"Hanging by a Moment" is a song by American alternative band Lifehouse. It was the first single released from their debut studio album, No Name Face. The track was written by lead singer Jason Wade, who said that he wrote the song in about five minutes without thinking about what would happen to it. It was produced by American record producer Ron Aniello and was mixed by Brendan O'Brien. Musically, "Hanging by a Moment" is a pop rock song that contains adult alternative. The song was first released in the United States on April 24, 2001 by DreamWorks Records.

The song received positive reviews from critics, who applauded its instrumentation. It became a commercial success, charting in the top ten in the United States and Australia, and also charting in the Netherlands, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom. In 2001, the song was certified 2x Platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) and also became the most played radio track of that year in the United States. The official music video for the song premiered on Vh1.com on December 7, 2000. In the video, Wade is seen singing the lyrics of the song in many locations around a town. The band went on tours with Matchbox Twenty and 3 Doors Down as an opening act before going on their first headline tour that featured American rock band The Calling and American singer-songwriter Michelle Branch.

Background and composition[link]

	"Hanging by a Moment" noicon A sample of "Hanging by a Moment" featuring the main chorus of "I'm hanging by a moment here with you..."
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The song was written by Lifehouse lead singer Jason Wade.^[2] It was produced by American record producer Ron Aniello and was mixed by Brendan O'Brien.^[3] When asked about the song in an interview with Billboard, Wade said, "It was the most uptempo, radio-friendly song. We all decided it was the right choice to release it as the first single." He went on to describe his expectations when writing songs, saying, "My ultimate goal in writing songs is to connect with people. In the lyrics, you don't tell the whole picture: You give a road to start on that people can relate to. We're honest, nice guys and I hope that comes across in everything we do."^[4] After being asked how he wrote the song in an interview with Launch, Wade explained, "I wrote that song without thinking about what was gonna happen to it and then it just kinda took over from there." He also admitted in the interview that he wrote "Hanging by a Moment" in about five minutes.^[5]

"Hanging by a Moment" was described as a alternative rock song that contains a strong melody.^[6] According to the sheet music published at Musicnotes.com by Sony/ATV Music Publishing, the song is set in common time with a "moderate rock" tempo of 124 beats per minute.^[7] It is composed in the key of D major with Wade's vocal range spanning from the low-note of A₃ to the high-note of G₅.^[7] In an interview with Billboard, lead singer and guitarist of Lifehouse, Jason Wade, described the song as an "uptempo, radio-friendly song".^[8] Bill Lamb of About.com called the song "one of the biggest rock hits ever by a Contemporary Christian band crossing over into the mainstream. The song was the biggest hit of summer 2001 and was eventually named the most played song of the year on the radio."^[9] The song was described by John DiBiase of Jesus Freak Hideout as "a song [that is] clearly a cry out to God".^[10] Sean Rizzo of Sputnikmusic says that the song "presents one of the best with the guitar’s plucking during the verses and a chorus infectious enough to infiltrate your brain for a few days."^[11]

Chart performance[link]

"Hanging by a Moment" debuted at number 76 on the Billboard Hot 100 for the week of February 10, 2001.^[12] It gradually ascended on the chart and eventually peaked at number two, just behind the 2001 cover version of "Lady Marmalade" by Christina Aguilera, Pink, Lil' Kim, and Mýa.^[13] After its peak, it gradually descended and left the chart after 55 consecutive weeks on February 16, 2002. The song was also a huge hit on rock radio holding number one for three weeks.^[14] On the Billboard Alternative Songs chart, the song debuted at number 36 for the week of October 28, 2000 and eventually peaked at number one after it stayed on the chart for 36 non-consecutive weeks.^[15] The song debuted at number 32 on the Billboard Pop Songs chart during the week of March 3, 2001.^[12] After moving around the chart for 37 consecutive weeks, the song managed to peak at number two.^[16] On the Billboard Radio Songs chart, "Hanging by a Moment" debuted at number 70 for the week of February 10, 2001.^[12] After moving around the chart for 55 consecutive weeks, the song eventually peaked at number one.^[17] The song debuted at number 37 on the Billboard Adult Pop Songs chart for the week of February 24, 2001.^[12] It eventually peaked at number one after it spent 74 consecutive weeks on the chart.^[18] "Hanging by a Moment" became the most played song of 2001 and made Lifehouse the first male rock group to make the annual recap since Chicago did in 1989 with "Look Away."^[18]

The song also achieved international success. In Australia, the song debuted at number 36 on the ARIA Charts during the week of June 17, 2001. It has since peaked at number one, after being on the chart for 24 consecutive weeks.^[19] Because of its success in Australia, "Hanging by a Moment" was certified 2x Platinum by the ARIA in 2001.^[20] It debuted on The Netherlands' Mega Single Top 100 chart at number 95 for the week of June 9, 2001. The song has since peaked at number 31.^[21] On the New Zealand Singles Chart, "Hanging by a Moment" debuted at number 48 for the week of March 11, 2001. After being on the chart for 31 consecutive weeks, it eventually peaked at number six.^[22] The song debuted at number 25 on the UK Singles Chart for the week of September 8, 2001, which became its peak position after it spent one week on the chart.^[23]

Music video[link]

