Highwire (song)

Not to be confused with High Wire (song).

"Highwire" is an anti-war song by English rock band the Rolling Stones, featured on their 1991 live album, Flashpoint.^[3] Written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, the song is one of the rare examples of the Stones taking on political issues—in this case, the fall-out from Persian Gulf War.

"Highwire"
Single by the Rolling Stones
from the album Flashpoint
B-side	"2000 Light Years from Home (live)"
Released	4 March 1991 (1991-03-04)
Recorded	7–18 January 1991[1]
Studio	Hit Factory (London, England)[1]
Genre	Heartland rock[2]
Length	3:41
Label	Rolling Stones
Songwriter(s)	Jagger/Richards
Producer(s)	Chris Kimsey, The Glimmer Twins
The Rolling Stones singles chronology
"Terrifying" (1990) "Highwire" (1991) "Ruby Tuesday (live)" (1991)

"Highwire" was released as Flashpoint's first single on 4 March 1991. It reached number four in Finland, Norway, and Portugal, number six in the Netherlands, number 10 in Canada, and number 57 in the United States. In the latter country, the single peaked at number one on the Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart for three weeks. An accompanying video directed by Julien Temple was released and depicts the Stones in an industrial set performing the song.

Background

On the song, Jagger said at the time of its release, "It's not about the war. It's about how it started."^[4] His brother Chris Jagger noted "it is a sideways swipe at the policies surrounding the Gulf War".^[5] Richards continued, saying, "This is not about the war. It's about how you build up some shaky dictator. You can't build them up, 'cause then you've got to slam them down."^[4]

The song's lyrics deconstructs the build-up to the war and criticises the politics behind it:

We sell 'em missiles, We sell 'em tanks; We give 'em credit, You can call the bank; It's just a business, You can pay us in crude; You love these toys, just go play out your feuds; Got no pride, don't know whose boots to lick; We act so greedy, makes me sick sick sick.

We walk the highwire; Sending the men up to the front line; Hoping they don't catch the hell fire; With hot guns and cold, cold lies.

Critical reception

Pan-European magazine Music & Media wrote, "Still controversial after all these years -- that is a compliment in itself. This antiwar song sounds as if it was recorded in the days of Exile On Main Street. Richards's mean guitar riff underpins Jagger's biting vocals. No DJ can possibly deny the strong impact of it."^[6]

Music video

The accompanying music video for "Highwire" shows the band members performing against an industrial backdrop. The video did not feature Bill Wyman, leading to speculation that he had left the band. "Highwire" proved to be his last single release with the band, although his departure was not confirmed until 1993.

Personnel

• Mick Jagger – vocals
• Keith Richards – guitar
• Ronnie Wood – guitar, pedal steel guitar
• Bill Wyman – bass guitar
• Charlie Watts – drums

Charts

Weekly charts Weekly chart performance for "Highwire" Chart (1991) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[7] 54 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[8] 23 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[9] 13 Canada Top Singles (RPM)[10] 10 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[11] 21 Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[12] 4 France (SNEP)[13] 28 Germany (GfK)[14] 27 Ireland (IRMA)[15] 16 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[16] 8 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[17] 6 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[18] 32 Norway (VG-lista)[19] 4 Portugal (AFP)[20] 4 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[21] 14 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[22] 14 UK Singles (OCC)[23] 29 US Billboard Hot 100[24] 57 US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)[25] 28 US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[26] 1 US Cash Box Top 100[27] 49 US AOR Tracks (Radio & Records)[28] 1

Year-end charts Year-end chart performance for "Highwire" Chart (1991) Position Canada Top Singles (RPM)[29] 89 Europe (European Hit Radio)[30] 63 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[31] 82 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[32] 75 US Album Rock Tracks (Billboard)[33] 35

Release history

Release dates and formats for "Highwire"

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)	Ref.
United States	4 March 1991	7-inch vinyl cassette	Rolling Stones	[1]
Japan	21 March 1991	Mini-CD		[34]

See also

• List of anti-war songs
• List of number-one mainstream rock hits (United States)

References

1. "1991 timeline".
2. Marchese, David (5 May 2017). "Ranking All 374 Rolling Stones Songs". Vulture. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
3. John Stewart Bowman Facts about the American wars -- 1998 p716 "But neither that nor another antiwar song, "Highwire," by the Rolling Stones, received much attention. Nor did "Die for Oil, Sucker," by Jello Biafra, formerly of the Dead Kennedys. "
4. "Highwire". Time Is On Our Side. Retrieved 18 July 2006.
5. Sutcliffe, Phil (5 March 1991). "Stories". Q Magazine. 55: 10–11.
6. "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. 30 March 1991. p. 12. Retrieved 11 December 2022.
7. Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 238.
8. "The Rolling Stones – Highwire" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 18 June 2016.
9. "The Rolling Stones – Highwire" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 18 June 2016.
10. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 1510." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 28 July 2019.
11. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 8, no. 18. 4 May 1991. p. 25. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
12. Nyman, Jake (2005). Suomi soi 4: Suuri suomalainen listakirja (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Tammi. ISBN 951-31-2503-3.
13. "The Rolling Stones – Highwire" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 18 June 2016.
14. "The Rolling Stones – Highwire" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 18 June 2016.
15. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – High Wire". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 18 June 2016.
16. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 16, 1991" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 28 July 2019.
17. "The Rolling Stones – Highwire" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 18 June 2016.
18. "The Rolling Stones – Highwire". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 18 June 2016.
19. "The Rolling Stones – Highwire". VG-lista. Retrieved 18 June 2016.
20. "Top 10 Sales in Europe" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 8, no. 18. 4 May 1991. p. 22. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
21. "The Rolling Stones – Highwire". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 18 June 2016.
22. "The Rolling Stones – Highwire". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 18 June 2016.
23. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 28 July 2019.
24. "The Rolling Stones Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 18 June 2016.
25. "The Rolling Stones Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved 18 June 2016.
26. "The Rolling Stones Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved 18 June 2016.
27. "U.S. Cash Box Charts" (PDF). popmusichistory. Retrieved June 21, 2023.
28. "AOR Tracks" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 881. 15 March 1991. p. 74. Retrieved 10 May 2022.
29. "RPM 100 Hit Tracks of 1991". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 23 November 2017.
30. "EHR Year-End Top 100" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 8, no. 51–52. 21 December 1991. p. 20. Retrieved 24 February 2024.
31. "Top 100–Jaaroverzicht van 1991". Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 15 August 2021.
32. "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1991" (in Dutch). MegaCharts. Retrieved 28 July 2019.
33. "The Year in Music 1991: Top Album Rock Tracks". Billboard. Vol. 103, no. 51. 21 December 1991. p. 41.
34. "ハイワイアー | ザ・ローリング・ストーンズ" [Highwire | The Rolling Stones] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 26 February 2024.