Living in Danger

"Living in Danger" is a song recorded by Swedish group Ace of Base. It was released in October 1994 by Arista and Mega as the seventh and final single from the group's debut album, Happy Nation (U.S. version) and fourth single from their American debut release, The Sign (1993).[1] Written by bandmembers Jonas Berggren and Ulf Ekberg, the single peaked at number 20 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and also topped the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart in December 1994. On the US Cash Box Top 100, it peaked at number ten. The single later reached number 18 on the UK Singles Chart in January 1995. Its music video was directed by Matt Broadley and filmed in Stockholm, Sweden. Ace of Base performed the song on the first ever MTV Europe Music Awards in Berlin, Germany in 1994. Q Magazine included "Living in Danger" in their list of the "1001 Best Songs Ever" in 2003.[2]

"Living in Danger"
Single cover
Single by Ace of Base
from the album Happy Nation (U.S. Version)/The Sign
Released4 October 1994
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

In interviews, Berggren has said the song "is about living on your own" and advising listeners, "Don't trust [people] too much... you'll do better on your own." In contrast, Jenny Berggren has described it as being about social pressure to engage in dangerous behaviors like smoking and drinking.[3]

Chart performance

"Living in Danger" was a sizeable 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, the song entered the top 20 in Austria (19), Ireland (12), Scotland (19) 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.[4] But on the UK Dance Chart, it was a bigger hit, reaching number 11. Additionally, "Living in Danger" was a top 30 hit in Belgium (30), Germany (23), the Netherlands (23), Sweden (28) and Switzerland (26), and a top 40 hit in France (36) and Iceland (32), as well as on the Eurochart Hot 100, where it charted at number 34. On MTV's European Top 20, the song reached number six. Outside Europe, the song entered the top 10 in Canada, peaking at number seven on the RPM Top Singles chart and within the top 20 on the US Billboard Hot 100. And it also hit number-one on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart and number ten on the Cash Box Top 100.

Critical reception

In an retrospective review, Annie Zaleski from The A.V. Club noted that the song take influence from "easygoing reggae".[5] Upon the single release, Larry Flick from Billboard stated 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."[6] British columnist James Masterton felt that "Living in Danger" "is typical Ace Of Base, pop-driven dub-reggae yet with a somehow dark, almost gothic feel."[7] John Kilgo from The Network Forty constated 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."[8] Pop Rescue viewed it as "catchy" in their review of Happy Nation, adding that "vocally, it's probably the best track so far".[9]

Live performances

Ace of Base performed "Living in Danger" on the first MTV Europe Music Awards held in Germany in 1994. They performed in the front of Berlin's Brandenburg Gate. The band was also nominated for Best Cover with their previous hit-single "Don't Turn Around" this year.

Music video

The accompanying music video for "Living in Danger" was directed by Swedish-based director Matt Broadley and shot in Kungsträdgårdens tunnelbana, an underground metro station in Stockholm, Sweden in September 1994.[10] It was A-listed on France's MCM in December 1994[11] and later published on Ace of Base's official YouTube channel in 2015. The video had generated more than 27 million views as of August 2023.[12] Broadley had previously directed the videos for "All That She Wants", "Happy Nation" and "Don't Turn Around".

The 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.

Track listings

Personnel
  • Vocals by Linn Berggren. Rap by Ulf Ekberg
  • Backing Vocals by Jenny Berggren,John Ballard.
  • Written by Jonas Berggren 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

Release history
Region Date Label
United States 4 October 1994 Arista
Europe 31 October 1994 Mega / PolyGram
Japan 16 December 1994[13] Arista
United Kingdom 2 January 1995[14] London

Charts

References
  1. "Ace of Base Happy Nation". AllMusic. Retrieved 2017-07-26.
  2. "Q - 1001 best songs ever (2003)".
  3. Ace of Base (1994). The Sign: The Home Video (videotape). 6 West Home Video. At time 19:18. Retrieved 2021-03-25.
  4. "Official Singles Chart Top 100 08 January 1995 - 14 January 1995". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2020-09-16.
  5. 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.
  6. Flick, Larry (1994-10-15). "Single Reviews" (PDF). Billboard. Retrieved 2018-01-23.
  7. Masterton, James (1995-01-08). "Week Ending January 14th 1995". Chart Watch UK. Retrieved 2021-09-15.
  8. Kilgo, John (1994-09-30). "Mainstream: Music Meeting" (PDF). The Network Forty. p. 20. Retrieved 2018-02-21.
  9. "Review: "Happy Nation" by Ace Of Base (CD, 1993)". Pop Rescue. 2014-10-22. Retrieved 2020-03-22.
  10. Ace of Base gallery
  11. "Station Reports > MCM/Paris" (PDF). Music & Media. 1994-12-17. p. 34. Retrieved 2022-12-28.
  12. "Ace of Base - Living in Danger (Official Music Video)". YouTube. 2015-01-15. Retrieved 2020-12-28.
  13. "リビング・イン・デンジャー | エイス・オブ・ベイス" [Living in Danger | Ace of Base] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 19 September 2023.
  14. "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. 24 December 1994. p. 31.
  15. "Response from ARIA re: chart inquiry, received 24 May 2016". Imgur.com. Retrieved 2016-05-24.
  16. "Ace of Base – Living in Danger" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 2011-04-13.
  17. "Ace of Base – Living in Danger" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 2011-04-13.
  18. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 2662." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  19. "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 2663." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  20. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 12, no. 3. 21 January 1995. p. 13. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  21. "Adult Contemporary Europe Top 25" (PDF). Music & Media. 28 January 1995. p. 25. Retrieved 28 May 2023.
  22. "European Dance Radio" (PDF). Music & Media. 28 January 1995. p. 25. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
  23. "Ace of Base – Living in Danger" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 2011-04-13.
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  25. "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 27.10.1994 - 02.11.1994" (PDF). Dagblaðið Vísir - Tónlist. Retrieved 2018-02-01.
  26. "The Irish Charts – All there is to know > Search results for 'Living in Danger' (from irishcharts.ie)". Imgur.com. Retrieved 2016-05-24.
  27. 15 November 1994
  28. "Nederlandse Top 40 – Ace of Base" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 2011-04-13.
  29. "Ace of Base – Living in Danger" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  30. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100 (08 January 1995-14 January 1995)". officialcharts.com. Retrieved 2018-02-07.
  31. "Ace of Base – Living in Danger". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 2011-04-13.
  32. "Ace of Base – Living in Danger". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 2011-04-13.
  33. "Official Charts > Ace of Base". The Official UK Charts Company. Retrieved 2016-05-24.
  34. "Official UK Dance Singles Chart (08 January 1995-14 January 1995)". officialcharts.com. Retrieved 2018-02-09.
  35. "The RM Club Chart" (PDF). Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental Insert). 1994-11-12. p. 6. Retrieved 2023-05-20.
  36. "Oops, there was an error! | Haven".
  37. Allmusic. Ace of Base | Billboard Singles.
  38. "Cash Box Top 100 Pop Singles" (PDF). Cash Box. 1994-11-05. Retrieved 19 February 2018.
  39. "RPM Top 100 Hit Tracks of 1994". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  40. "Jaarlijsten 1994" (in Dutch). Stichting Nederlandse Top 40. Retrieved 29 November 2019.
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