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Getting To The Point
"Getting to the Point" is a song by the rock group Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) from their 1986 album '' Balance of Power''. Released in the UK as the last single from the album in August 1986, it was the last original release from the band for 15 years. Overview Due to a strike on Epic's distribution department at the time of its release, the single did not make much of an impression on the singles chart. It peaked at number 97 in the UK. There was no release in the rest of Europe. The lyrics reflect Lynne's feeling trapped by the "ELO machine" at the time. Lynne described how he came up with the lyrics: ELO writer Barry Delve describes the song as ELO's "last great song" that is "an expertly crafted power ballad that also boasts one of Jeff Lynne's finest vocal performances." The B-Side of this single is the 1986 ''Balance of Power'' album-track "Secret Lives". It was meant to be a separate single outtake as labelled on the ''Balance of Power'' album cover (Dutch pressin ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Electric Light Orchestra
The Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) are an English rock band formed in Birmingham in 1970 by multi-instrumentalists Jeff Lynne and Roy Wood and drummer Bev Bevan. Their music is characterised by a fusion of pop and classical arrangements with futuristic iconography. After Wood's departure in 1972, Lynne became the band's sole leader, arranging and producing every album while writing nearly all of their original material. During their first run from 1970 to 1986, Lynne and Bevan were the group's only consistent members. The group's name is a pun that references both electric light and "light orchestral music", a popular style featured in places such as the BBC Light Programme between the 1940s and 1960s. ELO was formed out of Lynne's and Wood's desire to create modern rock and pop songs with classical influences. It derived as an offshoot of Wood's previous band, the Move, of which Lynne and Bevan were also members. During the 1970s and 1980s, ELO released a string of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Discovery (Electric Light Orchestra Album)
''Discovery'' is the eighth studio album by English rock band Electric Light Orchestra (ELO). It was released on 1 June 1979 in the United Kingdom by Jet Records, where it topped record charts, and on 8 June in the United States on Jet through Columbia Records distribution. A music video album featuring all the songs being played by the band was then released on VHS in 1979, then re-released as part of the '' Out of the Blue: Live at Wembley'' DVD and VHS in 1998. Background ''Discovery'' was the band's first number 1 album in the UK, entering the chart at that position and staying there for five weeks. The album contained five hit songs in " Shine a Little Love", " Don't Bring Me Down", " Last Train to London", " Confusion" and " The Diary of Horace Wimp", many of which were heavily influenced by disco (in fact, Richard Tandy nicknamed the album, ''Disco Very''). "Don't Bring Me Down" would become one of their only two top three hits in the UK throughout their career ("Xan ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1986 Singles
The year 1986 was designated as the International Year of Peace by the United Nations. Events January * January 1 ** Aruba gains increased autonomy from the Netherlands by separating from the Netherlands Antilles. ** Spain and Portugal enter the European Community, which becomes the European Union in 1993. * January 11 – The Sir Leo Hielscher Bridges, Gateway Bridge in Brisbane, Australia, at this time the world's longest prestressed concrete free-cantilever bridge, is opened. * January 13–January 24, 24 – South Yemen Civil War. * January 20 – The United Kingdom and France announce plans to construct the Channel Tunnel. * January 24 – The Voyager 2 space probe makes its first encounter with Uranus. * January 25 – Yoweri Museveni's National Resistance Army Rebel group takes over Uganda after leading a Ugandan Bush War, five-year guerrilla war in which up to half a million people are believed to have been killed. They will later use January 26 as the official date ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1980s Ballads
__NOTOC__ Year 198 (CXCVIII) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Sergius and Gallus (or, less frequently, year 951 ''Ab urbe condita''). The denomination 198 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years. Events By place Roman Empire *January 28 **Publius Septimius Geta, son of Septimius Severus, receives the title of Caesar. **Caracalla, son of Septimius Severus, is given the title of Augustus. China *Winter – Battle of Xiapi: The allied armies led by Cao Cao and Liu Bei defeat Lü Bu; afterward Cao Cao has him executed. By topic Religion * Marcus I succeeds Olympianus as Patriarch of Constantinople (until 211). Births * Lu Kai, Chinese official and general (d. 269) * Quan Cong, Chinese general and advisor (d. 249) Deaths * Li Jue, Chinese warlord and regent * ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hold On Tight (Electric Light Orchestra Song)
"Hold On Tight" is a song written and performed by Electric Light Orchestra (ELO). The song is track twelve on the band's 1981 album ''Time'' and was the first song released as a single. The song went top ten in most countries, hitting the top spot in Spain and Switzerland, number two in West Germany, number four in the United Kingdom, and number 10 on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 (becoming the band's seventh and last-top 10 hit), as well as number two on the ''Billboard'' Rock Top Tracks chart. A verse sung in French, which is a reprise of the first verse, translates as "Hold on to your dream, Hold on to your dream, When you see your ship leaving, When you feel your heart breaking, Hold on to your dream". Music video At the time of its release, the song's music video was the most expensive ever made, with a budget of approximately £40,000. The mostly black and white video features footage of ELO playing the song in a lounge, intercut with scenes in the style of 1940s seri ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Turn To Stone (Electric Light Orchestra Song)
