The Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) is an English rock band formed in Birmingham in 1970 by songwriters and multi-instrumentalists Jeff Lynne and Roy Wood with drummer Bev Bevan. Their music is characterised by a fusion of pop and classical arrangements with futuristic iconography. After Wood's departure in 1972,Lynne became the band's sole leader,arranging and producing every album while writing nearly all of their original material. From this point until their first break-up in 1986,Lynne,Bevan,and keyboardist Richard Tandy were the group's only consistent members.
Out of the Blue is the seventh studio album by the British rock group Electric Light Orchestra (ELO),released on 24 October 1977 in the United States and four days after in the UK on 28 October. Written and produced by ELO frontman Jeff Lynne,the double album is among the most commercially successful records in the group's history,selling about 10 million copies worldwide by 2007.
Time is the ninth studio album by English rock band Electric Light Orchestra,released in July 1981 on Jet Records. It is a concept album about a man from the 1980s who is taken to the year 2095,where he is confronted by the dichotomy between technological advancement and a longing for past romance. The record topped the UK Albums Chart for two weeks,though it attracted mixed reviews for its heavy use of synthesizers and stylistic shift away from the orchestral rock of previous ELO albums. It has since gained a cult following,particularly among retrofuturist enthusiasts.
Balance of Power is the eleventh studio album by the Electric Light Orchestra (ELO). It was released in 1986. It is the final album by the band to feature co-founder Bev Bevan on drums,as well as the last album to feature a significant contribution from keyboardist Richard Tandy.
"Livin' Thing" is a song written by Jeff Lynne and performed by Electric Light Orchestra (ELO). It appears on ELO's 1976 album A New World Record and was also released as a single. Patti Quatro sang uncredited vocals,particularly the "higher and higher" parts.
"Here Is the News" is a 1981 song written by Jeff Lynne and performed by Electric Light Orchestra (ELO).
"Mr. Blue Sky" is a song by the Electric Light Orchestra (ELO),featured on the band's seventh studio album Out of the Blue (1977). Written and produced by frontman Jeff Lynne,the song forms the fourth and final track of the "Concerto for a Rainy Day" suite on side three of the original double album. "Mr. Blue Sky" was the second single to be taken from Out of the Blue,peaking at number 6 in the UK Singles Chart and number 35 in the US Billboard Charts.
"Can't Get It Out of My Head" is a song written by Jeff Lynne and originally recorded by Electric Light Orchestra.
"Sweet Talkin' Woman" is a 1978 single by Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) from the album Out of the Blue (1977). Its original title was "Dead End Street",but it was changed during recording. Some words that survived from that version can be heard in the opening of the third verse,"I've been livin' on a dead end street".
"Showdown" is a 1973 song written by Jeff Lynne and recorded by the Electric Light Orchestra (ELO). It was the band's last contemporary recording to be released on the Harvest label. The song was released as a single and reached No 12 in the UK Singles Chart,in the week beginning 28 October,and No 9 on the Norwegian chart VG-lista.
"Telephone Line" is a song by English rock band Electric Light Orchestra (ELO). It was released in May 1977 through Jet Records and United Artists Records as part of the album A New World Record. It was very successful,reaching the Top 10 in Australia,US,and UK,and number 1 in Canada. The song appears in the 1995 Adam Sandler film Billy Madison.
"I'm Alive" is a song by the Electric Light Orchestra (ELO),released as a single in May 1980. It is featured in a sequence near the beginning of the feature film Xanadu. The song also appears on the soundtrack album Xanadu.
"Don't Walk Away" is a song by the Electric Light Orchestra (ELO).
"Twilight" is a song written by Jeff Lynne for English rock band Electric Light Orchestra (ELO),originally released on their 1981 album Time. The lyrics tell of a man who falls asleep while in a twilight state,where he imagines everything in his life that is going to happen to him. They contribute to the album's overarching theme of time travel. ELO writer Barry Delve says that "a cacophony of sound effects...transport us chaotically to the year 2095" to start the album and that the song "doesn't stop or pause for at least 2 minutes," making the song "one of the most exciting experiences ELO ever gave you." Delve suggests that the piano break is influenced by Sergei Rachmaninoff. Billboard said that it was "more intricate" than most ELO songs and that "a grand orchestral build coincides with swirling vocal harmonies for great effect." Record World said that it has "roller-coaster surges of angelic voices and awesome strings." Messenger-Press critic Steve Wosahla said that "Twilight" "indicates that ELO may never get away from Jeff Lynne's accessibly spacey pop pizzaz." Cincinnati Post critic Jerry Stein said that it "is a pounding tune but still has that soaring arrangement favored by the Beatles in so many of their uptempo songs.
"Rain Is Falling" is a song written and performed by Electric Light Orchestra (ELO).
"The Way Life's Meant to Be" is a song written by Jeff Lynne and performed by Electric Light Orchestra (ELO). The single peaked at number 30 on the German Media Control Singles Chart.
"So Serious" is a song by the rock music group Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) from their 1986 album Balance of Power,released in the UK as the second single from the album in 1986.
"Getting to the Point" is a song by the rock group Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) from their 1986 album Balance of Power. Released in the UK as the last single from the album in July 1986,it was the last original release from the band for 15 years.
"Boy Blue" is a song written by Jeff Lynne and performed by the Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) which first appeared as track number 3 from their 1974 album Eldorado.
"Nightrider" is a song from Electric Light Orchestra's (ELO) album Face the Music.
