Wild West Hero

Last updated

"Wild West Hero"
Wild West Hero.jpg
Single by Electric Light Orchestra
from the album Out of the Blue
B-side "Eldorado"
Released26 May 1978 [1]
Recorded1977
Studio Musicland Studios, Munich, Germany
Genre Art rock
Length4:41
Label Jet
Songwriter(s) Jeff Lynne
Producer(s) Jeff Lynne
Electric Light Orchestra singles chronology
"Sweet Talkin' Woman"
(1978)
"Wild West Hero"
(1978)
"It's Over"
(1978)

"Wild West Hero" is a song by Electric Light Orchestra (ELO), and the closing track and third single from the album Out of the Blue . The song was written reputedly by lead singer Jeff Lynne in 4 minutes while on holiday. Melvyn Gale, normally the band's cellist, provided the Western-style piano for this track.

It entered the UK Top 40 at No. 31 in June 1978 but fell to number 36 the following week. Thanks to a rush-release in 12" format on yellow vinyl, its fortunes were reversed a week later, and within six weeks it had risen to a peak position of number 6. [2] Coincidentally this was also the highest UK position achieved by the group's previous single, "Mr. Blue Sky", and the next two, "Sweet Talkin' Woman" and "Shine a Little Love".

The chorus of the song has the same chord progression as Pachelbel's Canon's but transposed from D to G, which is the tonality of "Wild West Hero". The only exception is the 7th chord of the chorus, which is A instead of C.

Chart history

Chart (1978)Peak
position
Irish Singles Chart [3] 9
UK Singles Chart [2] 6

Related Research Articles

<i>Face the Music</i> (Electric Light Orchestra album) 1975 studio album by Electric Light Orchestra

Face the Music is the fifth studio album by Electric Light Orchestra (ELO). It was released in September 1975 by United Artists Records and on 14 November 1975 in the United Kingdom by Jet Records. The album moves away from the large-scale classical orchestrated sound of the previous album, Eldorado, in favour of more "radio-friendly" pop/rock songs, though the string sections are still very prominent. The new sound proved successful for the group, for Face the Music was the first ELO album to go platinum.

<i>Out of the Blue</i> (Electric Light Orchestra album) 1977 studio album by Electric Light Orchestra

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.

<i>Discovery</i> (Electric Light Orchestra album) 1979 studio album by Electric Light Orchestra

Discovery is the eighth studio album by English rock band Electric Light Orchestra (ELO). It was released on 1 June 1979 in the United Kingdom by Jet Records, where it topped record charts, and on 8 June in the United States on Jet through Columbia Records distribution. A music video album featuring all the songs being played by the band was then released on VHS in 1979, then re-released as part of the Out of the Blue: Live at Wembley DVD and VHS in 1998.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Livin' Thing</span> 1976 single by Electric Light Orchestra

"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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Strange Magic (song)</span> 1976 single by Electric Light Orchestra

"Strange Magic" is a song written by Jeff Lynne and performed by Electric Light Orchestra (ELO). It was originally released on their 1975 Face the Music album.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mr. Blue Sky</span> 1978 single by Electric Light Orchestra

"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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ma-Ma-Ma Belle</span> 1974 single by Electric Light Orchestra

"Ma-Ma-Ma Belle" is a song recorded by the Electric Light Orchestra (ELO).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sweet Talkin' Woman</span> 1978 single 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".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Evil Woman (Electric Light Orchestra song)</span> 1975 single by Electric Light Orchestra

"Evil Woman" is a song recorded by Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) and written by lead vocalist Jeff Lynne. It was first released on the band's fifth album, 1975's Face the Music.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Telephone Line (song)</span> 1977 single by Electric Light Orchestra

"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 commercially successful, topping the charts of Canada and New Zealand and entering the top 10 in Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Don't Bring Me Down</span> 1979 single by Electric Light Orchestra

"Don't Bring Me Down" is the ninth and final track on the English rock band the Electric Light Orchestra's 1979 album Discovery. It is their highest-charting hit in the United States to date.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shine a Little Love</span> 1979 song by the Electric Light Orchestra

"Shine a Little Love" is a song by English rock band Electric Light Orchestra (ELO). It was released as a single in the US and UK in 1979.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Diary of Horace Wimp</span> 1979 single by Electric Light Orchestra

"The Diary of Horace Wimp" is the fourth track on the Electric Light Orchestra album Discovery, written by Jeff Lynne.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Confusion (Electric Light Orchestra song)</span> 1979 single by Electric Light Orchestra

"Confusion" is the second song from the 1979 Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) album Discovery. It features 12-string acoustic guitar and vocoder.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Last Train to London</span> 1979 single by Electric Light Orchestra

"Last Train to London" is a song from the English rock band Electric Light Orchestra (ELO), the fifth track from their album Discovery.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Don't Walk Away (Electric Light Orchestra song)</span> 1980 single by Electric Light Orchestra

"Don't Walk Away" is a song by the Electric Light Orchestra (ELO).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Calling America</span> 1986 single by Electric Light Orchestra

"Calling America" is a song by the rock music group Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) released as a single from their 1986 album Balance of Power. The single reached number 28 in the United Kingdom, making it their 26th and final Top 40 hit single in their native country and peaked at number 18 on the Billboard singles chart, making it their 20th and final Top 40 hit single in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eldorado (song)</span> 1975 single by Electric Light Orchestra

"Eldorado" is the title track from the 1974 album of the same name by the Electric Light Orchestra (ELO).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Electric Light Orchestra discography</span>

The discography of the English rock band Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) consists of 15 studio albums, 7 live albums, 40 compilation albums, 13 video albums, 33 music videos, 1 extended play, 50 singles, 1 soundtrack album and 8 box sets. ELO have also sold over 50 million records worldwide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boy Blue (Electric Light Orchestra song)</span> 1975 single by Electric Light Orchestra

"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.

References

  1. "Music Week" (PDF). Worldradiohistory.com. 27 May 1978. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
  2. 1 2 "Electric Light Orchestra". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 5 March 2013.
  3. "The Irish Charts - All there is to know". Irishcharts.ie. Retrieved 6 March 2013.Enter Electric Light Orchestra in the Search by Artist field, then click Search.