Living in a Box (song)

"Living in a Box"
Single by Living in a Box
from the album Living in a Box
B-side	"Living in a Box" (The Penthouse mix)
Released	23 March 1987
Genre	Sophisti-pop [1] soul [2]
Length	3:02
Label	Chrysalis
Songwriter(s)	Marcus Vere Steve Piggot Graham Howarth
Producer(s)	Richard James Burgess Tom Lord-Alge
Living in a Box singles chronology
"Living in a Box" (1987) "Scales of Justice" (1987)
Music video
"Living in a Box" on YouTube

"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 No. 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 lead singer of Living in a box Jon Bennett who 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" – 3:01

UK CD single [9] "Living in a Box" (dance mix) – 6:10 "Living in a Box" (The Penthouse mix) – 5:18 "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 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40) [14] 11 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders) [15] 20 Canada Top Singles ( RPM ) [16] 18 Europe (European Hot 100 Singles) [17] 7 France (SNEP) [18] 18 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) [19] 10 Netherlands (Single Top 100) [20] 18 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) [21] 31 Norway (VG-lista) [22] 7 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan) [23] 4 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) [24] 2 UK Singles (OCC) [25] 5 US Billboard Hot 100 [26] 17 US 12-inch Singles Sales ( Billboard ) [27] 16 US Dance Club Play ( Billboard ) [28] 6 US Hot Black Singles ( Billboard ) [29] 74 West Germany (GfK) [30] 4

Year-end charts Year-end chart performance for "Living in a Box" Chart (1987) Position Europe (European Hot 100 Singles) [31] 17 Norway Spring Period (VG-lista) [32] 15 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) [33] 12 UK Singles (Gallup) [34] 54 West Germany (Media Control) [35] 31

References

1. Inskeep, Thomas; Soto, Alfred. "The Bluffer's Guide – Sophisti-Pop". Stylus . Retrieved 28 April 2016.
2. Stanley, Bob (13 September 2013). "1985: What the Fuck is Going On?". Yeah Yeah Yeah: The Story of Modern Pop. Faber & Faber. p. 594. ISBN   978-0-571-28198-5.
3. Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 608. ISBN   1-904994-10-5.
4. Living in a Box (UK 7-inch single vinyl disc). Living in a Box. Chrysalis Records. 1987. LIB 1.
5. Living in a Box (Australian & New Zealand 7-inch single vinyl disc). Living in a Box. Chrysalis Records, Festival Records. 1987. K 229.
6. Living in a Box (UK 12-inch single vinyl disc). Living in a Box. Chrysalis Records. 1987. LIBX 1.
7. Living in a Box (Australian & New Zealand 12-inch single vinyl disc). Living in a Box. Chrysalis Records, Festival Records. 1987. X 13284.
8. Living in a Box (UK 12-inch single vinyl disc). Living in a Box. Chrysalis Records. 1987. LIBB 3.
9. Living in a Box (UK CD single disc notes). Living in a Box. Chrysalis Records. 1987. CDE 4.
10. Living in a Box (US 7-inch single vinyl disc). Living in a Box. Chrysalis Records. 1987. VS4 43104.
11. Living in a Box (Canadian 7-inch single vinyl disc). Living in a Box. Chrysalis Records. 1987. 43104.
12. Living in a Box (US 12-inch single vinyl disc). Living in a Box. Chrysalis Records. 1987. 4V9 43119.
13. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 179. ISBN   0-646-11917-6.
14. "Living In A Box – Living in a Box" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
15. "Living In A Box – Living in a Box" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
16. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 0875." RPM . Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 19 January 2023.
17. "European Hot 100 Singles". Music & Media . Vol. 4, no. 24. 20 June 1987. p. 14.
18. "Living In A Box – Living in a Box" (in French). Le classement de singles. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
19. "Nederlandse Top 40 – Living In A Box" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
20. "Living In A Box – Living in a Box" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
21. "Living In A Box – Living in a Box". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
22. "Living In A Box – Living in a Box". VG-lista. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
23. "Living In A Box – Living in a Box". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
24. "Living In A Box – Living in a Box". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
25. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 19 January 2023.
26. "Billboard Hot 100". Billboard . 22 August 1987. Retrieved 14 November 2023.
27. "Dance Singles Sales" . Billboard. 22 August 1987. Retrieved 14 November 2023.
28. "Dance Club Songs" . Billboard. 18 July 1987. Retrieved 14 November 2023.
29. "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs" . Billboard. 8 August 1987. Retrieved 14 November 2023.
30. "Offiziellecharts.de – Living In A Box – Living In A Box" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
31. "European Charts of the Year 1987: Singles" (PDF). Music & Media . Vol. 4, no. 51/52. 26 December 1987. p. 34. OCLC   29800226 . Retrieved 11 April 2022– via World Radio History.
32. "Topp 20 Single Vår 1987" (in Norwegian). VG-lista. Archived from the original on 12 October 2012. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
33. "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1987: Singles" (in German). Retrieved 11 April 2022.
34. "Gallup Year End Charts 1987: Singles" (PDF). Record Mirror . London. 23 January 1988. p. 36. ISSN   0144-5804 . Retrieved 11 April 2022.
35. "Top 100 Single–Jahrescharts 1987" (in German). GfK Entertainment . Retrieved 11 April 2022.