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Burn (Usher song)

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"Burn"
Song

"Burn" is an R&B-ballad song written by American singers-rappers and songwriters Usher, Jermaine Dupri and Bryan-Michael Cox. The song was produced by Dupri and Cox for Usher's fourth studio album Confessions (2004). "Burn" is about breakup in a relationship, and the public referred to it as an allusion to Usher's personal struggles.

Originally planned as the album's lead single, "Burn" was pushed back after favorable responses for the song "Yeah!". The song was released as the second single from the album in July 2004. The single topped various charts around the world, including the Billboard Hot 100 for eight non-consecutive weeks; however, it failed to attain the same success of its predecessor. "Burn" was certified platinum in Australia and gold in the New Zealand and United States. The song was well-received by critics and garnered award nominations.

Background and writing

When Usher planned to make a new record after his third album, 8701, he decided to not branch out that much with musical collaborators and continue building music with his previous producers.[1] Usher again enlisted record-producer Jermaine Dupri, who had collaborated on his two previous albums, along with The Neptunes, R. Kelly, among others to work on his fourth studio album Confessions. Dupri contacted his frequent collaborator Bryan-Michael Cox, who had also made hits like the 2001 single "U Got It Bad" for Usher. During the early session for the album, Dupri and Cox talked about a situation which later became "Burn". At that time, Usher's relationship with his two-year relationship with TLC's Chilli was flaming out.[2] They said, "Yo, you gotta let that burn... That's a song right there", and started writing.[1]

Composition and theme

"Burn" is a "Burn" is a slow jam,[3] combining R&B and ballad genres. The song is performed with a moderate groove. It is composed in the key of B minor.[4] The melody line of the song has influences from "Ignition (Remix)" by R.Kelly and "Don't Wanna Try" by Frankie J.[5] "Burn" has a combination of robotic noises, synthesized strings and guitar lines.[5]

The lyrics are constructed in the traditional verse-chorus form. The song starts a spoken intro, giving way to the first verse. It continues to the chorus, following the second verse and chorus. The bridge follows, leading to a break and finalizing in the chorus.

"Burn" was considered a "window to Usher's inner thoughts", along with the controversial track "Confessions" and "Confessions Part II". The song is about breakups and ending relationships.[6][1] According to Matt Cibula of Popmatters, "Burn" is constructed from "two-step concept". In the lyrics "You know that it's over / You know that it was through / Let it burn / Got to let it burn", Usher breaks up with her woman but found her sad about feeling bad about what happened to their relationship. However, Usher says that she must deal with it before she can accept the truth. For the lines "It's been fifty-eleven days / Umm-teen hours / I'm gonna be burnin' / Till you return", the direction changes after Usher realized that breaking up with her was a huge mistake and that he wanted her back to him.[5]

Release

Usher submitted the album to his label Arista Records after he felt it was already completed.[7] After he and the company's then-president Antonio "LA" Reid listened to the songs, they felt the album needed a first single and that they needed one or two more songs to create, which caused the postponement of the album's release.[8][7] Usher went back to the studio and collaborated with Lil John who said, "He needed a single. They had 'Burn,' 'Burn' was hot, but they needed that first powerful monster. That's when I came in."[8] They worked for few more tracks, including "Red Light", which was not included in the first release of the album, and "Yeah!", which features Ludacris and Lil John.[1][7]

However, everybody in the label was scared to decide what to consider as the lead single. Reid was choosing whether "Yeah!" would be released then, considering that they had "Burn".[8] Usher was also doubtful if the former was the right choice, after he wanted for R&B record.[1] Until "Yeah!" was leaked, "Burn" was chosen as the official first single from Confessions.[9] "Yeah!", which was also intended as a promotional song and a teaser for Usher's fan, was released to street DJs and mixtapes. However, the song's favorable responses led to another direction;[6][7] "Yeah!" was pursued to be the lead single and "Burn" was set as its follow-up.[1] "Burn" was released in the United States on July 6, 2007 as a CD single and 7" single.[10]

Reception

Lyrical interpretation

Usher decided about the new material "to let it all hang out by singing about some of his own little secrets, as well as a few bones from his homies' skeleton-filled closets."[1] The public speculated that the material in the new album he was referring to was his recent personal struggles in which he promised a "real talk" on it.[8][11] In early 2004, Usher broke up with Chilli due to "irreconcilable differences and because they found it almost impossible to make compromises."[8][7] Usher said in an interview: "It's unfortunate when you have to let a situation go because it's not working", which added reference to the break up.[6] Dupri, however, confessed that his personal life is the real story of the album.[2] Usher said he took inspirations collectively by looking at his friends' personal situations that they gone through.[12]

