Living It Up

This track by Inner Circle doesn’t go unnoticed: a reggae with a rhythmic punch that sticks from the first measure and doesn’t let go until the end. The song Living It Up has that festive vibe that blends catchy melodies with a bassline that throbs like a Jamaican heartbeat, and although it’s not one of the most promoted singles from the album, its energy is unmistakable. What’s most surprising is how it manages to stay in a steady rhythm without falling into monotonous repetitions, something that in dancehall isn’t always easy to achieve.

Recorded as part of the album Bad to the Bone, this version of the track appeared only in the international edition of the album, released in 1992. The arrangers behind it — Bernard “Touter” Harvey, Ian Lewis and Roger Lewis — gave it that organic feel that makes the song sound as if it were being played live in a small studio, with all the warmth of Kingston. The producer of the cut was the same trio, who also signed the rest of the album’s material. Later, the album would have a re-release in the United States under the title Bad Boys, but Living It Up was left out of that re-edited version, remaining as an exclusive detail for those seeking the original cut.