"Burning Up" is a song written and recorded by American singer

Madonna Madonna Louise Ciccone ( ; born August 16, 1958) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. Referred to as the "Queen of Pop", she has been recognized for her continual reinvention and versatility in music production, ...

and produced by

Reggie Lucas Reginald Grant Lucas (February 25, 1953 – May 19, 2018)Stephen Bray Stephen Pate Bray (born December 23, 1956) is an American songwriter, drummer, and record producer. He is best known for his collaborations with Madonna, being a member of the band Breakfast Club, and for winning the 2017 Grammy Award for the ...

, Madonna pursued a solo career, carrying with her demos of " Everybody", "Ain't No Big Deal", and "Burning Up". In 1982, she met DJ

Mark Kamins Mark Kamins (April 11, 1950 – February 14, 2013) was an American record producer, remixer, and disc jockey famous for his role in the New York club scene. He is best known for helping launch the career of singer Madonna by bringing her to Sir ...

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

Danceteria Danceteria was a nightclub that operated in New York City from May 1980 until 1986 and in the Hamptons until 1995. The club operated in various locations over the years, a total of three in New York City and four in the Hamptons. The most famous l ...

nightclub; he played "Everybody" to a positive crowd reaction and later introduced her to

Sire Records Sire Records (formerly Sire Records Company) is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group and distributed by Warner Records. History Beginnings The label was founded in 1966 as Sire Productions by Seymour Stein and Richard Gotteh ...

. Label president

Seymour Stein Seymour Steinbigle (April 18, 1942 – April 2, 2023), known professionally as Seymour Stein, was an American entrepreneur and music executive. He co-founded Sire Records and was vice president of Warner Bros. Records. With Sire, Stein signed ba ...

signed Madonna for two

twelve-inch single The twelve-inch single (often written as 12-inch or 12) is a type of vinyl (polyvinyl chloride or PVC) gramophone record that has wider groove spacing and shorter playing time with a "single" or a few related sound tracks on each surface, compar ...

s, and the success of "Everybody" in the dance scene led to approval for a full album. Madonna chose Lucas as producer, though creative disagreements led to his departure. She then enlisted John "Jellybean" Benitez, her boyfriend at the time, to

remix A remix, also sometimes called reorchestration or rework, is a piece of media which has been altered or contorted from its original state by adding, removing, or changing pieces of the item. A song, piece of artwork, book, poem, or photograph ca ...

several tracks, including "Burning Up." The song was recorded at

Sigma Sound Studios Sigma Sound Studios was an American independent recording studio in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, founded in 1968 by recording engineer Joseph Tarsia. Located at 212 North 12th Street in Philadelphia, Sigma Sound is closely associated with Philade ...

and released as a double-sided single with " Physical Attraction" on March 9, 1983, and later included on Madonna's self-titled debut album. A

dance Dance is an The arts, art form, consisting of sequences of body movements with aesthetic and often Symbol, symbolic value, either improvised or purposefully selected. Dance can be categorized and described by its choreography, by its repertoir ...

track with new wave influences, "Burning Up" incorporates

guitar riff A riff is a short, repeated motif or figure in the melody or accompaniment of a musical composition. Riffs are most often found in rock music, punk, heavy metal music, Latin, funk, and jazz, although classical music is also sometimes based on ...

synthesizer A synthesizer (also synthesiser or synth) is an electronic musical instrument that generates audio signals. Synthesizers typically create sounds by generating waveforms through methods including subtractive synthesis, additive synthesis a ...

s, and lyrics that juxtapose sexual desire with themes of power and self-assertion. The single received positive critical response and reached number three on ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...

''s

Dance Club Songs The Dance Club Songs (also known as National Disco Action, Hot Dance/Disco Club Play, and Hot Dance Club Play) was a chart published weekly between 1976 and 2020 by ''Billboard'' magazine. It used club disc jockeys set lists to determine the mos ...

chart, and number 13 in Australia. Its accompanying

music video A music video is a video that integrates a song or an album with imagery that is produced for promotion (marketing), promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a music marketing device intended to ...

, directed by

Steve Barron Steven Barron (born 4 May 1956) is an Irish-British filmmaker and music video director. Among the music videos he has directed are "Billie Jean" by Michael Jackson, " Burning Up (Madonna song), Burnin Up" by Madonna, "Summer of '69" and "Run t ...

, depicts Madonna in a white dress lying in a road, initially appearing submissive before taking control —an early example of her use of sexual imagery to assert dominance. The video has been cited as foundational to the visual and thematic style that would define her career. "Burning Up" was promoted through television appearances and later included in four of Madonna's

concert tours A concert tour (or simply tour) is a series of concerts by an artist or group of artists in different cities, countries or locations. Often, concert tours are named to differentiate different tours by the same artist and to associate a specific ...

