Mr. Blue Sky: The Very Best of Electric Light Orchestra

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Mr. Blue Sky: The Very Best of Electric Light Orchestra
Electric Light Orchestra - Mr. Blue Sky. The Very Best of Electric Light Orchestra.jpg
Studio album by
Jeff Lynne
Released8 October 2012
StudioBungalow Palace
Genre Rock
Length48:51
Label Frontiers
Producer Jeff Lynne
Jeff Lynne chronology
The Essential Electric Light Orchestra
(2 CD Edition)
(2011)		Mr. Blue Sky: The Very Best of Electric Light Orchestra
(2012)		 Electric Light Orchestra Live
(2013)

Mr. Blue Sky: The Very Best of Electric Light Orchestra, also known as Mr. Blue Sky, is an album of re-recordings by Jeff Lynne of hits by Electric Light Orchestra. It was issued in 2012 by Frontiers Music simultaneously with Lynne's cover album Long Wave .

Contents

Background

Jeff Lynne told Rolling Stone magazine that the idea came from him listening to the original Electric Light Orchestra recordings, and thinking that he could produce a better result having since had a long career as a record producer. [1] Lynne decided to re-record a number of songs from scratch, and began with "Mr. Blue Sky". He told Rolling Stone: "I enjoyed doing that a lot, and when I listened back to it and compared it to the old one, I really liked it much better." [1] It was suggested by his manager that Lynne record a few more versions of Electric Light Orchestra songs, the results being recordings of "Evil Woman" and "Strange Magic". Lynne also liked these versions, so he continued by producing a full album of re-recordings. [1]

Release and content

The album features all new recordings of some of the group's hits, [2] as well as two bonus tracks: a new song, "Point of No Return", and a live recording of "Twilight" on Japanese releases. The album debuted at number 8 on the UK Albums Chart [3] and at number 2 on the UK Top 40 Independent Albums Chart, [4] then also at number 118 on the US Billboard 200 albums chart, [5] at number 29 on the Billboard Top Independent Albums chart [6] and at number 46 on the Billboard Top Rock Albums chart. [7]

Track listing

All tracks written, produced, and performed by Jeff Lynne. [8]

No.TitleLength
1."Mr. Blue Sky"3:44
2."Evil Woman"4:30
3."Strange Magic"3:53
4."Don't Bring Me Down"4:01
5."Turn to Stone"3:46
6."Showdown"4:16
7."Telephone Line"4:30
8."Livin' Thing"3:42
9."Do Ya"3:56
10."Can't Get It Out of My Head"4:35
11."10538 Overture" (40th anniversary version)4:44
12."Point of No Return" (Previously unreleased)3:14
Total length:48:51

Japanese bonus track

No.TitleLength
13."Twilight" (Live from CBS Television City, 2001)3:40

iTunes Store "Deluxe edition" bonus tracks

Source: [9]

No.TitleLength
14."Ma-Ma-Ma Belle"3:52
15."Rockaria!"3:13
16."Steppin' Out" (Live from Bungalow Palace)3:23
17."Can't Get It Out of My Head" (Live from Bungalow Palace)4:11

Personnel

Personnel per album booklet: [8]

Musicians

Charts

Chart (2012)Peak
position
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders) [10] 119
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia) [11] 129
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100) [12] 78
UK Albums (OCC) [3] 8
UK Independent Albums (OCC) [4] 29
US Billboard 200 [5] 118
US Independent Albums (Billboard) [6] 29
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard) [7] 46

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI) [13] Gold100,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Prato, Greg (21 September 2012). "Premiere: Jeff Lynne Covers Soul Nugget 'Mercy, Mercy'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 3 October 2012.
  2. ↑ "Mr. Blue Sky: The Story of Jeff Lynne and ELO Coming To TV". Anti Music. Retrieved 3 October 2012.
  3. 1 2 "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 12 January 2021.
  4. 1 2 "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 12 January 2021.
  5. 1 2 "Electric Light Orchestra Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 12 January 2021.
  6. 1 2 "Electric Light Orchestra Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 12 January 2021.
  7. 1 2 "Electric Light Orchestra Chart History (Top Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 12 January 2021.
  8. 1 2 Mr. Blue Sky: The Very Best of Electric Light Orchestra liner notes
  9. ↑ "iTunes – Music – Mr. Blue Sky – The Very Best of Electric Light Orchestra (Deluxe Edition) by Electric Light Orchestra". iTunes. Archived from the original on 15 March 2016. Retrieved 11 October 2012.
  10. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Electric Light Orchestra – Mr. Blue Sky - The Very Best of Electric Light Orchestra" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 12 January 2021.
  11. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Electric Light Orchestra – Mr. Blue Sky - The Very Best of Electric Light Orchestra" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 12 January 2021.
  12. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Electric Light Orchestra – Mr. Blue Sky - The Very Best of Electric Light Orchestra" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 12 January 2021.
  13. ↑ "British album certifications – Elo – Mr Blue Sky - The Very Best Of". British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved 12 January 2021.
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