The music video, directed by Gavin Bowden, was first released December 7, 2000 on Vh1.com.^[24] It served as an official video for the song, after an unofficial version was released by DreamWorks as a "temporary video" that was played on MTV2.^[4] In an interview with MTV Radio, Wade explained the process of making the music video, and said, "We shot the video at this really cool place in Crenshaw, in L.A., that was a bowling alley upstairs and a roller rink downstairs. It had this really weird, retro vibe to it. When they were setting up the different sets, we'd have to stop every 10 seconds because a bowling league would walk in. It was the coolest thing. At night, we got all of our friends to come down."^[25]

The video begins with Wade singing and playing his guitar in a hotel room. While singing, Wade is seen packing his clothes into a suit case in separate camera shots. He then leaves the hotel room and it shows a time-lapse scene of a car going down a highway. Then, the video cuts to a restaurant, where Wade is seen lying on a restaurant booth and singing the lyrics of the song. After this, Wade is seen with the rest of Lifehouse in a concert setting in a restaurant. It then splits to shots of Wade singing the lyrics of the song to the camera. Toward the end of the video, it switches to Lifehouse playing the song in front of a crowd while showing shots of Wade in a car going down a highway. It ends with the scene of Lifehouse in a restaurant and then switches to a camera shot of all of the band members with the video fading out on Wade.

Promotion[link]

On January 10, 2001, MTV confirmed that Lifehouse would serve as an opening act on a fourteen-day tour for Matchbox Twenty, who were promoting their album Mad Season (2000).^[26] The tour started February 27, 2001 in Minneapolis and ended on March 29, 2001 in Universal City.^[26] While on tour with Matchbox Twenty, Lifehouse went on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno for the first time and performed "Hanging by a Moment" on March 28, 2001.^[27] Several months later, the band performed the song at the River Rave Festival in Foxboro Stadium on May 26, 2001.^[28] In July 2001, Lifehouse went on tour with 3 Doors Down as an opening act on twelve select dates, and performed songs from No Name Face, including "Hanging by a Moment".^[29]

Credits and personnel[link]

• Songwriting – Jason Wade
• Production – Ron Aniello
• Mixing – Brendan O'Brien
• Engineering – Bob Kearny, Marc Green, Paul Hayden

Credits and personnel adapted from Allmusic.^[30]

Track listing[link]

Charts and certifications[link]

Release history[link]

See also[link]

• List of number-one singles of 2001 (Australia)

References[link]

Works cited[link]

• Juzwiak, Richard (2006). Lifehouse. New York: The Rosen Publishing Group. ISBN 1-4042-0710-4. 

External links[link]

• "Hanging by a Moment" Music Video on Yahoo! Music

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	link

A Moment is the second album of R&B singer Lalah Hathaway. The album's first single was "Let Me Love You," produced by Brian Alexander Morgan of SWV fame. A video was also shot for the single. The follow-up single was "Separate Ways," released as a double-A side single with "Family Affair." The Martyn Ware-produced "Family Affair" was actually released in 1991 and billed as "BEF featuring Lalah Hathaway"^[1].

CD format of the album is now out-of-print, but available as digital download.

Track listing[link]

1. "Let Me Love You" — 5:32
2. "Rise" — 4:43
3. "Family Affair" — 4:06
4. "These Are The Things (You Do To Me)" — 4:23
5. "Do You Suppose" — 5:34
6. "Better As A Memory" — 4:23
7. "Bad By Myself" — 4:23
8. "Lean On Me" — 4:52
9. "Separate Ways" — 4:28
10. "Long After U Have Gone" — 4:33
11. "I'm Not Over You" — 4:21
12. "A Moment" — 2:07
13. "So They Say" — 3:27

Singles[link]

"Let Me Love You"[link]

Cassette Single:

1. "Let Me Love You"
2. "Dreams Don't Lie" (Club Version)

12" Single: ^[2]

Side A

1. Let Me Love You (Central Park Mix) — 4:33
2. Let Me Love You (Bread And Butter Girl Wonder Mix) — 5:45
3. Let Me Love You (Queen Of The Planet Mix) — 4:37

Side B

1. Let Me Love You (Extended Mix) — 6:30
2. Let Me Love You (Bounce Club Mix) — 5:52
3. Dreams Don't Lie (Club Version) — 5:57

Promo CD: ^[3]

1. Let Me Love You (Single Edit) — 4:06
2. Let Me Love You (Central Park Mix) — 4:53
3. Let Me Love You (Bed Time Mix) — 5:06
4. Let Me Love You (Bread And Butter Girl Wonder Mix) — 5:45
5. Let Me Love You (All Star Remix) — 4:39
6. Let Me Love You (Album Instrumental) — 5:26

"Separate Ways"/"Family Affair"[link]

Cassette Single/Promo CD:

1. "Separate Ways" (radio edit) — 4:00
2. "Separate Ways" (stringapella) — 4:11
3. "Family Affair" (album version) — 4:04
4. "Family Affair" (plati party mix edit) — 4:26

"Family Affair" (12" Single) ^[4]

Side A

1. Plati Party Mix
2. Plati Party Mix Edit

Side B

1. Booming Percaletta Mix
2. Instrumental with Billy Preston

Other:

• "Let Me Love You" (Tim Prezzano Hot Tracks Mix) from Various Artists – Best of Street Tracks Vol. 5 – Hot Tracks CD

References[link]

External links[link]

• A Moment at Allmusic