Living on an Island

Last updated
"Living on an Island"
Single by Status Quo
from the album Whatever You Want
Released16 November 1979 (1979-11-16)
Genre Rock
Length
  • 4:48 (album version)
  • 3:47 (single version)
Label Vertigo
Songwriter(s) Parfitt/Young
Producer(s) Pip Williams
Status Quo singles chronology
"Whatever You Want"
(1979)		"Living on an Island"
(1979)		"What You're Proposing"
(1980)

"Living on an Island" is a single released by the British rock band Status Quo in 1979. It was included on the album Whatever You Want [1] and featured Rick Parfitt on lead vocals.

Contents

Lyrically, the song is about band member Rick Parfitt having to take a "tax year" outside of the United Kingdom and the boredom and isolation he felt living on the Isle of Jersey; however he is also excited about a pending visit from a friend ("Cruxie") who is arriving shortly. [2]

-The first verse deals with fame and the public's perception v. the reality and the resulting depression, due to loneliness.

-The second verse is more optimistic, with Parfitt, not sounding depressed, but bored.

-The third verse however, is positive; talking about the fun the two men are currently having. Although the storyteller indicates that he knows that this will be short lived, as his friend will not stay for long.

The themes of the song are isolation, friendship, partying and drugs, specifically cocaine. Every verse ends with the 'line' (also referenced multiple times and further proof of drug theme) "and we'll get high". [2] Despite the very obvious drug references, the single does not appear to have been banned by the BBC and became a top 20 hit single in the UK; making it to no. 16. [3]

As with the 'penguin' theme started with the previous "Whatever You Want" single, the first 100,000 copies of "Living on an Island" were issued with a picture sleeve featuring several penguins enjoying Antarctic conditions. In addition, the music video features footage of penguins interspersed with footage of the band miming the song on a soundstage.

Track listing

  1. "Living on an Island" (Parfitt/Young) (3.47)
  2. "Runaway" (Rossi/Frost) (4.32)

Charts

Chart (1979)Peak
position
Australian Singles (Kent Music Report) [4] 62
Germany (Official German Charts) [5] 38
Ireland (IRMA) [6] 12
UK Singles (OCC) [7] 16

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References

  1. ↑ "Status Quo discography". statusquo.co.uk. Archived from the original on 2010-04-07. Retrieved 2010-01-04.
  2. 1 2 "Living on an Island - Status Quo Lyrics". Statusquo.co.uk.
  3. ↑ "Status Quo | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". Official Charts .
  4. ↑ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. ISBN   0-646-11917-6.
  5. ↑ "Status Quo – Living on an Island" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 14 August 2021.
  6. ↑ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Living on an Island". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
  7. ↑ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 20 September 2018.
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