High Wire (song) explained

High Wire (song) should not be confused with Highwire (song).

High Wire
Cover:	Men_at Work-High_Wire.jpg
Type:	single
Artist:	Men at Work
Album:	Cargo
B-Side:	I Like To (Live)
Released:	November 1983
Recorded:	1982
Genre:	Pop
Length:	3:02
Label:	Columbia
Producer:	Peter McLan
Prev Title:	It's a Mistake
Prev Year:	1983
Next Title:	Everything I Need
Next Year:	1985

"High Wire" is a song by the Australian group Men at Work.^[1] The song was written by Men at Work singer/guitarist Colin Hay^[2] and the recording was produced by Peter McIan. It was released in November 1983 as the fourth and final single from their album Cargo.

The song reached No. 89 on the Australian Kent Music Report Singles Chart and No. 23 on the US Rock Tracks chart.^{[3] [4]} AllMusic's Stephen Erlewine described it as a tight pop song.

Track listing

7" International version

1. "High Wire" (Colin Hay) – 3:02
2. "I'd Like To" (Live) (Ron Strykert)

12" Australian version

1. "High Wire" (Colin Hay)^[2] – 3:02
2. "Fallin' Down" (Live) (Jerry Speiser, Johnathan Rees)^[5]
3. "I'd Like To" (Live) (Ron Strykert)^[6]

Personnel

Men at Work members

• Greg Ham – keyboards, saxophone, backing vocal
• Colin Hay – guitar, lead vocal
• John Rees – bass, backing vocal
• Jerry Speiser – drums, backing vocal
• Ron Strykert – guitar, backing vocal

Production details

• Producer – Peter McLan
• Engineers – Peter McLan, Paul Ray
  • Assistant Engineer – David Price

Art work

• Photography – Greg Noakes
• Artwork – Ron Strykert

Chart positions

Chart (1983)	Peak position
Australia (Kent Music Report)^[7]	89
U.S. Top Rock Tracks (Billboard)^[8]	23

Notes and References

1. Encyclopedia: McFarlane . Ian . Ian McFarlane . . Encyclopedia entry for 'Men at Work' . 29 March 2010 . 1999 . . . 1-86508-072-1 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20030513171104/http://www.whammo.com.au/encyclopedia.asp?articleid=482 . 13 May 2003 .
2. Web site: Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) . "High Wire" at APRA search engine . 29 March 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120910205335/http://www.apra-amcos.com.au/worksearch.axd?q=High%20Wire . 10 September 2012 .
3. Book: Kent, David . . David Kent (historian) . Australian Chart Book Ltd . . 1993 . 0-646-11917-6 . NOTE: Used for Australian Singles and Albums charting from 1974 until ARIA created their own charts in mid-1988. In 1992, Kent back calculated chart positions for 1970–1974.
4. Web site: [{{Allmusic|class=artist|id=p4894/charts-awards/billboard-singles|pure_url=yes}} Men at Work - Billboard Singles ]. . 29 March 2010 .
5. Web site: Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) . "Fallin' Down" at APRA search engine . 29 March 2010 .
6. Web site: Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) . "I'd Like To" at APRA search engine . 29 March 2010 .
7. Book: Kent, David. David Kent (historian)

   . David Kent (historian). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. Illustrated. Australian Chart Book Ltd. St Ives, NSW. 1993. 198. 0-646-11917-6.

8. Web site: Men at Work Chart History: Mainstream Rock Songs . . June 3, 1983 . May 7, 2020.