Scared to Live

"Scared to Live"
Song by the Weeknd
from the album After Hours
ReleasedMarch 20, 2020 (2020-03-20)
Studio
  • Conway, MXM (Los Angeles, California)
  • Jungle City (New York, New York)
  • House Mouse Studios, MXM (Stockholm, Sweden)
Genre
Length3:11
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Max Martin
  • Oscar Holter
  • The Weeknd

"Scared to Live" is a song by the Canadian singer-songwriter the Weeknd from his fourth studio album After Hours.[1] He performed the song for the first time on March 8, 2020, with American musician Oneohtrix Point Never, during an episode of Saturday Night Live.[2] The SNL version of the song was officially released alongside the deluxe edition of its parent album on March 23, 2020.[3] The Weeknd wrote and produced the song with Max Martin and Oscar Holter, writing credits also going to Belly and Oneohtrix Point Never. Elton John and Bernard Taupin received additional songwriting credits for the interpolation of John's 1970 single "Your Song".

Background and promotion

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In early February 2020, SNL confirmed that it was going to have the Weeknd as a musical guest on March 7, 2020.[4] During the episode, the Weeknd performed the comedic skit "On the Couch" with Kenan Thompson and Chris Redd, and two songs from his album After Hours: the single "Blinding Lights" and the previously unreleased "Scared to Live" with Oneohtrix Point Never.[5] The studio version of the song was then released on March 20, 2020, alongside the rest of the album.[6]

Elton John shared in an interview with New Zealand radio presenter Zane Lowe that he was happy with the interpolation of "Your Song" in Scared to Live, stating, “I’m so blown away, I mean, just to be part of his record, for someone my age and as someone who loves what he does, I’m so thrilled and I just love him. I just think … I was watching a couple of things this morning that were the same old stuff, the rap stuff and I was thinking, ‘Good old Abel, he’s making music. He’s making proper music.'”[7]

Lyrics and composition

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"Scared to Live" has been described as a synth-pop ballad[8] that maintains the strong traditional pop[9] and adult contemporary sonics of John's "Your Song".[10] Lyrically, it details the ending of a relationship the Weeknd had with a former lover that left them questioning if they could ever discover love again. The Weeknd encourages his past partner to move on from their past and find themselves, apologizing for the faults he made while still yearning for the connection that they once had.[11][12]

Critical reception

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The song received universal critical acclaim and was considered a highlight from its parent album, with the ballad's minimalistic nature, sincere lyrics, and the Weeknd's vocals receiving particular praise.[13] Journalists also commended the maturity in the song's lyrics, while noting its sound as being reminiscent of ballads performed by Phil Collins in the past.[14][15] Vibe writer Jack Riedy complimented the imagery, “The listener can practically see the disco ball spinning over a gaggle of youths at their prom’s last dance as Tesfaye urges them don’t be scared to live again”.[16]

Seth Wilson of Slant wrote that the song "displays the grandeur of a pop ballad, with a swooning earworm of a chorus and lyrics that tenderly reflect on a past love, and with a maturity that comes only with hindsight. The song nearly edges into schmaltz, but it's full of surprises, including a nod to Elton John's 'Your Song' that's so well integrated into the chorus it's easy to miss."[17] Micah Peters from The Ringer called the composition "a soaring ballad in which The Weeknd expresses joy and pain where once there was crushing melancholy".[18] NME reviewer Will Richard named the piece a "shimmering, emotive ballad".[19] Craig Jenkins of Vulture praised the song's "glistening synths over trap drums with delightful deviations. The writing’s tight and there’s a cohesion of sound and vision".[20] In an AllMusic review, Andy Kellman states that "Scared to Live" is "so clean and down the middle that it resembles a box-office crossover bid from an artiste swallowing his pride to record a tame song. It is one of Tesfaye's best performances, his voice soaring and swooping, signifying numbness and codependency, sorrowful about wasted time while encouraging emotional convalescence".[21]

Commercial performance

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Following the releasing of its parent album, "Scared to Live" debuted at number 24 on the US Billboard Hot 100 dated April 4, 2020. It was the fifth highest charting track from After Hours.[22]

