It’s hard to pick a song for Electric Light Orchestra – after all, during the British band’s heyday (1973-86), the Jeff Lynne-led collective boasted 15 Top 20 songs on the Billboard chart (and 27 in their home country), not least the innovative Chucky Berry-Beethoven (Ludvig von) mash-up, “Roll Over Beethoven.” But since that classic clocks in at eight minutes and nine seconds, I’ve opted here for something a little more concise.

“Living Thing” appeared on the 1976 album “A New World Record” – one of four hit singles from their sixth release – featuring a trademark violin intro and, according to Lynne, augmented chords, one of which was so “weird” that it has rendered the song largely unplayable by anyone else.

But that’s ok because it would be hard to improve on Lynne’s version. It is, as he sings, “like magic!”

Lyrics

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