"Xanadu" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by Olivia Newton-John and Electric Light Orchestra | ||||
from the album Xanadu | ||||
B-side |
| |||
Released | 6 June 1980 | |||
Recorded | 1979 | |||
Studio | Musicland Studios (Munich) | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 3:28 | |||
Label | ||||
Songwriter(s) | Jeff Lynne | |||
Producer(s) | Jeff Lynne | |||
Electric Light Orchestra singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Olivia Newton-John singles chronology | ||||
|
"Xanadu" is the title song from the soundtrack of the 1980 musical film of the same name. Written by Jeff Lynne of the English rock band Electric Light Orchestra (ELO), the song is performed by English-born Australian singer, songwriter and actress Olivia Newton-John, with Lynne adding parenthetic vocals in the style of his other songs on the Xanadu soundtrack, and ELO providing the instrumentation. It was Lynne's least favourite of his own songs. [1] [ failed verification ] Released as a single in June 1980, it reached number one in several European countries and was the band's only UK number-one single when it peaked there for two weeks in July 1980. [2] It was certified silver by the British Phonographic Industry. [3] It also peaked at number eight on the US Billboard Hot 100. [4]
Sung by Newton-John [5] as the film's main female character Kira, it peaked at number one in Austria, Belgium, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, the United Kingdom and West Germany.
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
Billboard | (favourable) [6] |
Billboard ′s reviewer described the song as a "sizzling track", writing: "Essentially it's Olivia taking Jeff Lynne's usual spot as lead singer of ELO. The combination is a winning one". [7]
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
|
"Xanadu" | |
---|---|
Single by Olivia featuring Paula | |
Released | 4 December 1995 |
Recorded | 1995 |
Genre | Dance |
Label | MDS |
Songwriter(s) | Jeff Lynne |
In late 1995, two Australian dance performers released two versions of the song. Sydney singer Olivia featuring Paula (on the MDS label) released a dance version first, followed by Kirsty K. (on Central Station Records). Both versions charted on the ARIA Singles and Dance Charts in the first half of 1996. [37]
Chart (1996) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australia (ARIA) [38] | 55 |
"Xanadu" | |
---|---|
Single by Kirsty K. | |
Released | December 1995 |
Recorded | 1995 |
Genre | Dance |
Length | 3:30 |
Label | Central Station |
Songwriter(s) | Jeff Lynne |
Chart (1996) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australia (ARIA) [39] | 71 |
In 2000, ELO's Jeff Lynne re-recorded the song, with his own vocals, for the box set Flashback and the All Over the World compilation. Though it was billed as an ELO selection, the song was recorded by Lynne with Marc Mann on keyboards, but without input from his former bandmates Richard Tandy, Bev Bevan and Kelly Groucutt.
"Xanadu" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by Sharleen Spiteri | ||||
from the album The Movie Songbook | ||||
Released | 25 February 2010 | |||
Recorded | 2009 | |||
Genre | Pop | |||
Length | 3:34 | |||
Label | ||||
Songwriter(s) | Jeff Lynne | |||
Producer(s) | Sharleen Spiteri | |||
Sharleen Spiteri singles chronology | ||||
|
In 2009, Scottish singer-songwriter Sharleen Spiteri recorded the song for her second studio album titled The Movie Songbook which was released on 1 March 2010 worldwide. "Xanadu" was released as the lead single from the album in February 2010.
Chart (2010) | Peak position |
---|---|
UK Singles (OCC) [40] | 71 |
The Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) are 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.
Jeffrey Lynne is an English musician, singer-songwriter and record producer. He is the co-founder and currently the sole member of the rock band Electric Light Orchestra (ELO), which was formed in 1970, and as a songwriter has written most of the band's hits, including "Evil Woman", "Livin' Thing", "Telephone Line", "Mr. Blue Sky", "Don't Bring Me Down" and "Hold On Tight".
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.
Secret Messages is the tenth studio album by Electric Light Orchestra (ELO), released in 1983 on Jet Records. It was the last ELO album with bass guitarist Kelly Groucutt, conductor Louis Clark and a full orchestra, and the last ELO album to be released on the Jet label. It was also the final ELO studio album to become a worldwide top 40 hit upon release.
ELO's Greatest Hits is a compilation by the Electric Light Orchestra (ELO), released 23 November 1979. Despite being released after the album Discovery, this album omitted the band's most recent hits, "Don't Bring Me Down" and "Shine a Little Love".
Xanadu is the soundtrack to the 1980 musical film of the same name, featuring the Australian singer Olivia Newton-John and the British group Electric Light Orchestra (ELO). It was released in June 1980 on MCA Records in the United States and July 1980 by Jet Records in the United Kingdom. The original LP release featured on side one the songs of Newton-John, and on side two the songs of ELO. In 2008 the soundtrack album was digitally remastered as a bonus CD as part of the film's DVD release titled Xanadu: Magical Musical Edition.
All Over the World: The Very Best of Electric Light Orchestra is a compilation album by the Electric Light Orchestra, released in 2005.
"Can't Get It Out of My Head" is a song written by Jeff Lynne and originally recorded by Electric Light Orchestra.
"Rockaria!" is a song by Electric Light Orchestra (ELO), written by Jeff Lynne. It was the third track on the band's successful 1976 album A New World Record, and was the second single from the album. On some CD pressings of A New World Record, the title appears without the exclamation mark.
"Do Ya" is a song written by Jeff Lynne, that was originally recorded by The Move, which became a hit for the Electric Light Orchestra in 1977.
"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.
"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.
"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.
"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.
"Last Train to London" is a song from the English rock band Electric Light Orchestra (ELO), the fifth track from their album Discovery.
"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.
"All Over the World" is a song by the Electric Light Orchestra (ELO). It is featured in the 1980 feature film Xanadu in a sequence with the film's stars Olivia Newton-John, Gene Kelly, and Michael Beck. The song also appears on the soundtrack album Xanadu, and was performed in the 2007 Broadway musical Xanadu.
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.
"Magic" is a song recorded by British-Australian singer Olivia Newton-John for the soundtrack to the 1980 musical fantasy film Xanadu, which starred Newton-John and Gene Kelly. Written and produced by Newton-John's frequent collaborator John Farrar, "Magic" was released as the soundtrack's lead single in May 1980 and topped the US Billboard Hot 100 for four weeks beginning on August 2. On August 30, it was displaced from the top by Christopher Cross's "Sailing".
"Suddenly" is a duet performed by Olivia Newton-John and Cliff Richard from the soundtrack Xanadu, and is the love theme from the 1980 film of the same name. It was written and produced by John Farrar.