Burn can perhaps be called the second most recognizable composition of Deep Purple. It is unnecessary to say which track of the legendary band holds the palm in this case.
For more than forty years, classic rock fans have been enjoying this excellent song, which has been performed by different vocalists at different times in the band’s history.
The story of the song Burn by Deep Purple
And it began with a melody by Ritchie Blackmore, based, according to the author, on George Gershwin’s Fascinating Rhythm/Someone to Watch Over Me. He suggested writing the lyrics to Coverdale, who had just joined the band. David later recalled:
I didn’t know it at all, but I was drawn in from the beginning to write Burn. Of course Richie was the main composer and I was given a cassette of unfinished songs and sent back to the North of England with Glenn Hughes to work on the lyrics.
Kerrang!, 2009
They say that the newcomer tried so hard that he composed four versions of the text. In the end, one of them was approved for Burn.
What is Deep Purple’s song Burn about?
The author refrained from interpreting the main idea of the song, leaving the listeners to interpret the meaning of the work in their own way.
On thematic forums and sites you can read a wide variety of versions. In the main character, fans of the group saw a medieval witch, a girl abandoned by her lover, and even an Enola Gay bomber that dropped a bomb on Hiroshima.
Recording and release
Like the other tracks on the Burn album, the song was recorded during the November 1973 session in the Swiss resort town of Montreux. In February 1974 it was released as a single with Coronarias Redig on the back.
For two years after the release of the album, Deep Purple performed the song at all concerts. After the band reunited in 1984, soloist Ian Gillan refused to sing Coverdale’s compositions, so Burn fell out of the repertoire for a long time. It was sung by Joe Lynn Turner, who replaced Gillan, but after his return in 1992, the band stopped playing it again. But Coverdale willingly played Burn with Whitesnake.
Video of Burn – Deep Purple
Let’s watch the live video clip for the song Burn by the rock band Deep Purple online.
Burn cover versions
The song has been covered by Riot, Mr. Big, Yngwie Malmsteen, WASP and many more.
Interesting Facts
- In April 1974, Deep Purple opened their performance at the California Jam rock festival with this song.
- Burn is featured in the comedy Almost Famous and the computer game Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock.
Lyrics of Burn by Deep Purple
The sky is red, I don’t understand
past midnight I still see the land
People are sayin’ the woman is damned
she makes you burn with a wave of her hand
The city’s ablaze, the town’s on fire
The woman’s flames are reaching higher
We were fools, we called her liar
All I hear is “Burn!”
I didn’t believe she was devil’s sperm.
She said, “Curse you all, you’ll never learn!
When I leave there’s no return”
The people laughed till she said, “Burn!”
Warning came, no one cared
Earth was shakin’, we stood and stared
When it came no one was spared
Still I hear “Burn!”
You know we had no time
we could not even try
You know we had no time
Burn Lyrics by Deep Purple Alternate
Red sky, I don’t understand
It’s already past midnight, and you can see everything around
They say this woman is cursed
She can burn you with a wave of her hand
The city is on fire, the city is on fire
Her flames rise higher
We were fools, we called her a liar
And I hear only: “Burn!”
I didn’t believe she was the devil’s seed
She said, “Damn you all, you won’t learn anything!
When I leave, there will be no return”
People laughed until she said, “Burn!”
Everyone didn’t give a damn about the warning
The earth shook, we stood and watched
When it happened, no one escaped
I still hear: “Burn!”
You know we didn’t have time
We didn’t even try
You know we didn’t have time
Song quote
Every time I listen to it, I get carried away by myself, even to this day. Which is kind of weird, because at the very end of the solo, I screwed up – there is a very loud slap, and it seems that my fingers are tangled in the strings. When mixing the album, I wanted to re-record this piece, but everyone yelled that it sounded so natural that I had to leave it. And now I don’t regret it at all.
Ritchie Blackmore
Download Burn Deep Purple
Here you can not download the song Burn by Deep Purple for free, but you can listen to the track online and watch clips in good quality. Tabs, sheet music and backing tracks are available on websites for musicians.
