The Amsterdam-based group is a blend of European improvised music, jazz and the Dutch irreverent attitude, in general, which all combine into a highly sophisticated yet enjoyable music that has astonished and impressed music lovers for several decades.
ICP was founded as a label and group concept in the late '60s when reedist Willem Breuker and drummer Han Bennink self-released a duo recording on a label they named ICP. Fellow Dutch musician and collaborator, pianist Misha Mengelberg became the third equal member of ICP, having recently come up with the term "instant composing" to use in "improvising's" stead. The name ICP quickly became an umbrella for a wide variety of line-ups during its first decade of existence. It wasn't too long before these groups included either Breuker or Mengelberg but not both, as the two musicians had clashing opinions on approaches to live performance, what ICP should be and many other musical issues. Breuker wanted tunes and rehearsals, Mengelberg wanted instant composing. Breuker wanted more people admitted who would have equal voting rights, Mengelberg wanted the core three members to have final say. Both also had different takes on music theater, which ICP got involved in the late '60s. So, both led their own ICP gigs, with Bennink (who didn't choose sides) performing in both, although more often with Mengelberg. Breuker's group included such musicians as bassist Maarten Altena, trombonist Willem van Manen, saxophonist Peter Bennink (Han's younger brother), pianist Leo Cuypers and keyboardist Michel Waisvisz. Mengelberg and Bennink first had a trio with the frequently-visiting British saxophonist Evan Parker starting in 1969, followed by a quartet line-up with reedsman John Tchicai and guitarist Derek Bailey, which had a brief tour and two recordings from 1970-71, including a classic of European improvisation, Fragments. Months before this, the core duo and Parker were joined by Bailey, saxophonist Peter Brotzmann, trombonist Paul Rutherford and Peter Bennink to record a septet album, Groupcomposing (1971). During this time, Mengelberg and Bennink also recorded an untitled duo for the ICP label.
By 1973, the inevitable split came and musicians went with one or the other, resulting in Breuker's still-thriving theatrical and fun-loving Willem Breuker Kollektief, while Mengelberg continued with the name ICP, which was, again, a continuously changing line-up for several years, during which only Misha, Han Bennink and American tubist Larry Fishkind were mainstays. Rotating members included Brotzmann, Tchicai, cellist Tristan Honsinger, saxophonist Keshavan Maslak, trombonist George Lewis and saxophonist Paul Termos. The first recording of ICP in its later, larger size came in early 1977, as ICP-Tentet in Berlin (SAJ, 1978). The first of the lasting members came three years later, when trombonist Wolter Wierbos joined. Reedsman Michael Moore came on board not too long after, first appearing on Japan Japon (DIW, 1982), as did violist Maurice Horsthuis, who was soon followed by his Amsterdam String Trio bandmates, bassist Ernst Glerum and cellist Ernst Reijseger (Reijseger, Moore and Bennink also formed another group together, the Clusone 3). Horsthuis eventually left (and the violist chair was filled a couple more times before being retired) but Reijseger and Glerum stayed. Due to the larger roster, the "instant composing" tenet shifted slightly to "conducted improvisation." By the 1990s, the band also included saxophonist Ab Baars and trumpeter Thomas Heberer, with Honsinger returning by the mid-'90s.
The ICP Orchestra recorded relatively little, but achieved international acclaim for its sophisticated improvisations, ingenious interpretations of landmark composers such as Duke Ellington and Thelonious Monk and for the band members' extraordinary level of musicianship.
ICP Orchestra has recorded tributes to Thelonious Monk and Herbie Nichols (ICP 026) in 1984 and 1986, respectively. Mengelberg has also led the group in many brilliant (but unrecorded) programs of Duke Ellington's music. In addition to the Monk/Nichols release, and the early '80s DIW Japan Japon, ICP also recorded two volumes of Bodspaadje Konijnehol (Forest Path Rabbithole) from 1989-90 (ICP 028,029). The ICP Orchestra didn't record again until 1997, this time for HatArt, resulting in the critically hailed album Jubilee Varia. The line-up by then consisted of Mengelberg, Moore, Baars, Wierbos, Reijseger, Honsinger, Glerum and Bennink, but by the time the group toured for the album's 1999 release, Reijseger had left the group permanently.
