Living on My Own

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"Living on My Own"
Living on My Own cover - Freddie Mercury.jpg
Single by Freddie Mercury
from the album Mr. Bad Guy
B-side"My Love Is Dangerous"
Released2 September 1985 (1985-09-02)[1]
Length
  • 3:21 (album version)
  • 3:03 (single version)
  • 6:39 (extended version)
  • 3:38 (No More Brothers' version)
  • 3:39 (Greatest Hits III version)
Label
Songwriter(s)Freddie Mercury
Producer(s)
Freddie Mercury singles chronology
"Made in Heaven"
(1985) 		"Living on My Own"
(1985) 		"Love Me Like There's No Tomorrow"
(1985)
Music video
"Living on My Own" (1993 'No More Brothers' Mix) on YouTube
1993 cover
Cover art for 1993 No More Brothers Mix.
Cover art for 1993 No More Brothers Mix.

"Living on My Own" is a song by British singer-songwriter Freddie Mercury, originally included on his first solo album, Mr. Bad Guy (1985). It was released as a single (backed with "My Love Is Dangerous") in September 1985 in the United Kingdom, where it peaked at number 50. The July 1985 release in the United States had "She Blows Hot and Cold" as its B-side.[2] Eight years later, in 1993, "Living on My Own" was remixed and re-released to widespread chart success. The song's lyrics reflect Mercury's longstanding admiration for Greta Garbo, whose quotations are featured prominently in the lyrics.[3]

1993 No More Brothers' Mix version[]

On 19 July 1993, two years after Mercury's death, the No More Brothers Mix of the song was released.[4] This remix reached number one in the UK, Ireland, and France (for 15 weeks), becoming Mercury's first solo number-one hit. Meanwhile, in the United States, the 1993 version was not officially released.[5] It remained at the top for two weeks on the British charts.[5]

Critical reception[]

Tom Ewing from Freaky Trigger said that Mercury "sounds terrific over house music."[6] Pan-European magazine Music & Media wrote that "Belgian dance producers picked up a Mercury vocal track, put it on top of sequencers—with surprising results—and made a local top 10 hit out of it."[7] John Kilgo from The Network Forty commented that "hitting you over the head like a hammer, the harmony-laden hook compliments an uptempo groove".[8] A reviewer from Sandwell Evening Mail called it "a stunning Euro-style remix".[9]

Chart performance[]

The 1993 No More Brothers Mix of "Living on My Own" was very successful in Europe. It made it to number one in Denmark, France, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom, as well as on the Eurochart Hot 100. In the UK, it hit the top spot in its third week on the UK Singles Chart, on 8 August 1993; the single spent two weeks at the top of the chart.[10] Additionally, it reached number two in Austria, Belgium, Germany, and Switzerland. In these countries, it was held off reaching number one by 4 Non Blondes' "What's Up". "Living on My Own" earned a gold record in the Netherlands, Sweden, and the UK, while it earned a platinum record in Austria and Germany.

Music video[]

The videos for both the original 1985 and the 1993 remix versions of "Living on My Own" show footage of Mercury's 39th birthday celebration on 5 September 1985 at the Old Mrs. Henderson nightclub in Munich.[11] The video was directed by Hannes Rossacher and Rudi Dolezal.[12]

Track listings[]

Personnel[]

  • Freddie Mercury – lead and backing vocals
  • Colin Peter – additional production / remix
  • Carl Ward – additional production / remix
  • Serge Ramaekers – additional production / remix

Charts[]

Sales and certifications[]

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Austria (IFPI Austria)[41] Platinum 50,000*
Germany (BVMI)[42] Platinum 500,000^
Netherlands (NVPI)[43] Gold 50,000^
Sweden (GLF)[44] Gold 25,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[45] Gold 400,000^