, most recently

the Celebration Tour The Celebration Tour was the twelfth concert tour by American singer-songwriter Madonna. It began on October 14, 2023, at the O2 Arena, the O2 Arena in London and ended on May 4, 2024, with a free concert on Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro, Copacaban ...

(2023–2024). It has been covered by artists such as

Iggy Pop James Newell Osterberg Jr. (born April 21, 1947), known professionally as Iggy Pop, is an American singer, musician, songwriter, actor and radio broadcaster. He was the vocalist and lyricist of proto-punk band the Stooges, who were formed in 1 ...

and

Britney Spears Britney Jean Spears (born December 2, 1981) is an American singer. Often referred to as the "Princess of Pop", she has sold over 150 million records worldwide, making her one of the world's best-selling music artists. Cultural impact of Brit ...

Background

In the late 1970s, Madonna was working to launch her music career in

. She began as the

drummer A drummer is a percussionist who creates music using drums. Most contemporary western music ensemble, bands that play Rock music, rock, Pop music, pop, jazz, or Contemporary R&B, R&B music include a drummer for purposes including timekeepi ...

for the band Breakfast Club, led by Dan and Ed Gilroy, but left in 1980 after a dispute with Dan. She then formed a new band, Emmy, with her ex-boyfriend

Stephen Bray Stephen Pate Bray (born December 23, 1956) is an American songwriter, drummer, and record producer. He is best known for his collaborations with Madonna, being a member of the band Breakfast Club, and for winning the 2017 Grammy Award for the ...

. In 1981, Madonna caught the attention of

Gotham Records Gotham Records was an American record label formed by Sam Goode (Goody) and Ivin Ballen in New York City in 1946. In January 1948 Ballen acquired the interest of Goode and became the sole owner. He then moved the company to Philadelphia, Pennsylvani ...

after a gig at

Max's Kansas City Max's Kansas City was a nightclub and restaurant at 213 Park Avenue South in New York City, which became a gathering spot for musicians, poets, artists, and politicians in the 1960s and 1970s. It was opened by Mickey Ruskin (1933–1983) in Dece ...

, but the partnership ended quickly due to creative differences —Gotham wanted a

rock and roll Rock and roll (often written as rock & roll, rock-n-roll, and rock 'n' roll) is a Genre (music), genre of popular music that evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It Origins of rock and roll, originated from African ...

sound, while Madonna preferred

and

disco Disco is a music genre, genre of dance music and a subculture that emerged in the late 1960s from the United States' urban nightclub, nightlife, particularly in African Americans, African-American, Italian-Americans, Italian-American, LGBTQ ...

. By 1982, her and Bray were living together in a rehearsal studio, where they produced a four-track demo with songs like " Everybody", "Burning Up", and "Ain't No Big Deal". Without a label, Madonna began promoting the tape herself at local clubs. She met DJ

nightclub. After hearing "Everybody," Kamins introduced her to

, president of

, who signed Madonna for two

s. Following the release of "Everybody" in October 1982 and its success in the dance scene, Sire approved the recording of a full album. Madonna chose not to work with Bray or Kamins and instead collaborated with

Warner Bros. Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (WBEI), commonly known as Warner Bros. (WB), is an American filmed entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California and the main namesake subsidiary of Warner Bro ...

producer

Reggie Lucas Reginald Grant Lucas (February 25, 1953 – May 19, 2018) Lucas contributed new songs, including " Physical Attraction" and " Borderline", but creative differences soon emerged. Madonna was dissatisfied with Lucas's production style, which she felt strayed too far from the minimalist sound of her demos. Lucas ultimately left the project, and Madonna brought in then-boyfriend John "Jellybean" Benitez to

the remaining tracks. For "Burning Up," Benitez added additional

s and vocals to finalize the track.

Recording and composition

"Burning Up" was written by Madonna and produced by Reggie Lucas, with recording taking place at

in New York. Personnel included Stephen Bray and

Paul Pesco Paul Pesco (born May 13, 1959) is an American session guitarist, singer-songwriter, film score composer and record producer. Biography Pesco was born in Canandaigua, New York, to a Sicilian father (an opera singer and voice instructor) and ...

on guitars and programming, Butch Jones,

Fred Zarr Frederick I. Zarr (born September 26, 1955) is an American musician, record producer, composer and arranger based in Brooklyn, New York. The CEO of BiZarr Music, Inc., he works alongside numerous artists, singers, songwriters, musicians, & audio ...

