"Trying to Live My Life Without You" or "Tryin' to Live My Life Without You" is a song written by Eugene Frank Williams, originally popularized by

soul The soul is the purported Mind–body dualism, immaterial aspect or essence of a Outline of life forms, living being. It is typically believed to be Immortality, immortal and to exist apart from the material world. The three main theories that ...

singer

Otis Clay Otis Lee Clay (February 11, 1942 – January 8, 2016) was an American R&B and soul singer, who started in gospel music. In 2013, Clay was inducted to the Blues Hall of Fame. Early life Clay was born in Waxhaw, Mississippi, to a musical fami ...

. In early 1973 it reached #102 on the ''Billboard''

Bubbling Under Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles (also known as Bubbling Under the Hot 100) is a chart published weekly by ''Billboard (magazine), Billboard'' magazine in the United States. The chart lists the top songs that have not yet charted on the main Billboar ...

chart. On February 17, 1973, Clay performed the song on ''

Soul Train ''Soul Train'' is an American musical variety television show. After airing locally on WCIU-TV in Chicago, Illinois, for a year, it aired in syndication from October 2, 1971, to March 25, 2006. In its 35-year history, the show primarily featu ...

''. It has since been covered by several other artists, most notably

Bob Seger Robert Clark Seger ( ; born May 6, 1945) is a retired American singer, songwriter, and musician. As a locally successful Detroit-area artist, he performed and recorded with the groups Bob Seger and the Last Heard and the Bob Seger System throu ...

on his 1981 '' Nine Tonight'' album, Dr. Feelgood on their 1982 ''Fast Women & Slow Horses'' album, Brinsley Schwarz and at live performances by The California Honeydrops. Two lines are used by Drake in "Moth Balls" from Some_Sexy_Songs_4_U.

Writing

The song is sung from the point of view of a man who is addressing his former lover. During the song's verses, the narrator tells of various habits he has had over his lifetime, such as smoking "five packs of cigarettes a day", drinking "four or five bottles of wine." and

womanizing Promiscuity is the practice of engaging in sexual activity frequently with different partners or being indiscriminate in the choice of sexual partners. The term can carry a moral judgment. A common example of behavior viewed as promiscuous by man ...

with many young women. In the song, he states that breaking those former habits was difficult, but not nearly as difficult as getting over the girl and forgetting the love they shared.

Chart performance

Bob Seger version

Bob Seger's cover of the song is the most successful version of the song, reaching number five on the pop singles charts. It is known for Seger's spoken prelude on top of the bassline: "Alright, you guys feel funky tonight? ... This is an old Memphis song, old Memphis song...." The ''Nine Tonight''

liner notes Liner notes (also sleeve notes or album notes) are the writings found on the sleeves of LP record albums and in booklets that come inserted into the compact disc jewel case or cassette j-cards. Origin Liner notes are descended from the prog ...

claim that Seger's saxophone player, Alto Reed, played all the saxophones heard on that song, at the same time. Most likely this is possible from studio overdubbing on top of the live performance. ''

Record World ''Record World'' magazine was one of three major weekly music industry trade magazines in the United States, with ''Billboard'' and '' Cashbox''. It was founded in 1946 as ''Music Vendor''. In 1964, it was changed to ''Record World'' under the ...

'' said it is a "soulful rocker that captures Seger at his best."

Chart performance

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

References

{{Authority control 1972 singles 2000 singles Otis Clay songs Hi Records singles 1981 singles Bob Seger songs John Farnham songs Capitol Records singles 1972 songs Song recordings produced by Bob Seger Song recordings produced by Punch Andrews