Highwire (song)

Infobox Single
Name = Highwire


Artist = the Rolling Stones
from Album = Flashpoint
Released = March 1, 1991
Format = CD, 7"
Recorded = January, 1991
Genre = Rock
Length = 4 min 46 s
Label = Rolling Stones/Virgin
Writer = Jagger/Richards
Producer = Chris Kimsey & The Glimmer Twins
Chart position =

• #57 (US)
• #29 (UK)
  Reviews =
  Last single = "Terrifying"
  (1990)
  This single = "Highwire"
  (1991)
  Next single = "Ruby Tuesday"
  (1991) |

  "Highwire" is a song by the Rolling Stones featured on their 1991 live album "Flashpoint".

  Written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, "Highwire" is one of the rare examples of the Stones taking on political issues - in this case, the fall-out from Persian Gulf War. On the song, Jagger said at the time of its release, "It's not about the war. It's about how it started."cite web| last =| first =| title = Highwire| work = Time Is On Our Side| publisher =| url = http://timeisonourside.com/SOHighwire.html| accessdate = 2006-07-18] 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."

  The song's lyrics deconstructed the build-up to the war, and criticized the politics behind it;

  "Highwire" was released as "Flashpoint"'s first single on March 1, 1991. It reached number 29 on the UK Charts, number 57 in the US, and number 1 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. An accompanying video directed by Julien Temple was released and depicted the Stones in an industrial set performing the song.

  Notes