Selling the Drama

"Selling the Drama"
Single by Live
from the album Throwing Copper
B-side	"The Dam at Otter Creek" "Shit Towne" "Lightning Crashes"
Released	February 1994
Format	7", 10", 12", CD, Cassette
Genre	Alternative rock, post-grunge
Length	3:27
Label	Radioactive
Writer(s)	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 #1 on Billboard's Modern Rock Tracks, becoming their first of three singles to reach the top of this chart. The song reached #43 on the Billboard Hot 100.^[1] Live's performance of "Selling The Drama" at Woodstock '94 was their featured song on the Woodstock '94 double album.

Music video

The video is set in a wooded area and filmed in both black and white and color, showing the band playing the song and Ed tearing pages out of a book. The video is notable for one of the last appearances of lead singer Ed Kowalczyk's long hair, which he shaved off around the time that "I Alone" was released as a single.

Charts

As well as reaching #43 in the US, it charted at #30 in the UK,^[2] #41 in Canada,^[3] #15 in the Netherlands and #49 in Australia.^[4]

Chart (1994)	Peak position
Canadian RPM Singles Chart	41
UK Singles Chart[5]	30
U.S. Billboard Hot 100	43
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Airplay	42
U.S. Billboard Album Rock Tracks[6]	4
U.S. Billboard Modern Rock Tracks[6]	1
U.S. Billboard Mainstream Top 40	34

Track listings

All songs written by Live:

US promo CD (RAR5P-2911)

1994

US promo CD (RAR3P-2979)

1. "Selling the Drama" - 3:28
2. "The Dam at Otter Creek" - 4:42
3. "Shit Towne" - 3:47

US cassette (RARCS-54816)

1. "Selling the Drama" - 3:26

1. "Lightning Crashes" - 5:25

US promo 10" (RAR8P-2984)

	"Selling the Drama" - 3:26 "The Dam at Otter Creek" - 4:40 "Shit Towne" - 3:48

Australian CD (RAD 31542)

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

UK CD (RAXTD 11)

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

UK CD (RAXTD 17)

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

UK CD (RAXXD 17)

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

UK cassette (RAXC 11)

1. "Selling the Drama" - 3:26
2. "Selling the Drama" (Acoustic) - 3:40
3. "White, Discussion" - 4:40

UK cassette (RAXC 17)

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

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

UK promo 12" (WRAXT 17)

1. "Selling the Drama" - 3:25

1. "Operation Spirit (The Tyranny of Tradition)" (Live) - 3:35
2. "I Alone" (Live) - 5:35

European CD (RAD 33128)

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

French CD (RAD 32228)

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

Italian promo split 7" (PR011)

1. E.Y.C. - "Black Book" (Radio Mix) - 3:58

1. Live - "Selling the Drama" - 3:26

References

1. "Throwing Copper > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles" Allmusic
2. "Live - Selling The Drama" Chart Stats
3. "RPM Top Singles - Volume 60, No. 2, August 01 1994" RPM via Library and Archives Canada
4. "LIVE - SELLING THE DRAMA (NUMMER)" Ultratop
5. "Lightning Crashes" Chart Stats
6. "Throwing Copper > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles" Allmusic

External links

• Official website
• "Selling The Drama" Music Video via YouTube