Living in a Box (song) explained

Living in a Box
Cover:Living in a Box single.jpg
Type:single
Artist:Living in a Box
Album:Living in a Box
B-Side:"Living in a Box" (The Penthouse mix)
Released:23 March 1987
Genre:
Label:Chrysalis
Producer:
Next Title:Scales of Justice
Next Year:1987

"Living in a Box" is a song by the British band of the same name, released on 23 March 1987 as their first single from their self-titled debut album. It was the group's biggest hit single along with "Room in Your Heart" (1989), reaching 5 on the UK Singles Chart. "Living in a Box" became the group's only top-40 hit in the United States, peaking at No. 17 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song was later covered by Bobby Womack; his version reached No. 70 in the UK.[3]

Background

The song's title came from a comment by a friend of the band's songwriter and keyboard player Marcus Vere. The friend lived in a small council flat in Sheffield prompting him to remark "I feel like I'm living in a cardboard box!", referring to the sense of feeling enclosed. The video featured British DJ Tony Blackburn holding and moving the mouth of a cardboard cutout of himself over his face.

Track listings

Non-US 7-inch single[4] [5]

A. "Living in a Box" – 3:02

B. "Living in a Box" (The Penthouse mix) – 3:10

Non-US 12-inch single[6] [7]

A. "Living in a Box" (dance mix) – 6:10

AA. "Living in a Box" (The Penthouse mix) – 5:18

UK 12-inch single (The Bootleg mix)[8]

A1. "Living in a Box" (The Bootleg mix) – 6:03

B1. "So the Story Goes" – 3:50

B2. "The Liam McCoy" – 3:01UK CD single[9]

  1. "Living in a Box" (dance mix) – 6:10
  2. "Living in a Box" (The Penthouse mix) – 5:18
  3. "Superheroes" – 3:57

US and Canadian 7-inch single[10] [11]

A. "Living in a Box" (single version) – 3:02

AA. "Living in a Box" (edited dance mix) – 3:50

US 12-inch single[12]

A1. "Living in a Box" (dance mix) – 6:10

B1. "Living in a Box" (The Penthouse mix) – 5:18

B2. "Living in a Box" (edited dance mix) – 3:50

Charts

Weekly charts

Weekly chart performance for "Living in a Box"!Chart (1987)!Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[13] 49
Europe (European Hot 100 Singles)[14] 7
US Billboard Hot 100[15] 17
US 12-inch Singles Sales (Billboard)[16] 16
US Dance Club Play (Billboard)[17] 6
US Hot Black Singles (Billboard)[18] 74

Year-end charts

Chart (1987)!scope="col"
Position
Europe (European Hot 100)[19] 17
Norway Spring Period (VG-lista)[20] 15
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[21] 12
UK Singles (Gallup)[22] 54
West Germany (Official German Charts)[23] 31

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Thomas . Inskeep . Alfred . Soto . The Bluffer's Guide – Sophisti-Pop . . 28 April 2016.
  2. Book: Stanley, Bob . Yeah Yeah Yeah: The Story of Modern Pop. 1985: What the Fuck is Going On?. 13 September 2013. Faber & Faber. 978-0-571-28198-5. 594.
  3. Book: Roberts, David. 2006. British Hit Singles & Albums. 19th. Guinness World Records Limited . London. 1-904994-10-5. 608.
  4. Living in a Box. Living in a Box. 1987. UK 7-inch single vinyl disc. Chrysalis Records. LIB 1.
  5. Living in a Box. Living in a Box. 1987. Australian & New Zealand 7-inch single vinyl disc. Chrysalis Records, Festival Records. K 229.
  6. Living in a Box. Living in a Box. 1987. UK 12-inch single vinyl disc. Chrysalis Records. LIBX 1.
  7. Living in a Box. Living in a Box. 1987. Australian & New Zealand 12-inch single vinyl disc. Chrysalis Records, Festival Records. X 13284.
  8. Living in a Box. Living in a Box. 1987. UK 12-inch single vinyl disc. Chrysalis Records. LIBB 3.
  9. Living in a Box. Living in a Box. 1987. UK CD single disc notes. Chrysalis Records. CDE 4.
  10. Living in a Box. Living in a Box. 1987. US 7-inch single vinyl disc. Chrysalis Records. VS4 43104.
  11. Living in a Box. Living in a Box. 1987. Canadian 7-inch single vinyl disc. Chrysalis Records. 43104.
  12. Living in a Box. Living in a Box. 1987. US 12-inch single vinyl disc. Chrysalis Records. 4V9 43119.
  13. Book: Kent, David. David Kent (historian). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. illustrated. Australian Chart Book. St Ives, N.S.W.. 1993. 0-646-11917-6. 179.
  14. European Hot 100 Singles. Music & Media. 4. 24. 14. 20 June 1987.
  15. Billboard Hot 100. Billboard. 22 August 1987. 14 November 2023.
  16. Dance Singles Sales. Billboard. 22 August 1987. subscription. 14 November 2023.
  17. Dance Club Songs. Billboard. 18 July 1987. subscription. 14 November 2023.
  18. Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. Billboard. 8 August 1987. subscription. 14 November 2023.
  19. European Charts of the Year 1987 - Singles. Music & Media. 4. 51/52. 26 December 1987. 34. 29800226. World Radio History . 11 April 2022.
  20. Web site: Topp 20 Single Vår 1987. VG-lista. no. https://web.archive.org/web/20121012073455/http://lista.vg.no/liste/topp-20-single/1/dato/1987/periode/v%C3%A5r. 12 October 2012. 11 April 2022.
  21. Web site: Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1987: Singles. de. 11 April 2022.
  22. Gallup Year End Charts 1987: Singles . . London . 23 January 1988 . 36 . 0144-5804. 11 April 2022.
  23. Web site: Top 100 Single–Jahrescharts 1987. GfK Entertainment. de. 11 April 2022.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Living in a Box (song)".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.