White, Discussion

{{Infobox song

| name = White, Discussion

| cover = Live - White Discussion.jpg

| alt =

| caption = Dutch commercial single

| type = single

| artist = Live

| album = Throwing Copper

| released = 1995

| recorded =

| studio =

| venue =

| genre =

| length = 6:08 (album version)
4:41 (radio edit)

| label = Radioactive Records

| writer = Live

| producer = {{hlist|Jerry Harrison|Live}}

| prev_title = All Over You

| prev_year = 1994

| next_title = Lakini's Juice

| next_year = 1997

}}

"White, Discussion" is a song by the rock group Live, which was released as the fifth and final single from their 1994 album, Throwing Copper.

Background

The 100 Best Selling Albums of the 90s described "White, Discussion" as a "bilious, rage-fueled vision of an apocalyptic dying Earth."{{cite book |last1=Dodd |first1=Peter |last2=Cawthorne |first2=Justin |last3=Barett |first3=Chris |last4=Auty |first4=Dan |date=2018 |title=100 Best-Selling Albums of the 90s |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WmJEDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT220 |location=San Diego |publisher=Thunder Bay |page=220 |isbn=978-1-6841-2501-2 |access-date=2025-05-30}} The Arizona Republic regarded the lyric as a "compelling torrent of rage against politically correct, do-nothing activism."{{cite news |last=Simon |first=Jeremy |date=1995-08-10 |title=Live shows why it's hot as Arizona in August |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/123413365/ |work=The Arizona Republic |page=E2 |access-date=2025-05-30}}

In a 1995 interview with the Live e-mail fanzine Straight Outta York, Ed Kowalczyk said that the preacher's voice sampled in the song ("I warned you, I prepared you") was recorded from a shortwave radio station in Colorado.{{cite web |last=Kowalczyk |first=Ed |date=1995 |title=Straight Outta York Interview with Edward Kowalczyk (Geocities Archive) |url=https://viciouscrowd.com/articles/straight-outta-york-interview-with-edward-kowalczyk-geocities-archive.10/ |website=Vicious Crowd |access-date=2025-05-30}}

Release and reception

The song was released as a single in the United States and reached No. 71 on the Billboard Hot 100 Airplay chart, No. 15 on the Modern Rock Tracks chart and No. 12 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart.[http://www.allmusic.com/album/throwing-copper-r199090/charts-awards/billboard-single "Throwing Copper > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles"] Allmusic In Canada, "White, Discussion" reached #12 on the RPM Alternative chart.{{cite magazine |url=http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?&file_num=nlc008388.2754&type=1&interval=50&PHPSESSID=socno63vfj6kaq6c2ditbo4lt3 |title="RPM - Rock/Alternative |volume=62 |number=6 |date=1995-09-11 |magazine=RPM}}{{dead link|date=June 2025}}

Billboard called "White, Discussion" an "apocalyptic tale with a killer kiss-off line."{{cite magazine |editor-last1=Verna |editor-first1=Paul |editor-last2=Gillen |editor-first2=Marilyn A. |editor-last3=Cronin |editor-first3=Peter |date=1994-05-15 |title=Album Reviews |url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_SggEAAAAMBAJ/mode/2up/ |magazine=Billboard |page=70 |access-date=2025-05-30}}