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ "New Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 31 August 1985. p. 14. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
  2. ^ Mr Bad Guy - Living On My Own Ultimate Queen. Retrieved 22 March 2012
  3. ^ Mercury, Freddie; Brooks, Greg; Lupton, Simon (5 September 2019). Freddie Mercury: A Life, In His Own Words. London: Mercury Songs Ltd. p. 120. ISBN 978-1688967489.
  4. ^ "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 17 July 1993. p. 19. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
  5. ^ a b Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums. London: Guinness World Records Limited
  6. ^ Ewing, Tom (27 April 2012). "FREDDIE MERCURY – "Living On My Own"". Freaky Trigger. Retrieved 6 March 2020.
  7. ^ "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. 31 July 1993. p. 11. Retrieved 26 February 2018.
  8. ^ Kilgo, John (3 December 1993). "Mainstream: Music Meeting" (PDF). The Network Forty. p. 22. Retrieved 21 February 2018.
  9. ^ "Freddie Mercury - Living on My Own". Sandwell Evening Mail. 5 June 1993. page 15. Retrieved 2020-03-29.
  10. ^ a b "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 26 February 2018.
  11. ^ Schauberger, Anja. "11 verrückte Clubs in München, die Geschichte schrieben" [11 crazy clubs in Munich that made history]. Mit Vergnuegen. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
  12. ^ Gunn, Jacky (1986). The Official International Queen Fan Club Biography.
  13. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 25 September 2018.
  14. ^ "Freddie Mercury – Living on My Own %5B1993%5D" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 26 February 2018.
  15. ^ "Freddie Mercury – Living on My Own %5B1993%5D" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 25 September 2018.
  16. ^ a b c "Top 10 Sales in Europe" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 10 no. 44. 30 October 1993. p. 18. Retrieved 26 February 2018.
  17. ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 10 no. 44. 30 October 1993. p. 21. Retrieved 6 March 2018.
  18. ^ "Freddie Mercury – Living on My Own %5B1993%5D" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 26 February 2018.
  19. ^ "Freddie Mercury – Living on My Own [1993"] (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 10 April 2020.
  20. ^ "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (02.09.1993 – 08.09.1993)" (PDF). Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 2 September 1993. p. 20. Retrieved 26 February 2018.
  21. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Living on My Own". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 25 September 2018.
  22. ^ Israel Top-30: 2 weeks at No. 1 (17 August 1993 & 24 August 1993)
  23. ^ "Top 10 Sales in Europe" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 10 no. 42. 16 October 1993. p. 18. Retrieved 24 November 2019.
  24. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 35, 1993" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 25 September 2018.
  25. ^ "Freddie Mercury – Living on My Own %5B1993%5D" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 25 September 2018.
  26. ^ "Freddie Mercury – Living on My Own %5B1993%5D". VG-lista. Retrieved 26 February 2018.
  27. ^ "Freddie Mercury – Living on My Own %5B1993%5D". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 26 February 2018.
  28. ^ "Freddie Mercury – Living on My Own %5B1993%5D". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 26 February 2018.
  29. ^ "Top 60 Dance Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 31 July 1993. p. 22. Retrieved 9 April 2021.
  30. ^ "Jahreshitparade Singles 1993" (in German). Retrieved 24 November 2019.
  31. ^ "Jaaroverzichten 1993" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved 24 November 2019.
  32. ^ "1993 Year-End Sales Charts: Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 10 no. 51/52. 18 December 1993. p. 15. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
  33. ^ "Top 100 Singles–Jahrescharts 1993" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 24 November 2019.
  34. ^ "Árslistinn 1993". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 4 January 1994. p. 16. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  35. ^ "Jaarlijsten 1993" (in Dutch). Stichting Nederlandse Top 40. Retrieved 1 December 2019.
  36. ^ "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1993" (in Dutch). MegaCharts. Retrieved 24 November 2019.
  37. ^ "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1993" (in German). Retrieved 24 November 2019.
  38. ^ "Top 100 Singles 1993". Music Week. 15 January 1994. p. 24.
  39. ^ "1994 Year-End Sales Charts: Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 11 no. 52. 24 December 1994. p. 12. Retrieved 28 November 2019.
  40. ^ "Bestenlisten – Singles 1990er" (in German). Retrieved 14 May 2019.
  41. ^ "Austrian single certifications – Freddie Mercury – Living on My Own" (in German). IFPI Austria. Retrieved 24 November 2019.
  42. ^ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Freddie Mercury; 'Living on My Own')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved 24 November 2019.
  43. ^ "Dutch single certifications – Freddie Mercury – Living on My Own" (in Dutch). Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld- en geluidsdragers. Retrieved 24 November 2019. Enter Living on My Own in the "Artiest of titel" box.
  44. ^ "Guld- och Platinacertifikat − År 1987−1998" (PDF) (in Swedish). IFPI Sweden. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 May 2011. Retrieved 24 November 2019.
  45. ^ "British single certifications – Freddie Mercury – Living on My Own". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 7 November 2020.

External links[]

Retrieved from ""