Livin' on the Edge

"Livin' on the Edge"
"Livin' on the Edge"
Single by Aerosmith
from the album Get a Grip
B-side	"Don't Stop"; "Can't Stop Messin'";
Released	March 1993
Length	6:07 (album version); 6:21 (full version);
Label	Geffen
Songwriter(s)	Steven Tyler; Joe Perry; Mark Hudson;
Producer(s)	Bruce Fairbairn
Aerosmith singles chronology
Music video
	"Livin' on the Edge" on YouTube
Alternative cover
	Strictly limited edition

"Livin' on the Edge" is a song by American hard rock band Aerosmith. The song was written by Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, and Mark Hudson. It was released in March 1993^[1] by Geffen Records as the first single from the band's commercially successful eleventh album, Get a Grip (1993). The single reached number 18 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, number three on the Cash Box Top 100, and number one on the Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart, where it remained for nine weeks. In the UK, the song peaked at number 19 on the 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 Rolling Stone, Mark Coleman cited "Livin' on the Edge" as an example of the album "playing it safe according to strict late-Eighties directives", and added that it "ascends into a soaring, Bon Jovi-esque power chorale; only the gritty guitars on the bridge keep the damn thing grounded."^[3] David Browne of Entertainment Weekly also found the song was uncomfortably derivative of Bon Jovi, remarking that it "might have worked better if it didn’t sound like Bon Jovi trying hard to sound like Aerosmith."^[4] Both Browne and Allmusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine described the song's lyrics as a halfhearted, ineffectual attempt at social commentary.^[4]^[5]

The song won a Grammy Award for Best Rock Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal for the year 1993.^[6] The video for the song earned the band 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 Get a Grip Tour, the band performed a portion of "She Cried" (a song recorded by Jay and the Americans, among other artists) as the intro to "Livin' on the Edge". Performances often involved Tyler screaming "There ain't no life nowhere" (from the song "I Don't Live Today" by The Jimi Hendrix Experience) and then breathing heavily over a bright light during the brief interlude. "Livin' on the Edge" was performed at the 1993 MTV Video Music Awards, 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.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Livin' on the Edge" (LP version)	Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, Mark Hudson	6:07
2.	"Don't Stop"	Tyler, Perry, Jim Vallance	4:05
3.	"Flesh" (LP version)	Tyler, Perry, Desmond Child	5:57

US maxi-CD single

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Livin' on the Edge" (LP version)	Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, Mark Hudson	6:07
2.	"Livin' on the Edge" (acoustic version)	Tyler, Perry, Hudson	5:46
3.	"Livin' on the Edge" (demo)	Tyler, Perry, Hudson	5:11
4.	"Don't Stop"	Tyler, Perry, Jim Vallance	4:06
5.	"Can't Stop Messin'"	Tyler, Perry, Desmond Child	3:30

Strictly limited-edition CD single

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Livin' on the Edge" (LP version)	Tyler, Perry, Hudson	6:07
2.	"Livin' on the Edge" (acoustic version)	Tyler, Perry, Hudson	5:41
3.	"Can't Stop Messin'" (international release LP version)	Tyler, Perry, Jack Blades, Tommy Shaw	3:21

German CD single

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Livin' on the Edge" (LP version)	Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, Mark Hudson	6:07
2.	"Don't Stop"	Tyler, Perry, Jim Vallance	4:05
3.	"Flesh" (LP version)	Tyler, Perry, Desmond Child	5:57
4.	"Livin' on the Edge" (acoustic version)	Tyler, Perry, Hudson	5:41

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1993)	Peak position
Australia (ARIA)^[8]	21
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)^[9]	47
Canada Top Singles (RPM)^[10]	10
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)^[11]	29
Europe (European Hit Radio)^[12]	19
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)^[13]	9
Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)^[14]	37
Netherlands (Single Top 100)^[15]	42
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)^[16]	11
Norway (VG-lista)^[17]	4
Portugal (AFP)^[18]	3
Spain (AFYVE)^[19]	12
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)^[20]	29
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)^[21]	21
UK Singles (OCC)^[22]	19
UK Airplay (Music Week)^[23]	23
US Billboard Hot 100^[24]	18
US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)^[25]	1
US Pop Airplay (Billboard)^[26]	19
US Cash Box Top 100^[27]	3

