"Selling the Drama" | ||||
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Single by Live | ||||
from the album Throwing Copper | ||||
B-side |
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Released | February 1994 | |||
Length | 3:27 | |||
Label | Radioactive | |||
Songwriter(s) | Live | |||
Producer(s) | Jerry Harrison, Live | |||
Live singles chronology | ||||
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"Selling the Drama" is the first single from Live's 1994 album, Throwing Copper . It reached number one on the US Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart, becoming their first of three singles to reach the top of this chart. The song also reached number 43 on the Billboard Hot 100, number 49 in Australia, number 41 in Canada and number 30 in the United Kingdom. It achieved its highest peak in the Netherlands, peaking at number 15 on both the Dutch Top 40 and Single Top 100 charts. Live's performance of "Selling the Drama" at Woodstock '94 was their featured song on the Woodstock 94 double album.
Singer Ed Kowalczyk said the lyrics were initially about "the state of the leader and led", or the ways that political and religious leaders control the public. However, after recording, he realized it also applied to the band's platform to reach audiences through music. [1] Kowalczyk and drummer Chad Gracey both said the song came out very naturally, in about an hour. [1]
The video is set in a wooded area and filmed in both black and white and in color, showing the band playing the song and lead singer Ed Kowalczyk tearing pages out of a book. The video is notable for one of the last appearances of Kowalczyk's long hair, which he shaved off around the time that "I Alone" was released as a single.
All songs were written by Live.
US cassette
Australian CD
UK CD and cassette
UK CD
UK and European CD
UK cassette
French CD
German CD (RAD 31974)
German CD (RAD 32228)
Chart (1994–1995) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australia (ARIA) [2] | 49 |
Canada Top Singles ( RPM ) [3] | 41 |
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100) [4] | 80 |
Germany (GfK) [5] | 89 |
Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40) [6] | 22 |
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) [7] | 15 |
Netherlands (Single Top 100) [8] | 15 |
Scotland (OCC) [9] | 30 |
UK Singles (OCC) [10] | 30 |
US Billboard Hot 100 [11] | 43 |
US Alternative Airplay ( Billboard ) [12] | 1 |
US Mainstream Rock ( Billboard ) [13] | 4 |
US Pop Airplay ( Billboard ) [14] | 34 |
Region | Date | Format(s) | Label(s) | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
United States | February 1994 | — | Radioactive | |
United Kingdom | September 26, 1994 |
| [15] | |
United Kingdom (re-release) | June 19, 1995 | [16] |
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