Burning Up
ICP Orchestra Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
All walks of life up in here tonight baby!
[Verse - Violent J]
This bitch Rashell fucked on her boyfriend in her boyfriend's bed
And Crazy Carlos smacked his baby mama off in the head
And Jonathan beat his son like his daddy beat him
But swore he'd never do nobody like his daddy did him
And Baby D, he shot somebody, it went bad from the drop
And then Diane worked at a hospital, took care of old souls
She was abusive, her afterlife sees no gold roads
And Mr. Richards was a richie fella, born with every penny
Everyone around him hungry but he never gave 'em any
And then Steven was a businessman, an educated citizen at the top
Pornography of children in his laptop
Take your spot and hang on 'cause it's crowded in hell
You in the belly of the beast now, it was Heaven in jail
And don't try to make no friends 'cause don't nobody got no tongues
If the Witch look your way, somehow it crushes your lungs..
[Verse - Violent J]
Playa Playa was a boss man, callin' out shots
'Til he caught one, then everything stops, the floor drops
As he's screamin' and fallin', we see how pointless was the ballin'
When eternity is callin', agony will be appallin'
Don't cry for the dead 'cause they cry for you
Because we laugh about an aftermath but they know how true
And listen, ain't no-fuckin'-body gettin' it worse than you and me
And ain't nobody gettin' it worse than you and me and we will see
A pterodactyl swoop through the caverns of Hell
And carry 2 unfortunates off to the Ogre's cell
It ain't no guards playin' cards, ain't no uniforms needed
You the only one around butt-naked, bloody and bleedin'
With 7 demons in your ear got you believin' your heathen
Talk you into pulling out your own intestines to get even
You were born with the shine but you lost it down the line
You fucked life up and you can't rewind..
[Hook - Shaggy 2 Dope]
Fuck what you're tellin' me!
We burning up!
The witch keeps sellin' me!
We burning up!
Sins, we earn em' up!
They keep turning up!
And we turn corrupt!
'Til we burning lovely!
[Verse - Violent J]
Judge Shaw was a judge, snake holes are his eyes
There go anohter judge, another judge, somebody despise
And there go so many judges, the judges in Hell
So many fuckin' judges in Hell, they bludgeon 'em well
Fat Pat like his daddy was a bigot pullin' duty
He can tell it to them gargoyles fuckin' on his booty
And Shawna liked money but mistook it for love
Now when the Witch's wings spread, she give him head and look above
Black Sundays, Armageddon, maggots and rape
Hell's Pit got some fire for you faggots with hate
Eddie Burrow hit his wife and put a tooth in his knuckle
Later on he lost his life in a scuffle, now he in trouble
You was a rebel, you nobody no mo'
To the Devil on the double you go
Ain't no level to the trouble you know
And eternity goes..and eternity goes..
[Hook - Shaggy 2 Dope] - x2
Fuck what you're tellin' me!
We burning up!
The witch keeps sellin' me!
We burning up!
Sins, we earn em' up!
They keep turning up!
And we turn corrupt!
'Til we burning lovely!
The song "Burning Up" by ICP Orchestra talks about the different sins and wrongdoings of people that have led them to end up in hell. The lyrics describe how each person's sin is different, but ultimately, they are all condemned to suffer in the fiery pits of hell. The verses narrate different stories of people who committed sins such as adultery, domestic violence, child pornography, and greed. The chorus, with the repetition of the phrase "We burning up!", serves as a reminder that actions have consequences, and that every sin has a price to pay.
The first verse talks about different people who have committed different sins, such as Rashell, who slept with her boyfriend in her boyfriend's bed, and Crazy Carlos, who hit his baby mama. The second verse describes how the sins of each person end up condemning them to endless suffering. It mentions some of the people's fates in hell, such as their screams, agony, demons, and eternal punishment. The chorus emphasizes that these sins are what led them to where they are, in the belly of the beast.
