Burn (Usher song)
Encyclopedia
"Burn" is a song by American R&B
singer Usher
, which he wrote with American songwriters Jermaine Dupri
, 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. The song succeeded "Yeah!" at the #1 position. Both singles gave Usher nineteen consecutive weeks with a song in the top spot, longer than any solo artist of the Hot 100 era. "Burn" was certified platinum in Australia and gold in New Zealand and United States. The song was well-received by critics and has garnered award nominations. In 2009 it was named the 21st most successful song of the 2000s, on the Billboard Hot 100 Songs of the Decade.
, 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 two-year relationship with TLC
's Chilli
was flaming out. They said, "Yo, you gotta let that burn ... That's a song right there", and started writing.
and ballad genres. The song is performed with a moderate groove. It is composed in the key of B minor
. The melody
line of the song has influences from "Ignition (Remix)" by R.Kelly and "How to Deal
" by Frankie J
. "Burn" has a combination of robotic noises, synthesized
strings and guitar lines.
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. 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 his 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 / Umpteen 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.
after he felt it was already completed. 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. Usher went back to the studio and collaborated with Lil Jon
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." 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 Jon.
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". Usher was also doubtful if the former was the right choice, after he wanted for R&B record. Until "Yeah!" was leaked, "Burn" was chosen as the official first single from Confessions. "Yeah!", which was also intended as a promotional song and a teaser for Usher's fans, was released to street DJs
and mixtape
s. However, the song's favorable responses led to another direction; "Yeah!" was pursued to be the lead single and "Burn" was set as its follow-up. "Burn" was released in the United States on July 6, 2004 as a CD single
and 7" single.
"Burn" was featured in the episode "Tom, Sarah and Usher
" of the Cartoon Network
series The Boondocks
. In the episode, Tom does his own rendition of a typical Usher music video.
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". 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." Cibula called the song brilliant and considers its step one and step two technique a hit. 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." Ande Kellman of Allmusic considered "Burn" as one of the Usher's best moments in the album, together with "Caught Up", the final single from Confessions. Steve Jones of USA Today
stated that Usher is singing about a relationship that cannot be saved because of the "flame has simply died".
"Burn" was nominated at the 47th Grammy Awards for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance
and Best R&B Song
. 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.
at number sixty-five, months prior to its physical release. It reached the top spot on May 29, 2004, replacing "Yeah!"'s twelve-week run at number one. The single was beaten by Fantasia's 2004 single "I Believe
", which propelled on the chart on its debut. It returned to number one for one last week, before it was finally knocked off by the album's third single "Confessions Part II
". The single failed to remain on the top spot as "Yeah!" achieved, staying only for eight non-consecutive weeks. "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. The single was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America
for selling 1,000,000 units. It became the second best-selling single in the United States, behind Usher's single "Yeah!
". Like "Yeah!", "Burn" helped Confessions remain on the top spot position.
Internationally, several music markets responded equally well. In the United Kingdom, the single debuted at number one and stayed for two weeks. 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
. 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. At the 2004 Year Ender charts, "Burn" became the thirty-first best-selling single in Australia. In the New Zealand, it peaked at number one for three weeks, and remained on the chart for twenty-three weeks. The single was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of New Zealand
.
, 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 Clark.
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 pool. 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 were having an intimate moment in the same bed. The bedsheets burns, following to Usher riding a silver Aston Martin DB5
with a British registration (EGF 158B). 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. Also, right before the last chorus, the screen changes from a small screen, to a full one with no framework.
The music video debuted on MTV
's Total Request Live
at number six on May 4, 2004, the same debut with "Confessions Part II". The video reached the top spot and remained on the countdown for thirty-three days. "Burn" topped MuchMusic
's Countdown
on July 24, 2004, and remained on the chart for fifteen weeks.
In the July 2008 issue of Vibe magazine, Usher told writer Mitzi Miller, "Women have started to become lovers of each other as a result of not having enough men." On June 26, 2008, AfterEllen.com
writer Sarah Warn
revealed that Jessica Clark, the lead in Usher's "Burn" music video, was in fact an openly gay model. In the article, Warn writes, "Maybe it's not a lack of men that's turning women gay, Usher--maybe it's you!"
