(Debuted August 15, 1981, Peaked #40, 14 Weeks on the Chart)
Fire is a frequently-used element in music, both as a way of expressing a heightened spirit as well as a heightened desire. In the case of Blue Oyster Cult's "Burnin' For You," it was the latter. In fact, the album that contained the song -- Fire of Unknown Origin -- continued the theme. Of course, the fire symbolism mixed with the use of the word "cult" in the band name didn't exactly play well to the parents of their teenaged fans...but the group wasn't targeting the parents with their music.
Blue Oyster Cult was a Long Island, New York band that was seen in its early days as an American version of Black Sabbath. "Burnin' For You" was as catchy a single as the band's other Top 40 hit, 1976's "(Don't Fear) The Reaper," but the two songs are quite different thematically. Where one song claims that death is inevitable no matter how long you live, "Burnin' For You" is a song about being alive.
In any case, it's hard to deny that guitar attack. It's hard to turn off a radio when this song is playing.
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