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Selling the Drama

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"Selling the Drama"
US commercial cassette single
Single by Live
from the album Throwing Copper
B-side
ReleasedFebruary 1994
Length3:27
LabelRadioactive
Songwriter(s)Live
Producer(s)Jerry Harrison, Live
Live singles chronology
"Mirror Song"
(1992) 		"Selling the Drama"
(1994) 		"I Alone"
(1994)

"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.

Background

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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]

Music video

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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.

Track listings

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All songs were written by Live.

US cassette

  1. "Selling the Drama" – 3:26
  2. "Lightning Crashes" – 5:25

Australian CD

  1. "Selling the Drama" – 3:26
  2. "The Dam at Otter Creek" – 4:40
  3. "Shit Towne" – 3:48

UK CD and cassette

  1. "Selling the Drama" – 3:27
  2. "Selling the Drama" (acoustic) – 3:40
  3. "White, Discussion" – 4:39

UK CD

  1. "Selling the Drama" – 3:26
  2. "I Alone" (bootleg) – 4:23
  3. "Operation Spirit (The Tyranny of Tradition)" (bootleg) – 4:53

UK and European CD

  1. "Selling the Drama" – 3:26
  2. "The Dam at Otter Creek" (bootleg) – 5:35
  3. "Selling the Drama" (bootleg) – 3:35

UK cassette

  1. "Selling the Drama" – 3:25
  2. "The Dam at Otter Creek" (Bootleg) – 3:35

French CD

  1. "Selling the Drama" – 3:27
  2. "Selling the Drama" (acoustic) – 3:38

German CD (RAD 31974)

  1. "Selling the Drama" – 3:27
  2. "Selling the Drama" (acoustic) – 3:40
  3. "White, Discussion" (special radio edit) – 4:40

German CD (RAD 32228)

  1. "Selling the Drama" – 3:27
  2. "Selling the Drama" (acoustic) – 3:38

Charts

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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

Release history

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Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
United States February 1994 — Radioactive
United Kingdom September 26, 1994
  • CD
  • cassette
 [15]
United Kingdom (re-release) June 19, 1995 [16]

References

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  1. ^ a b Live - In Conversation (Interview with Chad Gracey and Ed Kowalczyk). 1994. Retrieved October 7, 2024 – via YouTube.
  2. ^ "Live – Selling the Drama". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved August 9, 2019.
  3. ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 2550." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved August 9, 2019.
  4. ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 12, no. 27. July 8, 1995. p. 12. Retrieved September 5, 2020.
  5. ^ "Live – Selling the Drama" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved August 9, 2019.
  6. ^ "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (08.9.–14.9. '94)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). September 8, 1994. p. 16. Archived from the original on April 16, 2021. Retrieved October 1, 2019.
  7. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 24, 1995" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved August 9, 2019.
  8. ^ "Live – Selling the Drama" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved August 9, 2019.
  9. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 9, 2019.
  10. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 9, 2019.
  11. ^ "Live Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved August 9, 2019.
  12. ^ "Live Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved August 9, 2019.
  13. ^ "Live Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved August 9, 2019.
  14. ^ "Live Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved August 9, 2019.
  15. ^ "Single Releases". Music Week. September 24, 1994. p. 25.
  16. ^ "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. June 17, 1995. p. 31.
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