The song, with its harsh and graphic lyrics, serves as a warning to people who may be contemplating doing something wrong. It reminds listeners that every action has consequences and that the consequences may be severe. The song encourages people to lead good lives, treat others kindly, and avoid committing sins.
Line by Line Meaning
All walks of life up in here tonight baby!
There are people from all walks of life present tonight.
This bitch Rashell fucked on her boyfriend in her boyfriend's bed
Rashell cheated on her boyfriend and had sex with someone else in his own bed.
And Crazy Carlos smacked his baby mama off in the head
Carlos hit his girlfriend, who is also the mother of his child, in the head.
And Jonathan beat his son like his daddy beat him
Jonathan physically abused his son, just as his father had done to him.
But swore he'd never do nobody like his daddy did him
Although he abused his son, Jonathan made a promise to himself that he wouldn't be as bad as his own father.
And then Sandra used her pussyhole to get to the top
Sandra used sex to advance herself in her career or otherwise gain power and influence.
And Baby D, he shot somebody, it went bad from the drop
Baby D shot someone, the situation quickly became chaotic or disastrous.
And then Diane worked at a hospital, took care of old souls
Diane was employed at a hospital where she took care of elderly patients.
She was abusive, her afterlife sees no gold roads
Despite her position as a caretaker, Diane was abusive towards her patients. As a result, she will not be rewarded in the afterlife.
And Mr. Richards was a richie fella, born with every penny
Mr. Richards was wealthy since birth, with vast sums of money at his disposal.
Everyone around him hungry but he never gave 'em any
Despite his wealth, Mr. Richards was stingy and refused to share with others.
And then Steven was a businessman, an educated citizen at the top
Steven was a successful businessman and a highly educated member of society.
Pornography of children in his laptop
Steven possessed child pornography on his computer.
Take your spot and hang on 'cause it's crowded in hell
In hell, there are many souls and competition for space is high.
You in the belly of the beast now, it was Heaven in jail
Being in hell is worse than being in jail.
And don't try to make no friends 'cause don't nobody got no tongues
In hell, people can't communicate properly, so don't bother trying to make friends.
If the Witch look your way, somehow it crushes your lungs..
If the Witch, a powerful figure in hell, looks your way, it can have a negative physical effect on you, like crushing your lungs.
Playa Playa was a boss man, callin' out shots
Playa Playa was a leader of sorts, giving orders and making decisions.
'Til he caught one, then everything stops, the floor drops
When something bad happened to Playa Playa, everything fell apart and his life took a turn for the worse.
As he's screamin' and fallin', we see how pointless was the ballin'
Through Playa Playa's suffering and downfall, it becomes clear how pointless his prior actions and decisions in life were.
When eternity is callin', agony will be appallin'
When it's time to face eternity (death or the afterlife), one will experience extreme pain and suffering.
Don't cry for the dead 'cause they cry for you
The dead are not to be pitied, as they are aware of the suffering of the living.
Because we laugh about an aftermath but they know how true
We may laugh and joke about the consequences of our actions, but those who have died know the true extent of their impact.
And listen, ain't no-fuckin'-body gettin' it worse than you and me
No one is suffering worse than the artist and the listener.
And ain't nobody gettin' it worse than you and me and we will see
No one is suffering more than the singer and listener, and it will become clear.
A pterodactyl swoop through the caverns of Hell
In hell, strange and terrifying creatures like a pterodactyl may be present.
And carry 2 unfortunates off to the Ogre's cell
The pterodactyl takes two unfortunate souls to the Ogre's cell, where they will suffer further.
It ain't no guards playin' cards, ain't no uniforms needed
There are no guards in hell, there's no need for them, and they would not be playing games or wearing uniforms.
You the only one around butt-naked, bloody and bleedin'
In hell, you are alone, naked, and injured.
