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Hang On to Your Life

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Wikipedia article




"'Hang On to Your Life'" is a song written by Burton Cummings and Kurt Winter and performed by The Guess Who. The song is featured on their 1970 album, 'Share the Land'.[http://www.discogs.com/Guess-Who-Share-The-Land/release/1713127 The Guess Who, 'Share the Land'] Retrieved March 10, 2015The producer was Jack Richardson and the arrangement was by The Guess Who.[http://www.45cat.com/record/740414ca The Guess Who, "Hang on to Your Life" Canadian single release] Retrieved March 10, 2015

On the 8-track tape edition of 'Share the Land', the song was edited to make it a bit longer in order to fill out the timing on the first channel (a few extra measures appear before each verse).

Background



This song is an anti-drug message. In the chorus section, the phrase: "Oh Life", is repeated a few times, in an echo that fades falsely, depicting a heartbeat. ("Oh Life, Oh Life, Oh Life"). Before the song's ending, the "Oh" in the phrase is heard stronger, with the repeated phrase fading in the spoken coda section.

At the end of the album version Cummings recites verses 13-15 of Psalm 22. The single version ends just before he speaks.

Chart performance



It reached #5 in Canada[http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?&file_num=nlc008388.5217&type=1&interval=20&PHPSESSID=98q6tcgku7546lsrfi3gr83pp7 The Guess Who, "Hang on to Your Life" Canadian Chart Position] Retrieved March 10, 2015 and #43 on the 'Billboard' Hot 100 in 1971.[http://musicvf.com/song.php?title=Hang+On+to+Your+Life+by+The+Guess+Who&id=43105 The Guess Who, "Hang on to Your Life" United States Chart Position] Retrieved March 10, 2015 It was also released in the United Kingdom as a single, but it did not chart.[http://www.45cat.com/record/rca2065 The Guess Who, "Hang on to Your Life" UK single release] Retrieved March 10, 2015

References



Category:1970 songs

Category:1970 singles

Category:Songs written by Burton Cummings

Category:Songs written by Kurt Winter

Category:The Guess Who songs

Category:Song recordings produced by Jack Richardson (record producer)

Category:RCA Victor singles


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