Livin' Thing
| "Livin' Thing" | |
|---|---|
| Song | |
| B-side | "Fire On High" (UK) "Ma-Ma-Ma Belle" (US) |
"Livin' Thing" is a song written and performed by Electric Light Orchestra.
Overview
The song was written by Jeff Lynne and appears on ELO's 1976 platinum-selling album A New World Record. In August 2006, it was named by the UK's Q magazine as the #1 'Guilty Pleasure' single of all time – a list designed to celebrate 'uncool' but excellent records, and which received considerable publicity[1]. The original single had the added bonus of having Fire On High on the flip side, a song that became the band's most popular instrumental piece.
Patti Quatro sang uncredited vocals, particularly the 'higher and higher' parts of "Livin' Thing", according to Unzipped, an autobiography by her sister Suzi Quatro.
Meaning
The repeated chorus of the song:
- It's a livin' thing.
- It's a terrible thing to lose.
- It's a given thing.
- What a terrible thing to lose.
… has been subjected to frequent interpretation, because the lyric never explicitly identifies what "it" is. This has led to the mistaken impression by some that the song was intended as an anti-abortion (alluded to in the liner notes of the Beautiful South cover, see below) or a pro-environmentalist statement. Lyrical imagery elsewhere in the song may also give support to these impressions.
However, a straightforward reading of the lyrics identifies "it" as:
- You and your sweet desire.
Jeff Lynne has confirmed that the song was intended to be about love and the loss of love.
Chart performance
It reached #4 in the UK Charts and stayed there for 12 weeks. It peaked at #4 on the Canadian charts for three straight weeks (the final week in 1976 and the first two weeks of 1977). In the United States, the song peaked at #13, during Christmastime of 1976.
Airplay
Often used as bumper music by late night radio talk show host Art Bell when he hosted Coast to Coast AM in the 1990s.
Covers
In 2004, The Beautiful South covered the track for their covers album Golddiggas, Headnodders and Pholk Songs. It reached #24 on the UK charts.
Matthew Sweet does a cover of "Livin' Thing" for My Name is Earl: The Album (Original Soundtrack).
Livin' Thing - CD1
Livin' Thing [3:17]
I'm Living Good [4:00]
(Sony Music UK; 6753711)
Livin' Thing - CD2
Livin' Thing [3:17]
Lovin' You [2:53]
Another Night With The Boys [3:32]
(Sony Music UK; 6753712)
