Burning Down
Everyone you know Lyrics


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This-this-this city′s burning down, won't you come and watch?
They will diagnose you sick for a common cough
And when you′re on your deathbed, tell you run it off
So how we ever gonna win?

(Win) the city's burning down
The city's burning down
The city′s burning down
The city′s burning down
The city's burning down (burning down)
The city′s burning down (burning down)
The city's burning down (burning down)
The city′s burning down

Everybody's famous, they′re all superstars
'Cause their Instagram account decides how cool they are
Who's got the bigger watch? Who′s got the newer car
Don′t know where they're going, but they′rе moving fast

I said the city's burning down, wanna come and see?
Thеy′ll give you the cold shoulder in a hundred degrees
'Cause they′re cruel about the money, won't do nothing for free
You need to know where you're going if you′re coming with me
I said the-

City′s burning down, won't you come and watch?
They will diagnose you sick for a common cough
And when you′re on your deathbed, tell you run it off
So how we ever gonna win?

(Win) the city's burning down
The city′s burning down
The city's burning down
The city′s burning down
The city's burning down (burning down)
The city's burning down (burning down)
The city′s burning down (burning down)
The city′s burning down

Everybody's famous, what′s the reason why?
'Cause the kids wanna be what they see online
Always talking about themselves, yeah, it′s me and I
Heads buried in their phones, they see and laugh

I said the city's burning down, wanna come and stare?
Well, we don′t want your opinions, leave your comments there
Yeah, we've all got our issues and our problems here
And we all pack a punch 'cause we′ve come prepared
I said the-

The city′s burning down
The city's burning down
The city′s burning down
The city's burning down
The city′s burning down (the city's burning down)
The city′s burning down (the city's burning down)
The city's burning down (the city′s burning down)
The city′s burning down (the city's burning down)

I see the city burning down now
I see the city burning down now
I see the city burning down now
I see the city burning down now
I see the city burning down now (burning down)
I see the city burning down now (burning down)
I see the city burning down now (burning down)
I see the city burning down now

I said the city′s burning down, won't you come and watch?
Diagnose you sick for a common cough




When you′re on your deathbed, tell you run it off
How we ever gonna win, hey?

Overall Meaning

The song Burning Down by Everyone You Know is about the crumbling state of our society, where people are only concerned with their own interests, and technology has taken over to a point where people are disconnected from each other. The lines “This-this-this city′s burning down, won't you come and watch?” refer to how we are collectively letting the world burn, and instead of trying to fix things, we are just observing things fall apart. The song highlights how we have become obsessed with technology, social media, and instant gratification, while forgetting about empathy, kindness, and the importance of human connection. The lyrics “Everybody's famous, they′re all superstars/'Cause their Instagram account decides how cool they are” shows how in today's society, popularity and social status come from how many followers or likes one has on social media. The phrase “And when you′re on your deathbed, tell you run it off” is a metaphor for how people ignore their physical and mental health and only seek medical attention when it is too late.


Overall, the song Burning Down is a strong message about how we need to rebuild our society and focus on humanity, empathy, and cooperation.


Line by Line Meaning

This-this-this city's burning down, won't you come and watch?
The city is falling apart, do you want to witness it firsthand?


They will diagnose you sick for a common cough,
Even a minor inconvenience will be overblown and medicalized.


And when you're on your deathbed, tell you run it off,
In the face of death, people refuse to acknowledge their mistakes.


So how we ever gonna win?
How can we succeed in a society that pushes us down?


Everybody's famous, they're all superstars,
Social media has created an obsession with image.


'Cause their Instagram account decides how cool they are,
Quantity of followers and likes determines popularity.


Who's got the bigger watch? Who's got the newer car,
Material possessions are a symbol of status.


Don't know where they're going, but they're moving fast,
People live in a fast-paced society with no clear goals.


The city's burning down (burning down),
Society is self-destructing.


Everybody's famous, what's the reason why?
People crave attention and popularity.


'Cause the kids wanna be what they see online,
Children are highly influenced by what they see on social media.


Always talking about themselves, yeah, it's me and I,
People are self-centered and narcissistic.


Heads buried in their phones, they see and laugh,
People are disconnected from reality and absorbed in technology.


I said the city's burning down, wanna come and stare?
The city is in chaos, do you want to gawk at it?


Well, we don't want your opinions, leave your comments there,
Others' opinions are not welcomed or respected.


And we all pack a punch 'cause we've come prepared,
People are ready to fight for their beliefs.


I see the city burning down now (burning down),
The destruction is becoming more evident.


I said the city's burning down, won't you come and watch?
The city is reaching its downfall, do you want to witness it?


Diagnose you sick for a common cough,
Minor illnesses are treated as significant problems.


When you're on your deathbed, tell you run it off,
People tend to deny and overlook their own mortality.


How we ever gonna win, hey?
How can we achieve success and overcome societal problems?




Writer(s): Thomas Harvey, Seton Daunt, Rhys Harvey

Contributed by Riley I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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