to the river to get some water.
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AeonFlux555 wrote:
i like this song now more than I ever have. still amazing, Classic.
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myphace wrote:
models for the radio!!
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tightheadennis wrote:
aaaargh... watch out
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Calcbox wrote:
fighting fire with fire!
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oldrockR wrote:
three ....hundred.... sixteeee..... five.... degrees!
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rachelsass wrote:
ridiculously classic...suhwee-et drums
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gungh0 wrote:
Musical genius !
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natvalentine wrote:
....Love it!
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LQQKIE wrote:
Great song... part of Retro Fridays member group radio
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joe1234567891 wrote:
burn the bi#@%^ down
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Peter-777 wrote:
affengeil dieses Stück ! ! !
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Echoes917 wrote:
Amazing song...but WTF with that video?
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MorbidJRIOTT wrote:
lol love it classic tune.. Also check out psycho killer by them another great tune..
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Yukino328 wrote:
Haa, just such a famous and awesome Talking Heads song. XD
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spacefaceinfurs wrote:
"who's got a match?"
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lolzunicorn wrote:
<3
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richardrw wrote:
There's always hype, isn't there, attaching to any and all bands - as to how great they were/are. I try not to believe any of it, but I do think that Talking Heads are probably all that they are cracked up to be.
Talking Heads
Burning Down the House
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