ELO Greatest Hits

ELO • Greatest Hits • 1979

ELO. Electric Light Orchestra. One of my all time favorite bands. I won’t usually highlight “greatest hits” albums on this site, but this one is an exception because it’s SO good (well there might be one or two other exceptions, okay maybe three or four - we’ll see!). 

I’m very excited for you to hear these songs! I’m trying to decide which is my favorite track, but it’s giving me a headache to decide. I think the songs are all tied for first place! 

A quick word about them. ELO is an English rock band, the brainchild of Jeff Lynne, formed in 1970, out of Birmingham. Lynne was a major Beatles fan, and as you will see, the influence of The Beatles on this band is unmistakable. His goal was the fusion of contemporary rock and pop music together with a backdrop of classical overtones. Examples of his vision might be the Beatles’ songs, Yesterday and Eleanor Rigby, which were recorded with only acoustic guitar and a classical string quartet. 

This fusion of sounds and genres emerged in the mid 1960s, and some have referred to it as “Baroque Pop.” We will have more to say about that in future entries. In the case of ELO, the typical performance and recording line-up had Lynne backed by six musicians, including a violinist and two cellists. They performed on stage amidst much pomp, baroque-like flamboyance, guitars, synthesized keyboards, and string quartet instruments while being under the shadow of a giant spaceship. 

Needless to say, they provided a profound contrast in the late 1970s to the rising tide of punk rock. But it seems that Jeff Lynne had the last laugh, in terms of acceptance by the general music buying public. In contrast to alternative and punk rock, ELO sold over 50 million albums in 11 years. They accumulated twenty-seven top 40 songs on the UK Singles Chart, and fifteen top 20 songs on the US Billboard Hot 100.

I hope you’ll enjoy this, another big part of the pop music soundtrack ever present through the 1970s.... 

Please take a look at these videos. It’s difficult to find good ones like these on YouTube. Here are several high quality, high resolution live concert videos. They’re all so good, I’ve attached five! 

Turn to Stone • Live at Wembley Stadium 

Telephone Line • Live at Wembley Stadium 

Livin’ Thing • Live at Glastonbury 2016

All Over the World • Flash Mobs All Over

Mr. Blue Sky • Official ELO Video 

Check out the amazing album artwork of ELO: