Burn Baby Burn
You’re all I have in this teenage twilight
Your Golden hair and your pale blue eyes
But through all the days and the sleepless nights
We have never been satisfied
Tumbling like the leaves
Yeah were sprawling on the breeze
Almost to the point of no return
Everything will burn baby burn
Look into my tired eyes
See something you don’t recognize
Binds that can’t be untied
Oh this is slow suicide
Feelings that I can’t disguise
Never will be reconciled
Oh something inside has died
You walk like your in a daze
Unresponsive eyes in a distinct glaze
Like all the good times have flown away
And the memory leaves a bitter taste
Tumbling like the leaves
Yeah were sprawling on the breeze
Destructive love is all I have
Destructive love is all I am
Look into my tired eyes
See something you don’t recognize
Binds that can’t be untied
Oh this is slow suicide
Feelings that I can’t disguise
Never will be reconciled
Oh something inside has died
Vicious bitter words
Are getting more and more cruel
But you always take me back
And let me lick your wounds
Tumbling like the leaves
Yeah were sprawling on the breeze
Almost to the point of no return
Everything will burn baby burn
Look into my tired eyes
See something you don’t recognize
Binds that can’t be untied
Oh this is slow suicide
Feelings that I can’t disguise
Were living in a compromise
Oh something inside has died
Song Notes
Originally titled “Ice Hat” when it was demoed, “This Is Slow Suicide”, then shortened to “Slow Suicide”, and finally changed to “Burn Baby Burn” at the last minute due to Radio censors. One of bands most famous songs and ever present in their live set list. The band used to open with it, but now usually close the set with it. The track was originally a Nu-Clear Sounds outtake, as Tim explains:
Well, “Burn Baby Burn” was originally just an out take from Nu-Clear Sounds that didn’t make the album. But Mark kept saying how we should try the song again, because he liked the riff. So we dug it out, and I re-wrote the words and the chorus. But even then we weren’t sure if we were going to put it on the album or not. It might have been just a B-side or something like that.
Mark: “Burn Baby Burn” was originally called “Slow Suicide” but the label freaked out claiming Radio 1 wouldn’t play it with that title and we didn’t want to change the name. Luckily Strangey (Agent) was round listening at the studio and he just went, “It’s obvious it’s called “Burn Baby Burn” you idiots”, and we all went, “duh!”.
Mark: It was reworked quite a bit. It was demoed with a completely different chorus/lyrics and was originally called “Ice Hat”… Don’t ask… ok, I’ll expand. During the demoing of Nu-Clear Sounds I came up with the genius idea of soaking a beanie hat in water, putting it on a football and then freezing it. Then when sufficiently hungover the Ice Hat could be removed and worn to help cool and relieve the effects of the ravaging headache. Ice Hat, patent pending…
“Burn Baby Burn” was the first song played on BBC 6 Music when it launched on 11th March, 2002.