, and Ed Walsh on

s, and Bobby Malach on

tenor saxophone The tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor and the alto are the two most commonly used saxophones. The tenor is pitched in the key of B (whi ...

Background vocals A backing vocalist is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists. A backing vocalist may also sing alone as a lead-in to the main vocalist's entry or to sing a counter-melody. Backing vocalists are u ...

were provided by Gwen Guthrie, Brenda White, and Chrissy Faith. According to ''

''s Chris Malone Méndez, the song marked a shift from the

post-disco Post-disco is a term and genre to describe an aftermath in popular music history circa 1979–1986, imprecisely beginning with the backlash against disco music in the United States, leading to civil unrest and a riot in Chicago known as the Dis ...

sound of "Everybody" toward a more

pop Pop or POP may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * Pop music, a musical genre Artists * POP, a Japanese idol group now known as Gang Parade * Pop! (British group), a UK pop group * Pop! featuring Angie Hart, an Australian band Album ...

-oriented direction, while Madonna herself described it as her "foray into

electric guitar An electric guitar is a guitar that requires external electric Guitar amplifier, sound amplification in order to be heard at typical performance volumes, unlike a standard acoustic guitar. It uses one or more pickup (music technology), pickups ...

Rock and roll Rock and roll (often written as rock & roll, rock-n-roll, and rock 'n' roll) is a Genre (music), genre of popular music that evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It Origins of rock and roll, originated from African ...

nd hair music". Musically, "Burning Up" is a

track with new wave influences and a minimalist arrangement featuring

drum machine A drum machine is an electronic musical instrument that creates percussion sounds, drum beats, and patterns. Drum machines may imitate drum kits or other percussion instruments, or produce unique sounds, such as synthesized electronic tones. A d ...

s, electric guitar, and synthesizers. The song includes

tom-tom drum A tom drum (also known as a tom-tom) is a cylindrical drum with no snares, named from the Anglo-Indian and Sinhala language. It was added to the drum kit in the early part of the 20th century. Most toms range in size between in diameter, thoug ...

patterns similar to those used by

Phil Collins Philip David Charles Collins (born 30 January 1951) is an English musician, songwriter, record producer and actor. He was the drummer and later became the lead singer of the rock band Genesis (band), Genesis and had a successful solo career, ac ...

, as well as what were considered cutting-edge synthesizer sounds at the time. Its lyrics conflate sexual desire with ambition, employing double entendres to express themes of submission and self-assertion. The

refrain A refrain (from Vulgar Latin ''refringere'', "to repeat", and later from Old French ''refraindre'') is the Line (poetry)">line or lines that are repeated in poetry or in music">poetry.html" ;"title="Line (poetry)">line or lines that are repeat ...

consists of a repeated three-line phrase, while the

bridge A bridge is a structure built to Span (engineering), span a physical obstacle (such as a body of water, valley, road, or railway) without blocking the path underneath. It is constructed for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle, whi ...

highlights Madonna's declaration of having "no shame" and being "unlike the others". According to sheet music published by Alfred Publishing Inc., "Burning Up" is composed in the key of

B minor B minor is a minor scale based on B, consisting of the pitches B, C, D, E, F, G, and A. Its key signature has two sharps. Its relative major is D major and its parallel major is B major. The B natural minor scale is: Changes need ...

with a

tempo In musical terminology, tempo (Italian for 'time'; plural 'tempos', or from the Italian plural), measured in beats per minute, is the speed or pace of a given musical composition, composition, and is often also an indication of the composition ...

of 138 beats per minute. It is set in common time and follows a

chord progression In a musical composition, a chord progression or harmonic progression (informally chord changes, used as a plural, or simply changes) is a succession of chords. Chord progressions are the foundation of harmony in Western musical tradition from ...

of Bm–Bm–A–E, with Madonna's vocals spanning from A3 to B4.

Release and chart performance

The double-sided single "Burning Up" / "Physical Attraction" was released on March 9, 1983. The cover art was designed by Madonna's friend Martin Burgoyne. It debuted at number 66 on ''Billboard''s

chart the week of April 9, eventually peaking at number three a month later. By September 1983, the twelve-inch single had sold over 150,000 copies, according to a Warner Bros. Records advertisement in ''

Radio & Records ''Radio & Records'' (''R&R'') was a trade publication providing news and airplay information for the radio and music industries. It started as an independent trade from 1973 to 2006 until VNU Media took over in 2006 and became a relaunched sister ...