, 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 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."
Contemporary R&B
Contemporary R&B is a music genre that combines elements of hip hop, soul, R&B and funk.Although the abbreviation “R&B” originates from traditional rhythm and blues music, today the term R&B is most often used to describe a style of African American music originating after the demise of disco in...
singer Usher
Usher (entertainer)
Usher Terry Raymond IV , who performs under the mononym Usher, is an American singer-songwriter, and actor. He is considered around the world to be the reigning King of R&B. Usher rose to fame in the late 1990s with the release of his second album My Way, which spawned his first Billboard Hot 100...
, which he wrote with American songwriters Jermaine Dupri
Jermaine Dupri
Jermaine Dupri Mauldin , known as Jermaine Dupri or JD, is an American record producer, songwriter and rapper.- Early life and career :...
, Bryan-Michael Cox. The song was produced by Dupri and Cox for Usher's fourth studio album, Confessions
Confessions (Usher album)
Confessions is the fourth studio album by American R&B recording artist Usher, released March 23, 2004, on Arista-imprint label LaFace Records. Recording sessions for the album took place during 2003 to 2004 with production by Jermaine Dupri, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, and Lil Jon...
(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
Lead single
A lead single is usually the first single released by a musician or a band before the release of its home album.During the era of the grammophone record, all music arrived in the marketplace as what is now termed a single, one potential hit song backed by an additional song of generally less...
, "Burn" was pushed back after favorable responses for the song "Yeah!
Yeah! (Usher song)
"Yeah!" is a song by American singer Usher, released on 3 February 2004 as the lead single from his hit fourth studio album Confessions. The song was written by Lil Jon, Sean Garrett, Patrick J. Que Smith, Ludacris, Robert McDowell, and LRoc. It was produced by Lil Jon, who combined crunk and R&B...
". 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
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
for eight non-consecutive weeks. The song succeeded "Yeah!" at the #1 position. Both singles gave Usher nineteen consecutive weeks with a song in the top spot, longer than any solo artist of the Hot 100 era. "Burn" was certified platinum in Australia and gold in New Zealand and United States. The song was well-received by critics and has garnered award nominations. In 2009 it was named the 21st most successful song of the 2000s, on the Billboard Hot 100 Songs of the Decade.
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. Usher again enlisted record-producer Jermaine DupriJermaine Dupri
Jermaine Dupri Mauldin , known as Jermaine Dupri or JD, is an American record producer, songwriter and rapper.- Early life and career :...
, who had collaborated on his two previous albums, along with The Neptunes
The Neptunes
The Neptunes are a record production duo consisting of Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo, who are credited with contributing the sound for many successful hip hop, R&B and pop artists in the late-1990s and 2000s...
, R. Kelly
R. Kelly
Robert Sylvester Kelly , better known by his stage name R. Kelly, is an American singer-songwriter and record producer. A native of Chicago, Kelly began performing during the late 1980s and debuted in 1992 with the group Public Announcement. In 1993, Kelly went solo with the album 12 Play...
, among others to work on his fourth studio album Confessions
Confessions (Usher album)
Confessions is the fourth studio album by American R&B recording artist Usher, released March 23, 2004, on Arista-imprint label LaFace Records. Recording sessions for the album took place during 2003 to 2004 with production by Jermaine Dupri, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, and Lil Jon...
. Dupri contacted his frequent collaborator Bryan-Michael Cox, who had also made hits like the 2001 single "U Got It Bad
U Got It Bad
"U Got It Bad" is a 2001 single from Usher's 2001 album 8701. It was the second US single from the album and the third international single, reaching number 1 on the United States Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart, and reaching the top 5 in the United Kingdom and Australia.The song was produced by...
" 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 two-year relationship with TLC
TLC (band)
TLC is an American musical trio whose repertoire spanned R&B, hip-hop, soul, funk, and new jack swing. Originally consisting of singer Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins, rapper-singer Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes and singer Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas it found success in the 1990s while also enduring a series of spats...
