Music Review: Ellie Goulding "Burn"

Ellie Goulding

Burn

Album: Halycon Days

Year: 2013

           Ellie Goulding and her friends are full of life and promise in the rapt “Burn.”

         Restless synths open the single, setting a marveled tone. While sitting on the sofa in the club, Goulding sees an acquiantance of hers and waves. She joins in the picture with her friends and posts it online. She and her friends have just entered their 20s. The next ten years ahead of them are unknown, full of possibility. The excitement of being young, unmarred by disappointment and missed opportunities, runs through their bodies. (“We, we don't have to worry ‘bout nothing/'Cause we got the fire, and we're burning one hell of a something/They, they gonna see us from outer space, outer space/Light it up, like we're the stars of the human race, human race.”)

        In the pre-chorus, an elastic synth, bending and forming circles with the notes catches her attention. She stops mid-text. She and her friends are wide-eyed and silent. She looks at the crowd in the dimly lit club.  The multiple conversations going on are deaf to the DJ’s transcendent mix. They leave their glasses on the table and head for the table, relishing the moment. (“When the lights turned down, they don't know what they heard/Strike the match, play it loud, giving love to the world/We'll be raising our hands, shining up to the sky/'Cause we got the fire, fire, fire, yeah we got the fire fire fire.”)

         In the chorus, they dance to every song in the DJ’s set. Sweat has dampened their hair and alcohol has dried out their mouths but they know tomorrow may bring a life-changing event. Every moment, there’s hope their dreams can be reached. (“And we gonna let it burn burn burn burn/We gonna let it burn burn burn burn/Gonna let it burn burn burn burn/We gonna let it burn burn burn burn.”)

           It is 2 am. She tries to peek at the line for the bar. However, a series of heads bobbing to the music block her view. Screams every once in a while erupt from the crowd. She moves closer to her friend, avoiding the jumping guy next to for her who almost hit her with his flailing arms. Being at the club reminds her she’s alive, ridding her of the anxiety she has about the future. Her friend gives her a knowing look. (“We don't wanna leave, no, we just gonna be right now/And what we see, is everybody's on the floor/Acting crazy getting loco to the lights out/Music's on, I'm waking up, we stop the vibe, and we bump it up/And it's over now, we got the love, there's no secret now, no secret now.”)

             The pre-chorus and chorus are sung again.

            Parts of the pre-chorus and chorus are blended together. (“When the lights turned down, they don't know what they heard/Strike the match, play it loud, giving love to the world/We gonna let it burn burn burn burn/Burn burn burn burn.”)

              The synths twinkle, shining with childlike wonder as it segues into the bridge. In it, she realizes throughout the years, they will have lovers, family members and mentors drain them of their faith. The euphoria she is feeling now will evaporate. (“We can light it up up up/So they can put it out out out/We can light it up up up/So they can put it out out out/We can light it up up up/So they can put it out out out/We can light it up up up/So they can put it out out out.”)

             The pre-chorus and chorus are sung again.

           The pre-chorus is sung again.

             She says “we gonna let it  burn” once more to end the single.

            Goulding’s introspective vocals cherish her youthful outlook on her life. Reality will interfere eventually, creating unbreakable barriers, fencing her in once she has reached her limit.

                The cerebral “Burn” rather not die young but live as long as it can without losing its dreams.