'' magazine. In Australia, the single entered the

Kent Music Report The Kent Music Report was a weekly record chart of Australian music singles and albums which was compiled by music historian David Kent from May 1974 through to January 1999. The chart was re-branded the Australian Music Report (AMR) in July 19 ...

in November 1983 and reached its peak position of number 13 nearly eight months later. N.B. The Kent Report chart was licensed by

ARIA In music, an aria (, ; : , ; ''arias'' in common usage; diminutive form: arietta, ; : ariette; in English simply air (music), air) is a self-contained piece for one voice, with or without instrument (music), instrumental or orchestral accompan ...

from mid-1983 until June 12, 1988. "Burning Up" was later included on Madonna's 2009

compilation album A compilation album comprises Album#Tracks, tracks, which may be previously released or unreleased, usually from several separate recordings by either one Performing arts#Performers, performer or by several performers. If the recordings are from ...

'' Celebration'', while an early demo version appeared on '' Pre-Madonna'' (1997).

Critical reception

Upon its release, "Burning Up" received generally positive reviews from music critics. ''Billboard''s Brian Chin described it as a "fast ..terrific one-two punch," while ''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. The magazine was first known fo ...

''s Don Shewey called it simple but clever. Rikki Rooksby, in ''The Complete Guide to the Music of Madonna,'' noted its resemblance to "the disco end of

new romanticism New Romantic was an underground subculture movement that originated in the United Kingdom in the late 1970s. The movement emerged from the nightclub scene in London and Birmingham at venues such as Billy's and The Blitz. The New Romantic mo ...

", comparing it to

Gary Numan Gary Anthony James Webb (born 8 March 1958), known professionally as Gary Numan, is an English singer, songwriter and musician. He entered the music industry as frontman of the New wave music, new wave band Tubeway Army. After releasing two st ...

's work, though he considered it "noticeably weaker" than other tracks on ''Madonna''. Santiago Fouz-Hernández, co-author of ''Madonna's Drowned Worlds'', praised its upbeat dance qualities, and

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...

Stephen Thomas Erlewine Stephen Thomas Erlewine (; born June 18, 1973) is an American music critic and former senior editor for the online music database AllMusic. He is the author of multiple artist biographies and record reviews for AllMusic, as well as a freelance ...

highlighted it —alongside "Physical Attraction"— for its "darker, carnal urgency". Writing for ''

Entertainment Weekly ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American online magazine, digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, ...

'', Jim Farber asserted the song proved Madonna could "also rock", while ''

Pitchfork A pitchfork or hay fork is an agricultural tool used to pitch loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves. It has a long handle and usually two to five thin tines designed to efficiently move such materials. The term is also applie ...

''s Jill Mapes found it a "striking" single. However, some contemporary reviews were less favorable. Terry Hazlett of the ''

Observer–Reporter The ''Observer–Reporter'' is a daily newspaper covering Washington County, Greene County, and the Mon Valley in Pennsylvania, with some overlap into the South Hills of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in Allegheny County, Pennsylv ...

'' found it "inoffensive, danceable utultimately forgettable", and ''

The Washington Times ''The Washington Times'' is an American Conservatism, conservative daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It covers general interest topics with an emphasis on Politics of the United States, national politics. Its broadsheet daily edit ...

'' described it as a "nugget better left buried". In retrospective assessments, "Burning Up" has been increasingly recognized as a highlight in Madonna's catalog. ''Entertainment Weekly''s Chuck Arnold called it "another shoulda-been hit that became a fan favorite after she made it big", and described it as "the most rocking thing she has ever done", drawing from the 1980s New York punk scene with "fiery attitude and passion". Similarly,

BBC News BBC News is an operational business division of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs in the UK and around the world. The department is the world's largest broad ...

' Mark Savage labeled it one of Madonna's "overlooked gems," and Adam Graham from ''

The Detroit News ''The Detroit News'' is one of the two major newspapers in the U.S. city of Detroit, Michigan Michigan ( ) is a peninsular U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest, Upper Midwestern United S ...

'' called it "underappreciated". Mark Lore of The Portland Mercury described it, along with "Everybody," as a "gritty New York anthem" overshadowed by later hits like "

Holiday A holiday is a day or other period of time set aside for festivals or recreation. ''Public holidays'' are set by public authorities and vary by state or region. Religious holidays are set by religious organisations for their members and are often ...

" (1983) and " Borderline" (1984). On his ranking of Madonna singles, ''

HuffPost ''HuffPost'' (''The Huffington Post'' until 2017, itself often abbreviated as ''HPo'') is an American progressive news website, with localized and international editions. The site offers news, satire, blogs, and original content, and covers p ...

