"Eldorado" was the first complete ELO concept album and their first "Gold" album. Jeff Lynne conceived of the entire story before he wrote any music.
The story follows a Walter Mitty-like character who mentally journeys into fantasy worlds via dreams to escape a mundane reality he can't tolerate.
The cover featured the Wicked Witch's hands trying to remove Dorothy's ruby slippers with witchcraft, similar to the scene in the movie "Wizard of Oz".
Can't Get It Out Of My Head
Electric Light Orchestra Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I saw the ocean's daughter
Walking on a wave's chicane
Staring as she called my name
And I can't get it out of my head
No, I can't get it out of my head
Now my whole world is gone for dead
Breakdown on the shoreline
Can't move, it's an ebbtide
Morning, don't get here tonight
Searching for her silver light
And I can't get it out of my head
No, I can't get it out of my head
Now my whole world is gone for dead
'Cause I can't get it out of my head, no how?
Bank job in the city
Robin Hood and William Tell
And Ivanhoe and Lancelot
They don't envy me
Sitting 'til the sun goes down
In dreams the world keeps going 'round and 'round
And I can't get it out of my head
No, I can't get it out of my head
Now my whole world is gone for dead
'Cause I can't get it out of my head
And I can't get it out of my head
No, I can't get it out of my head
Now my whole world is gone for dead
'Cause I can't get it out of my head, no how, no now
The lyrics of Electric Light Orchestra's "Can't Get It Out of My Head" are shrouded in mystery, leaving the listener to interpret it as they will. Some believe that the song is a tale of lost love, while others see it as a depiction of drug addiction or mental illness. Regardless of its interpretation, the song’s beautiful melody and heartfelt lyrics leave an indelible impression on the listener.
"Midnight, on the water" refers to the central figure's state of mind, with the moon casting a hypnotic spell on him. The "ocean's daughter" is the light that represents all that is beautiful and pure in the world, and she beckons to him, drawing him in like a moth to a flame. The line, "Staring as she called my name," showcases how the singer is caught in an endless cycle of longing and desire, unable to resist the siren song of his obsession.
The second verse begins with "Breakdown on the shoreline", an allusion to the singer's present circumstances. He is stranded, unable to move from the ebbtide, as he waits for the morning to come. "Searching for her silver light," he is trapped in the past, constantly trying to recapture a fleeting moment of happiness. The third verse shifts the narrative dramatically, as the singer becomes embroiled in a “bank job in the city”, a Robin Hood-esque heist complete with Lancelot and Ivanhoe. However, the mundanity of reality is underscored by the line, "Sitting 'til the sun goes down,” highlighting how the singer's yearning persists even in the midst of an exciting criminal operation.
Line by Line Meaning
Midnight, on the water
At midnight, I was near the water
I saw the ocean's daughter
I saw a woman on the waves
Walking on a wave's chicane
She was walking effortlessly on the waves' twists and turns
Staring as she called my name
She gazed at me while calling my name
And I can't get it out of my head
I can't stop thinking about her
No, I can't get it out of my head
It's stuck in my mind, I can't shake it off
Now my whole world is gone for dead
Everything else pales in comparison to my thoughts of her
'Cause I can't get it out of my head
I'm helpless, I can't forget her
Breakdown on the shoreline
I feel defeated near the beach
Can't move, it's an ebbtide
I'm stuck as the tide recedes
Morning, don't get here tonight
Time moves slowly and morning seems far away
Searching for her silver light
I'm seeking her glow
Bank job in the city
There's a heist in the city
Robin Hood and William Tell
Famous fictional thieves and heroes
And Ivanhoe and Lancelot
More famous heroes
They don't envy me
They don't want to be in my place
Sitting 'til the sun goes down
I'm sitting and waiting until sunset
In dreams the world keeps going 'round and 'round
In my dreams, the world is constantly turning and repeating
No how
In no way
No now
Not even now
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Reservoir Media Management, Inc.
Written by: Jeff Lynne
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@williambill5172
Midnight, on the water
I saw the ocean's daughter
Walking on a wave's chicane
Staring as she called my name
And I can't get it out of my head
No, I can't get it out of my head
Now my whole world is gone for dead
'Cause I can't get it out of my head
Bank job in the city
Robin Hood and William Tell
And Ivanhoe and Lancelot
They don't envy me
Sitting 'til the sun goes down
In dreams the world keeps going 'round and 'round
And I can't get it out of my head
No, I can't get it out of my head
Now my whole world is gone for dead
'Cause I can't get it out of my head
And I can't get it out of my head
No, I can't get it out of my head
Now my whole world is gone for dead
'Cause I can't get it out of my head, no how, no now
Source: LyricFind
Songwriters: Jeff Lynne
@christiancolossus5165
This video completely embodies the absolute innocence and beauty of a decade that will never be replicated ever again.
@julenepegher6999
No, Never, the Best Times…..
@the_traveling_mystic
We had the best music EVER made
@jonathanandstefany
The 70’s represented love and this new generation will never understand ☹️
@broadwayfangirl987
@Mizz Ncb5 hello I appreciate and a classic rock junkie
@wendywaddell8402
So absolutely true
@shanelyons1482
Some of the most beautiful music written and performed by ELO. Jeff Lynne is a musical genius.
@lisagking8853
Was by ELO ♥️
@lisagking8853
I had a cassette and then a CD. Still love it all. I have these songs (for the most part), memorized. As I do a lot of music through 2015.
@jimries625
Ageee🤝🤝🤝