Livin' Thing

by Electric Light Orchestra
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How to Play This Song

Learn a simple version, phrase by phrase: the melody, then easy chords.

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Lyrics

(C)Sail in’ a way on the crest of a wave, it’s like (Am)mag ic.

Oh, (Ab)roll in’ and rid in’ and slip pin’ and slid in’, it’s (Fm)mag ic.

And (Em)you

and your sweet de sire,

You took (Em)me,

oh,

high er and high er, ba by.

It’s a liv in’ thing!

It’s a ter ri ble (G)thing to (C)lose.

It’s a giv en thing,

what a ter ri ble (G)thing to (C)lose.

(C)Mak in’ be lieve this is what you con ceived from your (Am)worst

day.

Oh, (Ab)mov ing in line, then you look back in time to the (Fm)first

day.

And (Em)you

and your sweet de sire,

You took (Em)me,

oh,

high er and high er, ba by.

It’s a liv in’ thing!

It’s a ter ri ble (G)thing to (C)lose.

It’s a giv en thing,

what a ter ri ble (G)thing to (C)lose.

(C)lose.

It’s a liv in’ thing!

It’s a ter ri ble (G)thing to (C)lose.

It’s a giv en thing!

What a ter ri ble (G)thing to (C)lose.

It’s a liv

Livin' Thing — Piano Lead Sheet

10 people have learned this song

"Livin' Thing" lead sheet with chords, melody, and lyrics. Play the melody while following chord symbols above. Perfect for sing-along or accompaniment. Key of C, 100 BPM.

Teacher’s notes

This arrangement is a great workout for handling chromatic chords outside the home key — you've got thirteen chords here, and several like Ab, Bbm, Fm, and Gaug will pull your hands into unfamiliar shapes amid otherwise comfortable C-major territory.

Your left hand drives an oompah bass pattern throughout, so start by drilling that alone at around 70 BPM until it feels automatic, because you'll need all your mental bandwidth for the right-hand chord changes.

Watch the transitions into and out of those flat-side chords especially — the move from G or Gaug into Ab tends to trip people up, so loop those two-bar passages until the fingering is memorized, not guessed.

Once both hands are solid separately, bring them together still under tempo and only speed up in small increments.

By the end, you'll be genuinely comfortable navigating chromatic harmony, and that's a skill that pays off in dozens of other songs.

About “Livin' Thing”

Where are the chord symbols for "Livin' Thing" displayed?
Lead Sheet shows chord symbols (like Am, G7, C) above the melody line with lyrics below. Every chord change highlights in real time as the song plays, so you can play the melody with the right hand and follow chord shapes with the left. "Livin' Thing" is in C.
What key is "Livin' Thing" by Electric Light Orchestra played in?
Livin' Thing is arranged in the key of C on Super Simple Piano. You can transpose to any other key live in the player.
What's the tempo (BPM) of "Livin' Thing"?
The arrangement plays at 100 BPM. Use the speed control (10-200%) to practice slower or play faster.
Is "Livin' Thing" easy to play on piano?
This is a medium-difficulty arrangement. Most players can learn it within a few practice sessions using the speed control.
Can I download sheet music for "Livin' Thing"?
Yes — registered users can download PDF sheet music, plus MIDI and MusicXML files for use in other notation software.
Who composed "Livin' Thing"?
"Livin' Thing" was originally performed by Electric Light Orchestra. The Super Simple Piano arrangement is simplified for beginner-to-intermediate players.
What chords are used in "Livin' Thing"?
This arrangement uses 13 chords: Ab, Am, Bbm, C, D7, Dm, Em, F, +5 more.
What other songs by Electric Light Orchestra can I play here?
Try "ALL OVER THE WORLD", "ROCKARIA", "DON'T BRING ME DOWN". All are in our player with color-coded notes; pick the one matching your level.
Does "Livin' Thing" have chords and lyrics?
Yes! The Lead Sheet shows the melody with chord symbols (like Am, G, C) and full lyrics. Perfect for singing along or playing with a band. "Livin' Thing" is in the key of C at 100 BPM.
What chords are in "Livin' Thing"?
Open the Lead Sheet to see all chord symbols displayed above the melody line. The song is in the key of C, so you'll find chords common to that key. Each chord highlights in real time as the song plays.