''s Matthew Jacobs placed it at No. 41, calling it an "outtake from the punk persona henever fully embraced", while ''

PinkNews ''PinkNews'' is a UK-based online newspaper marketed to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning community (LGBTQ+) in the UK and worldwide. It was founded by Benjamin Cohen in July 2005, initially released in print, b ...

'' Mayer Nissim likened its sound to early New Order or late

Joy Division Joy Division were an English Rock music, rock band formed in Salford in 1976. The group consisted of vocalist, guitarist and lyricist Ian Curtis, guitarist and keyboardist Bernard Sumner, bassist Peter Hook and drummer Stephen Morris (musici ...

. The song placed 21st in rankings by TheBacklot.com and ''

The Arizona Republic ''The Arizona Republic'' is an American daily newspaper published in Phoenix. Circulated throughout Arizona, it is the state's largest newspaper. Since 2000, it has been owned by the Gannett newspaper chain. History Early years The newspap ...

'', with writers praising its assertive, punk-influenced energy and comparing it to the work of

Pat Benatar Patricia Mae Giraldo (née Andrzejewski; formerly and still professionally Benatar ; born January 10, 1953) is an American singer and songwriter. In the United States, she has two multi-platinum albums, five platinum albums, and 15 US ''Billboa ...

, and

Michael Jackson Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Michael Jackson, one of the most culturally significan ...

's "

Beat It "Beat It" is a song by American singer Michael Jackson from his sixth studio album, ''Thriller (album), Thriller'' (1982). It was written and composed by Jackson, produced by Quincy Jones, and co-produced by Jackson. Jones encouraged Jackson to ...

". ''

The Advocate An advocate is a professional in the field of law. The Advocate, The Advocates or Advocate may also refer to: Magazines * The Advocate (magazine), ''The Advocate'' (magazine), an LGBT magazine based in the United States * ''The Harvard Advocate' ...

'' called it "one of the sexiest songs of the

980s The 980s decade ran from January 1, 980, to December 31, 989. Significant people * At-Ta'i * Pope John XV Pope John XV (, ; died March 996) was the bishop of Rome and ruler of the Papal States from August 985 until his death. A Roman by bir ...

decade", while ''

Parade A parade is a procession of people, usually organized along a street, often in costume, and often accompanied by marching bands, floats, or sometimes large balloons. Parades are held for a wide range of reasons, but are usually some variety ...

'' and ''

Slant Magazine ''Slant Magazine'' is an American online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New Yor ...

'' both ranked it 32nd among Madonna’s best. ''Billboard'' placed it at No. 11, describing it as an "irrepressible" song that showed Madonna as a "pioneer of female Big Dick Energy". '' Idolator'' included it among her "10 best songs that radio forgot," and ''

The National Student ''The National Student'' was a national print and online magazine for higher education Tertiary education (higher education, or post-secondary education) is the educational level following the completion of secondary education. The World ...

'' ranked it third on a list of the singer's most underrated tracks, calling it an "irresistibly catchy, quintessentially '80s" song.

Music video

Background and release

The music video for "Burning Up" was directed by

, known for his work on Toto's "

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent after Asia. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 20% of Earth's land area and 6% of its total surfac ...

" (1982), "

Billie Jean "Billie Jean" is a song by the American singer Michael Jackson, released by Epic Records on January 3, 1983, as the second single from his sixth studio album, ''Thriller (album), Thriller'' (1982). It was written and composed by Jackson, produ ...

" (1983) by Michael Jackson, and

Eddy Grant Edmond Montague Grant (born 5 March 1948) is a Guyanese in the United Kingdom, Guyanese-British singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, known for his genre-blending sound and socially conscious lyrics; his music has blended elements of p ...

's " Electric Avenue" (1983). Barron initially declined the project when approached by Sire Records' Simon Fields, stating the song "didn't have the atmosphere" he was looking for. However, Madonna —an admirer of the "Billie Jean" video— persistently lobbied for his involvement until he agreed. Upon meeting her in New York, Barron was struck by her charisma and unconventional confidence. The encounter inspired the idea for one of the video's shots: a low-angle

close-up A close-up or closeup in filmmaking, television production A television show, TV program (), or simply a TV show, is the general reference to any content produced for viewing on a television set that is broadcast via over-the-air, s ...

