Living in Danger

"Living in Danger" is a 1994 song recorded by Swedish group Ace of Base. It was released as the seventh and final single from their debut album, Happy Nation (U.S. version) and fourth single from their American debut release The Sign.[1] The single peaked at number 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the U.S. in 1994. It also topped the American dance chart in December of that year. And at the Cash Box Top 100 it peaked at number 10. The single later reached number 18 on the UK Singles Chart in January 1995. Ace of Base performed the song on the first MTV Europe Music Awards in Berlin, Germany in 1994. In 2003, Q Magazine ranked "Living in Danger" at number 81 in their list of the "1001 Best Songs Ever".[2]

"Living in Danger"
Single cover
Single by Ace of Base
from the album Happy Nation (U.S. Version)/The Sign
Released
  • 4 October 1994 (USA)
  • 31 October 1994 (Europe)
  • 2 January 1995 (UK)
RecordedMid-1993
Genre
Length
  • 3:10 Single Version
  • 3:39 (Album Version)
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Tommy Ekman
  • Per Adebratt
Ace of Base singles chronology
"Don't Turn Around"
(1994)		 "Living in Danger"
(1994)		 "Lucky Love"
(1995)
Music video
"Living in Danger" on YouTube

Critical reception

Annie Zaleski from The A.V. Club said that the song take influence from "easygoing reggae".[3] Larry Flick from Billboard commented that the Swedish pop phenomenon "shows no sign of loosening its hypnotic hold over top 40 programmers and pop-minded consumers." He added that the song "sticks pretty close to the formula of previous hits: Galloping pop/reggae beats are covered with fluttering synths, a contagious hook, and somewhat disconnected vocal."[4] John Kilgo from The Network Forty wrote that "already stamped as "The Artists of '94," the Swedish quartet strikes again. Showcasing their trademark groove, this number will soar to the top of the charts."[5] Pop Rescue noted the song as "catchy" in their review of Happy Nation, and added that "vocally, it's probably the best track so far".[6]

Chart performance

"Living in Danger" was a major hit on the charts on several continents, although it didn't reach the same level of success as "The Sign" and "Don't Turn Around". In Europe, it managed to climb into the Top 20 in Austria, Ireland, Scotland and the United Kingdom. In the latter, the single peaked at number 18 in its first week at the UK Singles Chart, on January 8, 1995.[7] But on the UK Dance Chart, it was a even bigger hit, reaching number 11. Additionally, "Living in Danger" was a Top 30 hit in Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden and Switzerland, and a Top 40 hit in France and Iceland, as well as on the Eurochart Hot 100. On MTV's European Top 20, the song reached number 6. Outside Europe, it climbed to the Top 10 in Canada, peaking at number 7 on the RPM Singles Chart and in the Top 20 on the US Billboard Hot 100. And it also hit number-one on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play.

1994 European Music Awards

Ace of Base performed this song on the first ever MTV Europe Music Awards held in Germany in 1994. They performed "Living in Danger" in the front of Berlin's Brandenburg Gate. They were also nominated for Best Cover with "Don't Turn Around" this year.

Music video

A music video was produced to promote the single. The video was directed by Matt Broadley. He also directed the music videos of "All That She Wants", "Happy Nation" and "Don't Turn Around". The video was shot in Kungsträdgårdens tunnelbana, an underground metro station in Stockholm, Sweden in September 1994.[8]

The music video of "Living in Danger" opens with the four members of Ace of Base, each of them following one of four people into the underground metro. These are a priest, a war veteran, a female worker of the station and a woman with paranoia. The worker sits in the ticket booth watching the busy people passing by, as if no one really noticed her. On the metro carriage, the paranoic woman looks at the war veteran (who is seen, in flashbacks, during the war being blessed by the priest, who is actually on the same carriage) by the mirror. Then she runs off the train as soon as it reaches the station, scared. In her haste, she falls over behind the ticket office. The station worker helps her up and offers her some coffee. When both men leave the train, the veteran recognizes the priest and the two begin talking, cheerfully. At the end of the video we see Joker and Buddha leaving the metro station together. Linn and Jenny are standing together on the metro.

