# 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:** 7
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2017, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-we-think-of-elo-do-we-like-them/661918/121 "2017-01-12T18:11:11Z")
For those who want to do some digging: [Electric Light Orchestra discography - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_Light_Orchestra_discography) ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2017, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-we-think-of-elo-do-we-like-them/661918/122 "2017-01-12T19:18:42Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > I’m surprised they have that many hits. I can only think of Don’t Bring Me Down, Blinded By the Light and Evil Woman off the top of my head. > > Then again, they are a little before my time, so I only tend to know of ELO songs from “cocaine montages” from films set in the 70s. Can’t get it out of my head. I’ll just keep saying it. ---
**Author:** ![psiekier](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psiekier/32/116_2.png) [@psiekier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psiekier)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2017, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-we-think-of-elo-do-we-like-them/661918/123 "2017-01-12T19:23:58Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > I’m surprised they have that many hits. I can only think of Don’t Bring Me Down, Blinded By the Light and Evil Woman off the top of my head. > > Then again, they are a little before my time, so I only tend to know of ELO songs from “cocaine montages” from films set in the 70s. Well, let’s set aside “Blinded” per **cochrane** (Cecil himself even [weighed in on the lyrics](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/1120/in-blinded-by-the-light-what-exactly-is-the-lyric-following-the-title-phrase), once!). ELO might be before your time, **msmith537** , but you can still hear them on classic rock stations today and, with a little digging and moving in the right circles, you can make some wonderful discoveries. To expand on **Elendil’s Heir** ’s suggestion: [ul][li] **Do Ya** - This song frequently comes up in the rotation on classic rock stations. If you search hard enough, you might even be able to find the version recorded by The Move - the band that Bev Bevan, Roy Wood, and Jeff Lynne were in that essentially became ELO. Ace Frehley of KISS also did a rockin’ cover on his _Trouble Walkin’_ album.[_] **Fire On High** - Also discussed earlier upthread, this “song” (it’s more an orchestral piece - the only lyrics are backwards!) can show up when you least expect it.[_] **Can’t Get It Out of My Head** - Tell me you’ve heard this. You might even hear it on the radio today if you’re listening to the right stations (Like KLUV 98.7 in Dallas, Texas). I bought an album of B-sides by Fountains of Wayne just because they included a cover of this song.[_] **Livin’ Thing** - It’s a terrible thing to lose. You might also hear this one on the radio.[_] **Mr. Blue Sky** - We have a user here at the SDMB who goes by this name, and he is also a big ELO fan. Volkswagen used this song in their commercials when they introduced the convertible Beetle.[_] **Turn To Stone** - This song should sound familiar, although if you hear it on the radio, it’s gonna be a rarity.[_] **Xanadu** - Title track from the roller-disco movie of the same name featuring vocals by Olivia Newton-John.[_] **All Over The World** - Also from Xanadu, a nice catchy song.[_] **Twilight** - The first song on the album _Time_, “Twilight” re-ignited my love for ELO in the late 1980’s, as I explained [earlier in this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=18125753#post18125753). You really have to listen to the whole album, in order, to get the right feel for it. Also, the song “Julie Don’t Live Here” was the B-side for the single.[_] **Telephone Line** - Give me some time, I’m living in twilight. I don’t usually put this song on my playlists because I use it as a ringtone on my phone.[_] **Daybreaker** - Like “Fire On High”, this is an orchestral piece with no lyrics. That doesn’t mean it can’t move you, though! ELO performed this song live in Long Beach in 1974, the night the light went on.[_] **Across The Border** - Along with “Turn To Stone”, “Sweet Talkin’ Woman” (you better slow down!) and “Mr. Blue Sky”, this is one of my favourite songs from Out Of The Blue.[_] **Last Train To London** - There were some good songs - and a little disco, as **Sicks Ate** pointed out - on _Discovery_. Other good tracks from that album include “Confusion” and (it took me years to appreciate it, but) “The Diary of Horace Wimp”.[_] **So Serious** - I might get skewered by the other ELO fans here for suggesting this song (and also “Calling America”) from Balance of Power. By the time this album came out, ELO had a very different sound from their heyday in the 70’s, but I still like to hear these two.[_] **Alone In The Universe** - Jeff Lynne’s ELO performed this title track from their album of the same name last year on some late-night shows. It’s a _pretty_ good song, but I think “One Step At A Time” is even better![\*] **Every Little Thing** - Maybe this song shouldn’t count, or maybe only as much as anything by The Traveling Wilburys, but this is my favourite song off of Lynne’s solo album _Armchair Theater_.