of Madonna's face pressed to the road. Filmed over two nights in Los Angeles, the video's concept was not directly based on the lyrics but rather a "mish-mash" of Barron's visual ideas, as he admitted he didn't fully connect with the song. Madonna had significant input on her appearance, wearing a white mini-dress,

crucifix A crucifix (from the Latin meaning '(one) fixed to a cross') is a cross with an image of Jesus on it, as distinct from a bare cross. The representation of Jesus himself on the cross is referred to in English as the (Latin for 'body'). The cru ...

es as earrings, and typewriter belts as bracelets. Actress

Debi Mazar Debi Mazar Corcos (; born August 13, 1964) is an American actress and television personality. She began her career with supporting roles in '' Goodfellas'' (1990), '' Little Man Tate'' (1991), '' Singles'' (1992), and '' Batman Forever'' (1995), ...

served as the make-up artist, and her then-boyfriend Ken Compton played Madonna's onscreen lover. Barron later recalled that a seven-ton crane used to film a nighttime boat sequence nearly toppled onto the singer. The video premiered on

MTV MTV (an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable television television channel, channel and the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group sub-division of the Paramount Media Networks division of Paramount Global. Launched on ...

on October 8, 1983, and was later included in the '' Celebration: The Video Collection'' compilation (2009).

Analysis and reception

The video was noted for its contrasting imagery and has been widely interpreted as a counter-text to the song's lyrics. ''Rolling Stone'' described it as a mix of "disparate images of illuminated busts and cars driving on water" with scenes of Madonna lying in the road. The narrative presents her as a seemingly submissive figure, expressing devotion to her lover (Compton), who drives an Amphicar. During the lyric "Do you want to see me down on my knees?", Madonna kneels in the vehicle's path, but her defiant gaze and tone suggest resistance. Scholars such as Robert Clyde Allen argued that the visuals subvert the lyrical message, shifting it from vulnerability to empowerment. The video ends with Madonna taking the wheel and smiling —seen as a symbolic reversal of control. Andrew Morton described it as the public’s first glimpse of Madonna’s sexual politics, while Allen noted its use of parody and excess anticipates later works like "

Material Girl "Material Girl" is a song recorded by American pop singer Madonna for her second studio album, '' Like a Virgin'' (1984). It was released on January 23, 1985, by the Sire label as the second single from ''Like a Virgin''. It also appears sligh ...

" (1985). Further analysis has highlighted religious and gender symbolism. Allen saw references to

Christian symbolism Christian symbolism is the use of symbols, including archetypes, acts, artwork or events, by Christianity. It invests objects or actions with an inner meaning expressing Christian ideas. The symbolism of the early Church was characterized by be ...

as a critique of traditional portrayals of female subordination, while Georges-Claude Guilbert noted the male character's diminishing presence. James B. Twitchell interpreted the lyric "I have no shame" as a rejection of pop music's conventional female roles. Retrospective reviews have emphasized the video's significance in shaping Madonna's early image.

Jon Pareles Jon Pareles (born 1953) is an American journalist who is the chief popular music critic in the arts section of ''The New York Times''.The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'' Times compared her poses to those of

Marilyn Monroe Marilyn Monroe ( ; born Norma Jeane Mortenson; June 1, 1926 August 4, 1962) was an American actress and model. Known for playing comic "Blonde stereotype#Blonde bombshell, blonde bombshell" characters, she became one of the most popular sex ...

, and ''Rolling Stone'' called the video representative of early MTV’s stylistic experimentation. Jill Mapes identified it as an early example of Madonna using sexual imagery to assert control. Malone Méndez noted it introduced a recurring theme in her career: "She's the one in charge". Eric Diaz of

Nerdist News ''Nerdist News'' is a Nerdist-branded pop culture newsletter launched in February 2012. It was founded and operated by Nerdist Industries' CEO, Peter Levin, and its CCO, Chris Hardwick. It was hosted by Jessica Chobot. Publication The cross ...

highlighted the lasting influence of its styling —rubber bracelets, chains, and bleached roots— while

Louis Virtel Louis Virtel (; born August 4, 1986) is an American television writer, comedian, pop culture commentator, and podcast host. He first rose to prominence after appearing on a 2015 episode of ''Jeopardy!'', where a clip of him answering a clue while ...

of TheBacklot.com called it a defining moment in Madonna's visual evolution.

Live performances

To promote "Burning Up," Madonna appeared on several British television programs and performed at various nightclubs, including ''

Discoring ''Discoring'' was a music show broadcast by Rai 1 from 1977 to 1989, created by Gianni Boncompagni, aired mainly on Sunday. The program could be considered analogous to the English show ''Top of the Pops''. History The first episode was broa ...

'', ''

The Tube The London Underground (also known simply as the Underground or as the Tube) is a rapid transit system serving Greater London and some parts of the adjacent home counties of Buckinghamshire, Essex and Hertfordshire in England. The Undergro ...

