Burnt By The Sun
David Byrne · Feelings [1997]
Atom smashers in the cocktail lounge tonight
Opera singers in the graveyard keeping time
And the DJ mixes them all
And the music rhymes but it crawls
And the music comes from hydrogen bombs
Rock bands died when amateurs won
Data in a hurry, using the new rubble
Wipe it up baby, gonna get yourself in trouble
We were burnt by the sun
Having way too much fun
Sleepless downtown overload
Does the daylight bring you down?
Money pours down and it drowns the little man
Parking lot attendants stuff their pockets with their hands
And the children laugh in your face
They can see what you have erased
When dogs make love they don't look at themselves
Checking out each other by the way that they smell
Rubbing and scratching, itching all the time
Stop me if I talk too much, do another line
We were burnt by the sun
Having way too much fun
The church of private enterprise
Did the daylight bring you down?
I love salt, I love sweets
I know there's danger but I fall asleep
The curves, the gasps, the love of life
Headlines, gum box, faceless paradise
Life rafts bobbing at the bottom of the pier
Wood burns faster if it's soaked in gasoline
All these towns look the same, everybody's clean
Roll 'em out, cheap and fast, kiss me when I fall
We were burnt by the sun
Having way too much fun
Sleepless downtown overload
Did I stay outside too long?
Alcohol, razorblades
All the clouds are miles away
Take me down, far away
Everyone's on holiday
Alcohol, razor blades
All the clouds are miles away
Take me now, fly away
Everyone's on holiday
All the clouds are miles away
All the clouds are miles away
Everyone's on holiday
Everyone's on holiday
Everyone's on holiday
Everyone's on holiday
Everyone's on holiday
Everyone's on holiday
Opera singers in the graveyard keeping time
And the DJ mixes them all
And the music rhymes but it crawls
And the music comes from hydrogen bombs
Rock bands died when amateurs won
Data in a hurry, using the new rubble
Wipe it up baby, gonna get yourself in trouble
We were burnt by the sun
Having way too much fun
Sleepless downtown overload
Does the daylight bring you down?
Money pours down and it drowns the little man
Parking lot attendants stuff their pockets with their hands
And the children laugh in your face
They can see what you have erased
When dogs make love they don't look at themselves
Checking out each other by the way that they smell
Rubbing and scratching, itching all the time
Stop me if I talk too much, do another line
We were burnt by the sun
Having way too much fun
The church of private enterprise
Did the daylight bring you down?
I love salt, I love sweets
I know there's danger but I fall asleep
The curves, the gasps, the love of life
Headlines, gum box, faceless paradise
Life rafts bobbing at the bottom of the pier
Wood burns faster if it's soaked in gasoline
All these towns look the same, everybody's clean
Roll 'em out, cheap and fast, kiss me when I fall
We were burnt by the sun
Having way too much fun
Sleepless downtown overload
Did I stay outside too long?
Alcohol, razorblades
All the clouds are miles away
Take me down, far away
Everyone's on holiday
Alcohol, razor blades
All the clouds are miles away
Take me now, fly away
Everyone's on holiday
All the clouds are miles away
All the clouds are miles away
Everyone's on holiday
Everyone's on holiday
Everyone's on holiday
Everyone's on holiday
Everyone's on holiday
Everyone's on holiday
Burnt By The Sun
David Byrne's "Burnt By The Sun" serves as a haunting centerpiece on the album *Feelings*, released in 1997. The track exemplifies Byrne's signature blend of theatrical pop and electronic experimentation, characterized by his distinctive vocal delivery and the album's signature soundscapes. Recorded during a period where Byrne explored themes of consumerism and modern alienation, the song reflects the broader artistic direction of the late 1990s, merging rock energy with synthesized textures. As part of his extensive discography, this recording stands as a testament to his ability to craft emotionally resonant music that balances personal narrative with universal themes of loss and transformation.