Burning Up
Lyrics
Don't put me off
'Cause I'm on fire
And I can't quench my desire
Don't you know that
I'm burning up for your love
You're not convinced that that is enough
I put myself in this position
And I deserve the imposition
But you don't even know I'm alive
And this pounding in my heart
Just won't die
I'm burning up
I'm burning up, burning up for your love
I'm burning up, burning up for your love
I'm burning up, burning up for your love
For your love
You're always closing your door
Well that only makes me want you more
And day and night
I cry for your love
You're not convinced that that is enough
To justify my wanting you
Now tell me what you want me to do
I'm not blind and I know
That you want to want me but you can't let go
Come on let go
I'm burning up, burning up for your love
I'm burning up, burning up for your love
I'm burning up, burning up for your love
For your love
Do you wanna see me down on my knees
Or bending over backwards now
Would you be pleased
Unlike the others
I'd do anything
I'm not the same
I have no shame
I'm on fire
Come on let go
Do you wanna see me down on my knees
Or bending over backwards now
Would you be pleased
Unlike the others
I'd do anything
I'm not the same
I have no shame
I'm on fire
Oh yeah, I'm burning up
Oh yeah, I'm burning up
Common common, I'm burning up
Uh uh uh, I'm burning up
Oh yeah, I'm burning up
Common common, I'm burning up
Oh yeah, I'm burning up
You know you got me burning up baby
You know you got me burning up baby
Burning up for your love
Burning up for your love
Credits
Written by Madonna
Produced by Reggie Lucas
Synthesizers by Dean Gant, Fred Zarr and Ed Walsh
Electric and acoustic pianos by Dean Gant and Fred Zarr
Guitars by Reggie Lucas, Ira Siegal and Paul Pesco
Drum programming by Reggie Lucas and Leslie Ming
Tenor saxophone by Bobby Malach
Background vocals by Gwen Guthrie, Norma Jean Wright, Madonna, Brenda
White and Chrissy Faith
Album
Single
After the success of Everybody in the dance chart, Sire Records allowed Madonna to record a follow-up with Reggie Lucas as producer. Burning Up was released as her second single on March 9, 1983. Like its predecessor, it didn't do much in the charts, except for a #3 spot in the Club Play.
Video
Steve Baron, famous for directing Michael Jackson's Billie Jean video, directed the video for Burning Up. It shows a young and wild Madonna crawling on the street, 'burning up' for the love of her boyfriend. Her lover - the guy driving the car - was played by her real boyfriend at that time, Norris Burroughs.
Tour
This song was premiered on the Virgin Tour. Madonna sang it as the last number before the encore, still in her black outfit. She gave a steamy performance as she got physical with her dancers, got down on her knees, bent backwards and then rocked around with the guitarist while the stage got covered by smoke.
Burning Up became completely forgotten until it was picked up again 2 decades later on the Re-Invention Tour. Still wearing her American Life military gear, Madonna strapped on her electric guitar and turned this into a great punk-rock song. At the end her guitarist Monte Pittman joins her and she even kneels down and licks his fingers!
Her most rock-ready song got an even more fiery performance on the Rebel Heart Tour. After the one-two punch of Iconic & Bitch I'm Madonna, her Joan of Arc costume extensions are replaced by a kickass electric guitar and Madonna blows up the house with her second single. Aided by rocking guitar licks and images of flames in the background Madonna continues to go hard and freaky until it's time for some Holy Water to put her off and quench her desire.