| Life Begins at the Hop | |
| Cover: | XTC - Life Begins at the Hop.jpg |
| Type: | single |
| Artist: | XTC |
| Released: | April 1979 |
| Genre: | New wave[1] [2] |
| Length: | 3:46 |
| Label: | Virgin Records |
| Producer: | Steve Lillywhite |
| Prev Title: | Are You Receiving Me? |
| Prev Year: | 1978 |
| Next Title: | Making Plans for Nigel |
| Next Year: | 1979 |
"Life Begins at the Hop" is a song written by Colin Moulding. It was recorded by XTC and released in 1979 as the group's fifth single. Keyboardist Barry Andrews was replaced by second guitarist Dave Gregory prior to its recording. The song recalls Friday night youth dances that Moulding, in his teenage years, had attended at St. Peter's Church in Penhill, Swindon.
The single's B-side, "Homo Safari" was the first in Andy Partridge's "Homo Safari Series", a six-part series of ambient, impressionistic instrumentals, initially released on the b-sides of various XTC 7" and 12" singles.