Following 3 albums on French indie record labels, Burning Heads (1992), Dive (1994), Super Modern World (1996) and two back-to-back albums on Epitaph Europe with some of the most memorable melodic punk hits, 1998's Be One With the Flames and 1999's Escape, les Burning – as they are referred to by their native fans – released their first dub album, Opposite (2001), finally putting to disc the musical bridge between two styles too many considered opposites, a bridge they'd been building live for 15 years.
2004 saw the release of the more introspective and excellent Taranto (Sony France / Yelen Musiques), followed by an electro-punk side project called Never Trust a Punk…, released in common with Alif Sound System under a shared name: BHASS Project, further proof if anyone needed it of their musical diversity.
Punk rock is never far with the Burning Heads, and Bad Time For Human Kind, and the band self-recorded and self-released their 2006 in a traditional DIY way, returning to full-throttle melodic punk rock with a firm hardcore backbone.
In 2007, they kept the dub fire going with Opposite 2, and in 2009 released Spread the Fire.
In 2009 the band dropped Hear This and in 2014 Choose Your Trap, all still self-released on their own label, Opposite Prod.
Absolute legends in the French punk scene, they have also toured with bands like NOFX, Propagandhi, Down By Law, Bad Religion and Ten Foot Pole all over the world, from Europe to North America.
The Burning Heads have an ability to get their melodic choruses stuck in your head while they pummel you with aggressive punk rock at the same time.
Dance of the ghosts
Burning Heads Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Pretty soon in the next spring great spirit comes.
He bring back all game of every kind. the game be thick everywhere.
Old blind indian see again and get young and have fine time when great spirit comes this way,
Then all the indians go to mountains, high up away from whites.
Whites can't hurt indians then.
Then while indians way up high, big flood comes like water and all white people die, get drowned.
After that, water go way and then nobody but indians everywhere and game all kinds thick.
Indians who don't dance, who don't believe in this word, will grow little, just about a foot high, and stay that way.
Some of them will be turned into wood and be burned in fire."
The lyrics of Burning Heads' song, Dance of the Ghosts, is a narrative of a prophecy amongst the Indians. It's a call to the Indians to dance, to be hopeful, and to remain steadfast in the face of the adversity that they may be facing. The song is a recounting of a prophecy that was believed to be the way of redemption for the Indians. The lyrics paint a picture of a time when the great spirit will come, bringing back all the game of every kind, and the game will be thick everywhere.
The prophecy also tells of a time when the Indians will go high up to the mountains and away from the whites, who can no longer hurt them. This is followed by a great flood that will wipe out all the whites, leaving only the Indians behind, and game all kinds thick. The medicine man then tells the Indians to keep on dancing, and those who do not believe in the prophecy and refuse to dance will be turned into wood and burned in fire.
The song's lyrics may be interpreted to be a call for the Indians to persevere through their trials, to believe in their prophecy, and to hold on to hope. The lyrics inspire hope and faith in the Indians, that even in the midst of great adversity, good will come in the end, and those who hold on to their beliefs will be rewarded.
Line by Line Meaning
all the indians must dance everywhere, keep on dancing.
The native people must continuously dance no matter where they are.
Pretty soon in the next spring great spirit comes.
The Great Spirit will arrive in the upcoming spring.
He bring back all game of every kind. the game be thick everywhere.
The arrival of the Great Spirit will bring an abundance of game everywhere.
Old blind indian see again and get young and have fine time when great spirit comes this way,
When the Great Spirit arrives, even the old and blind will be able to see and feel young again.
Then all the indians go to mountains, high up away from whites.
The native people will retreat to the mountains, to a place away from the white people.
Whites can't hurt indians then.
The white people will not be able to harm the native people in the mountains.
Then while indians way up high, big flood comes like water and all white people die, get drowned.
While the native people are in the mountains, a large flood comes and drowns all of the white people.
After that, water go way and then nobody but indians everywhere and game all kinds thick.
After the flood subsides, only the native people remain and there is an abundance of game everywhere.
Then medecine man tell indians to send word to all indians to keep up dancing and all the good time will come.
A medicine man advises the native people to spread the word that they must continue dancing and good times will come.
Indians who don't dance, who don't believe in this word, will grow little, just about a foot high, and stay that way.
Those who do not dance or believe in the message will shrink in size to about a foot tall and remain that way.
Some of them will be turned into wood and be burned in fire.
Some of those who do not dance or believe will turn into wood and be burned in a fire.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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