Strange Magic: The Best of Electric Light Orchestra
Encyclopedia
Strange Magic: The Best of Electric Light Orchestra is a compilation album
by Electric Light Orchestra
, released in 1995 only in the US.
The compilation favours album versions rather than single versions; tracks such as "Rock 'n' Roll Is King", "Shine a Little Love" and "Boy Blue" are longer. The compilation is sequenced chronologically and is based around US singles, with exception of the European hit "Rockaria!
" on disc one.
Compilation album
A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
by Electric Light Orchestra
Electric Light Orchestra
Electric Light Orchestra were a British rock group from Birmingham who released eleven studio albums between 1971 and 1986 and another album in 2001. ELO were formed to accommodate Roy Wood and Jeff Lynne's desire to create modern rock and pop songs with classical overtones...
, released in 1995 only in the US.
The compilation favours album versions rather than single versions; tracks such as "Rock 'n' Roll Is King", "Shine a Little Love" and "Boy Blue" are longer. The compilation is sequenced chronologically and is based around US singles, with exception of the European hit "Rockaria!
Rockaria!
"Rockaria!" is a song by Electric Light Orchestra. It was the third track on the band's successful 1976 album A New World Record and was the second single from the album. Featuring the operatic voice of Mary Thomas during the introduction, she flubbed the first take by starting the vocals too early...
" on disc one.
Disc one
(1972–1976)- "10538 Overture10538 Overture-Song history:The song, written by Jeff Lynne, was intended to be a B-side on one of The Move's singles. Rick Price of The Move played bass on the track originally but was never credited, apparently with all the overdubs and layers that were added to the track the bass line 'got lost' in the mix...
" – 5:29 *1 - "Roll Over Beethoven" – 8:09 *2
- "ShowdownShowdown (Electric Light Orchestra song)"Showdown" is a song written by Jeff Lynne and recorded by the Electric Light Orchestra.It was the band's last contemporary recording to be released on the Harvest label....
" – 4:09 - "DaybreakerDaybreakerDaybreaker is an album by singer-songwriter Beth Orton released in 2002 on Heavenly Records and the Astralwerks Records label. The album reached #40 in US and #8 in UK. Mojo Magazine called the album "her best to date...". Q Magazine was not excited about the album: "Tortoise-pace strumming and a...
" – 3:31 - "Ma-Ma-Ma BelleMa-Ma-Ma Belle"Ma-Ma-Ma Belle" is a song recorded by the Electric Light Orchestra.It was taken from the 1973 album On the Third Day. In the UK, the single version had a slightly different mix from the album original featuring a descending string crescendo and was edited in length.Marc Bolan plays twin lead...
" – 4:11 - "Can't Get It Out of My HeadCan't Get It Out of My HeadCan't Get It Out of My Head is a song by Electric Light Orchestra.First released on the band's fourth album, Eldorado, in July 1974, the song is the second track on the album and follows "Eldorado Overture." The song was released in November of that same year as a single.The song became the band's...
" – 4:22 - "Boy BlueBoy Blue (Electric Light Orchestra Song)"Boy Blue" is a song written by Jeff Lynne and performed by the Electric Light Orchestra which first appeared as track number 3 from their 1974 album, Eldorado....
" – 5:18 - "Evil WomanEvil Woman (Electric Light Orchestra song)"Evil Woman" is a song written by lead vocalist Jeff Lynne and recorded by Electric Light Orchestra.First released on the band's fifth album, 1975's Face the Music. Released as a single in late-1975, the song became the band's first worldwide hit...
" – 4:19 - "Strange MagicStrange MagicFor the greatest hits collection of the same name, see Strange Magic: The Best of Electric Light Orchestra."Strange Magic" is a song written and performed by the Electric Light Orchestra. It can be found on the 1975 Face the Music LP....
" – 4:30 - "Livin' ThingLivin' Thing"Livin' Thing" is a song written by Jeff Lynne and performed by Electric Light Orchestra. It appears on ELO's 1976 platinum-selling album, A New World Record...
" – 3:33 - "Do Ya" – 3:44 (version taken from A New World RecordA New World RecordA New World Record is the sixth studio album by Electric Light Orchestra, released in 1976.-Overview:The second album to be recorded at Musicland Studios in Munich, the LP proved to be the band's long awaited breakthrough in the UK: after seeing their previous three studio recordings fail to chart...
) - "Telephone LineTelephone Line (Electric Light Orchestra song)"Telephone Line" is a song by Electric Light Orchestra.The song is track two on their 1976 album A New World Record and was the final single to be released from the band's LP until September 2006 when Surrender was released from the expanded reissue....
" – 4:40 - "Rockaria!Rockaria!"Rockaria!" is a song by Electric Light Orchestra. It was the third track on the band's successful 1976 album A New World Record and was the second single from the album. Featuring the operatic voice of Mary Thomas during the introduction, she flubbed the first take by starting the vocals too early...
