I love Jeff Lynne and ELO... That's all I'm sayin'

[Patsy Stone]

[CanuckAmok]

1. Yeah, I grew up listening to them, got sick of them when I discovered

New Wave and Punk, forgot completely about them, but have lately rediscovered them.

The end of "Mr. Blue Sky" is an epic of modern composition.

[Patsy Stone]

5. They just played it

on virginradio.co.uk
That's what started this thread!

Damn, a musical genius...

[redqueen]

6. Mr Blue Sky is my favorite ELO song

Thanks for mentioning it. :)

[Forever Free]

23. BEST SONG EVER!

[SKKY]

7. I kinda grew up on them too...

..."Turn to Stone" is my favorite, but "Don't bring me down" is classic.

[Patsy Stone]

15. Funny Punk Story

Back in the early 80's when I was in school in DC, I was punk. One night we all went back to this really harDCore guy's house. About 1:30 a.m. he pulled out Supertramp's Breakfast in America and admitted that even though people thought he was rough and mean, this was his favorite album of all time.

I guess we all can't be angry all of the time, eh? :)

[Touchdown]

2. Then I won't mention their best album!

So there!

[Prodemsouth]

8. Many people never heard that one- because they destroyed their band

with Xandau. Balance of Power which was released two albums later was horrible. Out of the Blue was their best in my opinion.

[Touchdown]

17. OOTB was their most successful

...and probably had the most hits off of it, but for me, it would have to be number 3, behind El Dorado at number 2, and Time. ELO somehow knew how to get the concept album down. Both ED and Time really fit into the entire album mode. Each song goes with each other. Out of the Blue is a standard collection of songs like most albums, but very well done, IMO. Discovery, with it's disco songs, not so much appealing to me.

Just listened to Time last week. It holds up better than most albums released during this period. I think Lynne was a forward looking genius with this one, and a fitting comeback from the Xanadu soundtrack (which had more to do with the crappy movie than ELO's songs for it). The most dated would be High Infidelity from REO Speedwagon, and Escape from Journey as 2nd.

Problem is...I still think of that "Coffee Generation" commercial when "Hold on Tight" came on.:donut:

[Patsy Stone]

13. I like Rockaria!

"A New World Record" was one of the first albums I ever purchased through the RCA Record Club. It's still one of the best out there. So good...

So Fine, Do Ya, Telephone Line. The list goes on and on.

[Midlodemocrat]

3. Me, too. n/t

[HEAVYHEART]

4. I LOVE ELO N/T

[Frogtutor]

9. First concert I ever went to...

I was 13, and in 8th grade. I went with my boyfriend (also 13). My mom took us, and dropped us off at the Tarrant County Convention Center. It was WAY cool...

My favorite song at the time was "Don't Bring Me Down"

[JohnnyRingo]

10. Don't forget the "Traveling Wilburys"....

...He was co-producer.

I can't remember who the other producer was, but the first album was very much Jeff Lynne's style.

[Patsy Stone]

11. It certainly was.

He has such a definitive style, it's hard not to notice.
He just rocks.

[Prodemsouth]

18. He also produced and had great influnce over Tom Petty's Full Moon

Fever. With Petty, he wrote many of the songs. The guitar intro on the hit track "Running Down a Dream" sounds like it came from ELO's "Time" or "Secret Messages." Listen to Hold on Tight and Rock and Roll is King and then play Running Down a Dream by Tom Petty.

[JohnnyRingo]

19. That's it!....Tom Petty was the other "Traveling Wilburys" producer.

.....I think

[RandomKoolzip]

12. Yup, me too...

I even love The Move, Lynne's pre-ELO band. FANTASTIC group.

I really miss those melodies that Jeff Lynne could seemingly pull out of thin air, and that string section....I believe it was Chuck Eddy, the critic, who said that ELO turned the Beatles into Bubblegum Disco (and he was paying them a compliment!)....

Lynne's melodies are the envy of most pop songwriters. Just think of how many great hits they had, never mind the album tracks: Mr Blue Sky, Turn to Stone, Livin' Thing, Can't get it out of my Head, Evil Woman, Telephone Line....a case could be made that they were the best singles band of the 70's.

It's time for the indie hipsters and other haters to give ELO their due.


As a side note: Power Pop songwriters have long been worshippers at Jeff Lynne's altar; recently, a great power-popper out of Atlanta, Paul Melancon, put out a song called "Jeff Lynne."

[Mad_Dem_X]

14. OMG, ELO rules!

When I was younger, I had a small crush on Jeff Lynne, 'cause I LOVED his voice. Out of the Blue was their best album, IMO. "Sweet Talkin' Woman" is still one of my all-time favorite songs.

Don't even get me started on "ELO Part II." :mad: There is NO ELO without Jeff Lynne, dammit!

[jpgray]

20. "Evil Woman" kicks ass

But my current kitschy seventies ear-worm comes from the Mael brothers. Cheesy as hell, but damn if the Sparks' "Amateur Hour" isn't catchy.

[Dees]

16. Jeff Lynne is a big Brian Wilson fan.

Thought I would just mention it.

[njdemocrat106]

21. Do ya, do ya want my love?

Lots of good ones by Mr. Lynne and Company, IMO.

[6000eliot]

22. I love ELO!

You should check out The Move.