'', and

Manchester Manchester () is a city and the metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, England. It had an estimated population of in . Greater Manchester is the third-most populous metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, with a population of 2.92&nbs ...

The Haçienda The Haçienda was a nightclub and music venue in Manchester, England, which became famous during the Madchester years of the 1980s and early 1990s. It was run by the record label Factory Records. The club opened in 1982, eventually fosteri ...

. According to biographer Andrew Morton, however, these early performances were not well received by British audiences. The song was included on four of the singer's

Virgin Virginity is a social construct that denotes the state of a person who has never engaged in sexual intercourse. As it is not an objective term with an operational definition, social definitions of what constitutes virginity, or the lack thereof ...

(1985), Re-Invention (2004),

Rebel Heart ''Rebel Heart'' is the thirteenth studio album by American singer-songwriter Madonna, released by Interscope Records on March 6, 2015. She worked on the album throughout 2014, co-writing and co-producing it with various musicians, including Di ...

(2015–2016), and Celebration (2023–2024). On the first one, it was performed prior to the

encore An encore is an additional performance given by performers at the conclusion of a show or concert, usually in response to extended applause from the audience.Lalange Cochrane, in ''Oxford Companion to Music'', Alison Latham, ed., Oxford Universi ...

, with Madonna wearing a black fringed top and mini-skirt, posing suggestively around her band under orange stage lighting. ''

The Dallas Morning News ''The Dallas Morning News'' is a daily newspaper serving the Dallas–Fort Worth area of Texas, with an average print circulation in 2022 of 65,369. It was founded on October 1, 1885, by Alfred Horatio Belo as a satellite publication of the ' ...

'' described the performance as "crisp and energetic," although it was ultimately omitted from the '' Madonna Live: The Virgin Tour'' video release. On the Re-Invention Tour, Madonna gave the song a

rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wale ...

interpretation, playing a black

Gibson Les Paul The Gibson Les Paul is a solid body electric guitar that was first sold by the Gibson Guitar Corporation in 1952. The guitar was designed by factory manager John Huis and his team with input from and endorsement by guitarist Les Paul. Its typic ...

while dressed in military fatigues. The performance included video projections of war and sexual imagery, which ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'' compared to camcorder footage evocative of the prisons of

Abu Ghraib Abu Ghraib ( or ; ) is a city in the Baghdad Governorate of Iraq, located just west of Baghdad's city center, or northwest of Baghdad International Airport. It has a population of 189,000 (2003). The old road to Jordan passes through Abu Ghra ...

. The '' Daily Herald'' highlighted Madonna's ability to recast the song's "adolescent whine" into "adult certitude". A similar arrangement was used on the Rebel Heart Tour, where Madonna performed with a

Gibson Flying V The Gibson Flying V is an electric guitar model introduced by Gibson in 1958. The Flying V offered a radical, "futuristic" body design, much like its siblings: the Explorer, which was released the same year, and the Moderne, which was designe ...

guitar and wore a nun-inspired outfit.

Rappler Rappler (portmanteau of the words "rap" and "ripples") is a Mass media in the Philippines, Filipino online news website based in Pasig, Metro Manila, the Philippines. It was founded by 2021 Nobel Peace Prize laureate and convicted cyberlibelist ...

described the rendition as confident and charismatic; it was later included on the '' Rebel Heart Tour''

live album An album is a collection of audio recordings (e.g., music) issued on a medium such as compact disc (CD), vinyl (record), audio tape (like 8-track or cassette), or digital. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early 20th centur ...

(2017), recorded during her

Sydney Sydney is the capital city of the States and territories of Australia, state of New South Wales and the List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city in Australia. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Syd ...

performances. The guitar-led version returned on the Celebration Tour, with Madonna dressed in a

punk Punk or punks may refer to: Genres, subculture, and related aspects * Punk rock, a music genre originating in the 1970s associated with various subgenres * Punk subculture, a subculture associated with punk rock, or aspects of the subculture s ...

-style

tailcoat A tailcoat is a knee-length coat (clothing), coat characterised by a rear section of the skirt (known as the ''tails''), with the front of the skirt cut away. The tailcoat shares its historical origins in clothes cut for convenient horse-riding ...

VHS VHS (Video Home System) is a discontinued standard for consumer-level analog video recording on tape cassettes, introduced in 1976 by JVC. It was the dominant home video format throughout the tape media period of the 1980s and 1990s. Ma ...