"Turn to Stone" is a 1977 song by Electric Light Orchestra (ELO). The song is the opening track to the double album '' Out of the Blue''. It was the first song released as a single from the LP. The single reached No. 18 in the United Kingdom charts and spent twelve weeks on the chart. Out of four singles from the album, "Turn to Stone" was the only song not to reach the top ten in the United Kingdom singles charts. The song reached No. 13 in the United States and number nine in Canada in early 1978. The song was composed in Switzerland during Jeff Lynne's two-week writing marathon for his double album. Lynne played the Moog bassline of the song. Lynne has called "Turn to Stone" one of his favorite songs, saying "It’s just so primary and simple, but yet very evocative. I love the shuffle beat." Lynne has also said "There’s a part in the middle where I talk super fast. I just felt like it needed something simple in the middle of the song. I often used to put a funny little ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Twilight (Electric Light Orchestra Song)
"Twilight" is a song written by Jeff Lynne for English rock band Electric Light Orchestra (ELO), originally released on their 1981 album ''Time''. The lyrics tell of a man who falls asleep while in a twilight state, where he imagines everything in his life that is going to happen to him. They contribute to the album's overarching theme of time travel. ELO writer Barry Delve says that "a cacophony of sound effects...transport us chaotically to the year 2095" to start the album and that the song "doesn't stop or pause for at least 2 minutes," making the song "one of the most exciting experiences ELO ever gave you." Delve suggests that the piano break is influenced by Sergei Rachmaninoff. ''Billboard'' said that it was "more intricate" than most ELO songs and that "a grand orchestral build coincides with swirling vocal harmonies for great effect." ''Record World'' said that it has "roller-coaster surges of angelic voices and awesome strings." ''Messenger-Press'' critic Steve Wosahl ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Shine A Little Love
"Shine a Little Love" is a song by English rock band Electric Light Orchestra (ELO). It was released as a single in the US and UK in 1979. Summary The song is the first track on their 1979 album ''Discovery''. This was one of the band's most commercially successful singles, peaking at no. 4 in Canada, no. 6 in the UK Singles Chart and no. 8 in the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100. The song subsequently became one of their biggest worldwide hits as well. The 12" release was also available in white vinyl. Two different promotional videos were filmed for the single, a recording studio version shot on 35mm film, minus the band's three string players and a video-taped version made for the ''Discovery'' video album, featuring the full touring line-up. Reception ''Billboard'' praised the song's "catchy melody," "intricate musical techniques, special effects and its "tight, cohesive sound." ''Cash Box'' said that it has "seamless production, pinpoint harmonies and Jeff Lynne's smooth, mi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Calling America
"Calling America" is a song by the rock music group Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) released as a single from their 1986 album '' Balance of Power''. The single reached number 28 in the United Kingdom, making it their 26th and final Top 40 hit single in their native country and peaked at number 18 on the ''Billboard'' singles chart, making it their 20th and final Top 40 hit single in the United States. Overview Like most of the songs on ''Balance of Power'', "Calling America" is musically upbeat and bright. Lyrically, the song can be considered an update to ELO's 1976 single "Telephone Line". In both songs, the narrator is attempting to contact a lover by telephone, although "Calling America" also discusses satellite communication. Appropriately, the song pays homage to the track "Telstar", which had celebrated the communication satellite of the same name, in the instrumental break. In his column ''Real Life Rock'' (published in ''The Village Voice''), Greil Marcus called the s ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Livin' Thing
"Livin' Thing" is a song written by Jeff Lynne and performed by Electric Light Orchestra (ELO). It appears on ELO's 1976 album ''A New World Record'' and was also released as a single. Patti Quatro sang uncredited vocals, particularly the "higher and higher" parts. The original single had " Fire On High" on the flip side, a tune that became the band's most popular instrumental piece. The UK version was released in a blue vinyl format. Background "Livin' Thing" makes prominent use of augmented chords. Lynne said about that: AllMusic's writer Stewart Mason described the song structure: " topens with a mock-Spanish orchestral flourish before swinging into a more typical mid-tempo ELO rocker, driven by a battery of acoustic rhythm guitars on the verses and modulating upwards into a falsetto Jeff Lynne vocal on a chorus that’s powered by an even more prominent than usual contribution from the group's string section", adding that it lacks "that impossible-to-dislodge hook that ty ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Don't Bring Me Down (Electric Light Orchestra Song)
"Don't Bring Me Down" is the ninth and final track on the English Rock music, rock band the Electric Light Orchestra's 1979 album ''Discovery (Electric Light Orchestra album), Discovery''. It is their highest-charting hit in the United States. History "Don't Bring Me Down" is the band's second-highest-charting hit in the UK, where it peaked at number 3, and their biggest hit in the United States, peaking at number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100, ''Billboard'' Hot 100. It also charted well in Canada (number 1) and Australia (number 6). This was the first single by ELO not to include a String instrument, string section. Engineer Reinhold Mack claims that this was his idea, after Lynne did not know what they should record next, and that he encouraged Lynne to "just boogie out for a night." The drum track is in fact a tape loop, coming from "On the Run" looped and slowed down and then sped up; Mack recalls that Bevan was not interested in joining in the jam session that helped create ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
