Living in a Box (song)

"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]

"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

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" – 3:01

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 (Official German Charts)^[30] 4

Year-end charts Year-end chart performance for "Living in a Box" Chart (1987) Position Europe (European Hot 100)^[31] 17 Norway Spring Period (VG-lista)^[32] 15 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)^[33] 12 UK Singles (Gallup)^[34] 54 West Germany (Official German Charts)^[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.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
5. Living in a Box (Australian & New Zealand 7-inch single vinyl disc). Living in a Box. Chrysalis Records, Festival Records. 1987. K 229.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
6. Living in a Box (UK 12-inch single vinyl disc). Living in a Box. Chrysalis Records. 1987. LIBX 1.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
7. Living in a Box (Australian & New Zealand 12-inch single vinyl disc). Living in a Box. Chrysalis Records, Festival Records. 1987. X 13284.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
8. Living in a Box (UK 12-inch single vinyl disc). Living in a Box. Chrysalis Records. 1987. LIBB 3.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
9. Living in a Box (UK CD single disc notes). Living in a Box. Chrysalis Records. 1987. CDE 4.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
10. Living in a Box (US 7-inch single vinyl disc). Living in a Box. Chrysalis Records. 1987. VS4 43104.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
11. Living in a Box (Canadian 7-inch single vinyl disc). Living in a Box. Chrysalis Records. 1987. 43104.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
12. Living in a Box (US 12-inch single vinyl disc). Living in a Box. Chrysalis Records. 1987. 4V9 43119.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
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). Les classement single. 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. (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.