"Live Wire" is the debut single by the American heavy metal band Mötley Crüe. It was released on their 1981 debut album Too Fast for Love.
| "Live Wire" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Single by Mötley Crüe | ||||
| from the album Too Fast for Love | ||||
| Released | August 16, 1982 | |||
| Recorded | 1981 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 3:15 | |||
| Label | Leathür | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Nikki Sixx | |||
| Mötley Crüe singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Music videos | ||||
| "Live Wire" on YouTube | ||||
Overview edit
The video was directed by the members of Mötley Crüe. It showcases the band's stage theatrics, such as Nikki Sixx setting himself on fire (due to lack of money to perform on stage pyrotechnics) and Mick Mars drooling blood. The single was released on August 16, 1982. In May 2006, it was ranked #17 on VH1's list of the 40 greatest metal songs of all time.[4]
The song was remixed in 1991 alongside "Piece of Your Action" for the compilation album Decade of Decadence.
Cover versions edit
In 2000, fellow heavy metal band Fozzy covered this song for their debut self-titled album. Swedish hardcore punk band Refused included a cover in their The Demo Compilation. In 2010, Japanese rock band Vamps covered it as the B-side to their single "Devil Side". Meghan Kabir recorded a slow version of the song for Mötley Crüe's 2019 biopic The Dirt.[5]
In 2014, The Cadillac Three covered the song on Nashville Outlaws: A Tribute to Mötley Crüe released via Big Machine Records.
Personnel edit
- Vince Neil – lead vocals
- Mick Mars – guitars, backing vocals
- Nikki Sixx – bass, backing vocals
- Tommy Lee – drums, backing vocals
In popular culture edit
"Live Wire" appears in the soundtracks to the video games Tony Hawk's American Wasteland, Brütal Legend, Saints Row: The Third, and NBA 2K20. The song also appears on the soundtrack to Charlie's Angels. It also appears in the Netflix original film The Dirt which is about Mötley Crüe's history.
Charts edit
| Chart (2019) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs (Billboard)[6] | 24 |
References edit
- ^ Sleazegrinder (December 4, 2015). "The 20 Best Hair Metal Anthems Of All Time Ever". Louder Sound. Retrieved March 3, 2021.
- ^ Callwood, Brett (June 3, 2017). "10 Classic Hair Metal Songs for People Who Don't Know Shit About Hair Metal". LA Weekly. Retrieved October 10, 2021.
- ^ Hadusek, Jon (February 22, 2021). "15-year-old girl sings Mötley Crüe's "Live Wire" on American Idol, impresses Nikki Sixx: Watch". Consequence. Retrieved June 11, 2021.
- ^ "VH1 40 Greatest Metal Songs". VH1. May 4, 2006. Archived from the original on February 26, 2009.
- ^ Lifton, Dave; Wilkening, Matthew (March 22, 2019). "The Stories Behind the Non-Mötley Crüe Songs in The Dirt". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved April 9, 2019.
- ^ "Motley Crue Chart History (Hot Rock & Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved April 2, 2019.