"Easy Livin'" is a song by the British rock band Uriah Heep, released as the second single from their 1972 album Demons and Wizards. The band also shot a basic music video for the song in 1972. It was the band's first hit in the United States and the only top 40 hit there, peaking at No. 39 on the Billboard Hot 100 in September 1972.[2] The song's greatest success came in the Netherlands, where it reached No. 5,[3] as well as reaching the Top 20 charts in Norway, Denmark, Finland and Germany. The song also peaked at No. 25 in Canada.[4] In 1988, the band released a live version of the song, with new vocalist Bernie Shaw, as a UK single from the album Live in Moscow.[5][6]

"Easy Livin'"
Single by Uriah Heep
from the album Demons and Wizards
B-side	"Gypsy" (U.S. B-side: "All My Life")
Released	July 1972 [1]
Genre	Progressive rock, hard rock
Length	2:37
Label	Bronze Mercury (US)
Songwriter(s)	Ken Hensley
Producer(s)	Gerry Bron
Uriah Heep singles chronology
"The Wizard" (1972) "Easy Livin'" (1972) "Blind Eye" (1972)

The song appeared on the 2006 compilation Easy Livin': Singles A's & B's and as a re-recorded version on the 2009 album Celebration – Forty Years of Rock.[7]

Success

"Easy Livin'" did not reach the UK Singles Chart but was a big success in Germany, reaching #15. It had its biggest success in the Netherlands, where it charted at #5, while in Finland it reached #17, in France #35 and in Australia #75. It reached the top 40 in the US. Along with "The Wizard", "Easy Livin'" helped the band achieve stardom in many countries.

• In 1995, Radiomafia added "Easy Livin'" to their list of "Top 500 Songs".[8][9]

The song has been included in most of their live sets since its introduction in 1973. It is Uriah Heep's second most covered song behind "Lady in Black".

Track listing

7" single

1. "Easy Livin'" – 2:37
2. "Gypsy" – 6:37

Cover versions

• The song was covered by W.A.S.P. on their 1986 album Inside the Electric Circus and on the B-side of their 1986 single "95-Nasty".
• Angel Dust covered the song for their album Border of Reality in 1998.
• Blackfoot covered the song for their live albums Live on the King Biscuit Flower Hour in 1998 and On the Run–Live in 2004.
• D.C. Cooper covered the song on his 1999 solo album D.C. Cooper.
• Dreamer band has covered the song on the albums Heepsteria Extra – A Tribute to Uriah Heep in 1999 and Tribute to Uriah Heep – Heepsteria in 2000.
• James Last made an instrumental cover of the song.
• Soviet band Aquareli covered the song with English lyrics as "Takova zhyzn'" for their album Solnechnyi luch v moem serdtce ("You Are the Sunshine of My Life") in 1979.
• Finnish artist Vilperin Perikunta made a cover of the song with its lyrics translated in Finnish, titled "Piirimyyjä". Also, a Christmas single, "Joulupukki" with alternative lyrics was released.[10]
• Punk band The Dickies covered the song on their album Dogs from the Hare That Bit Us.

In pop culture

Three years after the song was released, "Easy Livin'" was one of the only two songs that were featured in the 1975 film Dog Day Afternoon.

Chart performance

Uses in other Uriah Heep albums

Various artists

Personnel

• David Byron – lead vocals
• Mick Box – guitar
• Lee Kerslake – drums, percussion, backing vocals
• Gary Thain – bass guitar
• Ken Hensley – organ, backing vocals

References

На других языках

[ru] Easy Livin’