Burn You Up, Burn You Down

Last updated
"Burn You Up, Burn You Down"
Burn You Up, Burn You Down.jpg
Single by Peter Gabriel
from the album Hit
Released2003
Genre Rock
Length4:14 (album version)
  • 3:47 (single edit)
Label Reprise Records
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s) Peter Gabriel
Peter Gabrielsingles chronology
"Growing Up"
(2003)
"Burn You Up, Burn You Down"
(2003)
"Whole Thing"
(2007)
Peter Gabrielsingles chronology
"Whole Thing"
(2007)
"Burn You Up, Burn You Down (Big Blue Ball Version)"
(2008)
"Down to Earth"
(2008)

"Burn You Up, Burn You Down" is a song co-written and performed by English rock musician Peter Gabriel. The initial recording sessions were conducted at Gabriel's Real World Studios in 1991, although the song would remain unreleased for another decade. Gabriel originally intended for the song to appear on his 2002 Up , but he ultimately pulled it from the track list shortly before the album's release. It was instead included on Gabriel's Hit compilation album the following year and released as a single, where it charted in both Italy and the UK. An alternate mix of "Burn You Up, Burn You Down" was also included on Big Blue Ball in 2008.

Contents

Background

The origins of "Burn You Up, Burn You Down" date back to the summer of 1991 during the first of three Real World Recording Weeks. [1] The recording sessions took place in the workroom of Real World Studios, with Billy Cobham playing drums. [2] Gabriel commissioned the help of multiple musicians around the world for this project, including western, Asian, and African artists. However, the tapes from these sessions took several years to organize, which delayed the song's release. [3] Members of The Holmes Brothers were enlisted to record backing vocals; Gabriel commented that one of the members of the group, Popsy Dixon, had "a hauntingly beautiful voice, and he'd come up with these high notes that hit me hard every time he reached them." [2] Snippets of the song appeared on Xplora1: Peter Gabriel's Secret World , a musical computer game released in December 1993. [4]

"Burn You Up, Burn You Down" was in contention to appear on Gabriel's Up album in September 2002. Earlier in July, the song was included on a promotional CD for Up, where it appeared as the sixth track [5] That same month, Gabriel spoke about the song in an interview with Nigel Williamson and called it "the odd man out on the album". [6] Gabriel ultimately removed the song from the track list during the album's final review sessions. [7] On his decision to pull the song from Up, Gabriel explained that it did not fit in with the rest of the album, but said that he wished to save it for a future release. The omission of "Burn You Up, Burn You Down" disappointed Gabriel's European label, who believed that the song was "radio friendly". [8]

In 2003, the song was featured on the soundtrack for Uru: Ages Beyond Myst . [9] That same year, it was the only new song to appear on Gabriel's Hit and also served as the album's lead single. [10] Gabriel performed the song on his Still Growing Up Tour in 2004 and included it on his Still Growing Up: Live & Unwrapped DVD film the following year. [11] [12] An alternate mix of "Burn You Up, Burn You Down" was later included on Big Blue Ball , an album consisting of songs that emerged from the Real World Recording Weeks during the 1990s. [13]

Track listing

  1. "Burn You Up, Burn You Down" – Radio Edit – 3:47
  2. "Darkness" – (Engelspost Remix) – 14:10

Personnel

Charts

2003 version

Chart (2003–04)Peak
position
Italy (FIMI) [14] 49
UK Singles (OCC) [15] 78

2008 version

Chart (2008)Peak
position
US Adult Alternative Songs ( Billboard ) [16] 18

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peter Gabriel</span> English musician (born 1950)

Peter Brian Gabriel is an English singer, songwriter and human rights activist. He was the original lead singer of the progressive rock band Genesis. After leaving the band in 1975, he launched a solo career with "Solsbury Hill" as his first single. His fifth studio album, So (1986), is his best-selling release and is certified triple platinum in the UK and five times platinum in the US. The album's most successful single, "Sledgehammer", won a record nine MTV Awards at the 1987 MTV Video Music Awards and, according to a report in 2011, it was MTV's most played music video of all time.

<i>The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway</i> 1974 studio album by Genesis

The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway is the sixth studio album by the English progressive rock band Genesis. It was released as a double album on 22 November 1974 by Charisma Records and is their last to feature the lead vocalist Peter Gabriel. It reached No. 10 on the UK Albums Chart and No. 41 on the USBillboard 200.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steve Hackett</span> English guitarist (born 1950)

Stephen Richard Hackett is an English guitarist who gained prominence as the lead guitarist of the progressive rock band Genesis from 1971 to 1977. Hackett contributed to six Genesis studio albums, three live albums, seven singles and one EP before he left to pursue a solo career. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Genesis in 2010.

<i>Foxtrot</i> (album) 1972 studio album by Genesis

Foxtrot is the fourth studio album by the English progressive rock band Genesis, released on 15 September 1972 on Charisma Records. It features their longest recorded song, the 23-minute track "Supper's Ready".

