Burning Down the House

About this song

The song is by the American new wave band Talking Heads and was released in July 1983 on their fifth studio album, Speaking in Tongues. Chris Frantz said the title came from a chant the audience screamed at a Parliament-Funkadelic concert. It became the band's highest-charting single in North America, reaching #9 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #8 in Canada, but it did not chart outside North America until a cover by Tom Jones and The Cardigans reached the UK Top 10 in 1999.

Fun facts

• Sampled in 3 other songs, like “KEEP IT BURNIN (The Game Reference) by Kanye West & The Game (Ft. Jack Harlow)”.
• Covered 7 times, including “Burning Down The House by Ki:Theory (Ft. FYOHNA)”.
• Written by David Byrne, Tina Weymouth, Jerry Harrison and Chris Frantz.
• Produced by Talking Heads.
• Recorded at Blank Tape Studios and Sigma Sound Studios.