Burning Down the House
Talking Heads
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Watch out you might get what you're after Boom babies strange but not a stranger I'm an ordinary guy Burning down the house Hold tight wait till the party's over Hold tight We're in for nasty weather There has got to be a way Burning down the house Here's your ticket pack your bag Time for jumpin' overboard The transportation is here Close enough but not too far, Maybe you know where you are Fightin' fire with fire All wet! Hey you might need a raincoat Shakedown! Dreams walking in broad daylight Three hun-dred six-ty five de-grees Burning down the house It was once upon a place sometimes I listen to myself Gonna come in first place People on their way to work and baby what did you except Gonna burst into flame My house! Is out of the ordinary That's right! Don't wanna hurt nobody Some things sure can sweep me off my feet Burning down the house No visible means of support and you have not seen nothin' yet Everything's stuck together And I don't know what you expect starring into the TV set Fighting fire with fire
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Written by: David Byrne, Tina Weymouth, Chris Frantz, Jerry Harrison
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
12 facts about this song
Song Release and Album"Burning Down the House" is a song by the American new wave band Talking Heads, released in July 1983 as the first single from their fifth studio album "Speaking in Tongles".
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Peak Chart PositionThe song reached number 9 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became their highest-charting hit in the United States.
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Grammy NominationThe single was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal in 1984.
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Music VideoThe video for "Burning Down the House" was one of the first to be heavily promoted on MTV, fueling the song's success.
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Song OriginThe song originated from a jam, including a chorus of "burning down the house" where frontman David Byrne improvised lyrics.
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Inspiration for TitleThe song's title supposedly came from a chant by Parliament-Funkadelic frontman George Clinton, who would shout "Let’s burn down the house!" during concerts.
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Live VersionA live version of "Burning Down the House" was included on the Talking Heads' 1984 concert film "Stop Making Sense".
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Cover VersionsNumerous artists have covered "Burning Down the House", including Tom Jones and The Cardigans, whose version became a hit in 1999.
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Unconventional LyricsLike many Talking Heads songs, "Burning Down the House" doesn't have a clear meaning in its lyrics. It's not literally about burning down a house, but rather about intense passion or upheaval.
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1984 US ElectionsDuring the 1984 US Elections, Walter Mondale used the song as his campaign theme, without obtaining permission from the band.
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Song Use in Pop Culture"Burning Down the House" continues to be widely used in popular culture including movies, advertisements, and television shows, such as the series finale of The Walking Dead.
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Critical AcclaimRolling Stone magazine ranked "Burning Down the House" at number 51 on its list of "The 100 Best Songs of the Eighties".
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Citation
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"Burning Down the House Lyrics." Lyrics.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 28 May 2024. <https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/24711246/Talking+Heads/Burning+Down+the+House>.
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