They incorporated the sounds of string ensembles, vocoders and dub echos into rock songs, thereby creating a very sophisticated studio version of rock. The musical content of ELO songs often went far beyond usual chord structures, mixing pop songwriting with classical romanticism and synthesized sounds. The band claim that their music "picks up where The Beatles' 1967 song I Am the Walrus left off."
Formed in 1970 by Roy Wood, Jeff Lynne and Bev Bevan (the remaining members of the 1960s rock group The Move). The band used cellos, violin, horns and woodwinds to give their music a classical sound. This was an idea Roy Wood initially had while with The Move, to take rock music in a new direction. In 1970 when Carl Wayne left the The Move, Jeff Lynne, front man with fellow Brum band Idle Race, responded to Wood's second invitation to join the line-up, with the lure of starting the new band. To help finance the fledgling project, two more Move albums were released during the recording of their eponymous first album in 1971 which produced the UK hit 10538 Overture. In the US this album was released with the mistaken title of No Answer, due to a mix-up with an uncompleted telephone call to the American label and subsequent secretarial message.
However, tensions soon surfaced between Roy Wood and Jeff Lynne. With most of the media attention focused on Roy Wood, differences in musical direction, and a disastrous first live outing, it was no surprise when the band went through the first of its many line-up changes as Wood took Hugh McDowell and Bill Hunt with him to form Wizzard. Despite the music press's predictions that the band would fold without Wood, Jeff Lynne stepped up to lead the band, with Bevan remaining on drums, bassist Richard Tandy switching to moog synthesizer, Michael d'Albuquerque on bass, Mike Edwards, Colin Walker (cello) and Wilfred Gibson replacing Steve Woolam on violin. They released ELO 2 in 1973, from which came their first U.S. chart hit, a hugely elaborate version of the Chuck Berry classic Roll Over Beethoven. After their second album, violinist Gibson was dismissed and replaced by Mik Kaminski. They also released On The Third Day in 1973, with Mike Edwards playing all the cello parts due to Colin Walker leaving the band. Later that same year saw the return of Hugh McDowell, who had jumped ship the year previous, to replace cellist Colin Walker.
In 1974 Lynne hired a thirty-piece orchestra, choir and Louis Clark, then began work on the next LP Eldorado, A Symphony, a concept album about dreams, scoring their first U.S. Top Ten hit with Can't Get It Out Of My Head in 1975. Eldorado would become ELO's first gold album.
After the release of Eldorado, bassist and vocalist Kelly Groucutt and cellist Melvyn Gale joined, replacing de Albuquerque and Edwards respectively.
The band split in 1983. In 1985, Lynne, Tandy and Bevan reunited and recorded the album "Balance of Power". This reunion was short lived and the band split once more in 1986. Bev Bevan and Louis Clark, with the consent of Lynne, toured and recorded as ELO Part II from 1988 until Bevan's retirement in 1999. In 2000, Lynne and Tandy reformed Electric Light Orchestra and released a new record, "Zoom". "Zoom" proved to be a commercial failure, and the duo split once more in 2001.
In 2014, following support from BBC Radio 2 DJ Chris Evans, Lynne and Tandy reunited as a part of BBC Radio 2's "Festival in a Day" to perform under the new billing, "Jeff Lynne's ELO", a name Lynne devised as a response to ELO tributes, imitation bands, and offshoots who used ELO to promote their own tours.
In February 2015, Jeff Lynne's ELO performed at the Grammy Awards with Ed Sheeran, and in September of that year they announced a new album would be released under Columbia Records. Jeff Lynne's ELO - Alone in the Universe was released on November 13, 2015, and was ELO’s first album of new material in almost 15 years.
The second album under Jeff Lynne’s ELO, Jeff Lynne's ELO - From Out of Nowhere, was released on November 1, 2019.
There is more than one artist with the name "ELO". The vast majority of scrobbles to "Electric Light Orchestra" are for the rock band from England.
ELO, is a South Korean singer, who debuted with the album, 8 Femmes, on August 26, 2016.
After All
Electric Light Orchestra Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And they're all on you
The night has a thousand ears
Listening to your cries
Let it work its magic
Let it work its magic
The night has a thousand eyes
After all that spark
You, said all that you could say
And slipped into the dark
I could not let you go
Alone into the night
I had to let you know
The magic there, in the night air
The night has a thousand eyes
And they're all on you
The night has a thousand ears
Listening to your cries
Let it work its magic
Let it work its magic
The night has a thousand eyes
You, somewhere out in the dark
Runs a wounded heart
You, stumbling in the night
In the air of after light
You take along the fears
Did you waste these years
And did they warn you
Of the night zone all alone
Sometimes it takes a fight
To keep everything on track
And sometimes it takes a starry night
To bring the magic back
This was the time
And this was the place
With starlight on your face
And the moon on the rise
The night has a thousand eyes
Electric Light Orchestra's song "After All" is a sensitive piece that touches on separation and the longing for a lost love. The opening line, "The night has a thousand eyes," suggests that the night is watching and listening to someone who is in distress. The song acknowledges that this person is in pain and that they are crying out for help. It encourages the person to let the night work its magic and bring comfort.
