Einen Blog, den ich auf MySpace einmal geschrieben habe, (auf Englisch leider):
The Electric Light Orchestra! Jeff Lynne!
„I know that, you know that – it’s a matter of fact, but: what „is“ E.L.O. „really“?“
What is E.L.O.?
This Question I asked myself nearly my whole Life since I heard the Song „Sweet Talking Woman“ the 1st Time. Here’s my Answer:
Oh no not Susan, Poor Boy, Waterfall, One Summer Dream, Tightrope, Mission, So Fine, Living Thing, Above the Clouds, Do Ya, Shangri-La, Turn to Stone, It’s over, Sweet talking Woman, Night in the City, Big Wheels, Stepping Out, Standing in the Rain, Summer & Lightning, The Whale, Shine a little Love, Confusion, Need her Love, Last Train to London, Wishing, Midnight Blue, Don’t bring me down, I’m Alive, The Fall, Don’t walk away, All over the World, Xanadu, Prologue, Twilight, Yours Truly, Ticket to the Moon, The Way Life’s meant to be, Another Heart breakes, Rain is falling, From the End of the World, The Lights go down, Here is the News, 21st Century Man, Hold on Tight, Epilogue, Bouncer, When Time stood still, Julie don’t live here, Secret Messages, Bluebird, Time after Time, Stranger, After All, So Serious, Calling America, Moment in Paradise, It really doesn’t matter, Lonesome Lullaby, Destination Unknown, Caught in a Trap, Helpless, Tears in your Life, Love changes all, Buildings have Eyes.
And If they were E.L.O.-Songs, well, then just they were!:
Borderline, Sirens, When we was Fab, Zombie Zoo, Sooner or Later, Message from the Country, Come with me, On with Show, Sea of Dreams, End of the Road, Poor little Fool, The Story of me, New Blue Moon, The End of the Line, Heading for the Light, A Love so beautiful, I’ll get you Back, Heaven on a Sunday, The Dark of the Sun, Too good to be true, Built to last.
But E.L.O. is also „Honest Men“ from Eric Troyer. I think he tried to make a song that really sounds like E.L.O. But with Idle Race and Ringo Starr it’s not everyone’s. You just have to like it.
The „typical“ E.L.O. is E.L.O. between „A New World Record“ (1976) and „Time“ (1981), but it also contains songs like „Second Time Around“, „Love changes all“, „After all“, „Julie don’t live here“, „(The) Bouncer“, „When Time stood still“, „Tears in your Life“, „Helpless“, „Destination Unknown“, „Caught in a Trap“, „Surrender“ and „Time after Time“, „Hello (my) old Friend“, „Mandalay“, that were published later.
That’s the really E.L.O.
Most E.L.O.-Albums sound like Jeff Lynne – Solo Projects. But „Out of the Blue“ (1977) and „ELO 2“ (1972) are the only one that sound like a Band. That means they sound like the whole Band is standing in the Studio and playing for you. „A New World Record“, „Discovery“ and „Time“ are Concept – Albums with a Beginning and an End. But „Out of the Blue“ seems for me that also. It seems for me that it’s Starting with the Fade – In on „Turn to Stone“ (which is very hard to do! It’s just easy to let songs fade out, but it’s very, very hard to let a song fade in!) and Ends with the Orchestra & the Violines and Chellos on „Mr BlueSky“. This is an impression I had a few days before, after 25 Years listening to it.
„Time“ is the best Album ever. „A New World Record“ is just best, too. „Out of the Blue“ is the third.“ Then comes „Xanadu“, then „Discovery“.
On „Secret Messages“ I miss something, like on „Face the Music“ (though I liked it a long time), „On the third Day“and „Eldorado“. „No Answer“ is just a beginning for a view upon an Artist, who is as phenomenal as Klimt, Schiele, Mozart, Beethoven, Wagner, Holst, Strauss.
„ELO 2“ is just great, even you have to take your time for it, cause the songs are long, like on „Wish you were here“ from Pink Floyd.
„Zoom“ is like 1976 – 1981, really, typical E.L.O., even with a lot of strong guitars, but without orchestra or strings.
„Balance of Power“ sounds like a handfull of demo songs (for me), except „So Seriuos“ and the brilliant „Calling America“. „Send it“ there on it is the last typical E.L.O. – Song from that era; – I guess Jeff really didn’t like it to do E.L.O. anymore that time.
„Time“, „Xanadu“, „Discovery“, „A New World Record“ and „Out of the Blue“ are the Ones I and surely Everybody can recommend for any new Listeners, even young one’s who never heard from E.L.O. before.
„No Answer“, „Elo 2“, „On the third Day“, „Eldorado“, „Face the Music“, „Secret Messages“, „Balance of Power“ and „Zoom“ I think are then for Listening later, when you or he or she already have become a Fan; It’s like Pink Floyd: When you heard „The Dark Side of the Moon“ and „Wish you were here“ you’ll enjoy „The Wall“ (and watch the movie), and you’ll like „Atom Heart Mother“ and „The Final Cut“ then. Or like Mark Knopfler’s Dire Straits Album „Brothers in Arms“. If you heard it, you’ll like „Love over Gold“.
But with Jeff is it really like a rare Artist: You have to discover him! He’s so brilliant; unique; cute.
Of course, Louis Clark and Reinhold Mack (who created or did also the famous „Queen“ – Sound) are sure Genie’s also, but Jeff is the Greatest. His voice is very special like Joe Cocker. And his Lyrics are so direct, so strong that you always feel your whole Life that he just sings for you; you from out of the soul.
„Come with me – it’s all so easy for me to see!“
„Do Ya, do ya want my Love?“
The Lyrics on the Song „Tightrope“ on the Album „A New World Record“…
„Hold on tight to your dreams!“ (even when you „need a shoulder to cry on“, and even when you „get so sick of trying“)
The Words from the Songs „Alright“ and „Long Black Road“.
And all more.
It’s really worth Listening if you don’t already know them!
Look out for Jeff! He’s worth it! You’ll like him as I and so many from us all over the World do.
So, das ist mein „E..L.O.“.
Pauli
--