Livin' Thing

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"Livin' Thing" is a song written by Jeff Lynne and performed by Electric Light Orchestra (ELO). It appears on ELO's 1976 album A New World Record and was also released as a single. Patti Quatro sang uncredited vocals, particularly the "higher and higher" parts.[1] The original single had "Fire On High" on the flip side, a tune that became the band's most popular instrumental piece.

Background

"Livin' Thing" makes prominent use of augmented chords.[2] Lynne said about that:

"Livin' Thing" had an augmented chord. George (Harrison) used a lot of those chords, too. I think the influence of using those types of chords came from the Long Wave sort of songs. Trying to marry the two styles together, trying to put those funny old Victorian chords into a new song gives it a good lift. It makes it more of a special song, because it’s got a weird chord in it, and nobody knows how to play it. "Livin' Thing" has that. There’s a few of mine that have those type of chords in it. I tried to make the songs a little different. "Livin' Thing" would have had a much more normal run-of-the-mill chord sequence otherwise; the chorus would have been C, A minor, F and G instead of C, A minor, D minor, G augmented and back to the C. That G augmented chord adds a little bit of tension and uplift to the song. That chord is more along the lines of the Long Wave songs than the pop idiom. I’m sure I was bringing in those type of chords subconsciously, but I was exposed to all those chords early on, and I’m obviously gonna take them on board with all the more rock and roll chords. I’ve used wacky chords in a lot of my tunes, like "All Over the World", which has a naughty one, as well.[2]

AllMusic's writer Stewart Mason described the song structure:

[it] opens with a mock-Spanish orchestral flourish before swinging into a more typical mid-tempo ELO rocker, driven by a battery of acoustic rhythm guitars on the verses and modulating upwards into a falsetto Jeff Lynne vocal on a chorus that’s powered by an even more prominent than usual contribution from the group's string section", adding that it lacks "that impossible-to-dislodge hook that typified Lynne's most successful songs from this era, but it's still a darn sight better than most of what was at the top of the charts in late 1976".[3]

Critical reception

Los Angeles Times critic Robert Hilburn called it an "extremely catchy record that has all the vocal and instrumental hooks to keep you listening."[4] Billboard said that it "moves through a dark U.K. rock distillation into a soaring, ethereal chorale and a return to the minor-key mode."[5] Cash Box said that "a diabolical arrangement hits hard along with some ever ready harmonies which sew this record up into sure hit potential."[6] Record World called it a "Jeff Lynne masterwork" and said that "a savory rock sound makes it happen."[7]

Ultimate Classic Rock critic Michael Gallucci rated it ELO's 2nd best song, specifically praising the "string-solo opening, soulful backing vocals, synth waves occasionally crashing into the chorus and a gigantic hook."[8] Classic Rock History critic Brian Kachejian rated it as ELO's 6th best song.[9] Stereogum contributor Ryan Reed rated it as ELO's 5th best song, saying that "From the dramatic classical opening, incorporating pizzicato strings, to the extended chorus fade-out, this one’s pure pop pleasure."[10]

In August 2006, "Livin' Thing" was named by the UK's Q as the number 1 "Guilty Pleasure" single of all time – a list designed to celebrate "uncool" but excellent records, and which received considerable publicity.[11]

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1976–1977) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[12] 2
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[13] 3
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[14] 8
Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)[15] 41
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[16] 8
Ireland (IRMA)[17] 6
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[18] 6
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[19] 4
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[20] 4
South Africa (Springbok Radio)[21] 1
Spain (AFE)[22] 11
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[23] 17
UK Singles (OCC)[24] 4
US Billboard Hot 100[25] 13
US Billboard Adult Contemporary[26] 36
US Cash Box[27] 10
US Record World[28] 10
West Germany (GfK)[29] 5

Year-end charts

Chart (1976) Rank
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[30] 106
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[31] 85
Chart (1977) Rank
Australia (Kent Music Report)[32] 27
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[33] 25
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[34] 106
South Africa (Springbok Radio)[35] 16
US Billboard Hot 100[36] 77

Certifications

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Jeff Lynne version

Jeff Lynne re-recorded the song in his own home studio. It was released in a compilation album with other re-recorded ELO songs, under the ELO name.[37]

Covers

In 2001, PFR covered the track on the album Lynne Me Your Ears – A Tribute to the Music of Jeff Lynne.

In 2004, The Beautiful South covered the track for their covers album Golddiggas, Headnodders and Pholk Songs. It reached number 24 on the UK charts and number 26 on the Irish charts.[38][39]

Livin' Thing – CD1 (Sony Music UK; 6753711)
  1. Livin' Thing [3:17]
  2. I'm Living Good [4:00]
Livin' Thing – CD2 (Sony Music UK; 6753712)
  1. Livin' Thing [3:17]
  2. Lovin' You [2:53]
  3. Another Night with the Boys [3:32]
Chart (2004) Peak
position
Ireland (IRMA)[38] 26
UK Singles (OCC)[39] 24

Uses in other media

In 2017, "Livin' Thing" was featured in Telltale's Guardians of the Galaxy game.[40]

The 1997 feature film Boogie Nights includes the track for the final scene and end credits of the movie. Initially, Jeff Lynne refused to release the rights to the song, but changed his mind after viewing a screening of the film with director Paul Thomas Anderson and being impressed.[41]

The song was featured in the film Cruella.[42]

References

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  10. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  11. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  12. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  13. ↑ "Script error: No such module "WLink".&titel=Script error: No such module "WLink".&cat=s Electric Light Orchestra – Livin' Thing" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
  14. ↑ "Script error: No such module "WLink".&titel=Script error: No such module "WLink".&cat=s Electric Light Orchestra – Livin' Thing" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
  15. ↑ "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 4446." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
  16. ↑ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 5169a." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 6 March 2013.
  17. ↑ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Living Thing". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 6 March 2013.
  18. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 52, 1976" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
  19. ↑ "Script error: No such module "WLink".&titel=Script error: No such module "WLink".&cat=s Electric Light Orchestra – Livin' Thing" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
  20. ↑ "Script error: No such module "WLink".&titel=Script error: No such module "WLink".&cat=s Electric Light Orchestra – Livin' Thing". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
  21. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  22. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  23. ↑ "Script error: No such module "WLink".&titel=Script error: No such module "WLink".&cat=s Electric Light Orchestra – Livin' Thing". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
  24. ↑ Template:Digits/7501/ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
  25. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
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  27. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  28. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  29. ↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – Electric Light Orchestra – Livin' Thing" Template:In lang. GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
  30. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  31. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  32. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  33. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
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  35. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
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  37. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  38. ↑ a b "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Livin' Thing". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 7 May 2015.
  39. ↑ a b Template:Digits/7501/ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 7 May 2015.
  40. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  41. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  42. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".

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