[/ul][/li]Maybe you should just buy _Strange Magic_, listen to the whole thing, and see what that does for you. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2017, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-we-think-of-elo-do-we-like-them/661918/124 "2017-01-12T19:25:45Z")
> [@Sicks\_Ate](#): > > You don’t hear disco in “Shine a Little Love?” > [Electric Light Orchestra Shine a Little Love - Google Search](https://g.co/kgs/383teC) You’ve been whooshed by Dale Sams, I think. 😉 “Shine a Little Love” is from the album “Discovery”, the name of which Jeff himself has noted can be read as “Disco Very.” ---
**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:** [January 12, 2017, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-we-think-of-elo-do-we-like-them/661918/125 "2017-01-12T19:27:49Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > You’ve been whooshed by Dale Sams, I think. 😉 > > “Shine a Little Love” is from the album “Discovery”, the name of which Jeff himself has noted can be read as “Disco Very.” Ah, my most embarrassing whoosh to date. Thank you for cluing me in. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2017, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-we-think-of-elo-do-we-like-them/661918/126 "2017-01-12T20:33:56Z")
> [@psiekier](#): > > … **Telephone Line** - Give me some time, I’m living in twilight. I _don’t_ usually put this song on my playlists because I use it as a ringtone on my phone… Heh. Nice. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2017, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-we-think-of-elo-do-we-like-them/661918/127 "2017-01-12T21:16:59Z")
[quote=“psiekier, post:123, topic:661918”] [li] **Can’t Get It Out of My Head** - Tell me you’ve heard this. You might even hear it on the radio today if you’re listening to the right stations (Like KLUV 98.7 in Dallas, Texas). I bought an album of B-sides by Fountains of Wayne just because they included a cover of this song.[/li][/QUOTE] Velvet Revolver also did a cover of this song. ---
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2017, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-we-think-of-elo-do-we-like-them/661918/128 "2017-01-12T21:25:55Z")
> [@Sicks\_Ate](#): > > Ah, my most embarrassing whoosh to date. Thank you for cluing me in. No no. I was serious and thank you for the link, I can hear some in that song. It STILL doesn’t evoke discos to me, seems a little fast to skate to…but I can kind of hear it there. ---
**Author:** ![Patx2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/73ab20/32.png) [@Patx2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patx2)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2017, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-we-think-of-elo-do-we-like-them/661918/129 "2017-01-12T21:35:40Z")
Love them! ---
**Author:** ![buddha\_david](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee7513/32.png) [@buddha\_david](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buddha_david)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2017, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-we-think-of-elo-do-we-like-them/661918/130 "2017-01-13T01:00:06Z")
> [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](#): > > I don’t think any other song on “Discovery” has a definite disco beat/feel and one song does not establish a trend, or you’ll have to include the Rolling Stones and the Eagles–to name a few–as well. You’re correct that “Shine a Little Love” and “Last Train to London” are the only two pure disco songs from that album. However, most of ELO’s hits have always had a very strong dance rhythm. “Turn to Stone” is pure disco, “Showdown” and “Tightrope” are proto-disco, and their 80’s new wave-y songs like “All Over the World”, “Here is the News” and “Secret Messages” may as well be called disco for whatever difference it makes. Even “Don’t Bring Me Down” (from DiscoVery), while definitely a pure rock song, has a distinctive dance beat. So it’s really no surprise that ELO has been stereotyped as a disco pop band. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2017, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-we-think-of-elo-do-we-like-them/661918/131 "2017-01-13T01:10:30Z")
> [@psiekier](#): > > Flash-forward to the 1980’s. I heard “Twilight” as the background music for the [Daicon IV opening animation video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lyVqIkJ69VA). First thing I think about when I think about ELO. (Actually, the _only_ thing I think of when I think of ELO.) Are you familiar to [the homage to that video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJHRtklMRwc) from the opening credits of the TV series Densha Otoko? ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2017, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-we-think-of-elo-do-we-like-them/661918/132 "2017-01-13T18:23:14Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > “Blinded By the Light” was by Manfred Mann. It was a cover of a Bruce Springsteen song. ELO never recorded it. Doh:smack: So…two songs then.😃 1970 to 1986 would have been “beginning of my time”. So I have no doubt I would probably recognize a bunch of their songs from my youth. ---
