Top 30 ELO Songs

We may seem like one-eyed Beatles fans here at A Day in The Life, but there are a lot of other artists we love just as much.  Electric Light Orchestra is one of them.  The genius that is Jeff Lynne has been producing epic progressive rock and pop scores for over 50 years.  The band had the intention of "picking up where The Beatles left off", and this they did.  Aside from writing and performing countless of his own hits, Lynne is also an accomplished producer, producing records for Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Brian Wilson, and his fellow Wilburys: George Harrison, Roy Orbison and Tom Petty.  ELO was inducted into the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame in 2017 by Dhani Harrison, the spit of his late father George. 

It was no easy task for us to rank our Top 30 ELO songs given the sheer magnitude of exquisite tracks to choose from.  These are our personal favourites, not necessarily the ones we believe are the greatest all around.  You can find our Top 30 Spotify playlist at the end. 

Let us know your opinions, and please don't scathe us for omitting "Mr. Blue Sky"!

#30. "Sweet is the Night" | Out of the Blue (1977)

#29. "Rockaria!" | A New World Record (1976)

#28. "10538 Overture" | Electric Light Orchestra (1972)

#27. "So Fine" | A New World Record (1976)

#26. "Sorrow About to Fall" | Balance of Power (1986)

#25. "Confusion" | Discovery (1979)

#24. "Wishing" | Discovery (1979)

#23. "Sweet Talkin' Woman" | Out of the Blue (1977)

#22. "All Over the World" | Xanadu (1980)

#21. "Ticket to the Moon" | Time (1981)

#20. "Turn to Stone" | Out of the Blue (1977)

#19. "Twilight" | Time (1981)

#18. "Showdown" | On the Third Day (1973)

#17. "Calling America" | Balance of Power (1986)

#16. "Fire on High" | Face the Music (1975)

#15. "Don't Bring Me Down" | Discovery (1979)

#14. "Need Her Love" | Discovery (1979) 

#13. "Secret Messages" | Secret Messages (1983)

#12. "Do Ya" | A New World Record (1976)

#11. "Getting to the Point" | Balance of Power (1986)

#10. "Shine a Little Love" | Discovery (1979)

#9. "Livin' Thing" | A New World Record (1976)

#8. "Telephone Line" | A New World Record (1976)

#7. "Don't Walk Away" | Xanadu (1980)

#6. "Tightrope" | A New World Record (1976)

#5. "Strange Magic" | Face the Music (1975)

#4. "Wild West Hero" | Out of the Blue (1977)

#3. "Last Train to London" | Discovery (1979)

#2. "Can't Get It Out of My Head" | Eldorado (1974)

#1. "Evil Woman" | Face the Music (1975) 

Sir Paul Made a Companion of Honour

As if he couldn’t get any more accolades!  Paul McCartney, the 75-year-old ex-Beatle and Wings frontman and all-round legendary bloke, has been made a Companion of Honour for services to music by Her Majesty the Queen (she’s a pretty nice girl but she doesn’t have a lot to say). He was joined by his wife of seven years, Nancy, at Buckingham Palace this Star Wars Day to receive the honour. Other members of the Order of Companions of Honour, founded in 1917, include Dame Judi Dench, Sir David Attenborough and J. K. Rowling and at any one time there can only be 65 members. Paul was quoted as imagining how proud his Liverpudlian mum and dad would be at his achievement.

Sir Richard Starkey - Ringo to be Knighted!

Ringo Starr has been listed on Queen Elizabeth's New Year's honours list.  At 77, he is to receive a knighthood, 20 years after former bandmate Paul McCartney became 'Sir Paul'.  In a statement, Ringo said: "It's great! It's an honour and a pleasure to be considered and acknowledged for my music and my charity work, both of which I love. Peace and love. Ringo." 

Also to be knighted is remaining Bee Gee Barry Gibb.  The full list of honours can be found here. 

George Martin Dies at Age 90

Sir George Martin, the legendary Beatles producer, passed away on the evening of March 8, 2016, aged 90.  He is best known for signing The Beatles to EMI's Parlophone label in 1962 and subsequently producing most of their songs.  He also worked with other artists including Cilla Black, Gerry and the Pacemakers, Wings, America, Jeff Beck and Elton John.

Ringo Starr broke the news over Twitter.  Paul McCartney has also released a statement.

George boasted many accomplishments over his 90-year life.  Here is George Martin by the numbers:

• 37 million copies of "Candle In the Wind" sold, coproduced by Martin with Elton John
• 205 commercially-released Beatles songs produced
• 6 Grammy awards (for production and arrangement on Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, "Live and Let Die", The Who's Tommy and Love) 
• 2 Ivor Novello awards
• 1 Oscar nomination for A Hard Day's Night 
• 1 knighthood (in 1996) 

Rest in peace, Fifth Beatle.

Throwback Thursday: Let It Be

The Beatles' final studio album, released in May 1970, was not their last recorded album. Originally referred to as the Get Back sessions, rehearsals began in January 1969 and took place at Twickenham Studios and were filmed for what would become the Let It Be documentary.  These rehearsals, as seen in the film, proved to show the arguments between the band members (particularly with Harrison and both Lennon and McCartney), and has been referred to depicting "the break-up of the band".  To ease tensions, the group continued recording at Apple Studios, in a much more comfortable environment.  Harrison brought in Billy Preston who played keyboard on a number of tracks including "Let it Be", "The Long and Winding Road", "Get Back" and "I've Got a Feeling".

In the film, the band perform for their famous Apple rooftop concert.  A few of the recordings from the performance were included on the final Let it Be track listing.  During these Get Back sessions, many songs were rehearsed, including early versions of tracks found on Abbey Road and songs which would be later found on Lennon, McCartney and Harrison's solo albums.  Every track found on the final album was recorded in January 1969, with the exception of "Across the Universe" (recorded in February 1968) and "I Me Mine", which was recorded after Lennon's departure from the band in January 1970.   By the end of 1969, Abbey Road had already been released and Let It Be/Get Back was abandoned.

In March 1970, producer Phil Spector was brought in to work on the album, and he ended up remixing all of the tracks and adding orchestral and choral backings. Particularly notable is "The Long and Winding Road", in which a women's choir and an orchestra was added without permission from McCartney - this prompted a lawsuit. The original album release features twelve tracks, omitting "Don't Let Me Down", which was on the original track listing.

The original Get Back album cover, imitating the Please Please Me cover

Happy 72nd Birthday George

The 24th/25th (the actual date is unknown) of February is a day all Beatles fans celebrate - it is the day that George Harrison was brought into this world, in 1943.  If he were still alive, today would mark his 72nd birthday.  Happy Birthday George Harrison. Hare Krishna.

Hope for the Future

Throwback Thursday: Abbey Road

It is perhaps the most well-known album - 1969's Abbey Road marks the end of the journey for the Fab Four.  Although released before Let it Be, it was recorded last, before John, Paul, George and Ringo went their separate ways.  After disastrous and tense Get Back recording sessions (later salvaged to become Let it Be) the group thought they would have one last shot at recording, in a much more comfortable environment - their home at EMI's Abbey Road Studios. 

Featuring seventeen songs, the album is an eclectic mix of different music styles.  From the metal-esque sounds on "I Want You (She's So Heavy)" to the tantalising nine part harmony on "Because", Abbey Road contains many different sounds which work so well together.  Side two includes the medley, containing "You Never Give Me Your Money", "Sun King", "Mean Mr. Mustard", "Polythene Pam", "She Came in Through the Bathroom Window", "Carry That Weight" and "The End".  Also included on the album is Ringo Starr's second solo composition (with help from George Harrison), "Octopus's Garden" and the two singles from the album, John's "Come Together" and George's "Something".  "Something" was released as the A-side of the single, Harrison's first composition to be so.  

The iconic album cover - the only of The Beatles' albums to not have any words on the cover - further fuelled rumours of the increasingly popular 'Paul is dead' theory (see our previous post on it).  Fun fact: the white Volkswagen Beetle seen behind George was supposed to be removed by its owner before photographing took place but he was away.  The car is now an image associated with the album cover.  Abbey Road is ranked at number 14 on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.

Throwback Thursday: Yellow Submarine

In the town where I was born... these famous opening lyrics come from the Fabs' 1966 single "Yellow Submarine" which was then, in 1968, used as a basis for the animated film of the same name.  Whilst the movie had little contribution from the group (apart from the songs and a cameo at the end), the soundtrack, released on January 17, 1969, is known as their tenth studio album.

Similarly to their earlier albums, Yellow Submarine contains thirteen songs - eleven original 1968 compositions, "Yellow Submarine" which was released on Revolver and "All You Need Is Love" which was a single and on Magical Mystery Tour the year earlier.  In addition to the two aforementioned tracks, the first side of the record contains four new songs.  George Harrison contributes "It's All Too Much" and "Only a Northern Song", both recorded and discarded during the 1967 Sgt. Pepper sessions.  "Hey Bulldog" and "All Together Now", contributed by the two front songwriters, were both written with the film in mind.  Primarily Lennon-penned "Hey Bulldog" was recorded whilst filming a promotional video for the single "Lady Madonna".

The second side of the album is exclusively instrumental, with seven new compositions by The Beatles' producer George Martin arranged specifically as the film score.  The only lead vocals drummer Ringo Starr contribute are those the titular song, "Yellow Submarine", although recorded two years earlier.

Yellow Submarine is perhaps the least well-received of all Beatles albums, in contrast to the accompanying film which has been praised.  The four new songs (which were not instrumental) were deemed mediocre in comparison to the usual standard expected from the biggest group in the world.

The Beatles cameoing at the end of Yellow Submarine, an introduction to "All Together Now"

Unique to this Beatles album: it is the only album to contain 'Beatles' songs which were not written by any of the members and were also not covers (I.E. written by someone else specifically for the album)

Pick the Beatles References Answers

One of our most popular posts has been our Pick the Beatles References post, which is a drawing by Ron Manges featuring references to 70 Beatles songs.  Unfortunately, the answers can no longer be found on Ron's website, so I have gone through the illustration and identified 64 out of 70 of the references (I hope they are all correct!). With six remaining, I hope you guys can help me find them!

Here is the original:

And here are my answers:

1. Sun King
2. For No One
3. Twist and Shout
4. The Fool on the Hill
5. Rain
6. The Long and Winding Road
7. Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds
8. Carry That Weight
9. While My Guitar Gently Weeps
10. Glass Onion
11. One After 909
12. Yesterday
13. I'll Follow the Sun
14. She Came in Through the Bathroom Window
15. Mean Mr Mustard
16. Lovely Rita
17. I Am the Walrus
18. Helter Skelter
19. Strawberry Fields Forever
20. Being for the Benefit or Mr Kite!
21. Octopus's Garden
22. From Me To You
23. Help!
24. Yellow Submarine
25. Love You To
26. Ticket to Ride
27. Three Cool Cats
28. Can't Buy Me Love
29. Birthday
30. I Want You (She's So Heavy)
31. Blackbird
32. Maxwell's Silver Hammer
33. Piggies
34. Dig a Pony
35. Hey Bulldog
36. You've Got to Hide Your Love Away
37. I'll Be Back
38. She's Leaving Home
39. Fixing a Hole
40. Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)
41. Rocky Raccoon
42. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
43. Michelle
44. Drive My Car
45. I Want to Hold Your Hand
46. Everybody's Got Something to Hide Except Me and My Monkey
47. Chains
48. Kansas City/Hey-Hey-Hey-Hey!
49. Good Night
50. Eight Days a Week
51. Free as a Bird
52. Hello, Goodbye
53. Because
54. Golden Slumbers
55. Do You Want to Know a Secret 
56. No Reply
57. Flying
58. Why Don't We Do It In the Road? 
59. Across the Universe
60. I've Just Seen a Face
61. The Word 
62. Mr Moonlight
63. The End
64. Run For Your Life 

UPDATE: turns out Ron Manges does have the answers on his site! 

In regards to my answers, the six I missed turned out to be: 

65: The Inner Light; 66: Money (That's What I Want); 67: Lady Madonna; 68: The Hippy Hippy Shake (no wonder I didn't get it!); 69: Revolution; 70: I'm Looking Through You

Additionally, what I had as 55 (Do You Want to Know a Secret) actually turned out to be part of Everybody's Got Something to Hide Except Me and My Monkey, so please correct me if I'm wrong, but that is 69!  Is there another hidden clue?  Also, 61 was not The Word, but rather Words of Love (I feel that both work though as the lyrics of The Word go: "the word is love").