The first single of A24’s tribute album “Everyone’s Getting Involved: A Tribute to Talking Heads’ Stop Making Sense” just released, with Paramore dropping a fantastic cover of Talking Heads’ “Burning Down the House.” 

The entire album is set to come out sometime this year, although A24 hasn’t given an official release date. It will serve as a companion to the studio’s 2023 remaster of Talking Heads’ iconic concert film “Stop Making Sense,” with artists such as Miley Cyrus, Lorde and more covering the 16 songs performed in the film.

The original “Burning Down the House” is a great song in its own right, so Paramore already had a strong foundation to build upon. I can say with complete confidence Paramore took that foundation and built a mansion atop it. 

Frontwoman Hayley Williams shines, with her vocal prowess breathing new life into the song. Hearing what words and lyrics Williams chose to emphasize in this makes it a joy to compare it to the original. It never feels like Williams is trying to overshadow the original, instead she is just honoring the iconic song. There are also some fried vocals sprinkled in, which I’m always a big fan of. 

One big improvement from the original is the ability to understand the lyrics. In the original, the lyrics are a bit difficult to hear due to the unique way they are delivered. In Paramore’s version, Williams’ delivery is far easier for me to understand.

“Burning Down the House” is a song about freeing yourself from what keeps you safe and breaking free from the mundane. Williams’ vocals further push that message, as her emphasis on lines such as “Fightin’ fire with fire,” and “Well, I don’t know what you expect / Staring into the TV set,” hammers home the message of escaping safety and comfort.

This is a cleanly produced single. It never feels like the vocals are overpowering the instrumentals or vice versa. It keeps the upbeat and funky spirit of the original while modernizing it and feeling uniquely Paramore.

My initial gripes with this song were incredibly minor, as there were just a few vocal things Williams would do that didn’t sit well with me. However, the skill at which Williams delivers these can’t be ignored and I learned to love these the more I listened. 

This is an entertaining listen that embraces the spirit of the original song while expanding upon what made it great. I’ve grown to prefer Paramore’s version, making it a bit difficult for me to go back to the original. 

Paramore has set the bar high with this release and the upcoming artists have quite the performance to follow up on. I look forward to seeing what comes next. 

Rating: 10/10

Categories: Arts & Entertainment