With 7 demons in your ear got you believin' your heathen
Seven evil spirits (demons) are constantly whispering in your ear and causing you to question your faith or morality.
Talk you into pulling out your own intestines to get even
The demons may encourage you to do unimaginable acts of self-harm in order to seek revenge or something similar.
You were born with the shine but you lost it down the line
You had potential and a bright future, but somewhere along the way, you lost it.
You fucked life up and you can't rewind..
You made terrible decisions and mistakes in life, and there's no going back to fix them.
Judge Shaw was a judge, snake holes are his eyes
Judge Shaw, who was once a judge, has evil eyes that resemble those of a snake.
There go anohter judge, another judge, somebody despise
Another unjust or disliked judge enters the scene.
And there go so many judges, the judges in Hell
Hell is filled with corrupt judges who have all been punished for their wrongdoing.
So many fuckin' judges in Hell, they bludgeon 'em well
In hell, there are so many corrupt judges that they are easily attacked and beaten up.
Fat Pat like his daddy was a bigot pullin' duty
Fat Pat, like his father, was a racist cop.
He can tell it to them gargoyles fuckin' on his booty
In hell, Pat will likely be sexualized and taken advantage of by demonic creatures like gargoyles.
And Shawna liked money but mistook it for love
Shawna was obsessed with money, but she thought it could buy her love and affection.
Now when the Witch's wings spread, she give him head and look above
When the Witch spreads her wings, Shawna is forced to perform sexual acts and look up towards the sky.
Black Sundays, Armageddon, maggots and rape
Hell is filled with terrible things like Black Sundays, Armageddon, maggots, and rape.
Hell's Pit got some fire for you faggots with hate
Those who harbor hatred in their hearts will face the fiery depths of hell.
Eddie Burrow hit his wife and put a tooth in his knuckle
Eddie Burrow physically assaulted his wife and hurt his own hand in the process.
Later on he lost his life in a scuffle, now he in trouble
Eddie died in a fight or argument, and now he is facing the consequences in hell.
You was a rebel, you nobody no mo'
You were once a rebel or an outsider, but now you are nothing.
To the Devil on the double you go
You are sent straight to the devil in hell.
Ain't no level to the trouble you know
The trouble and suffering in hell have no limits or boundaries.
And eternity goes..and eternity goes..
Eternity in hell is an endless cycle of suffering and despair.
Fuck what you're tellin' me!
The singer does not care about what anyone is saying or thinks.
We burning up!
The singer and others are suffering and burning in hell.
The witch keeps sellin' me!
The witch continues to torment and punish the artist.
Sins, we earn em' up!
The artist and others have earned their punishment in hell through their sins.
They keep turning up!
New sins or transgressions continue to appear, adding to the souls' punishments.
And we turn corrupt!
The souls in hell become more corrupt and evil over time.
'Til we burning lovely!
The agony and suffering in hell will never end.
Contributed by Leah J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
kat souza
monoxide murdered this, when he turns around into his verse he changes the whole entire tone of the song, he fucking killed it!!!😍 his voice gets stuck in my head
Gilbert Sheets
Not a Juggalo myself but damn they being a catchy beat and it’s why I keep coming back. I can respect talent when I see it.
Brittany Cunningham
The beats good thats about it
IndianaJonsingNtheCrystalMeth
If youre here, youre a juggalo
LeadMe2TheBliss
@IndianaJonsingNtheCrystalMeth Not true, I'm here and I'm not a Juggalo. There is a difference between someone who enjoys ICP's music and a Juggalo.
Tia Drake
I wish they'd just do a gathering on the west coast already.
Just The Facts
This is better then all the new rap out. They actually rapping no auto tune ! Real rap
Zoe pesos
Wow,…… i thought I was the only one that noticed
Shaun Eckard
Can we please squash the beef/feel the juggalo love and have a psypher reunion for 2020? Yall love each other and know you do it best together ❤️
The Pussy Hole Puncher
Pleasssse