"Burning the Ground" is a song by the English pop rock band Duran Duran, released on 4 December 1989 as a stand-alone single to promote the compilation album Decade. The song is a megamix of Duran Duran's history created by producer John Jones, featuring snippets of the band's biggest hits from the previous decade into a new piece of music. However, the track was not included on the Decade album itself.
| "Burning the Ground" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Duran Duran | ||||
| from the album Decade | ||||
| B-side | "Decadance" | |||
| Released | 4 December 1989[1] | |||
| Studio | Olympic (London)[2] | |||
| Length | 4:00 (single version) | |||
| Label | ||||
| Songwriter(s) |
| |||
| Producer(s) | John Jones | |||
| Duran Duran singles chronology | ||||
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| Music video | ||||
| "Burning the Ground" on YouTube | ||||
Its music video was included on the band's audiovisual compilation Greatest, released in 1999 (VHS) and 2003 (DVD).
Composition
editThe remix was created by producer John Jones, with assistance from Dee Long and engineer Chris Potter, in an upstairs room at Olympic Studios in Barnes while Duran Duran was downstairs recording new material for the album Liberty, to be released the following year.[2]
Music video
editThe video for "Burning the Ground", much like the song, used snippets of many of Duran Duran's previous audiovisual work, including scenes from their 1985 concert film Arena (An Absurd Notion) and their 1987–1989 Strange Behaviour and Electric Theatre world tours. The video also used footage of burning South American rainforests, as well as the NASA Space Shuttles and even some scenes of the band walking around in the street during the recording sessions for their then-upcoming Liberty album. It was directed by Adrian Martin.[3]
B-sides, bonus tracks and remixes
editThe B-side was another megamix, this one more instrumental in nature, called "Decadance". The song uses the "why" bits of "The Reflex", the "no, no" from "Notorious", "wild" from "The Wild Boys", the chorus from "All She Wants Is", the solo from "Save a Prayer" mixed with "Rio", and a little bit of "Skin Trade", as well as some of the suggestive screams from "Hungry Like the Wolf".
Critical reception
editUpon single release Melody Maker reviewer Mick Mercer called song a "sample-heavy thing" in "The Reflex" style.[4]
Formats and track listings
edit7″: EMI / DD 13 United Kingdom
edit- "Burning the Ground" – 4:00
- "Decadance" – 3:29
12″: EMI / 12DD 13 United Kingdom
edit- "Burning the Ground" – 4:00
- "Decadance" – 3:29
- "Decadance" (extended mix) – 7:57
12″: Capitol / V-15546 United States
edit- "Burning the Ground" – 4:00
- "Decadance" (extended mix) – 7:57
- "Decadance" – 3:29
CD: EMI / CD DD 13 United Kingdom
edit- "Burning the Ground" – 4:00
- "Decadance" – 3:29
- "Decadance" (extended mix) – 7:57
CD: The Singles 1986–1995 box set
edit- "Burning the Ground" – 4:00
- "Decadance" – 3:29
- "Decadance" (2 Risk E remix 12") – 7:57
Charts
edit| Chart (1989) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Ireland (IRMA)[5] | 23 |
| Italy (Musica e dischi)[6] | 7 |
| UK Singles (OCC)[7] | 31 |
Personnel
editDuran Duran
- Simon Le Bon – vocals
- Nick Rhodes – keyboards
- John Taylor – bass guitar
- Warren Cuccurullo – guitar
- Sterling Campbell – drums
References
edit- ^ "New Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 2 December 1989. p. 45. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
- ^ a b Jones, John. "Duran Duran & Me". johnjones.com. Retrieved 26 May 2009.
- ^ Rolling Stone: Burning the Ground music video (requires RealPlayer)
- ^ Mercer, Mick (9 December 1989). "Singles: Duran Duran – "Burning the Ground" (EMI)". Melody Maker. London: IPC Limited. p. 32. ISSN 0025-9012. Retrieved 6 June 2024 – via Flickr.
- ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Burning the Ground". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 6 April 2024.
- ^ "Top 3 Singles in Europe" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 6, no. 51. 23 December 1989. Retrieved 17 November 2023.
- ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 17 November 2023.