's Chilli
Rozonda Thomas
Rozonda Ocelean Thomas , best known by her stage name Chilli, is a four-time Grammy Award–winning American R&B singer and actress who rose to fame as one third of the successful R&B/Hip-Hop/Pop girl group TLC.-Early life:...
was flaming out. They said, "Yo, you gotta let that burn ... That's a song right there", and started writing.
Composition and theme
"Burn" is a slow jam, combining R&BContemporary R&B
Contemporary R&B is a music genre that combines elements of hip hop, soul, R&B and funk.Although the abbreviation “R&B” originates from traditional rhythm and blues music, today the term R&B is most often used to describe a style of African American music originating after the demise of disco in...
and ballad genres. The song is performed with a moderate groove. It is composed in the key of B minor
B minor
B minor is a minor scale based on B, consisting of the pitches B, C, D, E, F, G, and A. The harmonic minor raises the A to A. Its key signature has two sharps .Its relative major is D major, and its parallel major is B major....
. The melody
Melody
A melody , also tune, voice, or line, is a linear succession of musical tones which is perceived as a single entity...
line of the song has influences from "Ignition (Remix)" by R.Kelly and "How to Deal
How to Deal
How to Deal is a 2003 film directed by Clare Kilner and starring Mandy Moore, Allison Janney and Trent Ford. It is based on two novels by Sarah Dessen, That Summer and Someone Like You.-Plot:...
" by Frankie J
Frankie J
Francisco Javier Bautista, Jr. , better known by his stage name Frankie J, is a Mexican singer and former member of the musical group Kumbia Kings....
. "Burn" has a combination of robotic noises, synthesized
Synthesizer
A synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
strings and guitar lines.
The lyrics are constructed in the traditional verse-chorus form
Verse-chorus form
Verse-chorus form is a musical form common in popular music and predominant in rock since the 1960s. In contrast to AABA form, which is focused on the verse , in verse-chorus form the chorus is highlighted...
. 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
Bridge (music)
In music, especially western popular music, a bridge is a contrasting section which also prepares for the return of the original material section...
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
Confessions Part II
"Confessions Part II" is a song by R&B singer Usher, and co-produced by Jermaine Dupri and Bryan-Michael Cox for Usher's fourth album Confessions. Written by Usher, Dupri and Cox, the song is a confession of a man to his woman about his impregnated mistress, a continuation of "Confessions Part I"...
". The song is about breakups and ending relationships. According to Matt Cibula of Popmatters
PopMatters
PopMatters is an international webzine of cultural criticism that covers many aspects of popular culture. PopMatters publishes reviews, interviews, and detailed essays on most cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, films, books, video games, comics, sports, theater,...
, "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 his 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 / Umpteen 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.
Release
Usher submitted the album to his label Arista RecordsArista Records
Arista was an American record label. It was a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment and operated under the RCA Music Group. The label was founded in 1974 by Clive Davis, who formerly worked for CBS Records...
after he felt it was already completed. 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. Usher went back to the studio and collaborated with Lil Jon
Lil Jon
Jonathan Mortimer Smith , better known by his stage name Lil Jon, is an American rapper, music producer, entrepreneur, and occasional disc jockey who was a member of the group Lil Jon & The East Side Boyz. Lil Jon formed the group in 1997, and the group released several albums between then and 2004...
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." 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
Ludacris
Christopher Brian Bridges , better known by his stage name Ludacris, is an American rapper and actor. Along with his manager, Chaka Zulu, Ludacris is the co-founder of Disturbing tha Peace, an imprint distributed by Def Jam Recordings...
and Lil Jon.
