Neha Patil (Editor)

We Be Burnin'

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Recorded
  
2005

Length
  
3:35

B-side
  
"Bounce It Right There"

Released
  
27 September 2005 (2005-09-27)

Format
  
Digital download, CD single, CD maxi, 12" maxi

Genre
  
Reggae fusion, dancehall, R&B

"We Be Burnin'" is the first single from Sean Paul's third studio album The Trinity. It achieved success worldwide, becoming a top ten hit on almost ten major charts. The song is sampled in Tinashe's "2 On".

Contents

Background and release

"We Be Burnin'" was released as the first single from The Trinity (album) in August 2005 in the US and in September 2005 in the UK. In the U.S., the single peaked inside the Billboard Hot 100 at #4 and in the UK the single was an even bigger hit peaking at #2, held off #1 by The Pussycat Dolls single "Don't Cha". The single became his biggest solo hit in the UK, beating the #3 peak of "Like Glue" and spent just under 5 months inside the UK top 75. It was the single biggest hit from the album in the UK. However, it was "Temperature" that was the biggest hit from the album in the U.S.

The original version, sometimes denoted by the title being followed by 'Legalize It', features prominent themes of marijuana use, referencing "trees", "weed" and "herb" several times and smoking it for "meditation". Another radio-friendly version was released with the title being followed by 'Recognize It', which changed all drug-related lyrics to ones concerning women.

Although the lyrics are different, Tami Chynn's single "Hyperventilating" as well as Capleton's "Or Wah", from the album Reign of Fire, utilize the same riddim as Sean Paul's "We Be Burnin'", since both use the riddim "Stepz".

Music video

The video was shot in LA deserts by Jessy Terrero showing two girls and an overheated Hummer H2 in the background and showing the two girls again but before their breakdown. Sean Paul is seen dancing with three other girls in front of highly modified semi-trucks and a truck that shoots flames.

Track listings

CD single
  1. "We Be Burnin' (Recognize It)" (album version) – 3:33
  2. "We Be Burnin' (Legalize It)" – 3:29
CD maxi
  1. "We Be Burnin' (Recognize It)" (album version)
  2. "Bounce It Right There" (non-album bonus track)
  3. "We Be Burnin" (video)
  4. Free ringtone
CD single - Australia
  1. "We Be Burnin' (Recognize It)" – 3:38
  2. "Bounce It Right There" (non album track) – 3:00
  3. "We Be Burnin' (Legalize It)" – 3:28
12" maxi
  1. "We Be Burnin'" (Recognize It)– 3:38
  2. "We Be Burnin'" (Instrumental)
  3. "We Be Burnin'" (Legalize It) – 3:28
  4. "Bounce It Right There" (non album track) – 3:00

References

We Be Burnin' Wikipedia
(Text) CC BY-SA