" – 3:14
Disc two
(1977–1986)- "Turn to StoneTurn to Stone"Turn to Stone" is a 1977 song by Electric Light Orchestra.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 #18 in the U.K. charts and stayed there for 12 weeks. Out of four singles from the album, "Turn to...
" – 3:47 - "Sweet Talkin' WomanSweet Talkin' Woman"Sweet Talkin' Woman" is a 1978 single by The Electric Light Orchestra from the LP Out of the Blue. Its original title was "Dead End Street", but it was changed during recording, perhaps to avoid confusion with a 1966 hit of the same title by the Kinks...
" – 3:48 - "Mr. Blue SkyMr. Blue Sky"Mr. Blue Sky" is a song by English rock group Electric Light Orchestra, featured on the band's seventh studio album Out of the Blue . Written and produced by frontman Jeff Lynne, the song forms the fourth and final track of the "Concerto for a Rainy Day" suite, on side three of the original double...
" – 5:03 - "It's OverIt's Over (Electric Light Orchestra song)"It's Over" is a song recorded by the Electric Light Orchestra.The song is the second track from the LP Out of the Blue. It was the last single to be lifted from the album and was released in the United States only, becoming a minor hit. The orchestral beginning was actually the end of "Mr...
" – 4:08 - "Shine a Little LoveShine A Little Love"Shine a Little Love" is a song by the Electric Light Orchestra. It was released as a single in the US in May 1979 and in the UK in June of the same year.-Summary:...
" – 4:42 - "Don't Bring Me DownDon't Bring Me Down"Don't Bring Me Down" is a song by the band Electric Light Orchestra, and is the last track from their 1979 album Discovery. It is their highest charting hit in the US to date.-History:...
" – 4:02 - "Confusion" – 3:41
- "Last Train to LondonLast Train to London"Last Train to London" is the fifth track from the Electric Light Orchestra album Discovery.The song was released in 1980 in the UK as a double A-side single with "Confusion". It peaked at #8 in the UK Singles Chart. However, in the US the two songs charted separately, with "Confusion" charting in...
" – 4:30 - "Hold on Tight" – 3:06
- "Twilight" – 3:41
- "Rain Is FallingRain Is Falling"Rain Is Falling" is a song written and performed by Electric Light Orchestra.It was track seven on the album Time and was released as the third single from the album in the US in 1982....
" – 3:55 - "Rock 'n' Roll Is King" – 3:17
- "Four Little DiamondsFour Little Diamonds"Four Little Diamonds" is a song by the rock music group Electric Light Orchestra from their 1983 album Secret Messages. It was also featured on their compilation albums Afterglow and Flashback. The single did not do very well in the USA, spending only 2 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and...
" – 4:05 - "Stranger" – 4:27
- "Calling AmericaCalling America"Calling America" is a song by the rock music group Electric Light Orchestra released as a single from their 1986 album Balance of Power. It became the band's first hit in three years. The song is, like most of the songs on Balance of Power, musically upbeat and bright but lyrically darker,...
" – 3:29 - "So SeriousSo Serious (song)"So Serious" is a song by the rock music group Electric Light Orchestra from their 1986 album Balance of Power.Released in the UK as the second single from the album in 1986...
" – 2:41
- All tracks written by Jeff LynneJeff LynneJeffrey "Jeff" Lynne is an English songwriter, composer, arranger, singer, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer who gained fame as the leader and sole constant member of Electric Light Orchestra and was a co-founder and member of The Traveling Wilburys together with George Harrison, Bob...
, except disc 1, track 2, written by Chuck BerryChuck BerryCharles Edward Anderson "Chuck" Berry is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter, and one of the pioneers of rock and roll music. With songs such as "Maybellene" , "Roll Over Beethoven" , "Rock and Roll Music" and "Johnny B...
.
Personnel
- Jeff Lynne - Vocals, Guitars, Keyboards
- Bev Bevan - Drums, percussion
- Richard Tandy - Keyboards, Guitar
- Kelly Groucutt - Bass, Vocals (1974 onwards)
- Michael d'Albuquerque - Bass (to 1974)
- Mik Kaminski - Violin
- Wilfred Gibson - Violin on "Roll Over Beethoven" and "Showdown"
- Mike Edwards - Cello (to 1974)
- Melvyn Gale - Cello (1974 onwards)
- Hugh McDowell - Cello
- Colin Walker - Cello on "Roll Over Beethoven" and "Showdown"
- Marc Bolan - Guitar on "Ma-Ma-Ma Belle"
- Roy Wood - Vocals, Guitars, Cello, Bass, Wind Instruments *1
See also
- 1995 in music1995 in musicThis is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1995.- January–February :*January 18 – Jerry Garcia crashes his rented BMW into a guard rail near Mill Valley, California, USA, but is not injured in the accident....