-style visuals referencing her early days at

CBGB CBGB was a New York City music club opened in 1973 by Hilly Kristal in the East Village, Manhattan, East Village in Manhattan, New York City. The club was previously a biker bar and before that was a dive bar. The letters ''CBGB'' were for ''Cou ...

, and ''The Guardian''s Laura Snapes described the rendition as "brilliant".

Usage and covers

In 1984, "Burning Up" was featured in a scene from the film '' The Wild Life''.. The song was later covered by singer Isadar on the 2006 compilation ''Scratching the Surface: Vol. 2 – Electro-Voice Sampler''. At Madonna's 2008 induction into the

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (RRHOF), also simply referred to as the Rock Hall, is a museum and hall of fame located in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States, on the shore of Lake Erie. The museum documents the history of rock music and the ...

and

The Stooges The Stooges or Iggy and the Stooges, originally billed as the Psychedelic Stooges, were an American rock band formed in Ann Arbor, Michigan, in 1967 by singer Iggy Pop, guitarist Ron Asheton, drummer Scott Asheton, and bassist Dave Alexande ...

performed "punked-up" versions of both "Burning Up" and " Ray of Light" (1998). Two years later, actor

Jonathan Groff Jonathan Drew Groff (born March 26, 1985) is an American actor and singer. Known for his performances on stage and screen, he has received several awards including a Tony Award and a Grammy Award as well as a nomination for a Primetime Emmy Aw ...

covered the song for the television series ''

Glee Glee may refer to: * Glee (music), a type of English choral music * ''Glee'' (TV series), an American musical comedy-drama TV series, and related media created by Ryan Murphy * ''Glee'' (Bran Van 3000 album) * ''Glee'' (Logan Lynn album) * Gle ...

''; his version appeared on the EP '' Glee: The Music, The Power of Madonna''.

included a cover of "Burning Up" on her

Femme Fatale Tour The Femme Fatale Tour was the eighth concert tour by American entertainer Britney Spears. It was launched in support of her seventh studio album, ''Femme Fatale'' (2011). It was officially announced in March 2011, initially with dates for North ...

(2011), during which she performed the song while straddling a giant, glitter-covered guitar. The performance received mixed reviews; ''Rolling Stone'' Barry Walters felt it lacked Madonna’s signature presence, while ''Billboard''s Sarah Maloy described a leaked studio version as "glammed-up without a hint of the '80s to be found". The song was featured in a 2020 episode of the twelfth season of ''

RuPaul's Drag Race ''RuPaul's Drag Race'' is an American reality competition television series, the first in the Drag Race (franchise), ''Drag Race'' franchise, produced by World of Wonder (company), World of Wonder for Logo TV (season 1–8), WOW Presents Plus, ...

'', where contestants Brita Filter and Heidi N Closet performed it in a

lip sync Lip sync or lip synch (pronounced , like the word ''sink'', despite the Hard and soft C, spelling of the participial forms ''synced'' and ''syncing''), short for lip synchronization, is a technical term for matching a Speech, speaking or singin ...

challenge —won by Heidi.

Track listings and formats

*12" single #"Burning Up" (12" version) – 5:56 #"Physical Attraction" (LP version) – 6:35 *European 7" single #"Burning Up" (7" version) – 3:50 #"Physical Attraction" (7" version) – 3:57 *Australia 7" single #"Burning Up" (alternate LP version) – 4:45 #"Physical Attraction" (7" version) – 6:35 *European CD single (1995) #"Burning Up" (12" version) – 5:56 #"Physical Attraction" (LP version) – 6:35 *Digital single (2023) #"Burning Up" – 3:46 #"Burning Up" (7" edit) – 3:52 #"Burning Up" (12" mix) – 6:00 #"Physical Attraction" (7" edit) – 3:58 #"Physical Attraction" – 6:40

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from the album and 12" single liner notes. *

– lead vocals, background vocals, writer *

Reggie Lucas Reginald Grant Lucas (February 25, 1953 – May 19, 2018)John "Jellybean" Benitez – remixing *Fred Zarr – synthesizer, electric and acoustic piano *Dean Gant – electric and acoustic piano *Bobby Malach – tenor saxophone *

– guitar *Ed Walsh – synthesizer * Gwen Guthrie – background vocals *Brenda White – background vocals *Chrissy Faith – background vocals * Martin Burgoyne – artwork

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

References

Bibliography

* * * * * * * * * * * {{authority control 1983 songs 1983 singles American new wave songs Dance-rock songs Madonna songs Post-disco songs Sire Records singles Music videos directed by Steve Barron Songs written by Madonna Sonic Youth songs Song recordings produced by Reggie Lucas