# Just discovered ELO. Run screaming or rejoice? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 4, 2003, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-discovered-elo-run-screaming-or-rejoice/211272 "2003-11-04T03:33:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Nvme77](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c89c15/32.png) [@Nvme77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nvme77)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2003, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-discovered-elo-run-screaming-or-rejoice/211272/1 "2003-11-04T03:33:15Z")
I hve a copy of ELO’S Greatest Hits. Listening all the way through for the second time straight. Not sure if it really is that the music is good- or the I easily become addicted to things. Tell me yay or nay on ELO . 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2003, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-discovered-elo-run-screaming-or-rejoice/211272/2 "2003-11-04T03:45:20Z")
I have to admit, I do love “Strange Magic.” I THINK that’s ELO, right? ---
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2003, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-discovered-elo-run-screaming-or-rejoice/211272/3 "2003-11-04T03:46:50Z")
I hear Betty Ford have a facility for people in your condition. ---
**Author:** ![Brad\_Pittiful](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b3f665/32.png) [@Brad\_Pittiful](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brad_Pittiful)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2003, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-discovered-elo-run-screaming-or-rejoice/211272/4 "2003-11-04T03:47:24Z")
ELO rocks…i like “showdown” the best ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2003, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-discovered-elo-run-screaming-or-rejoice/211272/5 "2003-11-04T03:51:26Z")
They’ve always been my favorite group. ---
**Author:** ![Soup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/977dab/32.png) [@Soup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soup)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2003, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-discovered-elo-run-screaming-or-rejoice/211272/6 "2003-11-04T03:53:09Z")
“Mr. Blue Sky” “Evil Woman” “Turned To Stone” I always enjoy coming across an ELO song on the radio . . . ---
**Author:** ![Nvme77](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c89c15/32.png) [@Nvme77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nvme77)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2003, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-discovered-elo-run-screaming-or-rejoice/211272/7 "2003-11-04T03:59:00Z")
Something about the composition and the vocals harmonies that appeal. When I discover “new” music, I’v always got to wonder how it sounded to the people who heard it first. I mean to me this music now isnt as revolutionary as it might have been when it first came out. I like Strange Magic. Some of their stuff is reminding me a bit of the Beatles and John Lennon. Hope that isnt heresy to anyone here… ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2003, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-discovered-elo-run-screaming-or-rejoice/211272/8 "2003-11-04T03:59:51Z")
Highly recommended: Out of the Blue Face the Music A New World Record Time Recommended: Eldorado Secret Messages Electric Light Orchestra (AKA No Answer) Discovery For completists: ELO II On the Third Day Balance of Power Zoom ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2003, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-discovered-elo-run-screaming-or-rejoice/211272/9 "2003-11-04T04:01:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Nvme77 \* > \*\*Some of their stuff is reminding me a bit of the Beatles and John Lennon. Hope that isnt heresy to anyone here… \*\* John once referred to ELO as the “son of the Beatles” and was a big fan of “Showdown”. Check out “10538 Overture” (from _No Answer_) and try NOT to think of the Beatles. ---
**Author:** ![jimpatro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b9e5f3/32.png) [@jimpatro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jimpatro)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2003, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-discovered-elo-run-screaming-or-rejoice/211272/10 "2003-11-04T04:04:43Z")
**Mr. Blue Sky** , I’ve meant to ask in the past if your handle is in homage to the greatest rock group on Earth. Of course it’s a matter of taste but they are my personal favorite of all time. Do Ya Fire on High Evil Woman some of my favs! **Nvme77** Seek out more of their stuff, you might like it. ---
**Author:** ![Rico](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rico/32/3582_2.png) [@Rico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rico)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2003, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-discovered-elo-run-screaming-or-rejoice/211272/11 "2003-11-04T04:10:58Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Nvme77 \* > \*\*Some of their stuff is reminding me a bit of the Beatles and John Lennon. Hope that isnt heresy to anyone here… \*\* Not at all. In fact, Jeff Lynne of ELO produced the “post-Lennon” Beatles singles, such as “Free As A Bird.” You can hear a definite ELO-tinge in those songs. ---
**Author:** ![Jeff\_Lodoen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b3f665/32.png) [@Jeff\_Lodoen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff_Lodoen)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2003, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-discovered-elo-run-screaming-or-rejoice/211272/12 "2003-11-04T05:23:15Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Rico \* > \*\*Not at all. In fact, Jeff Lynne of ELO produced the “post-Lennon” Beatles singles, such as “Free As A Bird.” You can hear a definite ELO-tinge in those songs. \*\* Post-ELO Jeff Lynne sounds a lot like itself. His work with Harrison, Orbison, Petty (solo and all together), and the Everly Brothers sound a lot alike. His producing is a bit overpowering; perhaps the artists were tired? ---
**Author:** ![Made\_in\_Macau](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eada6e/32.png) [@Made\_in\_Macau](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Made_in_Macau)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2003, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-discovered-elo-run-screaming-or-rejoice/211272/13 "2003-11-04T12:39:45Z")
He also produced some of Randy Newman’s Land of Dreams and its clear he has a style of his own that carries through the Willberry’s ELO and the ‘Beatles’. Always loved Rock Aria - used to play it in a band years ago (no string section!) and always choked up at the end on the line - ‘I thought I saw the man there, but I wasn’t really sure, but it’s alright’ with no clue why. And I’m a psychotherapist! Enjoy yourself ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Tan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/charlie_tan/32/12582_2.png) [@Charlie\_Tan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Tan)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2003, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-discovered-elo-run-screaming-or-rejoice/211272/14 "2003-11-04T14:20:33Z")
Lynne is a very gifted songwriter/producer, but it doesn’t matter who performs, it still sounds like Jeff Lynne. I enjoy his work with Petty, but Orbison’s voice has always grated me, so I skip that. _Eldorado_ is a very solid album, and very typical of the era. Lo’s of bands very experimenting with mixing classical music with rock/pop and ELO was one of the best. Their version of ‘Roll over Bethoven’ is very good, IMO. I think Berry liked it too. Stay away from modern stuff, as ELO nowadays exists as something for drummer Bev Bevan to sqeeze dry to pay the bills. But _do_ check out the band that was to become ELO - The Move with Lynne and Roy Wood in the front and as songwriters. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2003, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-discovered-elo-run-screaming-or-rejoice/211272/15 "2003-11-04T15:46:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by The Gaspode \* > \*\*Stay away from modern stuff, as ELO nowadays exists as something for drummer Bev Bevan to sqeeze dry to pay the bills. \*\* Thankfully, that abomination has disbanded and the name taken away. I heard that piece of crap ole’ Bev puked out. It sounds like a bad Asia album. ---
**Author:** ![toadspittle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c0e974/32.png) [@toadspittle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toadspittle)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2003, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-discovered-elo-run-screaming-or-rejoice/211272/16 "2003-11-04T16:33:31Z")
Ahhhhh ELO. It’s like musical crack. You should celebrate by running away screaming, you lucky dog. What can possibly compare with “Time”–a concept album about a guy from 1981 who accidentally gets sucked into the future by some wacky future science types and, well … can’t get back. Not really much of a plot. But great, great absolutely ludicrous songs. "Remember the good old 1980s When things were so uncomplicated? I wish I could go back there again And everything could be the same I’ve got a ticket to the moon … " And the love song about a robot who won’t return his affections? (“Yours Truly, 2095”) "I met someone who looks a lot like you, She does the things you do, but she is an IBM … …She has an IQ of 1,001, She has a jumpsuit on, and she’s also a telephone. …Maybe one day I’ll feel her cold embrace, And kiss her interface, until then I’ll leave her alone." ---
**Author:** ![Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac8455/32.png) [@Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bippy_the_Beardless)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2003, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-discovered-elo-run-screaming-or-rejoice/211272/17 "2003-11-04T16:41:55Z")
{{{Nvme77}}} Hope you get well soon 😉 ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2003, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-discovered-elo-run-screaming-or-rejoice/211272/18 "2003-11-04T18:34:44Z")
It’s like Satanic music, only much happier! ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2003, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-discovered-elo-run-screaming-or-rejoice/211272/19 "2003-11-04T18:53:48Z")
Its better than Loverboy. * * * She told me she loved me like a brother. She was from Arkansas, hence the Joy! ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Miskatonic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.miskatonic/32/310_2.png) [@Mr.Miskatonic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Miskatonic)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2003, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-discovered-elo-run-screaming-or-rejoice/211272/20 "2003-11-04T19:02:46Z")
Even The Diary of Horace Wimp? (Which is strangly addictive) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-discovered-elo-run-screaming-or-rejoice/211272.md?page=2)