I'm Alive (Electric Light Orchestra song) explained

I'm Alive
Cover:	ELO I'm Alive single cover.jpg
Type:	single
Artist:	Electric Light Orchestra
Album:	Xanadu
B-Side:	Drum Dreams
Recorded:	1980
Studio:	Musicland, Munich, Germany
Genre:	Pop
Length:	3:45
Label:	Jet (UK) MCA (US)
Producer:	Jeff Lynne
Prev Title:	Confusion
Prev Title2:	Last Train to London
Prev Year:	1980
Next Title:	Xanadu
Next Year:	1980

"I'm Alive" is a song by the Electric Light Orchestra (ELO), released as a single in May 1980. It is featured in a sequence near the beginning of the feature film Xanadu. The song also appears on the soundtrack album Xanadu.

Background

In the film the song is heard as the Muses emerge from a graffiti-like portrait; Olivia Newton-John, playing Kira (Terpsichore), emerges last. The film's version of the song contains a fairly lengthy instrumental introduction, a small segment of which is used for the album version.

The single's B-side, "Drum Dreams", is also featured in the film at the beginning of the Xanadu nightclub grand opening scene and segues into the movie title song. "Drum Dreams" was also used as the B-side of the "All Over the World" single.

Reception

Cash Box said that it has "adept movement from electronically treated vocals to Lynne's lead".^[1] Record World said that "keyboard magic abounds with a Beatlesque melody line & heavenly falsetto choruses".^[2]

Personnel

• Jeff Lynne - lead and backing vocals, electric guitars, keyboards, synthesizers
• Bev Bevan - drums, percussion
• Richard Tandy - pianos, synthesizers, keyboards
• Kelly Groucutt - bass guitar, backing vocals
• Louis Clark - strings

Chart performance

Weekly charts

Chart (1980)	Peak position
Australia Kent Music Report^[3]	27
Canadian RPM Top Singles^[4]	10
Canada RPM Adult Contemporary^[5]	15
Dutch GfK chart^[6]	38
French SNEP Singles Chart	9
German Media Control Singles Chart^[7]	16
Irish Singles Chart^[8]	10
Italy^[9]	24
New Zealand Singles Chart^[10]	32
Norwegian Singles Chart^[11]	3
South Africa (Springbok)^[12]	9
UK Singles Chart^[13]	20
US Billboard Hot 100^[14]	16
US Billboard Adult Contemporary^[15]	48
US Cash Box Top 100 Singles^[16]	14
US Record World Singles^[17]	14
US Radio & Records (R&R)^[18] ^[19]	12

Year-end charts

Chart (1980)	Rank
Italy (FIMI)	84
US Opus	80

Certifications

Notes and References

1. News: CashBox Singles Reviews. May 24, 1980. 21. Cash Box. 2022-01-01.
2. Record World. May 24, 1980. 2023-02-20. Hits of the Week. 1.
3. Book: Kent, David. Australian Chart Book 1970 - 1992. David Kent (historian). Australian Chart Book. St Ives, NSW. 1993. 0-646-11917-6.
4. Web site: RPM Top 100 Singles - July 26, 1980.
5. Web site: RPM Top 50 AC - August 23, 1980.
6. Web site: dutchcharts.nl - Electric Light Orchestra - I'm Alive . November 28, 2009. nl.
7. Web site: charts.de - Electric Light Orchestra . https://web.archive.org/web/20140912205303/http://www.officialcharts.de/artist.asp?name=Electric+Light+Orchestra&country=de . dead . September 12, 2014 . charts.de . April 22, 2013.
8. Web site: The Irish Charts - All there is to know . Irishcharts.ie . March 6, 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090602061251/http://www.irishcharts.ie/search/placement . June 2, 2009 . mdy-all. Enter Electric Light Orchestra in the Search by Artist field, then click Search.
9. Web site: Electric Light Orchestra - I'm Alive . January 27, 2022.
10. Web site: Electric Light Orchestra - I'm Alive . November 28, 2009.
11. Web site: norwegiancharts.com - Electric Light Orchestra - I'm Alive . November 28, 2009.
12. Web site: South African Rock Lists Website - SA Charts 1969 - 1989 Acts (E) . Rock.co.za . April 29, 2013.
13. Web site: Electric Light Orchestra . Official Charts Company . March 5, 2013.
14. Web site: Electric Light Orchestra - Awards . AllMusic . March 5, 2013.
15. Book: Whitburn, Joel . Joel Whitburn . 1993 . Top Adult Contemporary: 1961–1993 . Record Research . 79.
16. Web site: CASH BOX Top 100 Singles. 19 July 1980. cashboxmagazine.com. 11 January 2021.
17. Web site: Hawtin . Steve . Song artist 171 - Electric Light Orchestra . Tsort.info . May 2, 2013.
18. Web site: ELO . Wweb.uta.edu . 2016-10-16.
19. Web site: Charts . Wweb.uta.edu . 2016-10-16.
20. Web site: [{{Allmusic|class=artist|id=p4177|pure_url=yes}} Electric Light Orchestra > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles ]. . 2009-11-28.