"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. The song's greatest success came in the Netherlands, where it reached No. 5, as well as reaching the Top 20 charts in Norway, Denmark, Finland and Germany. The song also peaked at No. 25 in Canada. 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.
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.
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".
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
"Easy Livin – 2:37
"Gypsy" – 6:37
Cover versions
James Last made an instrumental cover of the song in 1972. Czechoslovakian band Synkopy 61 covered the song with changed lyrics in Czech as "Bílý vrány" (english: "White Crow") for their album Xantipa in 1973. 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. 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". Finnish artist Vilperin Perikunta made a cover of the song with its lyrics translated in Finnish, titled "Piirimyyjä" in 1992. Also, a Christmas single, "Joulupukki" with alternative lyrics was released in 1992. 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. Punk band The Dickies covered the song on their 1998 album Dogs from the Hare That Bit Us. 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. Ruby the Hatchet released a version of the song in 2019 as a single, and it's become a regular part of their live set.
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.
Uses in other Uriah Heep albums
1972 Demons and Wizards - 2:37 Bronze Records
1973 Uriah Heep Live - Mercury Records
1976 The Best of Uriah Heep - 2:36 Mercury
1985 The Best of Uriah Heep - 2:37 Ariola
1987 Live in Europe 1979 - [Japan] BMG
1987 Live in Europe 1979 - 3:32 Sanctuary
1988 Lady in Black [France] - 2:36 Castle Music Ltd. 1988 Live in Moscow - 3:25 Castle 1989 The Collection - 2:39 Castle Music Ltd. 1994 Still 'eavy Still Proud - 3:10 Castle Music Ltd. 1995 Lady in Black - Pinnacle 1995 Platinum: The Ultimate Collection - 2:37 EMI Music Distribution 1996 Greatest Hits - 2:37 Castle Music Ltd 1996 Live January 1973 - 3:24 Castle Music Ltd. 1996 The Best of...Pt. 1 - 2:37 Castle Music Ltd. 1996 The Very Best of Uriah Heep - 3:30 Sanctuary 1996 Uriah Heep Live - 2:49 Castle Music Ltd. 1996 Uriah Heep Live - 3:00 Mercury 1998 Classic Heep: An Anthology - 2:35 Mercury 1998 The Best of...Pt. 2 - 3:25 Sanctuary 1999 Class Reunion: The Greatest Hits of 1972 - 2:37 Polymedia 1999 The Best of...Pts. 1-2 - 2:37 BMG 1999 Spellbinder 3:03 Steamhammer Records 1999 Travellers in Time: Anthology, Vol. 1 - 2:39 Castle Music Ltd.
