DEAD LETTER OFFICE: BURNING DOWN

The first original composition of DLO.  A cool little song and one of the earliest they wrote as a band, it just never fit the feel of an album.

'This is another early song that we just got tired of.

Recorded for Reckoning, remixed by Steve Fjelstad

a year later.'  -Peter Buck

BURNING DOWN
From the back of my neck, oh, oh, oh
Wired glass jaw, oh, oh
Plantation burning, your boat is coming in
Strum the juice off your weakened chin

Running water on a sinking boat
Going under, but they’ve got your goat

Burning down
My hands are tied, my feet are bound
Burning down
Can’t you see that my hands are bound?

Johnny Mike is reading in the yard
History’s coming, oh, oh, oh
What river is it anyway, the radio
Now any boat, clean your ears

Running water in a sinking boat
Going under, but they’ve got your goat

Burning down
My hands are tied, my feet are bound
Burning down
Can’t you see that my hands are bound?

You pick your island in the sun
Take your island off he’s got a gun

Burning down
My hands are tied, my feet are bound
Burning down
Can’t you see that my hands are bound?

He’s cooking the woods a brush fire in your neck
Feeling mighty mighty, oh, oh, oh
You can pick your island in the sun
Take your island off he’s got a gun

Running water in a sinking boat
Going under, but they’ve got your goat

Burning down
My hands are tied, my feet are bound
Burning down
Can’t you see that my hands are bound?

For my money, this is the typical R.E.M. track.  Quick, concise riffs, easy chords, and an upbeat tempo.  There is a cool early live version on YouTube that is almost identical to the album recording.  Once the band creates a song structure, that's how the song goes.  Period.

BURNING DOWN

Intro/Chorus

e|-0---0---0---0------0-----0--0-0-----0-----|

B|-2---0---2---0-------0-----0----0----------|

G|-2---2---2---2---4>6--6-----0-6--6------0--|

D|-2---2---2---2---5>7---7>9--9-7---7>9-9b---|

A|-0---0---0---0-----------------------------|

E|-0---0---0---0-----------------------------|

Verse

e|-0---2-0-2---0---2-0---|

B|-2---3-2-3---3---3-3---|

G|-2---2-2-4---4---4-4---|

D|-2---0-2-4---4---4-4---|

A|-0-----0-2---0---0-0---|

E|-0-----0-2---0---0-0---|

Bridge to Chorus

e|-0---2---2-4-2---0---2---0----|

B|-0---2---2-4-2---0---2---0----|

G|-1---3---3-5-3---1---3---1----|

D|-2---4---4-6-4---2---4---2----|

A|-2---4---4-6-4---2---4---2----|

E|-0---2---2-4-2---0---2---0----|

Middle Bridge

e|-2---4---2---4---0---|

B|-3---5---3---5---0---|

G|-4---6---4---6---1---|

D|-4---6---4---6---2---|

A|-2---4---2---4---2---|

E|-2---4---2---4---0---|