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". Usher was also doubtful if the former was the right choice, after he wanted for R&B record. Until "Yeah!" was leaked, "Burn" was chosen as the official first single from Confessions. "Yeah!", which was also intended as a promotional song and a teaser for Usher's fans, was released to street DJs
Disc jockey
A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
and mixtape
Mixtape
A Mix Tape or Mixed Tape is a compilation of songs recorded in a specific order, traditionally onto an audio Compact Cassette.A Mix Tape, which usually reflects the musical tastes of its compiler, can range from a casually selected list of favorite songs, to a conceptual mix of songs linked by a...
s. However, the song's favorable responses led to another direction; "Yeah!" was pursued to be the lead single and "Burn" was set as its follow-up. "Burn" was released in the United States on July 6, 2004 as a CD single
CD single
A CD single is a music single in the form of a standard size Compact Disc, not to be confused with the 3-inch CD single, which uses a smaller form factor. The format was introduced in the mid-1980s, but did not gain its place in the market until the early 1990s...
and 7" single.
"Burn" was featured in the episode "Tom, Sarah and Usher
Tom, Sarah and Usher
"Tom, Sarah and Usher" is the second episode of the second season of the Adult Swim animated television series The Boondocks and the seventeenth episode overall. It originally aired on October 15, 2007.-Plot:...
" of the Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network is a name of television channels worldwide created by Turner Broadcasting which used to primarily show animated programming. The channel began broadcasting on October 1, 1992 in the United States....
series The Boondocks
The Boondocks (TV series)
The Boondocks is an American animated series created by Aaron McGruder on Cartoon Network's late night programing block, Adult Swim, based on McGruder's comic strip of the same name...
. In the episode, Tom does his own rendition of a typical Usher music video.
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." 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. In early 2004, Usher broke up with Chilli due to "irreconcilable differences and because they found it almost impossible to make compromises." 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 breakup. It was later revealed that chilli, in fact broke up with usher because of cheating and the media said otherwise because of the lyrics in the song, which was not based on their relationship. Dupri, however, confessed that his personal life is the real story of the album. Usher said he took inspirations collectively by looking at his friends' personal situations that they gone through.Critical reviews and awards
"Burn" was lauded by contemporary music critics. Jem Aswad of Entertainment WeeklyEntertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
complimented Dupri and Cox for producing what he called the "best song" from the album, along with "Confessions Part II
Confessions Part II
"Confessions Part II" is a song by R&B singer Usher, and co-produced by Jermaine Dupri and Bryan-Michael Cox for Usher's fourth album Confessions. Written by Usher, Dupri and Cox, the song is a confession of a man to his woman about his impregnated mistress, a continuation of "Confessions Part I"...
" which they also produced. Aswad found the songs feature "mellifluous melodies". Laura Sinagra of Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
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." Cibula called the song brilliant and considers its step one and step two technique a hit. Jon Caramanica of Blender
Blender (magazine)
Blender was an American music magazine that billed itself as "the ultimate guide to music and more". It was also known for sometimes steamy pictorials of celebrities....
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." Ande Kellman of Allmusic considered "Burn" as one of the Usher's best moments in the album, together with "Caught Up", the final single from Confessions. Steve Jones of USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
stated that Usher is singing about a relationship that cannot be saved because of the "flame has simply died".
"Burn" was nominated at the 47th Grammy Awards for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance
Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance
The Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance was awarded between 1968 and 2011. The award has had several minor name changes:*In 1968 it was awarded as Best R&B Solo Vocal Performance, Male...
and Best R&B Song
Grammy Award for Best R&B Song
The Grammy Award for Best R&B Song has been awarded since 1959. From 1969 to 2000 it was known as the Grammy Award for Best Rhythm & Blues Song, from 1962 to 1968 it was known as Best Rhythm & Blues Recording, and from 1959-1961 as Best Rhythm & Blues Performance...
. The song earned British record company EMI
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
the "Publisher of the Year" at the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers
American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers
The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers is an American not-for-profit performance-rights organization that protects its members' musical copyrights by monitoring public performances of their music, whether via a broadcast or live performance, and compensating them...
2005 Pop Music Awards.
Chart performance
"Burn" was another commercial success for Usher. In the United States, the single debuted on the Billboard Hot 100Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
at number sixty-five, months prior to its physical release. It reached the top spot on May 29, 2004, replacing "Yeah!"'s twelve-week run at number one. The single was beaten by Fantasia's 2004 single "I Believe
I Believe (Fantasia song)
"I Believe" is the debut single released by singer and American Idol season 3 winner, Fantasia Barrino. The song significantly helped Fantasia rise to fame. The song was co-written by former American Idol contestant Tamyra Gray.-History:...
