Throwing Copper

Throwing Copper is a 1994 album by Live. It was produced by Jerry Harrison of Talking Heads and was recorded at Pachyderm Recording Studio. The cover art is a painting by Scottish artist Peter Howson titled Sisters of Mercy. To date, the album has sold over eight million copies in the US.

Lead singer Ed Kowalczyk was asked in an Australian radio interview in 1997 if R.E.M.’s Michael Stipe had sung the backing vocals at the end of the song “Pillar of Davidson.” Kowalczyk laughed and replied, “No, that’s just me trying as hard as I can to sound like Michael Stipe!”

Track listing
All lyrics by Ed Kowalczyk, music by Live.

“The Dam at Otter Creek” – 4:43
“Selling the Drama” – 3:26
“I Alone” – 3:50
“Iris” – 3:59
“Lightning Crashes” – 5:25
“Top” – 2:42
“All Over You” – 3:59
“Shit Towne” – 3:48
“T.B.D.” – 4:28
“Stage” – 3:08
“Waitress” – 2:49
“Pillar of Davidson” – 6:46
“White, Discussion” – 6:08
“Horse” (hidden track) – 4:16
Outtakes and B-sides
“Hold Me Up”
“Susquehanna”
“We Deal in Dreams” (later released on Awake: The Best of Live)
Demo tape
A demo tape of Throwing Copper contains three outtakes and various alternate versions of released songs. The only known copy is incomplete and it is unknown if there were other tracks on this demo.

“The Dam at Otter Creek” (features alternate vocals)
“We Deal in Dreams” (alternate version than released on Awake)
“Iris” (features different background vocals)
“Hold Me Up” (unreleased outtake)
“Susquehanna” (unreleased outtake)