Critical reviews and awards

"Burn" was lauded by contemporary music critics. Jem Aswad of Entertainment Weekly complimented Dupri and Cox for producing what he called the "best song" from the album, along with "Confessions Part II" which they also produced. Aswad found the songs feature "mellifluous melodies".[13] Laura Sinagra of Rolling Stone found Usher's singing a "sweet falsetto on the weepy breakup song ", adding, it "convincingly marries resolve and regret, but when it comes to rough stuff, there's still no 'u' in p-i-m-p."[14] Cibula called the song brilliant and considers its step one and step two technique a hit.[5] Jon Caramanica of Blender complimented the song for living up as the only "serviceable" among all ballad-influenced songs in the album which "often drown in their own inanity."[3] Ande Kellman of All Music Guide considered "Burn" as one of the Usher's best moments in the album, together with "Caught Up", the final single from Confessions.[15] Steve Jones of USA Today stated that Usher is singing about a relationship that cannot be saved because of the "flame has simply died".[16]

"Burn" was nominated at the 47th Grammy Awards for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance and Best R&B Song.[17] The song earned British record company EMI the "Publisher of the Year" at the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers 2005 Pop Music Awards.[18]

Chart performance

"Burn" was another commercial success for Usher, but not on such a wide scale as "Yeah!" which features Lil' Jon and Ludacris. In the United States, the single debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 at number sixty-five, months prior to its physical release.[19] It reached the top spot on May 29, 2004, replacing "Yeah!"'s twelve-week run at number one.[20] The single was beaten by Fantasia's 2004 single "I Believe", which propelled on the chart on its debut.[21] It returned to number one for one last week, before it was finally knocked off by the album's third single "Confessions Part II".[22] The single failed to remain on the top spot as "Yeah!" achieved, staying only for eight non-consecutive weeks.[19] "Burn" was the fifth most-played song in 2004 for earning 355,228 total plays, alongside "Yeah!" which topped the tally for 496,805 spins.[23] The single was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America for selling 500,000 units.[24] It became the second best-selling single in the United States, behind Usher's single "Yeah!".[25] Like "Yeah!", "Burn" helped Confessions remain on the top spot position.[26]

Internationally, several music markets responded equally well. In the United Kingdom, the single debuted at number one and stayed for two weeks.[19] Across European countries, the single performed well, reaching the top ten in Denmark, Ireland, Norway, The Netherlands and Switzerland. It entered the top twenty in Austria, Belgium, Germany and Sweden.[19] In Australia, the single debuted at number three and peaked at number two. The single was certified platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association for selling 70,000 units.[27] At the 2004 Year Ender charts, "Burn" became the thirty-first best-selling single in Australia.[28] In the New Zealand, it peaked at number one for three weeks, and remained on the chart for twenty-three weeks.[19] The single was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of New Zealand. On the United World Chart 2004 Year Ender, "Burn" was the eighteenth best-selling single for accumulating 3,555,000 points.[29]

Music video

The music video for "Burn" was directed by Jake Nava, who had produced a wide array of videos for Atomic Kitten, Beyoncé Knowles, among others. It was shot at the former Hollywood house of American popular singer Frank Sinatra. The video features model Jessica Clarke.[30]

The video starts with Usher sitting on a sofa with a backdrop of his girlfriend. When the verse starts, Usher went to a wide glass window pane, looking at his girlfriend swimming in the pole. The surface aflame after she immersed in the water. The next scene continues to Usher with his mistress having sex. While sitting on the edge of the bed, Usher reminisces the moments he and his girlfriend having intimate moment in the same bed. The bedsheets burns, following to Usher riding a silver car. The video cuts with the backdrop also burning. Continuing to the car scene, Usher stops as he sees his imaginary girl again. He went out and dances, executing various hand routines. Video intercuts follow and the video ends with Usher standing with his back.

The music video debuted on MTV's Total Request Live at number six on May 4, 2004, the same debut with "Confessions Part II".[31] The video reached the top spot and remained on the countdown for thirty-three days.[32][31] "Burn" topped MuchMusic's Countdown on July 24, 2004, and remained on the chart for fifteen weeks.[33]

Impact

Besides from Usher, Cox has benefited for co-creating Confessions, as well as from the success of "Burn". He has been doing records for Alicia Keys, B2K, Mariah Carey and Destiny's Child, but he felt 2004 introduced him to another landscape in the music industry. His contribution to the song has elevated him to fame, as well as people looking back to his past records. "Burn" earned him two Grammy nominations. Cox stated, "Everybody who does this for a [sic] living dreams about being nominated. It's the ultimate accomplishment. I've always been the silent guy — I come in, do my job and head out. I like to leave all the glory and shine to others, but this is the validation that means the most to me. It also makes me want to work harder to get that same recognition again."[34]

