"I Can't Live Without My Radio" is the

lead single A lead single (also known as a debut single) is the first single to be released from a studio album by an artist or a band, usually before the album itself is released and also occasionally on the same day of the album's release date. Release s ...

from LL Cool J's debut album, ''

Radio Radio is the technology of signaling and communicating using radio waves. Radio waves are electromagnetic waves of frequency between 30 hertz (Hz) and 300 gigahertz (GHz). They are generated by an electronic device called a transmi ...

''. It was released in 1985 for

Def Jam Recordings Def Jam Recordings (also simply known as Def Jam) is an American multinational record label owned by Universal Music Group. It is based in Manhattan, New York City, specializing predominantly in hip hop, contemporary R&B, soul and pop. The l ...

and was both written and produced by LL Cool J and

Rick Rubin Frederick Jay Rubin (; born March 10, 1963) is an American record producer. He is the co-founder (alongside Russell Simmons) of Def Jam Recordings, founder of American Recordings, and former co-president of Columbia Records. Rubin helped popula ...

. It is a

love song A love song is a song about romantic love, falling in love, heartbreak after a breakup, and the feelings that these experiences bring. A comprehensive list of even the best known performers and composers of love songs would be a large order ...

to the boombox. The song reached No. 15 on the ''Billboard''

R&B singles chart The Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart ranks the most popular R&B and hip hop songs in the United States and is published weekly by ''Billboard''. Rankings are based on a measure of radio airplay, sales data, and streaming activity. The chart had 100 p ...

. "I Can't Live Without My Radio" was released with the follow-up single " I Can Give You More". It is the first Def Jam single distributed through Columbia Records. A section of the song performed by LL Cool J is featured during the auditions process in the 1985 pioneering hip hop movie ''

Krush Groove ''Krush Groove'' is a 1985 American musical comedy-drama film distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures that was written by Ralph Farquhar and directed by Michael Schultz (who also produced the movie, along with George Jackson and Doug McHenry). This ...

''. This part was created for LL Cool J and another female singer, Nayobe, as an excuse to include their music in the motion picture. LL Cool J himself also has a line, "Box!" (his only line in the movie). The song was featured in the film ''

Get Rich or Die Tryin' ''Get Rich or Die Tryin'' is the debut studio album by American rapper 50 Cent. It was released on February 6, 2003, by Interscope Records, Dr. Dre's Aftermath Entertainment, Eminem's Shady Records, and 50 Cent's G-Unit Records. After signing wi ...

'', which stars rapper 50 Cent, and was also featured in the soundtrack of the video game '' True Crime: New York City''. It is number 12 on VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of Hip Hop. The line from the song "And your Radio's Def when my Record's on" is featured in the chorus of the Eazy-E song "Radio", featured on his debut album, ''

Eazy-Duz-It ''Eazy-Duz-It'' is the debut studio album by American rapper Eazy-E. It was released on November 23, 1988, by Ruthless Records and Priority Records. The album charted on two different charts and went 2× Platinum in the United States despite ver ...

''. The song was later covered by Minnesota band

Halloween, Alaska Halloween, Alaska is a Minnesota-based band consisting of James Diers (voice, guitar, keys), Jake Hanson (brother of Tapes 'n Tapes drummer Jeremy Hanson, guitar), Bill Shaw (electric bass guitar), and Dave King (acoustic and electronic drums). ...

, and also by British

noise rock Noise rock (sometimes called noise punk) is a noise-oriented style of experimental rock that spun off from punk rock in the 1980s. Drawing on movements such as minimalism, industrial music, and New York hardcore, artists indulge in extre ...

group

World Domination Enterprises __NOTOC__ World Domination Enterprises was an English post-punk band active in the mid/late 1980s. Fronted by former Here & Now drummer Dobson, the band's dissonant sound mixed elements of punk, noise, dub, hip hop, and rockabilly. They were ...

Track listing

A-Side

# "I Can Give You More"- 4:16

B-Side

# "I Can't Live Without My Radio"- 4:12

References

{{authority control 1985 songs 1985 singles LL Cool J songs Songs written by LL Cool J Songs written by Rick Rubin Song recordings produced by Rick Rubin Songs about radio Def Jam Recordings singles Columbia Records singles