Living for You

Last updated
"Living for You"
Joan Armatrading Living for You 1988 single cover.jpg
Single by Joan Armatrading
from the album The Shouting Stage
B-side "Innocent Request"
Released15 August 1988
Length4:15
Label A&M
Songwriter(s) Joan Armatrading
Producer(s) Joan Armatrading
Joan Armatrading singles chronology
"The Shouting Stage"
(1988)		"Living for You"
(1988)		"Stronger Love"
(1988)
Music video
"Living for You" on YouTube

"Living for You" is a song by English singer-songwriter Joan Armatrading, released on 15 August 1988 by A&M Records as the second single from her eleventh studio album, The Shouting Stage (1988). The song, which was written and produced by Armatrading, reached number 98 in the UK singles chart.

Contents

Background

Armatrading wrote "Living For You" after drummer Jamie Lane suggested that she should write songs based on rhythms generated by a drum machine. [1]

Release

"Living for You" was released by A&M Records in the UK on 15 August 1988 as the second single from The Shouting Stage. [2] It was the album's lead single in the US and gave Armatrading her only appearance on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart, where it reached number 30. [3]

Music video

The song's accompanying music video was directed by Michael Geoghegan. [4] In the US, it achieved medium rotation on VH1. [5]

Critical reception

Upon its release as a single, Marcus Hodge of the Cambridge Evening News wrote, "After a couple of dodgy efforts Joan is back to something nearing top form. Unlike the others, this has a pleasant pop feel and is typically well-sung and arranged." [6] Simon Warner of the Halifax Evening Courier summarised, "Attractive setting for one of Armatrading's superior efforts. A good beat and some neat horn work to add colour." [7] Jim Whiteford, writing for the Dundee Evening Telegraph , called it a "near-bouncy love song". [8] Andrea Fenandes of the Harrow Observer noted that Armatrading had "return[ed] with her trademark of catchy adult-oriented rock" and added, "Her fans will probably love this, but it's not unusual enough to recruit any more disciples." [9]

In the US, Tom DeSavia, writing for Cash Box , remarked that Armatrading "opts for a softer groove" with the single, which he felt would be "perfect" for adult contemporary and Quiet storm radio formats. [10] In a 30th anniversary retrospective on the first Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart, Larry Fitzmaurice of Stereogum described the song as a "swinging, mid-tempo devotional" with a "goes-down-easy groove" and Armatrading's "capable vocal delivery". He added that, by today's alternative pop standards, the song "more resembles something you'd hear while perusing the supermarket aisles". [1]

Track listings

7–inch single (UK and Australasia) [11] [12]

  1. "Living for You" – 4:15
  2. "Innocent Request" – 3:08

7–inch single (Europe, South Africa and US) and cassette single (US) [13] [14] [15] [16]

  1. "Living for You" – 4:15
  2. "I Really Must Be Going" – 4:27

12–inch and CD single (UK) [17] [18]

  1. "Living for You" – 4:15
  2. "Innocent Request" – 3:08
  3. "Cool Blue Stole My Heart" – 7:12

CD single (Europe and US) [19] [20]

  1. "Living for You" – 4:15
  2. "Down to Zero" (live) – 4:30
  3. "Show Some Emotion" (live) – 5:06

Personnel

"Living for You"

Production

Other

Charts

Chart (1988)Peak
position
Canada Top Singles ( RPM ) [21] 89
UK Singles (OCC) [22] 98
US Alternative Airplay ( Billboard ) [3] 30

References

  1. 1 2 Fitzmaurice, Larry (10 September 2018). "Let's revisit Billboard's first-ever Modern Rock Tracks chart published 30 years ago today". Stereogum . Retrieved 27 September 2025.
  2. ↑ "News: Releases". Record Mirror . 13 August 1988. p. 6. ISSN   0144-5804.
  3. 1 2 "Joan Armatrading Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved 27 September 2025.
  4. ↑ "Music Video: New Videoclips". Billboard . Vol. 100, no. 36. Billboard Publications, Inc. 3 September 1988. p. 49. ISSN   0006-2510.
  5. ↑ "The Clip List". Billboard . Vol. 100, no. 40. Billboard Publications, Inc. 1 October 1988. p. 58. ISSN   0006-2510.
  6. ↑ Hodge, Marcus (29 August 1988). "Pop: Blues heaven is still waiting for Glen's bond" . Cambridge Evening New . p. 11. Retrieved 27 September 2025– via British Newspaper Archive.
  7. ↑ Warner, Simon (27 August 1988). "Superior Joan's neat beat" . Halifax Evening Courier. p. 7. Retrieved 27 September 2025– via British Newspaper Archive.
  8. ↑ Whiteford, Jim (19 August 1988). "On the Record! - Singles" . Dundee Evening Telegraph . p. 19. Retrieved 27 September 2025– via British Newspaper Archive.
  9. ↑ Fenandes, Andrea (25 August 1988). "The Vinyl Verdict" . Harrow Observer . p. 32. Retrieved 27 September 2025– via British Newspaper Archive.
  10. ↑ DeSavia, Tom (10 September 1988). "Coast to Coast". Cash Box . Vol. 52, no. 11. p. 6. ISSN   0008-7289.
  11. ↑ Living for You (UK 7-inch single sleeve). A&M Records. 1988. AM 460.
  12. ↑ Living for You (Australasian 7-inch single sleeve). A&M Records. 1988. K-591.
  13. ↑ Living for You (European 7-inch single sleeve). A&M Records. 1988. 390 361-7.
  14. ↑ Living for You (South African 7-inch single sleeve). A&M Records. 1988. AMRS 1566.
  15. ↑ Living for You (US 7-inch single sleeve). A&M Records. 1988. AM-1235.
  16. ↑ Living for You (US cassette single sleeve). A&M Records. 1988. TS-1235.
  17. ↑ Living for You (UK 12-inch single sleeve). A&M Records. 1988. AMY 460.
  18. ↑ Living for You (UK CD single sleeve). A&M Records. 1988. AMCD460.
  19. ↑ Living for You (European CD single sleeve). A&M Records. 1988. 390 361-2.
  20. ↑ Living for You (US CD single sleeve). A&M Records. 1988. CC 31009.
  21. ↑ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 8692." RPM . Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 27 September 2025.
  22. ↑ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 27 September 2025.
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