Year-end charts

Chart (1993)	Position
Canada Top Singles (RPM)^[28]	81
US Billboard Hot 100^[29]	94

Release history

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)	Ref.
United States	March 1993	Maxi-CD	Geffen	^[8]
Japan	March 24, 1993	Maxi-CD		^[30]
United Kingdom	March 29, 1993	12-inch vinyl CD cassette		^[31]

References

^ Strong, Martin Charles (March 16, 1995). Great Rock discography. Canongate Press. p. 7. ISBN 978-0-86241-541-9.
^ "The 20 Songs That Can Represent The Career Of Aerosmith". Society of Rock. July 8, 2020. Retrieved May 23, 2022.
^ Coleman, Mark (May 13, 1993). "Get a Grip by Aerosmith – Album Review". Rolling Stone. Retrieved November 16, 2010.
^ ^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.
^ Stephen Thomas Erlewine. "Get a Grip – Aerosmith > Overview". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved November 15, 2010.
^ "Winners: Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal". Grammy.com. Retrieved November 21, 2018.
^ Metal Edge, June 1994
^ ^a ^b "Aerosmith – Livin' on the Edge". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved September 25, 2018.
^ "Aerosmith – Livin' on the Edge" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved September 25, 2018.
^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 0979." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved September 25, 2018.
^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 10, no. 16. April 17, 1993. p. 27. Retrieved February 1, 2020.
^ "EHR Top 40" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 10, no. 18. May 1, 1993. p. 26. Retrieved April 9, 2024.
^ Nyman, Jake (2005). Suomi soi 4: Suuri suomalainen listakirja (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Tammi. ISBN 951-31-2503-3.
^ "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (21.–27. maí)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). May 19, 1993. p. 27. Retrieved October 7, 2019.
^ "Aerosmith – Livin' on the Edge" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved September 25, 2018.
^ "Aerosmith – Livin' on the Edge". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved September 25, 2018.
^ "Aerosmith – Livin' on the Edge". VG-lista. Retrieved September 25, 2018.
^ "Top 10 Sales in Europe" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 10, no. 16. April 17, 1993. p. 28. Retrieved February 1, 2020.
^ Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
^ "Aerosmith – Livin' on the Edge". Singles Top 100. Retrieved September 25, 2018.
^ "Aerosmith – Livin' on the Edge". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved September 25, 2018.
^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 25, 2018.
^ "Top 50 Airplay Chart" (PDF). Music Week. May 1, 1993. p. 18. Retrieved April 29, 2024.
^ "Aerosmith Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved September 25, 2018.
^ "Aerosmith Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved September 25, 2018.
^ "Aerosmith Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved September 25, 2018.
^ "Cashbox Magazine". Archived from the original on September 8, 2019. Retrieved May 23, 2020.
^ "The RPM Top 100 Hit Tracks of 1993". RPM. Retrieved September 25, 2018 – via Library and Archives Canada.
^ "Billboard Top 100 – 1993". Archived from the original on November 10, 2006. Retrieved August 27, 2010.
^ "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.
^ "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. March 27, 1993. p. 27.

External links

Aerosmith - Livin' on the Edge on YouTube

[1] Strong, Martin Charles (March 16, 1995). Great Rock discography. Canongate Press. p. 7. ISBN 978-0-86241-541-9.

[society-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.

[EWrev-4] Browne, David (April 23, 1993). "Get a Grip Review". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on April 21, 2009. Retrieved May 14, 2012.

[5] Stephen Thomas Erlewine. "Get a Grip – Aerosmith > Overview". 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

[aus-8] "Aerosmith – Livin' on the Edge". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved September 25, 2018.

[sc_Flanders_Aerosmith-9] "Aerosmith – Livin' on the Edge" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved September 25, 2018.

[sc_Canadatopsingles_-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] Nyman, Jake (2005). Suomi soi 4: Suuri suomalainen listakirja (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Tammi. 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.