<i>Genesis Live</i> 1973 album

Genesis Live is the first live album from the English rock band Genesis, released on 20 July 1973 on Charisma Records. Initially recorded for radio broadcast on the American rock program King Biscuit Flower Hour, the album is formed from the recordings of shows at Free Trade Hall, Manchester and De Montfort Hall, Leicester in February 1973 during the band's tour supporting their fourth studio album Foxtrot (1972).

<i>Selling England by the Pound</i> 1973 studio album by Genesis

Selling England by the Pound is the fifth studio album by the English progressive rock band Genesis, released on 28 September 1973 on Charisma Records. It reached No. 3 in the United Kingdom and No. 70 in the United States. A single from the album, "I Know What I Like ", was released in February 1974 and became the band's first top 30 hit in the UK.

<i>So</i> (album) 1986 studio album by Peter Gabriel

So is the fifth studio album by English singer-songwriter Peter Gabriel, released on 19 May 1986 by Charisma Records and Virgin Records. After working on the soundtrack to the film Birdy (1984), producer Daniel Lanois was invited to remain at Gabriel's Somerset home during 1985 to work on his next solo project. Initial sessions for So consisted of Gabriel, Lanois and guitarist David Rhodes, although these grew to include a number of percussionists.

<i>Peter Gabriel</i> (1977 album) Debut solo album by Peter Gabriel

Peter Gabriel is the debut studio album by the English singer-songwriter and producer Peter Gabriel, released on 25 February 1977 by Charisma Records. After his departure from the progressive rock band Genesis was made public in 1975, Gabriel took a break to concentrate on his family life. In 1976, he began writing material for a solo album and met producer Bob Ezrin, who agreed to produce it. Gabriel hired several additional musicians to play on the album, including guitarist Robert Fripp and bassist Tony Levin. The album was later known as Peter Gabriel I or Car, referring to the album's artwork produced by Hipgnosis. Some music streaming services, including Gabriel's own Bandcamp page, refer to it as Peter Gabriel 1: Car.

<i>Peter Gabriel</i> (1978 album) Second solo album by Peter Gabriel

Peter Gabriel is the second studio album by the English singer-songwriter Peter Gabriel, released on 2 June 1978 by Charisma Records. Gabriel started recording the album in November 1977, the same month that he had completed touring in support of his debut solo release. He employed former King Crimson guitarist Robert Fripp, who was part of Gabriel's early touring band, to produce the album. Fripp used his Frippertronics effects on the co-written song "Exposure".

<i>From Genesis to Revelation</i> 1969 studio album by Genesis

From Genesis to Revelation is the debut studio album by English rock band Genesis, released on 28 March 1969 on Decca Records. The album originated from a collection of demos recorded in 1967 while the members of Genesis were pupils of Charterhouse in Godalming, Surrey. It caught the attention of Jonathan King who named the group, organised deals with his publishing company Jonjo Music and Decca, and studio time at Regent Sound Studios to record a series of singles and a full album. A string section arranged and conducted by Arthur Greenslade was added later on some songs. By the time Genesis had finished recording, John Silver had replaced original drummer Chris Stewart.

<i>Up</i> (Peter Gabriel album) 2002 studio album by Peter Gabriel

Up is the seventh studio and thirteenth album overall by the English rock musician Peter Gabriel, released on 23 September 2002 through Geffen and Real World Records. The album rose to number 9 in the US, number 11 in the UK, and captured the number 1 position in Italy. The album debuted with sales of 76,000 units in the US and was the highest charting album on the Billboard 200 from a British artist that week. Most critics reviewed it positively, though Rolling Stone said Gabriel was "out of touch". This would be Gabriel's last studio album of new original material until the release of I/O (2023), although he did release several studio projects in the interim.

<i>Genesis Archive 1967–75</i> 1998 box set by Genesis

Genesis Archive 1967–75 is a box set by the English progressive rock band Genesis, released on 22 June 1998 on Virgin Records in the United Kingdom and by Atlantic Records in the United States. After the release of their studio album Calling All Stations in 1997, the band assembled recordings from their history for release which involved the participation of former members Peter Gabriel, Anthony Phillips, Steve Hackett, Phil Collins, John Mayhew, and John Silver. The set includes previously unreleased studio, live, and demo tracks, some of which include re-recorded vocal and guitar parts from Gabriel and Hackett, respectively.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peter Gabriel discography</span>

This is the solo discography of Peter Gabriel, an English singer-songwriter, musician and humanitarian activist who rose to fame as the lead vocalist and flautist of the progressive rock band Genesis. After leaving Genesis, Gabriel went on to a successful solo career. His 1986 album, So, is his most commercially successful, selling five million copies in America, and the album's biggest hit, "Sledgehammer", won a record nine MTV Awards at the 1987 MTV Video Music Awards. The song is the most played music video in the history of the station.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Don't Give Up (Peter Gabriel and Kate Bush song)</span> 1986 single by Peter Gabriel and Kate Bush

"Don't Give Up" is a song written by English rock musician Peter Gabriel and recorded as a duet with English singer Kate Bush for Gabriel's fifth solo studio album So (1986). An edited version was released as the third single from the album in the UK on 20 October 1986 and as the fourth single in the US in March 1987. It spent eleven weeks in the UK Top 75 chart in 1986, peaking at number nine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Digging in the Dirt</span> 1992 single by Peter Gabriel

"Digging in the Dirt" is a song by British musician Peter Gabriel. It was released as the first single taken from his sixth studio album, Us, on 7 September 1992. The song was a minor hit on the US Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number 52, but it topped both the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks and Album Rock Tracks charts. The song was moderately successful on the UK Singles Chart, where it peaked at number 24, and it reached the top 10 in Canada, Portugal, and Sweden.