Live performances

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The song was first performed live on SNL alongside "Blinding Lights" on March 7, 2020.[23] The performance was introduced by Daniel Craig and featured the Weeknd wearing a bandaged, bloodied nose and red suit, as part of a persona portrayed in the art direction for the After Hours era.[24][25] Oneohtrix Point Never accompanied him on the synthesizer.[26]

Personnel

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Credits adapted from Genius.[27]

  • The Weeknd – songwriting, vocals, production, keyboards, programming, bass, guitar, drums
  • Max Martin – songwriting, production, keyboards, programming, bass, guitar, drums
  • Oscar Holter – songwriting, production, keyboards, programming, bass, guitar, drums
  • Belly – songwriting
  • Oneohtrix Point Never – songwriting, synthesizer programming (SNL Live)
  • Elton John – songwriting
  • Bernard Taupin – songwriting
  • Dave Kutch – mastering
  • Kevin Peterson – mastering
  • Shin Kamiyama - engineering
  • Sam Holland - engineering
  • Michael Ilbert - engineering
  • Serban Ghenea - mixing engineer
  • John Hanes - mixing engineer

Charts

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Chart (2020) Peak
position
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[28] 33
Czech Republic (Singles Digitál Top 100)[29] 47
Denmark (Tracklisten)[30] 29
Estonia (Eesti Tipp-40)[31] 29
France (SNEP)[32] 56
Greece (IFPI)[33] 44
Iceland (Tónlistinn)[34] 26
Italy (FIMI)[35] 64
Lithuania (AGATA)[36] 32
New Zealand Hot Singles (RMNZ)[37] 3
Norway (VG-lista)[38] 33
Portugal (AFP)[39] 37
Slovakia (Singles Digitál Top 100)[40] 23
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[41] 34
UK Audio Streaming (OCC)[42] 40
US Billboard Hot 100[43] 24
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[44] 12
US Rolling Stone Top 100[45] 9

Certifications

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Certifications for "Scared to Live"
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[46] Gold 35,000‡
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[47] Gold 20,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

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Region Date Format Label(s) Ref.
Various March 20, 2020
[48]

