# What do we think of ELO, do we like them? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [June 25, 2013, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-we-think-of-elo-do-we-like-them/661918 "2013-06-25T22:11:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Yodalicious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yodalicious/32/8195_2.png) [@Yodalicious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yodalicious)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2013, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-we-think-of-elo-do-we-like-them/661918/1 "2013-06-25T22:11:24Z")
I have about a dozen ELO songs on my mp3 player. Should I delve further into their catalog? I was thinking of starting with “Out of the Blue” and/or “A New World Record” as five of the songs I have are from those two records. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2013, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-we-think-of-elo-do-we-like-them/661918/2 "2013-06-25T23:28:54Z")
Sure, why not? I like 'em and have several of their CDs. On the other hand, to the ears of this relatively casual fan, they were at their best on their singles/hits; and, compared to other bands that covered similar territory (proggy orchestral power-poppish rock), their albums (with the exception of _El Dorado_) don’t hang together as well. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2013, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-we-think-of-elo-do-we-like-them/661918/3 "2013-06-25T23:42:35Z")
They’re pretty amazing. I think they went through a patch when they were considered naff, during the cloth eared '90s. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2013, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-we-think-of-elo-do-we-like-them/661918/4 "2013-06-25T23:49:30Z")
We like them so much that a friend of mine (female) orally pleasured Jeff Lynne in his limo one night after a few rounds of ale. ---
**Author:** ![Troppus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a587f6/32.png) [@Troppus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troppus)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2013, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-we-think-of-elo-do-we-like-them/661918/5 "2013-06-26T01:33:44Z")
Love love love them. Sweet Talkin Woman, Turning to Stone, Mr. Blue Sky, and if you’re shitty drunk and feeling sorry for yourself can’t go wrong with Telephone Line. ---
**Author:** ![Gagundathar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a183cd/32.png) [@Gagundathar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gagundathar)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2013, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-we-think-of-elo-do-we-like-them/661918/6 "2013-06-26T01:34:00Z")
_Out of the Blue_ contains some genuine gems including ‘Concerto for a Rainy Day’. But, my first real dose of the Electric Light Orchestra was _Eldorado_. A concept album filled with very good music. The words were important. And I, as a singer, really loved that. And, at that time, rock and roll was dominated by Led Zeppelin, et. al. Electric violin leading a string quartet was a really different vibe for the time. > [@](#): > > The dreamer, the unwoken fool > In dreams no pain will kiss the brow > The love of ages fills the head > The days that linger there in prey of emptiness > Of burned out dreams > The minutes calling through the years > The universal dreamer rises up above his earthly burden > Journey to the dead of night > High on a hill in Eldorado ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2013, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-we-think-of-elo-do-we-like-them/661918/7 "2013-06-26T01:36:44Z")
I like them, but I don’t know much more then what you’d hear on the radio. I saw [Mr Blue Sky](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2440214/combined) on TV a few months ago, you might want to watch that some day if you’re bored. Lots of interesting stories. Doesn’t look like it’s on Netflix, but I’m sure it’ll be on TV again at some point. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2013, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-we-think-of-elo-do-we-like-them/661918/8 "2013-06-26T01:44:15Z")
John Lennon called them “Sons of the Beatles”, and I agree to some extent. From what I’ve heard they had some great music and I too need to delve into their full albums. Also working on The Doors and Aerosmith. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2013, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-we-think-of-elo-do-we-like-them/661918/9 "2013-06-26T01:57:14Z")
> [@Troppus](#): > > if you’re shitty drunk and feeling sorry for yourself can’t go wrong with Telephone Line. Especially if you’ve seen _Billy Madison_. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2013, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-we-think-of-elo-do-we-like-them/661918/10 "2013-06-26T01:59:01Z")
I liked the first album mostly because I was a Move/Roy Wood fan. Jeff Lynne is a great talent, but I never got into his style. In The Move, Roy was there to provide both heavy music and peculiar lyrics and songs. When Jeff took over ELO, it became a little too light, a too “polished” for me. That said, I had all the ELO albums up to A New World Record. ---
**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2013, 11:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-we-think-of-elo-do-we-like-them/661918/11 "2013-06-26T11:46:27Z")
I don’t own any of their albums but I certainly don’t dislike them, which is saying a lot for a band from the mostly godawful 70s. They had the perfect mix of newish electronic pop music popularity while still retaining genuine rock & roll credibility. I think Jeff Lynne’s inclusion in the über-exclusive supergroup _Traveling Wilburys_ is a testament to this. ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2013, 11:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-we-think-of-elo-do-we-like-them/661918/12 "2013-06-26T11:50:47Z")
This thread’s got a strange magic. It’s a strange magic. Got a strange magic. Oh it’s a strange magic. Strange magic Yes it’s a strange magic Got a strange magic In my opinion, any group who can take repeating “strange magic” 750,000 times and turn it into a pop hit is ok by me! ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2013, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-we-think-of-elo-do-we-like-them/661918/13 "2013-06-26T12:57:13Z")
I love ELO. I would probably list “A New World Record” in my top ten albums of all time. They mesh Beatlesque melodies with classical instruments and sometimes just make me want to smile: > [@](#): > > Sailin’ away on the crest of a wave > It’s like magic > Oh rollin’ and ridin’,slippin’ & sliding > It’s magic ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2013, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-we-think-of-elo-do-we-like-them/661918/14 "2013-06-26T13:34:52Z")
We think that while we enjoyed some of ELO’s music at the time, our appreciation would benefit from a long hiatus before we listen to them again, especially “Don’t Bring Me Down” and “Roll Over Beethoven”. We think certain songs have been overplayed just short of the point of nausea. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2013, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-we-think-of-elo-do-we-like-them/661918/15 "2013-06-26T13:40:36Z")
I think ‘Eldorado’ is one of the great concept albums. ---
**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2013, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-we-think-of-elo-do-we-like-them/661918/16 "2013-06-26T13:42:58Z")
Ooooh, we just got goosebumps hearing “Livin’ Thing” in our head. We are putting ELO on as soon as we get in the car in a couple hours. ---
**Author:** ![RobDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f07891/32.png) [@RobDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RobDog)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2013, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-we-think-of-elo-do-we-like-them/661918/17 "2013-06-26T13:52:47Z")
Don’t listen to music so much these days, but when I did I had them filed under “guilty pleasure”. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2013, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-we-think-of-elo-do-we-like-them/661918/18 "2013-06-26T14:04:45Z")
I’m the only one who’d rather shove ball bearings into my ears?.. I guess so… ---
**Author:** ![Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freddy_the_Pig)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2013, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-we-think-of-elo-do-we-like-them/661918/19 "2013-06-26T14:38:01Z")
I like ELO. I kind of agree with **Thudlow** , though; they’re a greatest hits/singles type of group. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2013, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-we-think-of-elo-do-we-like-them/661918/20 "2013-06-26T14:38:05Z")
> [@Sam\_Stone](#): > > I think ‘Eldorado’ is one of the great concept albums. I thought _Time_ was, too. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-we-think-of-elo-do-we-like-them/661918.md?page=2)