abstract
| - %22Highwire%22 is an anti-war song by The Rolling Stones featured on their 1991 live album Flashpoint.Written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, %22Highwire%22 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, %22It's not about the war. It's about how it started.%22 Richards continued, saying, %22This 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.%22The song's lyrics deconstructed the build-up to the war, and criticized the politics behind it:%22Highwire%22 was released as Flashpoint's first single on 1 March 1991. It reached #29 in the UK, #57 in the US, #28 on the Modern Rock Tracks chart, and #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.
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