The lyrics suggest that the subject of the song is a woman who has left a relationship. The singer is trying to understand why she left and is searching for ways to bring her back. He is willing to fight for their relationship and believes that the magical power of the night might help him find a way to mend things. The verses suggest that the woman is wandering around in the dark, uncertain and afraid, and that the starry sky might guide her back to her love.
The theme of loss, regret, and hopefulness is evident in the lyrics. The singer is grappling with the fact that his relationship has fallen apart and is trying his best to bring it back to life. He is seeking solace in the night sky, hoping that it will act as a link between him and his lost love. The song is dramatic and emotional, emphasizing the power of the night to bring about change.
Line by Line Meaning
The night has a thousand eyes
The night is all-seeing and observant, watching your every move with its myriad of eyes.
And they're all on you
The night's eyes are focused solely on you, making you the center of attention.
The night has a thousand ears
The night is also very perceptive, listening intently to every sound that you make.
Listening to your cries
The night is paying attention to your emotional outbursts and innermost feelings.
Let it work its magic
Allow the night's enchantment to take its course and perform its wonders.
Let it work its magic
Again, emphasize the importance of letting the mysterious power of the night have its way.
You, you had to slip away
Addressing the loss of a loved one, who had to leave.
After all that spark
After all the passion and intensity that had been shared between the two of you.
You, said all that you could say
Your loved one expressed all that was necessary to say before leaving.
And slipped into the dark
They disappeared into the night, leaving you behind.
I could not let you go
The singer could not bear to let the loved one leave without letting them know something first.
Alone into the night
The loved one would be leaving on their own, with nobody to accompany or guide them through the darkness.
I had to let you know
The singer needed to tell the loved one something important before their departure.
The magic there, in the night air
Emphasizing the mystical energy and enchantment of the nighttime atmosphere.
You, somewhere out in the dark
Addressing the loved one who is now wandering in the night.
Runs a wounded heart
Their heart is hurting and damaged, causing them to feel lost and alone.
You, stumbling in the night
The loved one is distraught and struggling to navigate their way through the darkness.
In the air of after light
In the aftermath of the night's darkness, when the light begins to return.
You take along the fears
Even in their departure, the loved one takes their apprehensions and worries with them.
Did you waste these years
Reflecting on whether or not time had been wasted when the two of them had been together.
And did they warn you
Did they inform the loved one about the potential consequences of leaving and setting out on their own?
Of the night zone all alone
The hazards and dangers of being alone in the night's darkness.
Sometimes it takes a fight
Occasionally, it takes conflict and struggle to maintain a healthy relationship.
To keep everything on track
The fight is necessary to ensure the relationship stays on course and continues to grow.
And sometimes it takes a starry night
Other times, all it takes is a wondrous and romantic evening under the stars.
To bring the magic back
To reignite the spark of love and passion that had existed between the two of them.
This was the time
Referring to the moment when the two lovers had been together.
And this was the place
Referring to the location where the magic had occurred.
With starlight on your face
The starry night had illuminated the loved one's countenance, adding to the magic and romance of the moment.
And the moon on the rise
The moon's appearance added to the enchantment and wonder of the evening.
Contributed by Bentley B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Todd Bazurto
I played this song during the sunset when I lived out in the desert in Nevada. The song and the kaleidescope of colors in the sky together were stunning as the sun went down and gave me peace of mind. A timeless song.
Midnight Acolight
As others have commented, this is a great song and should be longer. When I was a kid I had this on a '45 as a B-side. I would play it at 33 1/3 to make it close to 3:30 long. That did change the pitch, of course. But through the wonders of modern technology we can play it at 0.75 speed on YT, lengthen it, and keep the original key :-)
¡Muéstrame tus glándulas mamarias!
I agree with you. Beautiful song i really like it, it will take you to another dimension. Maybe in my top ten beautiful E.L.O. songs along with Ocean breakup/King of the universe due the falsetto it's very beautiful and takes you to another world.
¡Muéstrame tus glándulas mamarias!
Hermosa música mágica, de fantasía, muy atmosférica y relajante. Ayuda a dormir.
鳴海詩織
This song puts you in such a trance. I love it!
LydiaOMaxwell8761
I even don't know Why does when I hear this song always I can see actress Meg Ryan back at their 22'aged giving lap for a sobbing child while their fondness She can calming with hughes & kisses... a wonderful musicality spirtual experience about Meg Ryan's outlook at back days of Youth, circa 1983 or 1984
Sheila Phillips
Have only just Heard this for the first time. It’s a mini masterpiece, I’m Blown Away & crying 😢 should be 5 mins at least 👏
Midnight Acolight
B-Side of one of the few '45s I ever bought. Incidentally, I play this on YT at 0.75 speed to extend the enjoyment.
Donald's trump
True.
Gary lynn Cook
Love this stuff.