One of the people used a Game Boy in the video. It was uploaded to YouTube in January 2015. As of August 2020, the video has got more than 16,2 million views.[9]

Track listings
  • United Kingdom Maxi CD:
  1. Living in Danger (Radio Edit) - 3:10
  2. Living in Danger (Old School Mix Short Version) - 3:39
  3. Living in Danger (D-House Mix Long Version) - 10:03
  4. Living in Danger (New Buddha Version) - 3:35
  5. Living in Danger (For The Big Clubs Mix) - 10:15
  • United States Maxi CD
  1. Living in Danger (Radio Remix) - 3:10
  2. Living in Danger (Album Version) - 3:19
  3. Living in Danger (Old School Mix) - 4:56
  4. Living in Danger (D-House Mix) - 10:08
  5. Living in Danger (Principle Mix) - 8:50
  6. Living in Danger (Buddha Version) - 3:35

Personnel
  • Vocals by Linn Berggren, Jenny Berggren and Ulf Ekberg
  • Backing Vocals by John Ballard
  • Written by Jonas Berggren and Ulf Ekberg
  • Produced by Tommy Ekman and Per Adebratt
  • Pre-Production by Jonas Berggren and Ulf Ekberg, T.O.E.C.
  • Recorded at Tuff Studios, Gothenburg

Charts

References
  1. "Ace of Base Happy Nation". AllMusic. Retrieved 2017-07-26.
  2. "Q - 1001 best songs ever (2003)".
  3. Zaleski, Annie (2018-02-19). "Good timing turned Ace Of Base's The Sign into the luckiest hit of the '90s". The A.V. Club. Retrieved 2020-04-06.
  4. "Billboard: Single Reviews" (PDF). Billboard. Retrieved 2018-01-23.
  5. "Mainstream: Music Meeting" (PDF). The Network Forty. 1994-09-30. p. 20. Retrieved 2018-02-21.
  6. "REVIEW: "HAPPY NATION" BY ACE OF BASE (CD, 1993)". Pop Rescue. 2014-10-22. Retrieved 2020-03-22.
  7. "Official Singles Chart Top 100 08 January 1995 - 14 January 1995". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2020-09-16.
  8. Ace of Base gallery
  9. "Ace of Base - Living in Danger (Official Music Video)". YouTube. Retrieved 2020-08-28.
  10. "Response from ARIA re: chart inquiry, received 24 May 2016". Imgur.com. Retrieved 2016-05-24.
  11. "Austriancharts.at – Ace of Base – Living in Danger" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 2011-04-13.
  12. "Ultratop.be – Ace of Base – Living in Danger" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 2011-04-13.
  13. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 2662." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  14. "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 2663." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  15. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 12 no. 3. 21 January 1995. p. 13. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  16. "Lescharts.com – Ace of Base – Living in Danger" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 2011-04-13.
  17. "Offiziellecharts.de – Ace of Base – Living in Danger". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 29 October 2018.
  18. "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 27.10.1994 - 02.11.1994" (PDF). Dagblaðið Vísir - Tónlist. Retrieved 2018-02-01.
  19. "The Irish Charts – All there is to know > Search results for 'Living in Danger' (from irishcharts.ie)". Imgur.com. Retrieved 2016-05-24.
  20. Israel Top-30 15.11.1994
  21. "Nederlandse Top 40 – Ace of Base" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 2011-04-13.
  22. "Dutchcharts.nl – Ace of Base – Living in Danger" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  23. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100 (08 January 1995-14 January 1995)". officialcharts.com. Retrieved 2018-02-07.
  24. "Swedishcharts.com – Ace of Base – Living in Danger". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 2011-04-13.
  25. "Swisscharts.com – Ace of Base – Living in Danger". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 2011-04-13.
  26. "Official Charts > Ace of Base". The Official UK Charts Company. Retrieved 2016-05-24.
  27. https://fatherandy2.proboards.com/board/6/airplay-chart-archive
  28. "Official UK Dance Singles Chart (08 January 1995-14 January 1995)". officialcharts.com. Retrieved 2018-02-09.
  29. Allmusic. Ace of Base | Billboard Singles.
  30. "Cash Box Top 100 Pop Singles" (PDF). Cash Box (1994-11-05). Retrieved 19 February 2018.
  31. "RPM Top 100 Hit Tracks of 1994". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  32. "Jaarlijsten 1994" (in Dutch). Stichting Nederlandse Top 40. Retrieved 29 November 2019.
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