Burning
MK & Alana Lyrics
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No wind breathed in the sky
When a pin-striped suit
Saw that the Institute of Mental Health was burning.
He stood upon the corner
Where the sun was warmer
Looking across the street
He moved the shackles on his feet
Flames were roaring, singing like a thunderstorm
Smoke was pouring straight up to the sky
Windows smashing, Gothic doors and lintels fall
Timbers crashing and we both know why
Nobody else came by to stare
You see, they didn't really care
Can't call the fire brigade
None of them had been paid
And so the Institute was burning
Throughout the city, people say it isn't pretty
Everyone agrees, and everyone feels glad
Doctored brains celebrate and everyone waves their chains
It's a pity they're all mad
The Institute of Mental Health
Spontaneously killed itself
Ashes to ashes
And dust to dust
My chains began to rust
As the Institute was burning, burning, burning
The song "Burning" by MK & Alana is a metaphorical commentary on society's treatment of mental health. The lyrics tell the story of a man in a pin-striped suit who witnesses the Institute of Mental Health burning down. Despite the chaos and destruction, nobody stops to help, and the man even notes that the fire brigade cannot be called as none of them had been paid.
The burning of the Institute can be interpreted as a symbol of society's neglect of the mentally ill, and the lack of funding and resources that mental health institutions face. The imagery of the man's shackles falling off as the Institute burns down is a powerful image of freedom from the constraints of society's stigma against mental health issues.
The final lines of the song, "My chains began to rust as the Institute was burning, burning, burning," are a hopeful note that the destruction of the old ways of thinking about mental health can lead to something better. The song can be seen as a call to action to change the way society treats mental health and to fight for better resources and support for those struggling with mental illness.
Line by Line Meaning
It was the first day of July
The story takes place on a summer day in July.
No wind breathed in the sky
The sky was still, there wasn't any wind.
When a pin-striped suit
A man dressed in a formal suit enters the picture.
Saw that the Institute of Mental Health was burning.
The man sees that the mental health institution is on fire.
He stood upon the corner
The man stands on the corner of the street.
Where the sun was warmer
The man stands where it's warmer because of the sun.
Looking across the street
The man is looking across the street at the burning institute.
He moved the shackles on his feet
Metaphorically, the man feels released or unshackled because of the burning institute.
As the Institute was burning
While the institution was burning and in flames.
Flames were roaring, singing like a thunderstorm
The roaring flames were as loud and intimidating as a thunderstorm.
Smoke was pouring straight up to the sky
The smoke from the burning building went straight up into the sky.
Windows smashing, Gothic doors and lintels fall
The windows shattered and the heavy Gothic doors and lintels fell as the building burned.
Timbers crashing and we both know why
The wooden beams of the building collided with each other and burned because the building was on fire.
Nobody else came by to stare
No one else came to watch the fire besides the man in the pin-striped suit.
You see, they didn't really care
The people around the area didn't care about the burning building.
Can't call the fire brigade
The fire department couldn't be called to help because of some unknown reason.
None of them had been paid
It's uncertain why, but no one at the fire department was paid.
And so the Institute was burning
The institution burned down.
Throughout the city, people say it isn't pretty
The burning building was visible and noticeable throughout the city and people talked about it.
Everyone agrees, and everyone feels glad
People agreed it was an ugly building, and many felt glad to see it burn.
Doctored brains celebrate and everyone waves their chains
The people who had received treatment at the institute are happy to see it burn, and everyone else seems to be celebrating as well.
It's a pity they're all mad
Interestingly, the people who are truly unwell are considered 'mad.'
The Institute of Mental Health
Refers to the burning institution that was once a mental health institution.
Spontaneously killed itself
The building burnt down due to a fire that started spontaneously.
Ashes to ashes
A reference to the saying 'ashes to ashes, dust to dust' about the end of life.
And dust to dust
Another reference to the same saying about the end of life.
My chains began to rust
Metaphorically, the singer feels unshackled or free once the burning institute turned to ashes.
As the Institute was burning, burning, burning
The song repeats the title and drives home the importance of the burning institute to the story.
Lyrics © JELLYBEAN MUSIC GROUP
Written by: ALANA SIMON, MARC KINCHEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Wjre is the vocal sample from
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The vocalist is Alana Simon. I think she worked with MK and provided vocals which he sampled.....I don't think there was an original song which was remixed. On WhoSampled this track doesn't credit any samples, but has 6 tracks who have used samples from it. In Alana Simon's discography she only really seems to be credited as a feature on dance tracks. It's a shame....her voice is the bomb!