Electric Light Orchestra are an English symphonic rock band which formed in… Read Full Bio ↴Electric Light Orchestra are an English symphonic rock band which formed in Birmingham, Warwickshire in 1970. The band was formed by Jeff Lynne (vocals, guitar, multiple instruments), Roy Wood (multiple instruments, vocals), Richard Tandy (keyboards, vocals) and Bev Bevan (drums). Lynne, Wood and Bevan were former members of the psychedelic rock band The Move. The band's lineup would fluctuate throughout its original incarnation, although Lynne, Tandy and Bevan would remain constant members.

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.

Danger Ahead
Electric Light Orchestra Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Here she comes down the street and that look is in her eye
And the way she looks, if looks could kill they might
All the kids down in the street run away
When she goes by it's the end of the day
So believe what they say, there's danger in the air

Look through a window and you'll see her standing there
She's the latest of the greatest with the wind blowin' in her hair

The prima donna she's back in town
And you see her for miles around
So believe what they say there's danger in the air

Beware there's danger ahead
The endless summer is dead
Look out there's danger ahead

Monday mornin' she's already up and gone
She knows what she wants and she knew it all along
With her entourage on either side
Just one look she can't be denied
So believe what they say there's danger in the air

Beware there's danger ahead
The endless summer is dead
Look out there's danger ahead

She's got a reputation that's way ahead of her time
She's got adulation that's way ahead of her mind
Everybody runs around to please
When she looks in the mirror she just has to freeze
So believe what they say there's danger in the air

Beware there's danger ahead

The endless summer is dead
Look out there's danger ahead

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to "Danger Ahead" by Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) seem to be about a woman who is dangerous, powerful, and perhaps even untouchable. She's so intimidating that even children run away from her as she passes by. She is the "prima donna" and "latest of the greatest," with a reputation that precedes her everywhere she goes. She knows what she wants and how to get it, and everybody around her is eager to please her. The lyrics paint a picture of a figure who commands respect and fear all at once, someone who is both admirable and terrifying.

The chorus warns of the danger ahead, suggesting that this woman's power and influence will only grow stronger. The "endless summer" could be a reference to youth and vitality, suggesting that this woman represents some kind of inevitable change or decline. The song seems to celebrate the power of this woman while also acknowledging that she is a force to be reckoned with. The lyrics are cryptic and open to interpretation, but they capture the essence of an archetype that resonates with many people.

Overall, "Danger Ahead" is a powerful and evocative song that showcases the best of ELO's unique style. The combination of Jeff Lynne's distinctive voice, soaring instrumentation, and memorable lyrics makes for a powerful listening experience that is both timeless and timely.

Line by Line Meaning

Here she comes down the street and that look is in her eye
A woman is walking down the street with a fierce look on her face.

And the way she looks, if looks could kill they might
The woman's appearance is so intimidating that it could potentially harm others.

All the kids down in the street run away
Children become frightened and flee upon seeing the woman.

When she goes by it's the end of the day
Just by passing by, the woman causes everything to come to a halt.

So believe what they say, there's danger in the air
The locals' warnings about the woman are true, as she poses a threat to those around her.

Look through a window and you'll see her standing there
The woman can be observed standing through a window.

She's the latest of the greatest with the wind blowin' in her hair
The woman is exceptional, and her hair is moving in the wind with grace and ease.

The prima donna she's back in town
The woman carries herself like an opera singer or lead actress in a production.

And you see her for miles around
She can be seen from great distances due to her striking appearance.

Beware there's danger ahead
The listener is advised to be cautious because of the impending danger.

The endless summer is dead
A metaphor for the fact that things that were once pleasant and enjoyable are no longer so due to the woman's presence.

Look out there's danger ahead
An admonition to be cautious and aware of the potential harm caused by the woman's presence.

Monday mornin' she's already up and gone
The woman is up and about early in the morning on Monday.

She knows what she wants and she knew it all along
She is well-aware of what she desires and has known for a long time.

With her entourage on either side
She is surrounded by individuals all along.

Just one look she can't be denied
With just a single glance, she is able to convince individuals to fulfil her requests.

She's got a reputation that's way ahead of her time
The woman has a legacy that extends far beyond her current time period.

She's got adulation that's way ahead of her mind
There exists an excessive amount of admiration towards the woman, which even exceeds her own perception of herself.

Everybody runs around to please
People are willing to do anything to please the woman.

When she looks in the mirror she just has to freeze
The woman, upon looking at herself in the mirror, is captivated and unable to act.

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JEFF LYNNE

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS