Burning Down the House#Tom Jones and the Cardigans version

"Burning Down the House" is a new wave,{{Cite web |url=https://www.idolator.com/7632120/lady-gaga-cover-talking-heads-burning-down-the-house-met-gala-mark-ronson |title=Lady Gaga Covers Talking Heads' "Burning Down The House" At The Met Gala Afterparty |last=Sonis |first=Rachel |date=May 3, 2016 |website=Idolator |access-date=November 11, 2017}} funk,{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OyZyWKcmRhEC&pg=PT133 |title=Who Wrote The Book Of Love? |last=Crouse |first=Richard |publisher=Doubleday Canada |year=1998 |isbn=0385257325}} and art rock{{cite web|last=Gerard|first=Chris|date=July 7, 2015|url=http://www.metroweekly.com/2015/07/the-50-greatest-pop-songs-of-the-80s-nos-40-31/|title=The 50 Greatest Pop Songs of the '80s, Nos. 40-31|work=Metro Weekly|access-date=May 22, 2023}} song. "This song started from a jam," says bassist Tina Weymouth in the liner notes of Once in a Lifetime: The Best of Talking Heads (1992). "Chris [Frantz] had just been to see Parliament-Funkadelic in its full glory at Madison Square Garden, and he was really hyped. During the jam, he kept yelling 'Burn down the house!' which was a P-Funk audience chant, and David [Byrne] dug the line, changing it to the finished version, 'Burning down the house'."{{Cite AV media notes |title=Once in a Lifetime: The Best of Talking Heads|others=Talking Heads |year=1992 |page=7|type=Liner Notes |publisher=EMI|location=Holland}}{{efn|group=lower-alpha|Bernie Worrell of Parliament-Funkadelic joined Talking Heads' live incarnation.{{Cite web |last=Deggans |first=Eric |date=June 25, 2016 |title=Bernie Worrell: The Most Influential Keyboardist You've Probably Never Heard Of |url=https://www.npr.org/2016/06/25/483537353/bernie-worrell-the-most-influential-keyboardist-youve-probably-never-heard-of |access-date=November 25, 2024 |website=NPR}}}}

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 Weymouth and Frantz. 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 arrived at phrasing that fit with the rhythms—a technique influenced by former Talking Heads producer Brian Eno: "and then I [would] just write words to fit that phrasing{{nbsp}}... 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."{{Cite web|url=https://nprchives.tumblr.com/post/117087001846/here-at-the-npr-library-and-archives-weve-been|title=Here at the NPR Library and Archives, we've been...|website=nprchives|access-date=April 7, 2016}}

According to Byrne in the NPR interview, phrases that he tried but ultimately did not use in the song included "I have another body", "Pick it up by the handle", "You travel with a double", and "I'm still under construction". As for the title phrase in the chorus, one early attempt (as heard on a worktape) had him singing a different line, "What are we gonna do?", and at another point in the process, "instead of chanting 'Burning Down the House,' I was chanting 'Foam Rubber, USA.'"

The video, produced and directed by Byrne, alternates primarily between footage of the band performing the song in an empty ballroom, Byrne playing while facing a projection screen that displays a concert crowd or a wall of flames at different times, and images projected on the outside wall of a house. A young boy resembling Byrne takes his place from time to time; eventually, younger counterparts start moving the arms of all four band members to play the music. After the screen goes blank, both young and adult Byrne leave the stage, and the video ends with an extended close-up of Byrne's face projected on a highway at night.

The house used in the video is located on Myrtle Street in Union Township, New Jersey. Max Illidge (credited as Max Loving), vocalist of the band 40 Below Summer, and Rockets Redglare appear as the younger selves of Byrne and Jerry Harrison, respectively.

"Burning Down the House" was Talking Heads' highest-charting hit single in North America, becoming their only top ten single on the US Billboard Hot 100, peaking at {{thinspace|No.|9}}, as well as reaching the top ten in the Canadian Singles Chart. Despite this success, the song was not a hit outside of North America. In Australia it peaked at a modest {{thinspace|No.|94}}, while in the UK, where Talking Heads would release 14 charting singles, it failed to chart.

A year later, an extended live version of the song is a highlight of the band's landmark concert film Stop Making Sense (1984). In September 2023, commemorating the film's 40th anniversary, a remastered version was released across America in IMAX theaters, and later in conventional theaters worldwide.

7-inch single{{cite AV media notes|title=Burning Down the House|others=Talking Heads|year=1983|type=US 7-inch single vinyl disc|publisher=Sire Records|id=7-29565}}

: A. "Burning Down the House" – 4:00

: B. "I Get Wild/Wild Gravity" – 4:06

UK 12-inch single{{cite AV media notes|title=Burning Down the House|others=Talking Heads|year=1983|type=UK 12-inch single vinyl disc|publisher=Sire Records|id=W 9565 (T), 920136-0}}

: A1. "Burning Down the House" (album version)

: A2. "I Get Wild/Wild Gravity" (cassette version)

: B1. "Moon Rocks" (cassette version)

Credits adapted from the Once in a Lifetime: The Best of Talking Heads liner notes.

Talking Heads

• David Byrne – lead vocals; guitars; bass; keyboards; percussion
• Jerry Harrison – keyboards; guitar; backing vocals
• Tina Weymouth – synth bass
• Chris Frantz – drums; backing vocals; synthesizer

Additional personnel

• Wally Badarou – synthesizers
• Steve Scales – percussion

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{{Certification Table Top}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=single|artist=Talking Heads|title=Burning Down the House|award=Silver|relyear=2004|certyear=2023|id=18930-2108-1|access-date=December 1, 2023}}

{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true|noshipments=true|streaming=true}}

{{Infobox song

| name = Burning Down the House

| cover = TomJonesCardigansBDTH.jpg

| alt =

| type = single

| artist = Tom Jones and the Cardigans

| album = Reload

| B-side = * "Unbelievable" (live)

• "Come Together" (live)

| released = {{start date|1999|9|13}}{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1999/Music-Week-1999-09-11.pdf|title=New Releases – For Week Starting 13 September, 1999|magazine=Music Week|page=27|date=September 11, 1999|access-date=July 24, 2021}}

| recorded =

| studio = Tambourine (Malmö, Sweden)

| venue =

| genre = Dance-rock{{AllMusic |class=album |id=mw0000786004|title= The Cardigans - Best Of (2008) Review |last= Mason|first= Stewart|access-date= October 4, 2024}}

| length = 3:40

| label = * Gut

• V2

| writer = * David Byrne

• Tina Weymouth
• Chris Frantz
• Jerry Harrison

| producer = Tore Johansson

| chronology = Tom Jones

| prev_title = You Can Leave Your Hat On

| prev_year = 1997

| next_title = Baby, It's Cold Outside

| next_year = 1999

| misc = {{Extra chronology

| artist = The Cardigans

| type = single

| prev_title = Hanging Around

| prev_year = 1999

| title = Burning Down the House

| year = 1999

| next_title = For What It's Worth

| next_year = 2003

}}

{{External music video|{{YouTube|iYuldgIOelY|"Burning Down the House" by Tom Jones and the Cardigans}}}}

}}

Welsh singer Tom Jones recorded a version of "Burning Down the House" with Swedish rock band the Cardigans for his collaborations album, Reload (1999).{{cite web | url=https://americansongwriter.com/from-bonnie-raitt-to-tom-jones-5-unexpected-covers-of-talking-heads-1983-hit-burning-down-the-house/ | title=From Bonnie Raitt to Tom Jones: 5 Unexpected Covers of Talking Heads' 1983 Hit "Burning Down the House" | date=January 10, 2024 }} In common with the other tracks on the album, the recording was made with the collaborators' choice of producer and studio, in this case Tore Johansson and Tambourine Studios in Malmö, Sweden.

The track was released as the lead single from Reload on September 13, 1999, and became a hit across Europe and Australia, reaching No. 1 in Iceland, No. 2 in Sweden, and the top ten in Australia, Denmark, Finland, Hungary, Norway and the United Kingdom. The single was backed with Jones' live recordings of the EMF song "Unbelievable" and the Beatles' "Come Together", as well as remixes of "Burning Down the House" by Delakota, Pepe Deluxé and DJ Scissorkicks.

As one of the major hits of Jones' later career, it appears on numerous compilations of Jones' work. It also features on the Cardigans' 2008 Best Of album.{{Cite web |title=Tom Jones Covers Talking Heads "Burning Down the House"--and Burns Down the House (1999) {{!}} Open Culture |url=https://www.openculture.com/2021/06/tom-jones-covers-talking-heads-burning-down-the-house.html |access-date=2024-10-22 |language=en-US}}

UK CD1; Australian CD2; Japanese CD single{{cite AV media notes|title=Burning Down the House|others=Tom Jones, the Cardigans|year=1999|type=UK CD1 liner notes|publisher=Gut Records|id=CDGUT26}}{{cite AV media notes|title=Burning Down the House|others=Tom Jones, the Cardigans|year=1999|type=Australian CD2 liner notes|publisher=Gut Records, Mushroom Records|id=MUSH01917.5}}{{cite AV media notes|title=Burning Down the House|others=Tom Jones, the Cardigans|year=1999|type=Japanese CD single liner notes|publisher=Gut Records, V2 Records|id=V2CI 53}}

1. "Burning Down the House"
2. "Burning Down the House" (Delakota mix)
3. "Burning Down the House" (Pepe Deluxé mix)
4. "Burning Down the House" (DJ Scissorkicks instrumental mix)

UK CD2{{cite AV media notes|title=Burning Down the House|others=Tom Jones, the Cardigans|year=1999|type=UK CD2 liner notes|publisher=Gut Records|id=CXGUT26}}

1. "Burning Down the House"
2. "Unbelievable" (Tom Jones live)
3. "Come Together" (Tom Jones live)

UK cassette single{{cite AV media notes|title=Burning Down the House|others=Tom Jones, the Cardigans|year=1999|type=UK cassette single sleeve|publisher=Gut Records|id=CAGUT026}}

1. "Burning Down the House"
2. "Burning Down the House" (Delakota mix)
3. "Burning Down the House" (Pepe Deluxé mix)

European CD single{{cite AV media notes|title=Burning Down the House|others=Tom Jones, the Cardigans|year=1999|type=European CD single liner notes|publisher=Gut Records, V2 Records|id=VVR5010203}}

1. "Burning Down the House" (album version) – 3:38
2. "Come Together" (Tom Jones live) – 4:14

European maxi-CD single{{cite AV media notes|title=Burning Down the House|others=Tom Jones, the Cardigans|year=1999|type=European maxi-CD single liner notes|publisher=Gut Records, V2 Records|id=VVR5010193}}

1. "Burning Down the House" (album version) – 3:38
2. "Unbelievable" (Tom Jones live) – 4:10
3. "Come Together" (Tom Jones live) – 4:12
4. "Burning Down the House" (Delakota mix) – 5:00
5. "Burning Down the House" (Pepe Deluxé mix) – 4:10

Australian CD1{{cite AV media notes|title=Burning Down the House|others=Tom Jones, the Cardigans|year=1999|type=Australian CD2 liner notes|publisher=Gut Records, Mushroom Records|id=MUSH01917.2}}

1. "Burning Down the House"
2. "Burning Down the House" (Delakota mix)
3. "Burning Down the House" (Pepe Deluxé mix)
4. "Burning Down the House" (DJ Scissorkicks instrumental mix)
5. "Unbelievable" (Tom Jones live)
6. "Come Together" (Tom Jones live)

Credits are adapted from the Reload album booklet.{{cite AV media notes|title=Reload|title-link=Reload (Tom Jones album)|others=Tom Jones|year=1999|type=UK CD album booklet|publisher=Gut Records|id=GUTCD009}}

Studio

• Recorded at Tambourine Studios (Malmö, Sweden)
• Mastered at The Soundmasters (London, England)

Personnel

{{div col}}

• Tom Jones – vocals
• Nina Persson – vocals
• Tore Johansson – backing vocals; additional keyboards; production
• Lynette Koyana – backing vocals
• Per Sunding – backing vocals
• Patrik Bartosch – backing vocals
• Maurits Carlsson – backing vocals
• Peter Svensson – guitar
• Lasse Johansson – guitar; keyboards
• Pece Masalkovski – additional guitars
• Magnus Sveningsson – bass
• Bengt Lagerberg – drums
• Jens Lindgård – horns
• Petter Lindgård – horns
• Sven Andersson – horns
• Hello Bobadee – horn arrangement
• Kevin Metcalf – mastering

{{div col end}}

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

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{{Certification Table Top}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Australia|type=single|award=Gold|relyear=1999|certyear=1999|access-date=March 21, 2019}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Sweden|type=single|award=Gold|relyear=1999|certyear=1999|access-date=June 27, 2019}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=single|artist=Tom Jones & The Cardigans|title=Burning Down the House|award=Silver|relyear=2006|certyear=2023|id=18930-6330-1|access-date=April 28, 2023}}

{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true|streaming=true}}

{{Infobox song

| name = Burning Down the House

| cover = paramore-burning-down-the-house-single.png

| alt =

| type = single

| artist = Paramore

| album = Everyone's Getting Involved: A Tribute to Talking Heads' Stop Making Sense

| released =

• {{start date|2024|1|31}}
• {{start date|2024|4|20}} (12" single)

| A-side = Hard Times

| recorded =

| studio = Henson Recording Studios{{cite av media |author=Paramore |title=Paramore - Burning Down the House (Behind The Scenes) |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A73voVPhMfY |type=Video Description |quote=Recorded at Henson Recording Studios in Los Angeles, CA. |via=YouTube | date=February 2, 2024 |access-date=September 21, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240916153903/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A73voVPhMfY |archive-date=September 16, 2024 |url-status=live}}

| venue =

| genre =

| length = 3:38

| label = A24 Music

| writer = * David Byrne

• Tina Weymouth
• Chris Frantz
• Jerry Harrison

| producer = Carlos de la Garza

| chronology = Paramore

| prev_title = Running Out of Time

| prev_year = 2023

| next_title =

| next_year =

|misc={{External music video|header=Official audio|{{YouTube|qrjHhIGl90I|"Burning Down the House" by Paramore}}}}

}}

In early 2024, A24 announced Everyone's Getting Involved, a tribute album to the Talking Heads concert film Stop Making Sense. On January 31, American rock band Paramore released a cover version of "Burning Down the House" as the album's lead single.{{cite magazine |url=https://pitchfork.com/news/paramore-the-national-lorde-miley-cyrus-announced-for-a24-new-stop-making-sense-tribute-album/ |work=Pitchfork |date=January 31, 2024 |title=Paramore, the National, Lorde, Miley Cyrus, and More Announced for A24’s New Stop Making Sense Tribute Album |last=Bloom |first=Madison |access-date=June 13, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241206115020/https://pitchfork.com/news/paramore-the-national-lorde-miley-cyrus-announced-for-a24-new-stop-making-sense-tribute-album/ |archive-date=December 6, 2024 |url-status=live}}

The version received praise from David Byrne,{{Cite tweet |author=David Byrne |author-link=David Byrne |user=DBtodomundo |number=1765053031362486613|title=Paramore recorded an amazing version of Burning Down The House for a Stop Making Sense covers album that A24 is doing in connection with the re-release of the film. That song is out now. |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240917031619/https://x.com/DBtodomundo/status/1765053031362486613 |archive-date=September 17, 2024 |access-date= September 17, 2024 |url-status=live}} who later that year covered Paramore's own Talking Heads-inspired 2017 track "Hard Times". On April 19, 2024, both covers were released as B-side and A-side respectively of a twelve-inch single for Record Store Day 2024, which Paramore served as ambassadors for.{{cite magazine |url=https://www.stereogum.com/2260159/david-byrne-hard-times-paramore-cover/music/ |date=April 19, 2024 |title=David Byrne – “Hard Times” (Paramore Cover) |work=Stereogum |access-date=June 11, 2025 |last=Deville |first=Chris |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240610100513/https://www.stereogum.com/2260159/david-byrne-hard-times-paramore-cover/music/ |archive-date=June 10, 2024 |url-status=live}}{{cite magazine |url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/david-byrne-to-cover-paramores-hard-times-for-record-store-day-2024-3597053 |work=NME |last=Duran |first=Anagricel |date=March 5, 2024 |title=David Byrne to cover Paramore’s ‘Hard Times’ for Record Store D |access-date=June 11, 2025 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240422120334/https://www.nme.com/news/music/david-byrne-to-cover-paramores-hard-times-for-record-store-day-2024-3597053 |archive-date=April 22, 2024}}

The band regularly performed the cover during their stint as a supporting act for Taylor Swift's The Eras Tour later that year.{{cite news |last1=Prance |first1=Sam |title=Paramore Eras Tour Setlist: Every Surprise Song They Perform Opening For Taylor Swift |url=https://www.capitalfm.com/news/music/paramore-eras-tour-setlist-songs-taylor-swift/ |access-date=September 16, 2024 |work=Capital UK |date=August 20, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240916151647/https://www.capitalfm.com/news/music/paramore-eras-tour-setlist-songs-taylor-swift/ |archive-date=September 16, 2024 |url-status=live}} They also performed it during their set at the 2024 iHeartRadio Music Festival.{{cite magazine |last=Tate |first=Sarah |date=September 21, 2024 |title=Hayley Williams Ditches Her Heels While Channeling Iconic Rocker |url=https://www.iheart.com/content/2024-09-21-hayley-williams-ditches-her-heels-while-channeling-iconic-rocker/ |work=iHeart |access-date=June 13, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250427111006/https://www.iheart.com/content/2024-09-21-hayley-williams-ditches-her-heels-while-channeling-iconic-rocker/ |archive-date=April 27, 2025 |url-status=live}}

Musicians

• Hayley Williams – lead vocals
• Zac Farro – drums
• Taylor York – guitars
• Joey Mullen – percussion
• Brian Robert Jones – guitars; backing vocals
• Joey Howard – bass guitar; backing vocals
• Logan McKenzie – keyboards
• Kayla Graninger – backing vocals
• Gavin McDonald – backing vocals
• Reggie Watts – backing vocals
• Pam Autori – backing vocals

Additional personnel

• Carlos de la Garza – production, engineering, mixing
• Harriet Tam – engineering
• Mark Aguilar – engineering
• Joe LaPorta – mastering

A number of musical acts have covered the song in their live performances, including Bonnie Raitt and John Legend.{{cite web |title=Live at SOB's New York City - John Legend |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/live-at-sobs-new-york-city-mw0000030854 |website=AllMusic |access-date=20 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230111014847/https://www.allmusic.com/album/live-at-sobs-new-york-city-mw0000030854 |archive-date=11 January 2023 |url-status=live}}{{cite news |last1=Benitez-Eves |first1=Tina |title=From Bonnie Raitt to Tom Jones: 5 Unexpected Covers of Talking Heads' 1983 Hit "Burning Down the House" |url=https://americansongwriter.com/from-bonnie-raitt-to-tom-jones-5-unexpected-covers-of-talking-heads-1983-hit-burning-down-the-house/ |access-date=20 September 2024 |work=American Songwriter |date=10 January 2024 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240602212146/https://americansongwriter.com/from-bonnie-raitt-to-tom-jones-5-unexpected-covers-of-talking-heads-1983-hit-burning-down-the-house/ |archive-date=2 June 2024}} In 2009, the Used recorded a rendition of the song that was heard in the soundtrack of the film Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.{{cite web |title=Burning Down the House - The Used |url=https://www.allmusic.com/song/burning-down-the-house-mt0010183228 |website=AllMusic |access-date=20 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220202170358/https://www.allmusic.com/song/burning-down-the-house-mt0010183228 |archive-date=2 February 2022 |url-status=live}} Olivia Rodrigo performed the song live with David Byrne during her set at the 2025 edition of the Governors Ball.{{cite magazine |work=Rolling Stone |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250608185210/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/olivia-rodrigo-david-byrne-burning-down-the-house-govball-1235358615/ |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/olivia-rodrigo-david-byrne-burning-down-the-house-govball-1235358615/ |archive-date=June 8, 2025 |last=Kreps |first=Daniel |date=June 7, 2025 |access-date=June 9, 2025 |title=Watch Olivia Rodrigo Burn Down the House With David Byrne at Gov Ball |url-access=subscription |url-status=live}}

Dave Matthews Band has covered the song numerous times, and released their cover on multiple live albums. The band covered the song again for the encore at the 2024 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony.{{cite magazine | url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/dave-matthews-band-talking-heads-rock-and-roll-hall-of-fame-2024-performance-1235138293/ | title=Dave Matthews Band Cover Talking Heads' 'Burning Down the House' at Rock Hall Ceremony | magazine=Rolling Stone | date=October 20, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250330173414/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/dave-matthews-band-talking-heads-rock-and-roll-hall-of-fame-2024-performance-1235138293/ |archive-date=March 30, 2025 |url-status=live |url-access=subscription |last=Millman |first=Ethan}}

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• {{discogs master|type=single|39249}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Burning Down The House}}

Category:1983 songs

Category:1983 singles

Category:1999 singles

Category:2024 singles

Category:Talking Heads songs

Category:Tom Jones (singer) songs

Category:The Cardigans songs

Category:Paramore songs

Category:Songs written by David Byrne

Category:Sire Records singles

Category:V2 Records singles

Category:Song recordings produced by David Byrne

Category:Songs written by Jerry Harrison

Category:Songs written by Chris Frantz

Category:Songs written by Tina Weymouth

Category:Song recordings produced by Jerry Harrison

Category:Number-one singles in Iceland

Category:Music videos shot in the United States