**Author:** ![psiekier](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psiekier/32/116_2.png) [@psiekier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psiekier)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2017, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-we-think-of-elo-do-we-like-them/661918/133 "2017-01-13T18:58:55Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > Are you familiar to [the homage to that video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJHRtklMRwc) from the opening credits of the TV series Densha Otoko? Indeed I am. Can’t believe I’ve never seen a cosplay of a bunny girl with carrots on her hips yet. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2017, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-we-think-of-elo-do-we-like-them/661918/134 "2017-01-13T22:57:27Z")
Ah, glad I saw this again, I loved them so much. (Loved disco, too, best years of my life.) I think I’ll get a DVD of their greatest hits next time we hit up Amazon for something. They had so many great songs! :):)🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2017, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-we-think-of-elo-do-we-like-them/661918/135 "2017-01-13T23:22:19Z")
> [@psiekier](#): > > Indeed I am. Can’t believe I’ve never seen a cosplay of a bunny girl with carrots on her hips yet. [Now you have](https://www.google.com/search?q=bunny+girl+carrot+butt+cosplay&biw=1056&bih=518&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiD0aT5oMDRAhWJgFQKHeW6BgMQ_AUIBigB#tbm=isch&q=Densha+Otoko+cosplay). ---
**Author:** ![DrForrester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8edcca/32.png) [@DrForrester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrForrester)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2017, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-we-think-of-elo-do-we-like-them/661918/136 "2017-01-14T01:49:26Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > I thought _Time_ was, too. “Time” is one of my favorite albums, ever. Right up there with “Dark Side Of The Moon”, by that other band. From Time, “Yours Truly 2095” - a brilliant song. Astonishing. It’s a shame that Jeff Lynne apparently doesn’t think much of “Time” these days. Very little of it was ever performed live. Strange. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2017, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-we-think-of-elo-do-we-like-them/661918/137 "2017-01-14T02:16:55Z")
> [@DrForrester](#): > > It’s a shame that Jeff Lynne apparently doesn’t think much of “Time” these days. Very little of it was ever performed live. Well, they toured in the U.S. to support “Time” in '81 and '82, which was, as it turned out, their last live tour before they broke up in '86. The [playlist for that tour](http://www.jefflynnesongs.com/timetour/) was, as you might expect, heavy on songs from that album – I count seven on that playlist. Jeff re-formed ELO in 2001, and was going to tour then, but cancelled the tour due to weak ticket sales. After that, it’s only been in the past couple of years that he’s done live shows again, so not a lot of opportunities _to_ perform those songs live. The 2013 album [Electric Light Orchestra Live](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_Light_Orchestra_Live) was recorded during a rehearsal concert for the 2001 tour, and does feature “Twilight” (the opening track from Time). ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2017, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-we-think-of-elo-do-we-like-them/661918/138 "2017-01-14T02:28:32Z")
I saw them on the _Time_ tour in the old Civic Arena in Pittsburgh, with Hall and Oates opening for them. Great show. I see it was in Oct. 1981: [Electric Light Orchestra - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time_Tour) ---
**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:** [January 15, 2017, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-we-think-of-elo-do-we-like-them/661918/139 "2017-01-15T01:38:15Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > [Now you have](https://www.google.com/search?q=bunny+girl+carrot+butt+cosplay&biw=1056&bih=518&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiD0aT5oMDRAhWJgFQKHeW6BgMQ_AUIBigB#tbm=isch&q=Densha+Otoko+cosplay). I hate rabbits, and shoot them on sight, but that’s kinda hot! ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2017, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-we-think-of-elo-do-we-like-them/661918/140 "2017-09-25T17:41:47Z")
Bumped. A friend just told me about these Jeff Lynne ELO-esque songs from the 1984 movie _Electric Dreams_. I’d never heard them before: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWYQcimjUEQ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric\_Dreams\_(soundtrack) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-we-think-of-elo-do-we-like-them/661918.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-we-think-of-elo-do-we-like-them/661918.md?page=8)