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For Yang's Semblance, see Burn.

"I Burn" is Yang Xiao Long's music theme. Three different versions of the song exist: the one featured in the "Yellow" Trailer, a hard rock version featuring a rap verse and a club/dance remix of the hard rock version without the rap verse.

It is also used as the ending song for the RWBY Volume 1 episode "Welcome to Beacon."

Composition[]

The single version features remixed versions of previous trailer songs, "Red Like Roses", "Mirror Mirror", and "From Shadows", as well as a shorter version of the "I Burn" album version.

The remixes of the previous trailer songs, as well as the "I Burn" song remix, are primarily influenced by electronic dance music, with synthesized instruments, heavily auto-tuned vocals and four-to-the-bar bass drums.

The album version of the song drops most of the electronic influence in favor of a hard rock sound. The song starts off with heavily distorted guitar chords which accompany the first verse. After the first verse and chorus, sung by Casey Lee Williams, a rough, atonal guitar solo with heavy use of artificial harmonics is played.

After the second verse and chorus, the bridge leads into two rap verses performed by Lamar Hall. His rapping is far more rebellious in content, with a few instances of mature language, such as "Human Torch can't fuck with me" and "Shit will never be the same."

After the rap verses, Jeff Williams plays a cleaner, more melodic guitar solo before Casey takes back over, singing the song's chorus twice before the song ends.

The chorus, the first solo, and the bridge after the second chorus are in the key of C# minor, whereas the verses and the second solo are in the key of E minor.

Lyrics[]

Single[]

Red like roses fills my dreams and brings me to the place you rest.
White is cold and always yearning, burdened by a royal test.
Black the beast descends from shadows.
Yellow beauty burns gold.

Mirror, tell me something,
Tell me who's the loneliest of all?
Fear of what's inside of me,
Tell me can a heart be turned to stone?

Born with no life,
Into subjugation.
Treated like a worthless animal,
Stripped of all rights,
Just a lesser being,
Crushed by cruel ruthless Human rule.

When it started,
All we wanted was a chance to live our lives.
Now in darkness,
Taking everything we want and we will rise.
We'll rise.
We'll rise.

From shadows,
We'll descend upon the world.
Take back what you stole.

From shadows,
We'll reclaim our destiny,
Set our future free.
And we'll rise.
And we'll rise.

Above the darkness and the shame.
Above the torture and the pain.
Above the ridicule and hate.
Above the binding of our fate.

Come at me,
And you'll see,
I'm more than meets the eye.
You think that,
You'll break me,
You're gonna find in time,
You're standing too close to a flame that's burning,
Hotter than the sun in the middle of July.
Sending out your army, but you still can't win;
Listen up, silly boy, 'cuz I'm gonna tell you why...

I burn!
Can't hold me now,
And you're not stopping me
I burn!
Swing all you want.
Like a fever I will take you down.[1]

Album/Remix[]

Come at me
And you'll see
I'm more than meets the eye
You think that
You'll break me
You're gonna find in time

You're standing too close to a flame that's burning
Hotter than the sun in the middle of July
Sending out your army, but you still can't win
Listen up, silly boy, 'cause I'm gonna tell you why

I burn!
Can't hold me now
And you're not stopping me
I burn!
Swing all you want
Like a fever I will take you down

Reign supreme?
In your dreams
You'll never make me bow
Kick my ass?
I'm world-class
And Super Saiyan now

You're starting up a fight that you just can't finish
Watch the little hearts while they scrape you off the floor
Bringing out your rockets? Well, shoot 'em up, baby
High as you can go, but I'm the one who's gonna soar

I burn!
Can't hold me now
And you're not stopping me
I burn!
Swing all you want
Like a fever I will take you down

It doesn't have to be this way
Let's kiss and make up, then you'll learn
You can fight your life away
I get what I want, so don't bother and just watch me burn

Hotter than the sun
Feel my fire
Pyromaniac: my desire
Thought that you could see the truth
'Til I just burned down the booth
(Explicit:) Human Torch can't fuck with me
(Clean:) Human Torch can't mess with me
Johnny Blaze: Suspect B
(Explicit:) Strike 'em quick, lightning fast
(Clean:) Scorch 'em quick, lightning fast
(Explicit:) Melt them bitches down to ash
(Clean:) Melt them britches down to ash

Gasoline, kerosene
Strike a match, ignite the scene
(Explicit:) Shit will never be the same
(Clean:) Things will never be the same
Feel the fury of my flame
Beg for mercy: it won't help
Embrace the ending you were dealt
(Explicit:) Seems you fucks will never learn
(Clean:) Seems you chumps will never learn
Now sit back and watch me burn

I burn!
Can't hold me now
And you're not stopping me
I burn!
Swing all you want
Like a fever I will take you down

I burn!
Can't hold me now
And you're not stopping me
I burn!
Swing all you want
Like a fever I will take you down.[2]

Trivia[]

  • For the CD release the Lamar Hall version of the song was censored and the corresponding version on iTunes was subsequently censored as well.
  • During PAX East 2016, Jeff said that the explicit version of "I Burn" was a mistake. He incorrectly believed the foul language to be permissible as long as it was not included in the show, but was informed by Rooster Teeth after the album had already gone public that the soundtrack should not include profanity. This is why certain lines of the album version had to be changed.[3]
  • Both the album version and the remix version of the song make reference to the Super Saiyan state from the anime and manga series Dragon Ball. The reference stems from Yang's fiery Semblance that activates when she is enraged.
  • The album version also features reference to the Human Torch from the Marvel comic book universe, as well as Johnny Blaze, the alter ego of the Ghost Rider.
  • An instrumental version of I Burn is used as background music in RWBY Volume 2: Production Diary 4.
  • The song was used as accompanying music for the fight scene in the Death Battle episode in which Yang fought against the Final Fantasy character Tifa Lockhart.[4]
  • In the RWBY Chibi episode, "Evil Interview", the song title was used by Cinder Fall as her username on a dating site.
  • In the horror film Blood Fest, Barbra Dunkleman's character Ashley uses this song as a ringtone.
  • Yang's Semblance is named Burn, likely a reference to this song.

See Also[]

References[]

Soundtracks
RWBY: Volume 1 SoundtrackRWBY: Volume 2 SoundtrackRWBY: Volume 3 SoundtrackRWBY: Volume 4 SoundtrackRWBY: Volume 5 SoundtrackRWBY: Volume 6 SoundtrackRWBY: Volume 7 SoundtrackRWBY: Volume 8 SoundtrackRWBY: Volume 9 SoundtrackRWBY: Best Vocal AlbumRWBY: Ice Queendom Original SoundtrackRWBY: Arrowfell Original Game Soundtrack
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