About The Song
“Live Wire” is the debut single by the American heavy metal band Mötley Crüe. It was released on their 1981 debut album Too Fast for Love.
The video was directed by the members of Mötley Crüe. It showcases the band’s stage theatrics, such as Nikki Sixx setting himself on fire (due to lack of money to perform on stage pyrotechnics) and Mick Mars drooling blood. The single was released on August 16, 1982. In May 2006, it was ranked #17 on VH1’s list of the 40 greatest metal songs of all time.
The song was remixed in 1991 alongside “Piece of Your Action” for the compilation album Decade of Decadence.
In 2000, fellow heavy metal band Fozzy covered this song for their debut self-titled album. Swedish hardcore punk band Refused included a cover in their The Demo Compilation. In 2010, Japanese rock band Vamps covered it as the B-side to their single “Devil Side”. Meghan Kabir recorded a slow version of the song for Mötley Crüe’s 2019 biopic The Dirt.
In 2014, The Cadillac Three covered the song on Nashville Outlaws: A Tribute to Mötley Crüe released via Big Machine Records.
Video
Lyrics
Plug me in
I’m alive tonight
Out on the streets again
Turn me on
I’m hot to stop
Something you’ll never forget
Take my fist
Break down walls
I’m on the top tonight
No no
You better turn me loose
You better set me free
‘Cause I’m hot young running free
A little bit better than I use to be
‘Cause I’m alive
Live wire
‘Cause I’m alive
I’m a live wire
‘Cause I’m alive
Live wire
‘Cause I’m alive
I’m a live wire
I’ll either break her face
Or take down her legs
Get my ways at will
Go for the throat
Never let loose
Goin’ in for the kill
Take my fist
Break down walls
I’m on top tonight
No no
You better turn me loose
You better set me free
‘Cause I’m hot young running free
A little bit better than I use to be
‘Cause I’m alive
Live wire
‘Cause I’m alive
I’m a live wire
‘Cause I’m alive
Live wire
‘Cause I’m alive
I’m a live wire
Come on baby
Gotta play with me
Well I’m your live wire
You better lock your doors
I’m on the prowl tonight
Well be mine tonight
‘Cause I’m alive
Live wire
‘Cause I’m alive
I’m a live wire
‘Cause I’m alive
Live wire
‘Cause I’m alive
Come on and be my baby
Come on love me baby, come on tonight
(‘Cause I’m alive)
I’ll give you everything you want inside (’cause I’m alive)
Plug me in, plug me in
I want you
Come on tonight