Wild West Hero

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"Wild West Hero"
Wild West Hero.jpg
Single by Electric Light Orchestra
from the album Out of the Blue
B-side "Eldorado"
ReleasedMay 26, 1978 (UK) [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

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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.