[sc_Dutch100_Aerosmith-15] "Aerosmith – Livin' on the Edge" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved September 25, 2018.

[sc_New_Zealand_Aerosmith-16] "Aerosmith – Livin' on the Edge". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved September 25, 2018.

[sc_Norway_Aerosmith-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] Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.

[sc_Sweden_Aerosmith-20] "Aerosmith – Livin' on the Edge". Singles Top 100. Retrieved September 25, 2018.

[sc_Switzerland_Aerosmith-21] "Aerosmith – Livin' on the Edge". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved September 25, 2018.

[sc_UK_-22] "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 25, 2018.

[23] "Top 50 Airplay Chart" (PDF). Music Week. May 1, 1993. p. 18. Retrieved April 29, 2024.

[sc_Billboardhot100_Aerosmith-24] "Aerosmith Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved September 25, 2018.

[sc_Billboardmainstreamrock_Aerosmith-25] "Aerosmith Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved September 25, 2018.

[sc_Billboardpopsongs_Aerosmith-26] "Aerosmith Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved September 25, 2018.

[27] "Cashbox Magazine". Archived from the original on September 8, 2019. Retrieved May 23, 2020.

[28] "The RPM Top 100 Hit Tracks of 1993". RPM. Retrieved September 25, 2018 – via Library and Archives Canada.

[29] "Billboard Top 100 – 1993". Archived from the original on November 10, 2006. Retrieved August 27, 2010.

[30] "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.

[31] "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. March 27, 1993. p. 27.

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v t e Aerosmith
Steven Tyler Tom Hamilton Joey Kramer Joe Perry Brad Whitford Ray Tabano Jimmy Crespo Rick Dufay
Studio albums	Aerosmith Get Your Wings Toys in the Attic Rocks Draw the Line Night in the Ruts Rock in a Hard Place Done with Mirrors Permanent Vacation Pump Get a Grip Nine Lives Just Push Play Honkin' on Bobo Music from Another Dimension!
Live albums	Live! Bootleg Classics Live I and II A Little South of Sanity Rockin' the Joint
Extended plays	Vacation Club Made in America
Singles	"Dream On" "Mama Kin" "Same Old Song and Dance" "Train Kept A-Rollin'" "S.O.S. (Too Bad)" "Sweet Emotion" "Walk This Way" "You See Me Crying" "Toys in the Attic" "Last Child" "Home Tonight" "Back in the Saddle" "Draw the Line" "Kings and Queens" "Get It Up" "Come Together" "Chip Away the Stone" "Remember (Walking in the Sand)" "Bitch's Brew" "Let the Music Do the Talking" "Shela" "My Fist Your Face" "Darkness" "Dude (Looks Like a Lady)" "Hangman Jury" "Angel" "Rag Doll" "Love in an Elevator" "F.I.N.E.*" "Janie's Got a Gun" "What It Takes" "The Other Side" "Monkey on My Back" "Love Me Two Times" "Helter Skelter" "Livin' on the Edge" "Eat the Rich" "Fever" "Cryin'" "Amazing" "Shut Up and Dance" "Deuces Are Wild" "Crazy" "Blind Man" "Walk on Water" "Nine Lives" "Falling in Love (Is Hard on the Knees)" "Hole in My Soul" "Pink" "Taste of India" "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" "What Kind of Love Are You On" "Angel's Eye" "Jaded" "Fly Away from Here" "Sunshine" "Just Push Play" "Girls of Summer" "Baby, Please Don't Go" "Devil's Got a New Disguise" "Legendary Child" "Lover Alot" "What Could Have Been Love" "Can't Stop Lovin' You"
Compilations	Greatest Hits (1980) Gems Pandora's Box Pandora's Toys Big Ones Box of Fire Classic Aerosmith: The Universal Masters Collection Young Lust: The Aerosmith Anthology O, Yeah! Ultimate Aerosmith Hits Devil's Got a New Disguise: The Very Best of Aerosmith Tough Love: Best of the Ballads Greatest Hits (2023)
Videos and DVDs	Aerosmith Video Scrapbook Permanent Vacation 3x5 Live Texxas Jam '78 Things That Go Pump in the Night The Making of Pump Big Ones You Can Look At You Gotta Move Rock for the Rising Sun
Concert tours	Back in the Saddle Tour Permanent Vacation Tour Pump Tour Get a Grip Tour Nine Lives Tour Just Push Play Tour Aerosmith World Tour 2007 Aerosmith/ZZ Top Tour Cocked, Locked, Ready to Rock Tour Global Warming Tour Let Rock Rule Tour Blue Army Tour Rock 'N' Roll Rumble Tour Aero-Vederci Baby! Tour Deuces Are Wild Peace Out: The Farewell Tour
Related articles	Discography Videography Songs Band members Concert tours Awards Super Bowl XXXV halftime show Toxic Twins The Strangeurs/Chain Reaction Whitford/St. Holmes The Joe Perry Project Walk This Way: The Autobiography of Aerosmith Wherehouse Aero Force One Blue Army Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith Quest for Fame Revolution X Guitar Hero: Aerosmith songs "Boulevard of Broken Songs"
Category