Chart

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Reid, Shaheem ((February 07, 2005)). "Road To The Grammys: The Making Of Usher's Confessions". MTV News. MTV Networks. Retrieved 2008-02-29. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  2. ^ a b Vineyard, Jennifer ((January 25, 2006)). "In Book Proposal, Dupri Calls Em A Hater, Says Usher's Confessions Are Really His". MTV News. MTV Networks. Retrieved 2008-03-03. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  3. ^ a b Caramanica, Jon. "Usher: Confessions". Blender. Alpha Media Group Inc. Retrieved 2008-03-01.
  4. ^ "Usher Digital Sheet Music: Burn". Musicnotes. Musicnotes, Inc. Retrieved 2008-02-29.
  5. ^ a b c d Cibula, Matt (April 06, 2004). "Usher: By the Numbers!". Popmatters. PopMatters Media, Inc. and PopMatters Magazine. Retrieved 2008-02-29. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  6. ^ a b c "Usher Lets Skeletons Out Of The Closet On Confessions". MTV News. MTV Networks. (February 17, 2004). Retrieved 2008-02-29. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  7. ^ a b c d e Reid, Shaheem ((March 31, 2004)). "The Road To Confessions: How Usher 'Shook A Million'". MTV News. MTV Networks. Retrieved 2008-02-29. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  8. ^ a b c d e Reid, Shaheem. "Usher: King Me – Part 3". MTV News. MTV Networks. Retrieved 2008-02-29.
  9. ^ Reid, Shaheem ((February 07, 2005)). "Usher To Share His Confessions In March". MTV News. MTV Networks. Retrieved 2008-02-29. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  10. ^ "Burn [CD #1]". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. Retrieved 2008-02-29.
  11. ^ Reid, Shaheem ((July 24, 2004)). "Usher Works With R. Kelly, Neptunes To Deliver Real Talk On New LP". MTV News. MTV Networks. Retrieved 2008-02-29. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  12. ^ Reid, Shaheem ((March 23, 2004)). "Usher Says He's Not A Baby's Daddy". MTV News. MTV Networks. Retrieved 2008-03-03. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  13. ^ Aswad, Jem (March 26, 2004). "Confessions (2004): Usher". Entertainment Weekly. Entertainment Weekly and Time Inc. Retrieved 2008-02-29. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  14. ^ Sinagra, Laura. "Usher: Confessions". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2008-02-29.
  15. ^ Kellman, Andy. "Confessions: Usher". All Music Guide. Macrovision Company. Retrieved 2008-03-03.
  16. ^ Jones, Steve (March 22, 2004). "'Confessions' time: Usher continues his ascendancy". USA Today. Gannett Co. Inc. Retrieved 2008-03-03. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  17. ^ Jeckell, Barry (December 07, 2004). "Kanye West Leads Grammy Nominees". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. Retrieved 2008-02-29. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  18. ^ "ASCAP Pop Music Awards 2005". ASCAP. 2005. Retrieved 2008-02-29.
  19. ^ a b c d e f g ""Burn" Global Chart Positions and Trajectories". αCharts. Retrieved 2008-02-28.
  20. ^ "Billboard Hot 100". αCharts. May 29, 2004. Retrieved 2008-02-29. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  21. ^ "Billboard Hot 100". αCharts. July 17, 2004. Retrieved 2008-02-29. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  22. ^ "Billboard Hot 100". αCharts. July 31, 2004. Retrieved 2008-02-29. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  23. ^ Vineyard, Jennifer ((January 05, 2005)). "Usher's 'Yeah!' Was Most Played Song Of 2004". MTV News. MTV Networks. Retrieved 2008-03-01. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  24. ^ "Gold and Platinum". RIAA. Retrieved 2008-03-02.
  25. ^ "The Billboard Hot 100: 2004". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. Retrieved 2008-03-02.
  26. ^ D'Angelo, Joe ((May 19, 2004)). "'Burn' Keeps Usher Hot — And On Top". MTV News. MTV Networks. Retrieved 2008-03-03. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  27. ^ "ARIA Charts - Accreditations - 2004 Singles". ARIA. Australian Recording Industry Association Ltd. Retrieved 2008-02-29.
  28. ^ "ARIA Charts - End Of Year Charts - Top 100 Singles 2004". ARIA. Australian Recording Industry Association Ltd. Retrieved 2008-03-02.
  29. ^ "United World Chart: Tracks - Countdown 2004". United World Chart. Media Traffic. Retrieved 2008-03-03.
  30. ^ "USHER - USHER FALLS FOR MODEL GIRLFRIEND". Contactmusic. Contactmusic.com Ltd. April 30, 2004. Retrieved 2008-02-29. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  31. ^ a b "TRL Debuts". Popfusion. Retrieved 2008-02-29.
  32. ^ "TRL Number Ones". Popfusion. Retrieved 2008-02-29.
  33. ^ a b c "Usher: Burn". Top40-chart.com. Retrieved 2008-02-29.
  34. ^ Hall, Rashaun ((January 12, 2005)). "Usher's Success Lifts Songwriter/Producer Bryan-Michael Cox". MTV News. MTV Networks. Retrieved 2008-03-03. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  35. ^ a b "Usher: Artist Chart History". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. Retrieved 2008-02-29.
Preceded by
"Yeah!" by Usher featuring Lil' Jon and Ludacris
 Billboard Hot 100 number one single
May 22, 2004– July 17, 2004 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs number one single
June 5, 2004 		Succeeded by
Preceded by UK Singles Chart number one single
July 4, 2004 – July 17, 2004 		Succeeded by
Preceded by RIANZ (New Zealand) number one single
July 5, 2004 – July 26, 2004 		Succeeded by

External links


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