"San Jacinto" is a song written and performed by the English rock musician Peter Gabriel. Released in 1982, it is the second track off his fourth self-titled album. Excerpts of the song’s coda were repurposed for "Powerhouse at the Foot of the Mountain" on Gabriel's 1985 Birdy soundtrack album. He also re-recorded "San Jacinto" with an orchestra on his New Blood album in 2011. A portion of the song also appeared in Starship, a 1984 science fiction film directed by Roger Christian.

<i>Big Blue Ball</i> 2008 compilation album by multiple artists

Big Blue Ball is an album by multiple artists which "grew from 3 recording weeks" at Peter Gabriel's Real World Studios in the summers of 1991, 1992, and 1995. It is Peter Gabriel's fourteenth album project overall.

<i>Genesis 1970–1975</i> Set of 5 albums by Genesis

Genesis 1970–1975 is a box set of five studio albums by Genesis featuring Peter Gabriel. It was released on 10 November 2008 in Europe by EMI and on 11 November 2008 in North America by Atlantic/Rhino. The 7-CD/6-DVD box set includes newly remixed versions of the albums Trespass, Nursery Cryme, Foxtrot, Selling England by the Pound and The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway. The band's 1969 debut album, From Genesis to Revelation, was excluded due to the rights to the album belonging to Jonathan King. The fifth pair of discs includes B-side songs, 3 rare songs from BBC Sessions in 1970 and the never-before-released Genesis Plays Jackson soundtrack. Each bonus DVD features audio versions of the albums in 5.1 surround sound, as well as videos from each album's corresponding tour, new interviews, and photo galleries. The European version includes CD/SACD Hybrids instead of standard CDs. EMI also released a limited edition six disc vinyl box set containing the original albums only on 24 November 2008.

<i>Still Growing Up: Live & Unwrapped</i> 2005 Peter Gabriel concert film

Still Growing Up: Live & Unwrapped is a DVD film by Hamish Hamilton and Peter Gabriel. It features several live performances from Gabriel's 2004 Still Growing Up tour. The film aims to show Gabriel in a more intimate setting, discarding many of the stage antics featured in Growing Up: Live. Bonus features include exclusive interview footage of Gabriel and his live band, live rehearsals of "Darkness", "No Way Out" and "Growing Up", as well as live performances of "Father, Son" and "Downside Up" on Later... with Jools Holland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shaking the Tree (song)</span> 1989 single by Youssou NDour & Peter Gabriel

"Shakin' the Tree" is a 1989 song by Youssou N'Dour and Peter Gabriel from the Youssou N'Dour album The Lion. Released as a single, it reached number 61 on the UK official singles chart on 17 June 1989.

References

  1. Easlea, Daryl (2014). Without Frontiers: The Life and Music of Peter Gabriel. London, UK: Omnibus Press. p. 333. ISBN   978-1-4683-0964-5.
  2. 1 2 "Burn You Up, Burn You Down". PeterGabriel.com. Retrieved 11 April 2024.
  3. "Gabriel Has A 'Ball' With Long-Gestating Album". Billboard . 2011. Archived from the original on 5 June 2011. Retrieved 11 April 2024.
  4. "Peter Gabriel - Recording Compendium, Part 7: 1991 - 1994 (US)". www.genesis-news.com. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  5. Gerhardts, Christian. "Peter Gabriel - The Making of UP". Genesis News Com. Retrieved 11 April 2024.
  6. Williamson, Nigel (4 July 2002). "UP Generic Interview". PeterGabriel.com. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  7. "Peter Gabriel – Press Kit – UP". Genesis Archive. September 2002. Archived from the original on 30 September 2020. Retrieved 12 April 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  8. Kot, Greg (5 October 2002). "Peter Gabriel Takes the Test of Time". Los Angeles Times . Archived from the original on 16 April 2024. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  9. Kipnis, Jill (25 October 2003). "Ubisoft Bullish on Music Tie-ins". Billboard . Retrieved 11 April 2024.
  10. Scarfe, Graeme (2021). Peter Gabriel: Every Album, Every Song. United Kingdom: SonicBond. p. 124. ISBN   978-1-78952-138-2.
  11. "(Still) Growing Up Tour - 2002-2004". Genesis News Com. Retrieved 7 December 2024.
  12. "Still Growing Up Live & Unwrapped". PeterGabriel.com. Retrieved 7 December 2024.
  13. Engler, Eric. "Big Blue Ball". Genesis News Com. Retrieved 11 April 2024.
  14. "Top Singoli – Classifica settimanale WK 23" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana . Retrieved 10 April 2024.
  15. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 10 April 2024.
  16. "Peter Gabriel Chart History (Adult Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 10 April 2024.