"Open Letter (To a Landlord)"
Single by Living Colour
from the album Vivid
Released1989
Recorded1987–1988
Genre
Length5:30
LabelEpic
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Ed Stasium
Living Colour singles chronology
"Glamour Boys"
(1988)		 "Open Letter (To a Landlord)"
(1989)		 "Funny Vibe"
(1988)

"Open Letter (To a Landlord)" is a song by American rock band Living Colour. A power ballad,[4] it was released as the fourth single from their 1988 debut album, Vivid. The song reached No. 82 on the Billboard Hot 100.[5]

Critical reception

Malu Halasa, reviewer of British music newspaper Record Mirror, called Vernon Reid a "reputed virtuoso in the axe licks department" and described "Open Letter" as "practically atonal with not a pop melody in sight".[6] Ian Gittins of Melody Maker expressed similar opinion on the single. As per him, "Living Colour also deserve far more applause than they've often had in these pages". But a critic thought that the musicians were too straight and wished for them to "have some more fun".[7]

Track listing

7" single
Side one
No.TitleLength
1."Open Letter (To a Landlord)"5:30
Side two
No.TitleLength
2."Talkin' 'bout a Revolution" (Live)6:00
12" single
Side one
No.TitleLength
1."Open Letter (To a Landlord)"5:30
2."Cult of Personality" (Live)5:06
Side two
No.TitleLength
3."Talkin' 'bout a Revolution" (Live)4:29

Charts

Chart (1989) Peak
position
US Mainstream Rock[8] 11
RIANZ Singles Chart[9] 11
US Billboard Hot 100[10] 82

References

  1. ↑ Elliott, Paul (May 30, 2016). "The Top 20 Greatest Funk Rock Songs". Classic Rock. Retrieved May 23, 2021.
  2. ↑ "Living Colour: Vivid - Album Of The Week Club Review". Classic Rock. November 19, 2018. Retrieved May 23, 2021.
  3. ↑ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Super Hits - Living Colour | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved April 20, 2021.
  4. ↑ DaveyBoy (January 24, 2009). "Living Colour - Vivid (album review)". Sputnikmusic. Retrieved April 20, 2021.
  5. ↑ Living Colour - Chart History, Billboard.com
  6. ↑ Halasa, Malu (March 11, 1988). "Review: Living Colour – "Open Letter"" (PDF). Record Mirror. London: Spotlight Publications Ltd. p. 29. ISSN 0144-5804. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 9, 2021. Retrieved December 4, 2021 – via World Radio History.
  7. ↑ Gittins, Ian (March 11, 1989). "Review: Living Colour – "Open Letter"". Melody Maker. London: IPC Limited. p. 31. ISSN 0025-9012. Retrieved November 2, 2022 – via Flickr.
  8. ↑ Billboard.com Single charts for Living Colour
  9. ↑ Charts.org.nz, New Zealand charts for Living Colour
  10. ↑ Billboard.com Billboard chart history for Living Colour
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