| information | Title: Burning Up
Writer: Madonna
Producer: Reggie Lucas
Album: Madonna (1983) and The First Album (1984)
Edition date: Second single form the album Madonna, March 1983
Length of the album version: 3' 45''
Credits: ©1982 Bleu Disque Music Co. Inc. / Webo Girl ASCAP Publishing, Inc. Adm. By WB Music Corp. / 1983 Likasa Music BMI. | | coments | It was the third song that Madonna recorded with "Sire Records", along with "Physical Attraction". "Sire" decided that Madonna needed a new procucer, someone more experienced than Mark Kamins (who had produced "Everybody"). So the right guy was Reggie Lucas, who produced her first album. The two tracks, "Burning Up" and "Physical Attraction", could perfectly be singles, but they decided to release just "Burning Up", recording a video to promote the release.
"Burning Up" is completely written by Madonna. It has a more funk sound and is faster than "Everybody", which was really intended to be a dance club hit.
Madonna had already recorded some demo-outakes of "Burning Up". Two of them can be heard nowadays: one of them was recorded in 1980, and another from 1981 included in the Cd "Pre-Madonna" ("Inthebegining") along with some other material Madonna recorded before her contract with "Sire", compiled by Stephen Bray. "Burning Up" is also included in the soundtrack from the film "Wild Life". | | videoclip | 
 | This is the first video Madonna films inside an studio ("Everybody" was filmed in a disco). Although the video was using lots of resources for an early 80's video, it isn't much known by fans and public. The video was directed by Steve Baron, already famous director for making Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean". The outside scenes were filmed in "The Angels National Forest" (California). In this video we can see Madonna's exboyfriend Norrin Burroughs (the guy driving the car). They had a short romance of just 3 months in 1979. Norris was part of the "Downtown" artistic movement, and introduced Madonna to that world.
The image Madonna has in this video is closer to the one she wanted to give in her first two records: chains, cheap jewels, broken tops, bras, religious crosses,... |
| | collector items | | | Format: cd 5'' / vinyl 12'' / cassette
Source: USA / Europe
Tracklist: Lucky Star, Borderline, Burning Up, I Know It, Holiday, Think Of Me, Physical Attraction, Everybody
Coments: In all editions of Madonna's first album, the third track is "Burning Up". | | | Format: vinyl 7''
Source: Spain
Tracklist: Burning Up, Physical Attraction
Coments: Promotional edition called "Ardiendo". | | | Format: vinyl 7'' / cd 3''
Source: Japan
Tracklist: Burning Up, Physical Attraction
Coments: The cd 3'' is included in a special limited set bow called "Madonna: CD Singles Collection". | | | Format: vinyl 7''
Source: Holland
Tracklist: Burning Up
Coments: The back cover has a mistake, saying that this song is taken from her album "Lucky Star". | | Format: vinyl 12''
Source: Mexico
Tracklist: Burning Up, Holiday | | | Format: vinyl 12'' / cd 5''
Source: USA / Canada/ Europe
Tracklist: Burning Up, Physical Attraction
Coments: Re-edition at 1995 in Cd single format. | | | Format: vinyl 12''
Source: Spain
Tracklist: Burning Up, Physical Attraction
Coments: Promotional edition called "Ardiendo". | | | Format: vinyl 12''
Source: Australia
Tracklist: Burning Up, Physical Attraction | | | Format: cd 5''
Source: USA
Coments: In 1997 Stephen Bray compiled some old songs he recorded with Madonna before she had released her first album. This Cd called "Pre-Madonna" is completely official and has a version of "Burning Up" really different from the one produced by Reggie Lucas. It was later released again with other covers and names, as "Inthebegining". |
This list of collectibles is not complete, it's just an orientative guide of the most important things. | | lyric | | Burning Up | 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 Oh 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 [Burning up for your love]
Ooo, yeah, I'm burning up
[Burning up for your love]
Ooo, yeah, I'm burning up
[Burning up for your love]
Come on, come on, I'm burning up
[Burning up for your love]
Uh, uh, uh, I'm burning up
[Burning up for your love]
Ooo, yeah, I'm burning up
[Burning up for your love]
Come on, come on, I'm burning up
[Burning up for your love]
Ooo, yeah, I'm burning up
[Burning up for your love]
Uh, uh, uh
[Burning up for your love] You know you got me burning up, baby
[Burning up for your love]
You know you got me burning up, baby
[Burning up for your love] Burning up for your love [Burning up for your love]
Burning up for your love [Burning up for your love]... |
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| | her first hot lyrics |  It is true that the lyrics from "Burning Up" are the most explicit of every song Madonna released before "Justify My Love". It is also the first time she used sexual content in her songs, which would later be repeated constantly through all her career. | | cover |  This is the cover of the Cd-single we can find in most record shops today. It was reedited in 1995. This cover is designed by her friend Martin Burgoyne, using some pics taken by David Cunningham. It is the first of her covers in which we can see Madonna's face. | | in the chart | | "Burnig Up" never reached the conventional charts. But it really had a great success in the list of the most danced songs in USA clubs, reaching a great #3. The single has sold more than 300.000 copies worldwide. | | official versions | 1. Album Version / Video Version (3:41)
2. Video Version (4:00)
3. Alternate Version/Remix / Remix (4:48)
4. Remix/Edit (3:57)
5. Extended (5:56)
6. '81 (4:05)
7. 1980 Demo Version (5:11) | | live | | 
As it is one of her firsts songs, it is really hard to know how many times and when she performed "Burning Up" live. It was included in her first tour, "The Virgin Tour", but it's one of the three songs that don't appear in the official video release. 
She also sang "Burning Up" in a performance she gave in Levittown (New York), in a club called "Uncle Sams". It was one of the four songs included in the mini concert she made on September 24th 1983. 
In Manchester (UK), on february 1983, in a club called "Hacienda", Madonna performed "Burning Up" and "Holiday" with her brother Christopher and Erica Bells. |
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It is true that the lyrics from "Burning Up" are the most explicit of every song Madonna released before "Justify My Love". It is also the first time she used sexual content in her songs, which would later be repeated constantly through all her career.