", which propelled on the chart on its debut. It returned to number one for one last week, before it was finally knocked off by the album's third single "Confessions Part II
Confessions Part II
"Confessions Part II" is a song by R&B singer Usher, and co-produced by Jermaine Dupri and Bryan-Michael Cox for Usher's fourth album Confessions. Written by Usher, Dupri and Cox, the song is a confession of a man to his woman about his impregnated mistress, a continuation of "Confessions Part I"...
". The single failed to remain on the top spot as "Yeah!" achieved, staying only for eight non-consecutive weeks. "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. The single was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...
for selling 1,000,000 units. It became the second best-selling single in the United States, behind Usher's single "Yeah!
Yeah! (Usher song)
"Yeah!" is a song by American singer Usher, released on 3 February 2004 as the lead single from his hit fourth studio album Confessions. The song was written by Lil Jon, Sean Garrett, Patrick J. Que Smith, Ludacris, Robert McDowell, and LRoc. It was produced by Lil Jon, who combined crunk and R&B...
". Like "Yeah!", "Burn" helped Confessions remain on the top spot position.
Internationally, several music markets responded equally well. In the United Kingdom, the single debuted at number one and stayed for two weeks. Across European countries, the single performed well, reaching the top ten in Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
, Ireland, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
, the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, and Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
. It entered the top twenty in Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, Germany and Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. In Australia, the single debuted at number three and peaked at number two. The single was certified platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association
Australian Recording Industry Association
The Australian Recording Industry Association is a trade group representing the Australian recording industry which was established in 1983 by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing the Association of Australian Record Manufacturers which was formed in 1956...
for selling 70,000 units. At the 2004 Year Ender charts, "Burn" became the thirty-first best-selling single in Australia. In the New Zealand, it peaked at number one for three weeks, and remained on the chart for twenty-three weeks. The single was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of New Zealand
Recording Industry Association of New Zealand
The Recording Industry Association of New Zealand is a non-profit trade association of record producers, distributors and recording artists who sell music in New Zealand...
.
Music video
The music video for "Burn" was directed by Jake NavaJake Nava
Jake Nava was born on 17 August and grew up in northern London. He currently lives in eastern London.He graduated from the University of WestministerJake Nava is an English-born music video and film director.-Filmography:MUSIC VIDEOS...
, who had produced a wide array of videos for Atomic Kitten
Atomic Kitten
Atomic Kitten were an English girl group from Liverpool, first established in 1997. Created by Andy McCluskey, the final line-up, and most commercially successful, consisted of Natasha Hamilton, Liz McClarnon, and Jenny Frost...
, Beyoncé Knowles
Beyoncé Knowles
Beyoncé Giselle Knowles , often known simply as Beyoncé, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. Born and raised in Houston, Texas, she enrolled in various performing arts schools and was first exposed to singing and dancing competitions as a child...
, among others. It was shot at the former Hollywood house of American popular singer
Traditional pop music
Traditional pop or classic pop or standards music denotes, in general, Western popular music that either wholly predates the advent of rock and roll in the mid-1950s, or to any popular music which exists concurrently to rock and roll but originated in a time before the appearance of rock and roll,...
Frank Sinatra
Frank Sinatra
Francis Albert "Frank" Sinatra was an American singer and actor.Beginning his musical career in the swing era with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, Sinatra became an unprecedentedly successful solo artist in the early to mid-1940s, after being signed to Columbia Records in 1943. Being the idol of the...
. The video features model Jessica Clark.