References

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  1. ^ "The Weeknd Reveals 'After Hours' Tracklist". Rap-Up. Retrieved March 20, 2020.
  2. ^ Young, Alex (March 8, 2020). "The Weeknd debuts new song on SNL, appears in "On the Couch" sketch: Watch". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved March 20, 2020.
  3. ^ "The Weeknd Shares Deluxe Version of After Hours: Listen". Pitchfork. March 23, 2020. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  4. ^ "The Weeknd & David Byrne to Perform on 'Saturday Night Live'". Billboard. February 6, 2020. Retrieved March 20, 2020.
  5. ^ "Watch The Weeknd Perform "Blinding Lights" and "Scared to Live" on 'SNL'". Complex. Retrieved March 20, 2020.
  6. ^ "The Weeknd's 'After Hours' Track List: See Here". Billboard. March 17, 2020. Retrieved March 20, 2020.
  7. ^ Aniftos, Rania (March 23, 2020). "Here's What Elton John Thought About The Weeknd's Use of 'Your Song' on 'Scared to Live'". Billboard. Retrieved January 23, 2024.
  8. ^ "The Weeknd Performs New Ballad "Scared To Live" On SNL". Hidden Jams. March 8, 2020. Retrieved May 19, 2022.
  9. ^ Wyman, Bill (October 18, 2018). "Elton John Is Not the Man They Think He Is at Home". Vulture. Retrieved May 19, 2022.
  10. ^ After Hours - The Weeknd | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic, retrieved May 19, 2022
  11. ^ "The Weeknd Performs New Ballad "Scared To Live" On SNL". Hidden Jams. March 8, 2020. Retrieved December 11, 2021.
  12. ^ "The Weeknd debuts 'Scared to Live' on 'Saturday Night Live' [Watch]". Dancing Astronaut. March 10, 2020. Retrieved December 11, 2021.
  13. ^ "Album review: The Weeknd authentically portrays heartache over past heartbreak in 'After Hours'". Daily Bruin. March 20, 2020.
  14. ^ Phillips, Yoh (March 20, 2020). "The Weeknd 'After Hours' Album Review". DJBooth.
  15. ^ Cragg, Michael (March 20, 2020). "The Weeknd: After Hours review – agile blend of usual sex and self-hate". The Guardian.
  16. ^ Riedy, Jack (March 24, 2020). "The Narcotic Odyssey Of The Weekend's 'After Hours'". Vibe. Retrieved June 15, 2020.
  17. ^ Wilson, Seth (March 28, 2020). "MUSICReview: The Weeknd's After Hours Is a Triumphant Depiction of Heartbreak". Slant Magazine.
  18. ^ Peters, Micah (March 25, 2020). "Abel Tesfaye's 'After Hours' is his most accomplished and coherent project to date—and something to project your basest desires onto". The Ringer.
  19. ^ Richard, Will (May 31, 2020). "Watch The Weeknd debut new song 'Scared To Live' on SNL". NME.
  20. ^ Jenkins, Craig (May 31, 2020). "The Best Albums of the Year (So Far)". Vulture.com.
  21. ^ Kellman, Andy (March 20, 2020). "After Hours Review". Allmusic. Retrieved June 7, 2020.
  22. ^ Zellener, Xander (March 30, 2020). "Every Song From The Weeknd's 'After Hours' Is on the Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved March 30, 2020.
  23. ^ "Watch The Weeknd Perform New Song "Scared to Live" on "Saturday Night Live"". Spin. March 8, 2020. Retrieved March 20, 2020.
  24. ^ Haylock, Zoe (March 9, 2020). "The Weeknd and His Bloody-Nose Debut 'Scared to Live' on SNL". Vulture. Retrieved March 20, 2020.
  25. ^ "'Saturday Night Live' recap: Craig, Daniel Craig". EW.com. Retrieved March 20, 2020.
  26. ^ "The Weeknd on 'SNL': Why 'Uncut Gems' Fans Were Stoked About His Performance". Music. Retrieved March 20, 2020.
  27. ^ "Scared to Live". Genius. Retrieved May 31, 2020.
  28. ^ "The Weeknd Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved March 31, 2020.
  29. ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Digital Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select 13. týden 2020 in the date selector. Retrieved March 31, 2020.
  30. ^ "The Weeknd – Scared to Live". Tracklisten. Retrieved April 1, 2020.
  31. ^ Nestor, Siim (March 31, 2020). "Eesti Tipp-40 Muusikas: Selle nädala kangelased on The Weeknd ja AG". Eesti Ekspress (in Estonian). Retrieved April 8, 2020.
  32. ^ "Top Singles (Week 13, 2020)" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved March 31, 2020.
  33. ^ "IFPI Charts Digital Singles Chart (International) Week 13 2020". IFPI Greece. Archived from the original on April 9, 2020. Retrieved April 9, 2020.
  34. ^ "Tónlistinn – Lög" [The Music – Songs] (in Icelandic). Plötutíðindi. Archived from the original on April 1, 2020. Retrieved July 6, 2021.
  35. ^ "The Weeknd – Scared to Live". Top Digital Download. Retrieved March 28, 2020.
  36. ^ "2020 13-os savaitės klausomiausi (TOP 100)" (in Lithuanian). AGATA. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
  37. ^ "NZ Hot Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. March 30, 2020. Retrieved March 28, 2020.
  38. ^ "The Weeknd – Scared to Live". VG-lista. Retrieved March 28, 2020.
  39. ^ "The Weeknd – Scared to Live". AFP Top 100 Singles. Retrieved April 9, 2020.
  40. ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Singles Digital Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select 13. týden 2020 in the date selector. Retrieved March 31, 2020.
  41. ^ "The Weeknd – Scared to Live". Singles Top 100. Retrieved March 28, 2020.
  42. ^ "Official Audio Streaming Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
  43. ^ "The Weeknd Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved March 31, 2020.
  44. ^ "The Weeknd Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved March 31, 2020.
  45. ^ "Top 100 Songs". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on October 22, 2021. Retrieved April 13, 2020.
  46. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2024 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved June 29, 2024.
  47. ^ "Brazilian single certifications – The Weeknd – Scared to Live" (in Portuguese). Pro-Música Brasil. Retrieved July 18, 2024.
  48. ^ "Listen to the Weeknd's New Album After Hours". Pitchfork. March 20, 2020. Retrieved March 20, 2020.
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