Thursday, March 03, 2005

ELO Kiddies....



Electric Light Orchestra - 10538 Overture

This was ELO's debut single in 1971... what a way to start, I guess you can see why most people now consider them a poor persons Beatles, but to be honest what everyone now terms The Beatles sound... Orchestration (mainly cellos), an Olde Worlde music hall stylee with an Indian slant only ever appeared on a few Beatles recordings....
But there are several moments in this song lifted straight from THAT Beatles catalogue, but I don't care when it's all put together this well.
You might also recognise the guitar part that Paul "Petty Thief Lout" Weller stole for his Changing Man track.... (for another Wellerism visit The Cap'n).
And before him, Cheap Trick nicked it for Downed.

Later the same year ELO released their debut album cunningly titled Electric Light Orchestra, re-named for the American market to No Answer due to someone from United Artists phoning up to find out what the album was called and getting the message "No Answer" from the secretary of Harvest Records.
In a twist, after being the mastermind behind setting up the band, Roy Wood left shortly after the albums release to put his new band together... Wizzard.

Anyway, I love this track, and the whole album in general, and am not ashamed to say so....
And talking of which........

Electric Light Orchestra - Mr. Blue Sky

Possibly the greatest song ever recorded.....
You all know it, it's been there all your life burrowing it's way into your brain whilst shopping in crappy clothes shops that are playing golden oldies on the radio...
You love it, you just haven't realised it yet.

Buy - Electric Light Orchestra - No Answer
Buy - Strange Magic: The Best of Electric Light Orchestra
Visit - Electric Light Orchestra
Visit - Rockaria

Simon
x

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