Livin Thing Turn To Stone Electric Light Orchestra

It's a livin' thing
It's a terrible thing to lose

There has been lots of speculation as to what this song is about, with a popular rumor being that it is an anti-abortion statement. ELO frontman Jeff Lynne has said it is simply about the loss of love, although its initial inspiration was a bout of food poisoning. He let that slip in a talk with Hi-Fi News & Record Review in 2014. "You'll never be able to listen to it the same again," he said. "I wouldn't want anyone to think it's about a bad paella on a Spanish holiday."

The song features uncredited vocals by Patti Quatro (sister of Suzi Quatro), Brie Brandt, and Addie Lee, who were all one time members of the female rock group Fanny. According to Suzi Quatro's autobiography the trio sang the "higher and higher" parts.

"Livin' Thing" returned to a Billboard chart for the first time in 40 years in 2017 as a result of its featuring in Volkswagen's "The New King" commercial. Fueled by its appearance in the ad, the tune entered the Rock Digital Songs Sales chart.

The Beautiful South covered the song for their 2004 covers album Golddiggas, Headnodders and Pholk Songs. Released as a single, their version reached #24 on the UK charts.

Sailin' away on the crest of a wave
It's like magic
Oh, rollin' and ridin' and slippin' and slidin'
It's magic

And you, and your sweet desire
You took me, oh, higher and higher, baby

It's a livin' thing
It's a terrible thing to lose
It's a given thing
What a terrible thing to lose

I'm taking a dive
Dive

Making believe this is what you conceived
From your worst day (I'm taking a dive)
Oh, moving in line then you look back in time
To the first day (I'm taking, I'm taking)

And you, and your sweet desire
(Don't you do it, don't you do it)
You took me, oh, higher and higher, baby

It's a livin' thing
It's a terrible thing to lose
It's a given thing
What a terrible thing to lose

I'm taking a dive on the slide, hey

Takin' a dive 'cause you can't halt the slide
Floating downstream (I'm taking a dive)
Oh, so let her go don't start spoiling the show
It's a bad dream (I'm taking, I'm taking)

And you, and your sweet desire
(Don't you do it, don't you do it)
You took me, oh, higher and higher, baby

It's a livin' thing
It's a terrible thing to lose
It's a given thing
What a terrible thing to lose

It's a livin' thing
It's a terrible thing to lose
It's a given thing

"Turn To Stone" is the first track on ELO's landmark Out of the Blue album. ELO front-man Jeff Lynne wrote it during his marathon two-week song-crafting retreat in Switzerland. He can also be heard playing the moog baseline here.

This song has so much complex layering that ELO had to rely on tapes to reproduce the same sound in concert.

This song garnered Jeff Lynne a BMI (Broadcast Music Inc) Million-Air certificate for having one million airplays.

Doctor Who fan alert! "Turn To Stone" was one of the ELO songs featured in the 2006 episode "Love & Monsters," being performed by characters. The song also makes up part of the soundtrack for the 1999 film Detroit Rock City.

The city streets are empty now
(The lights don't shine no more)
And so the songs are way down low

A sound that flows into my mind
(The echoes of the daylight)
Of everything that is alive
(In my blue world)

I turn to stone when you are gone
I turn to stone
I turn to stone, when you comin' home
I can't go on

The dying embers of a night
(A fire that slowly fades 'till dawn)
Still glow upon the wall so bright (turning, turning)

The tired streets that hide away
(From here to everywhere they go)
Roll past my door into the day
In my blue world

I turn to stone when you are gone
I turn to stone
I turn to stone, when you comin' home
I can't go on

Turn to stone when you are gone
I turn to stone

Yes, I'm turnin' to stone
'Cause you ain't coming home
Why ain't you comin' home
If I'm turnin' to stone
You've been gone for so long
And I can't carry on
Yes, I'm turnin', I'm turnin'
I'm turnin' to stone

The dancing shadows on the wall
(The two-step in the hall)
Are all I see since you've been gone (turning, turning)

Through all I sit here and I wait
(I turn to stone, I turn to stone)
You will return again some day
To my blue world

I turn to stone when you are gone
I turn to stone
I turn to stone, when you comin' home
I can't go on

I turn to stone when you are gone
I turn to stone

I turn to stone when you are gone
I turn to stone
Turn to stone, when you comin' home
I can't go on

I turn to stone when you are gone
I turn to stone