Livin' on the Edge

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"Livin' on the Edge"
Single by Aerosmith
from the album Get a Grip
B-side
  • "Don't Stop"
  • "Can't Stop Messin'"
ReleasedMarch 1993
Length
  • 6:07 (album version)
  • 6:21 (full version)
LabelGeffen
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Bruce Fairbairn
Aerosmith singles chronology
"Sweet Emotion (reissue)"
(1991) 		"Livin' on the Edge"
(1993) 		"Eat the Rich"
(1993)
Music video
"Livin' on the Edge" on
YouTube
Alternative cover
Strictly limited edition
Strictly limited edition

"Livin' on the Edge" is a song by American

UK Singles Chart
in April 1993.

Background

According to the band's autobiography Walk This Way, the song was inspired by the 1992 Los Angeles riots.[2] Tyler also mentions in the book that the song features the sound of a bass drum he stole from his high school; four loud beats are heard from that drum in a pause between the final verse and chorus.

Music video

The music video for "Livin' on the Edge" was directed by American director Marty Callner and features actor Edward Furlong. It depicts vandalism, grand theft auto, joyriding, airbag crashing, unprotected sex, violence among school-aged youth, cross-dressing teachers, a naked Steven Tyler holding a zipper by his crotch with half his body painted black (to give the effect he pulled down a zipper, unzipping his body) and lead guitarist Joe Perry playing a lead guitar solo in front of an oncoming McCloud River Railroad freight train. The train scene was filmed on Lake Britton Bridge in Shasta County, California, the same bridge where Stand by Me filmed their famous train scene and employs the same Introvision technology.

Reception

"Livin' on the Edge" met with dismissive reactions from music critics. Reviewing Get a Grip for

Allmusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine described the song's lyrics as a halfhearted, ineffectual attempt at social commentary.[4][5]

The song won a

Viewer's Choice award at the 1993 MTV Video Music Awards. The video was also voted "Best Video" by Metal Edge readers in the magazine's 1993 Readers' Choice Awards.[7]

Live performances

"Livin' on the Edge" has been a staple at Aerosmith concerts ever since its release. During the

36th Grammy Awards, and at Woodstock '94. Additionally, the band performed the song as part of its set at the United We Stand benefit concert, held in Washington, D.C. shortly after the September 11 attacks
.

Track listings

CD single

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Livin' on the Edge" (LP version)Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, Mark Hudson6:07
2."Don't Stop"Tyler, Perry, Jim Vallance4:05
3."Flesh" (LP version)Tyler, Perry, Desmond Child5:57

US maxi-CD single

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Livin' on the Edge" (LP version)Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, Mark Hudson6:07
2."Livin' on the Edge" (acoustic version)Tyler, Perry, Hudson5:46
3."Livin' on the Edge" (demo)Tyler, Perry, Hudson5:11
4."Don't Stop"Tyler, Perry, Jim Vallance4:06
5."Can't Stop Messin'"Tyler, Perry, Desmond Child3:30

Strictly limited-edition CD single

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Livin' on the Edge" (LP version)Tyler, Perry, Hudson6:07
2."Livin' on the Edge" (acoustic version)Tyler, Perry, Hudson5:41
3."Can't Stop Messin'" (international release LP version)Tyler, Perry, Jack Blades, Tommy Shaw3:21

German CD single

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Livin' on the Edge" (LP version)Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, Mark Hudson6:07
2."Don't Stop"Tyler, Perry, Jim Vallance4:05
3."Flesh" (LP version)Tyler, Perry, Desmond Child5:57
4."Livin' on the Edge" (acoustic version)Tyler, Perry, Hudson5:41

Charts

Release history

Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
United States March 1993 Maxi-CD Geffen [8]
Japan March 24, 1993 [29]
United Kingdom March 29, 1993
  • 12-inch vinyl
  • CD
  • cassette
 [30]

See also

Livin' In the Fridge

References

  1. ISBN 978-0-86241-541-9
    .
  2. ^ "The 20 Songs That Can Represent The Career Of Aerosmith". Society of Rock. July 8, 2020. Retrieved May 23, 2022.
  3. ^ Coleman, Mark (May 13, 1993). "Get a Grip by Aerosmith – Album Review". Rolling Stone. Retrieved November 16, 2010.
  4. ^ a b Browne, David (April 23, 1993). "Get a Grip Review". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on April 21, 2009. Retrieved May 14, 2012.
  5. Allmusic
    . Rovi Corporation. Retrieved November 15, 2010.
  6. ^ "Winners: Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal". Grammy.com. Retrieved November 21, 2018.
  7. ^ Metal Edge, June 1994
  8. ^ a b "Aerosmith – Livin' on the Edge". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved September 25, 2018.
  9. ^ "Aerosmith – Livin' on the Edge" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved September 25, 2018.
  10. ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 0979." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved September 25, 2018.
  11. ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 10, no. 16. April 17, 1993. p. 27. Retrieved February 1, 2020.
  12. ^ "EHR Top 40" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 10, no. 18. May 1, 1993. p. 26. Retrieved April 9, 2024.
  13. ISBN 951-31-2503-3
    .
  14. ^ "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (21.–27. maí)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). May 19, 1993. p. 27. Retrieved October 7, 2019.
  15. ^ "Aerosmith – Livin' on the Edge" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved September 25, 2018.
  16. ^ "Aerosmith – Livin' on the Edge". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved September 25, 2018.
  17. ^ "Aerosmith – Livin' on the Edge". VG-lista. Retrieved September 25, 2018.
  18. ^ "Top 10 Sales in Europe" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 10, no. 16. April 17, 1993. p. 28. Retrieved February 1, 2020.
  19. ISBN 84-8048-639-2
    .
  20. ^ "Aerosmith – Livin' on the Edge". Singles Top 100. Retrieved September 25, 2018.
  21. ^ "Aerosmith – Livin' on the Edge". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved September 25, 2018.
  22. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 25, 2018.
  23. ^ "Aerosmith Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved September 25, 2018.
  24. ^ "Aerosmith Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved September 25, 2018.
  25. ^ "Aerosmith Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved September 25, 2018.
  26. ^ "Cashbox Magazine". Archived from the original on September 8, 2019. Retrieved May 23, 2020.
  27. ^ "The RPM Top 100 Hit Tracks of 1993". RPM. Retrieved September 25, 2018 – via Library and Archives Canada.
  28. ^ "Billboard Top 100 – 1993". Archived from the original on November 10, 2006. Retrieved August 27, 2010.
  29. ^ "リビング・オン・ジ・エッジ | エアロスミス" [Living on the Edge | Aerosmith] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved August 29, 2023.
  30. ^ "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. March 27, 1993. p. 27.

External links

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