v t e Grammy Award for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal
1970s	"Heartache Tonight" – Eagles (1979)
1980s	Against the Wind – Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band (1980) "Don't Stand So Close to Me" – The Police (1981) "Eye of the Tiger" – Survivor (1982) Synchronicity – The Police (1983) "Purple Rain" – Prince and the Revolution (1984) "Money for Nothing" – Dire Straits (1985) "Missionary Man" – Eurythmics (1986) The Joshua Tree – U2 (1987) "Desire" – U2 (1988) "Traveling Wilburys Vol. 1" – Traveling Wilburys (1989)
1990s	"Janie's Got a Gun" – Aerosmith (1990) "Good Man, Good Woman" – Bonnie Raitt and Delbert McClinton (1991) "Achtung Baby" – U2 (1992) "Livin' on the Edge" – Aerosmith (1993) "Crazy" – Aerosmith (1994) "Run-Around" – Blues Traveler (1995) "So Much to Say" – Dave Matthews Band (1996) "One Headlight" – The Wallflowers (1997) "Pink" – Aerosmith (1998) "Put Your Lights On" – Everlast and Santana (1999)
2000s	"Beautiful Day" – U2 (2000) "Elevation" – U2 (2001) "In My Place" – Coldplay (2002) "Disorder in the House" – Bruce Springsteen and Warren Zevon (2003) "Vertigo" – U2 (2004) "Sometimes You Can't Make It on Your Own" – U2 (2005) "Dani California" – Red Hot Chili Peppers (2006) "Icky Thump" – The White Stripes (2007) "Sex on Fire" – Kings of Leon (2008) "Use Somebody" – Kings of Leon (2009)
2010s	"Tighten Up" – The Black Keys (2010)

v t e MTV Video Music Award – Viewer's Choice
1980s	Michael Jackson – "Thriller" (1984) USA for Africa – "We Are the World" (1985) A-ha – "Take On Me" (1986) U2 – "With or Without You" (1987) INXS – "Need You Tonight/Mediate" (1988) Madonna – "Like a Prayer" (1989)
1990s	Aerosmith – "Janie's Got a Gun" (1990) Queensrÿche – "Silent Lucidity" (1991) Red Hot Chili Peppers – "Under the Bridge" (1992) Aerosmith – "Livin' on the Edge" (1993) Aerosmith – "Cryin'" (1994) TLC – "Waterfalls" (1995) Bush – "Glycerine" (1996) The Prodigy – "Breathe" (1997) Puff Daddy and the Family (featuring The Lox, Lil' Kim, The Notorious B.I.G., and Fuzzbubble) – "It's All about the Benjamins" (1998) Backstreet Boys – "I Want It That Way" (1999)
2000s	NSYNC – "Bye Bye Bye" (2000) NSYNC – "Pop" (2001) Michelle Branch – "Everywhere" (2002) Good Charlotte – "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous" (2003) Linkin Park – "Breaking the Habit" (2004) Green Day – "American Idiot" (2005) Fall Out Boy – "Dance, Dance" (2006)