Madonna Single: Burning Up / Physical Attraction (1983)

Madonna
“Burning Up” / “Physical Attraction”

Release: March 9, 1983

Burning Up (12” version)
Physical Attraction (Album version)

Producer: Reggie Lucas
Writer: Madonna

Cover art: Martin Burgoyne



With “Everybody” being a modest success, Sire/Warner Bros. green lit a second single. This time, the record company chose another, more experienced producer, Reggie Lucas, to helm the project, who would ultimately be the principal producer on Madonna. His influence is evident on “Burning Up,” which features an obviously more lavish production than Mark Kamins’s work on “Everybody.” “Burning Up” is a faster, tighter track. Although still scored most with synthesizers and sharp drums, there’s also a few blares of electric guitar.

Thematically, “Burning Up” turns to one of Madonna’s favorite enduring subjects: Sex. “Do you wanna see me down on my knees?” she asks, “Or bending over backwards, now would you be pleased?” “I have no shame,” she says, a fact that would be proven again and again through her provocative manipulation of the media. “Burning Up” is a solid dance track and holds up great in the current pop landscape obsessed with early ‘80s sounds (See Jessica Simpson’s new single, “A Public Affair,” which owes much to Madonna’s early sound). While technically a double A-side single, “Physical Attraction” isn’t nearly as interesting. It’s slower, and simpler—more like “Everybody.” It’s unusually long too, at almost 7 minutes.

“Burning Up” also charted at #3 on the Billboard dance chart, but didn’t dent the Billboard Hot 100, not even the Bubbling Under chart. The single was not released in the UK. “Physical Attraction” also appears as an “extended” remix (it’s actually shorter than the original version) on You Can Dance.

The video was Madonna’s first proper studio music video, and was directed by Steve Barron, who had just famously directed Michael Jackson’s video classic “Billie Jean.” The “boyfriend” in the video was apparently Madonna’s real boyfriend at the time, Norris Burroughs. The sexy video features some interesting visual effects, such as Madonna hanging her hat on a laser beam.