The video starts with Usher sitting on a sofa with a backdrop
Theatrical scenery
Theatrical scenery is that which is used as a setting for a theatrical production. Scenery may be just about anything, from a single chair to an elaborately re-created street, no matter how large or how small, whether or not the item was custom-made or is, in fact, the genuine item, appropriated...
of his girlfriend. When the verse starts, Usher went to a wide glass window pane, looking at his girlfriend swimming in the pool. 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 were having an intimate moment in the same bed. The bedsheets burns, following to Usher riding a silver Aston Martin DB5
Aston Martin DB5
The Aston Martin DB5 is a luxury grand tourer that was made by Aston Martin. Released in 1963, it was an evolution of the final series of DB4. The DB series was named honouring David Brown ....
with a British registration (EGF 158B). 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. Also, right before the last chorus, the screen changes from a small screen, to a full one with no framework.
The music video debuted on MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
's Total Request Live
Total Request Live
Total Request Live is a television series on MTV that featured popular music videos. TRL was MTV's prime outlet for music videos as the network continues to concentrate on reality-based programming. In addition to music videos, TRL featured daily guests...
at number six on May 4, 2004, the same debut with "Confessions Part II". The video reached the top spot and remained on the countdown for thirty-three days. "Burn" topped MuchMusic
MuchMusic
MuchMusic is a Canadian English language Category A specialty channel owned by Bell Media. MuchMusic is dedicated to music-related programs, pop and youth culture.-History:...
's Countdown
Countdown (MuchMusic TV series)
The MuchMusic Top 30 Countdown is a ninety-minute music video program block, that airs on Canadian music television station MuchMusic. Countdown is one of the oldest programs that continues to be aired on Much Music since its debut...
on July 24, 2004, and remained on the chart for fifteen weeks.
In the July 2008 issue of Vibe magazine, Usher told writer Mitzi Miller, "Women have started to become lovers of each other as a result of not having enough men." On June 26, 2008, AfterEllen.com
AfterEllen.com
AfterEllen.com, founded in April 2002, is a website that focuses on the portrayal of lesbian and bisexual women in the media. AfterElton.com, its brother site for gay and bisexual men, was launched in January 2005. The websites were founded by Sarah Warn, who initially served as the editor in...
writer Sarah Warn
Sarah Warn
Sarah Warn is an American writer and the former editor of entertainment website AfterEllen.com.-Biography:Warn graduated from in Tacoma, WA in 1992. She then attended Wellesley College in 1996 with a degree in women's studies, and received a master's degree in theological studies from Harvard...
revealed that Jessica Clark, the lead in Usher's "Burn" music video, was in fact an openly gay model. In the article, Warn writes, "Maybe it's not a lack of men that's turning women gay, Usher--maybe it's you!"
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 KeysAlicia Keys
Alicia Augello Cook , better known by her stage name Alicia Keys, is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and occasional actress. She was raised by a single mother in the Hell's Kitchen area of Manhattan in New York City. At age seven, Keys began playing the piano...
, B2K
B2K
B2K was an American R&B music group. The group met in 1998, established in 2001, and managed by music producer Chris Stokes with Lil' Fizz, J-Boog, Raz-B, and Omarion as members. The group disbanded in 2004 due to internal disagreements.-2001-2002: B2K:...
, Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. She made her recording debut with the release of her eponymous studio album in 1990, under the guidance of Columbia Records executive Tommy Mottola, whom she later married in 1993...
and Destiny's Child
Destiny's Child
Destiny's Child was an American R&B girl group whose final line-up comprised lead singer Beyoncé Knowles alongside Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams. Formed in 1997 in Houston, Texas, Destiny's Child members began their musical endeavors in their pre-teens under the name Girl's Tyme...
, 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 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."
Chart positions
| Chart (2004) | Peak position |
|---|
Certifications
| Country | Provider | Certification |
|---|---|---|
| Australia | ARIA | Platinum |
| New Zealand | RIANZ | Gold |
| United States | RIAA | Platinum |
Decade-end charts
| Chart (2000–2009) | Position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard Hot 100 | 21 |
See also
- List of number-one singles from the 2000s (New Zealand)
- List of number-one singles from the 2000s (UK)
- List of Hot 100 number-one singles of 2004 (U.S.)
- List of number-one R&B singles of 2004 (U.S.)
- List of Rhythmic Top 40 number-one singles of 2004 (U.S.)