We Be Burnin'

"We Be Burnin'"
Single by Sean Paul
from the album The Trinity
B-side	"Bounce It Right There"
Released	27 September 2005
Format	Digital download, CD single, CD maxi, 12" maxi
Recorded	2005
Genre	Reggae fusion, dancehall, R&B
Length	3:35
Label	Atlantic, VP
Writer(s)	Sean Henriques, Steven Marsden, Andre Saunders, Delano Thomas, Michael Jarrett, MARSH CRAIG SERANI Serani
Producer(s)	Renaissance Crew Productions
Certification	Gold (RIAA) Platinum (CRIA)
Sean Paul singles chronology
"I'm Still in Love with You" (2004) "We Be Burnin'" (2005) "Ever Blazin'" (2005)

"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".^[1]

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

Charts

Chart (2005-06)	Peak position
Australian ARIA Singles Chart[2]	34
Austrian Singles Chart[2]	10
Belgian (Flanders) Singles Chart[3]	9
Belgian (Wallonia) Singles Chart[3]	7
Danish Singles Chart[2]	16
Dutch Singles Chart[2]	8
Finnish Singles Chart[3]	8
French Singles Chart[4]	78
German Singles Chart[2]	5
Italian FIMI Singles Chart[3]	6
Irish Singles Chart[2]	11
Japanese Singles Chart	14
Swedish Singles Chart[2]	14
Swiss Singles Chart[2]	6
UK Singles Chart[2]	2
US Billboard Hot 100[5]	5
US Billboard Pop Songs[6]	1
US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs[5]	17
US Billboard Rap Songs[5]	2

Certifications

Region	Certification	Sales/shipments
Canada (Music Canada)[7]	Gold	10,000
Denmark (IFPI Denmark)[8]	Gold	7,500
Germany (BVMI)[9]	Gold	150,000
Japan (RIAJ)[10]	Gold	100,000
United Kingdom (BPI)[11]	Silver	200,000
United States (RIAA)[12]	Gold	500,000
Ringtone
United States (RIAA)[12]	Gold	500,000
^*sales figures based on certification alone ^^shipments figures based on certification alone ^xunspecified figures based on certification alone

References

1. http://www.whosampled.com/sample/250377/Tinashe-ScHoolboy-Q-2-On-Sean-Paul-We-Be-Burnin%27/
2. "Sean Paul's Temperature: Chart Positions". Retrieved 30 May 2006.
3. "Sean Paul's Temperature: Chart Positions". Retrieved 20 May 2009.
4. "Classement officiel des ventes de singles & titres en France 30 July - 5 August 2012". Retrieved 12 August 2012.
5. "Sean Paul's Temperature: Chart Positions". Retrieved 21 May 2009.
6. "Top 100 Music Hits, Top 100 Music Charts, Top 100 Songs & The Hot 100". Billboard.com. Retrieved 12 August 2012.
7. "Canadian single certifications – Sean Paul – We Be Burnin". Music Canada.
8. "Guld og platin november/december/januar" (in Danish). IFPI Denmark. Archived from the original on 7 August 2009.
9. "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Sean Paul; 'We Be Burnin')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie.
10. "Single Certification List - January 2014" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Retrieved 6 September 2014.
11. "British single certifications – Sean Paul – We Be Burnin'". British Phonographic Industry. Enter We Be Burnin' in the field Keywords. Select Title in the field Search by. Select single in the field By Format. Select Silver in the field By Award. Click Search
12. "American single certifications – Sean Paul – We Be Burnin". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH

External links

• Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics