Song · Oingo Boingo
“Ain't This the Life” by Oingo Boingo
From the EP Oingo Boingo (1980)
“Ain't This the Life” by Oingo Boingo appears on 2 radio countdowns from 1 station between 1980 and 1988. It was first released in 1980 on the EP Oingo Boingo. Its best result is #47 on the KROQ Top 106.7 Songs of 1980. In the combined RockLists rankings it is the #47 alternative song of 1980 and #6,369 alternative song of all time.
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Danny Elfman wrote "Ain't This the Life" for Oingo Boingo's first release, a self-titled EP that started life as a promotional demo, pressed on 10-inch vinyl and handed out before any label had signed them. I.R.S. Records then picked it up and put it out in 1980. Michael Boshears produced and mixed the track.
The credits show a new wave band carrying a real horn section: Sam "Sluggo" Phipps and Leon Schneiderman on saxophones and Dale Turner on trombone, with Steve Bartek on guitar and Kerry Hatch on bass. The song carries an odd footnote, too: when the EP was reissued on 12-inch, this version was pulled and a new recording put in its place.
Written with AI assistance from RockLists chart data, MusicBrainz.
RockLists rankings
Alternative & Modern Rock
All Rock Formats
Year-end countdowns
| Year | # | Station | Countdown | of |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 47 | KROQ Los Angeles, CA | KROQ Top 106.7 Songs of 1980 | 106 |
All-time and decade countdowns
| Year | # | Station | Countdown | of |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | 385 | KROQ | KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 1988) | 496 |
Also listed as: Ain't this the Life.
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