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.
Do Ya [Unedited Alternative Mix
Electric Light Orchestra Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I've seen lovers flying through the air
Hand in hand
I've seen babies dancing in the midnight sun
And I've seen dreams that came from the heavenly skies above
I've seen old men crying at their own grave sides
And I've seen pigs all sitting watching
Picture slides
Do you, do you want my love, woman
Do you, do you want my face, I need it!
Do you, do you want my mind, I'm saying it!
Do you, do you want my love
Well I heard the crowd singin' out of tune
As they sat and sang auld lang syne by the light
Of the moon
I heard the preachers bangin' on the drums
And I heard the police playin' with their guns
But I never heard nothing like you
In the country where the sky touches down
On the field she lay her down to rest
In the morning sun
They come a runnin' just to get a look just to
Feel to touch her long black hair they don't
Give a damn
But I never seen nothin' like you
Do you, do you want my love, woman
Do you, do you want my face, I need it!
Do you, do you want my mind, I'm saying it!
Do you, do you want my love
Well I think you know what I'm trying to say woman
That is I'd like to save you for a rainy day
I've seen enough of the world to know
That I've got to get it all to get it all to grow
Do you, do you want my love, woman
Do you, do you want my face
Do you, do you want my mind
Do you, do you want my love
Do you, do you want my love
Do you, do you want my love
The opening verse of "Do Ya" by Electric Light Orchestra Part II describes various experiences the singer has had throughout their life, both mundane and extraordinary. They've seen all sorts of things, from lovers flying through the air to babies dancing in the midnight sun, from dreams that came from the heavenly skies above to pigs watching picture slides. But despite all of these experiences, they've never seen anything quite like the person they're addressing in the song. This person is the focus of the chorus, which repeatedly asks if they want the singer's love, face, and mind.
The second verse of the song describes more chaotic and potentially dangerous experiences, such as a crowd singing out of tune and preachers banging on drums. Despite these distractions, however, the singer still can't get this person off their mind. The final verse takes us to the countryside, where the person in question is lying in a field with long black hair. Although there are people who come to look at her, the singer is the one who truly sees her and wants to be with her.
Line by Line Meaning
In this life I've seen everything I can see woman
I have witnessed everything imaginable throughout my life, my lady.
I've seen lovers flying through the air, hand in hand
I have witnessed couples joyfully jumping while holding hands, soaring through the atmosphere.
I've seen babies dancing in the midnight sun
I have laid eyes on infants so full of life that they dance under the bright and magnificent moonlight.
And I've seen dreams that came from the heavenly skies above
I have seen celestial visions that cannot be expressed in words or understood by mortal minds.
I've seen old men crying at their own grave sides
I have witnessed elderly individuals weeping beside their own final resting place.
And I've seen pigs all sitting watching picture slides
I have observed swine leisurely gazing at photographs on a screen.
But I never seen nothin' like you
However, none of my previous encounters can compare to the sight of you.
Do you, do you want my love, woman
Are you interested in my affection, my dear?
Do you, do you want my face, I need it!
Do you desire my visage? I yearn for your affirmation!
Do you, do you want my mind, I'm saying it!
Do you covet my intellect? I am plainly expressing my innermost thoughts!
Do you, do you want my love
Would you like my love?
Well I heard the crowd singin' out of tune
I once heard a poorly harmonized audience.
As they sat and sang auld lang syne by the light of the moon
They sat outdoors and crooned old Scottish tunes under the moonlight.
I heard the preachers bangin' on the drums
I heard clerics fervently beating on percussion instruments.
And I heard the police playin' with their guns
I even heard law enforcement officers engaging in play with their firearms.
But I never heard nothing like you
Despite these auditory events, none of them compare to the sound of your voice.
In the country where the sky touches down
In a rural area where the heavens appear to meet the earth.
On the field she lay her down to rest in the morning sun
On a meadow, she reclined in the morning sun to relax.
They come a runnin' just to get a look just to feel to touch her long black hair, they don't give a damn
Curious individuals flock to see, touch, and feel her lengthy, dark locks, indifferent to other priorities.
But I never seen nothin' like you
Despite this attention she receives, she fails to compare to you.
Well I think you know what I'm trying to say woman
I presume you apprehend the meaning to my declarations, madam.
That is I'd like to save you for a rainy day
I want to keep you for when the future is uncertain.
I've seen enough of the world to know that I've got to get it all to get it all to grow
I understand that I must grasp all that I desire in this world to develop.
Do you, do you want my love, woman
Do you yearn for the love I offer, madam?
Do you, do you want my face
Do you desire my countenance?
Do you, do you want my mind
Do you crave my thoughts?
Do you, do you want my love
Do you seek my affection?
Do you, do you want my love
Do you desire my love?
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JEFF LYNNE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Robert Cochran
on State of Mind
An overlooked album which more people should listen to
Rodney
on Rockaria!
Weit in die Ferne , man hört, man hört die Musik
Philip Kassabian
on Starlight
A nice ELO song.
Philip Kassabian
on Starlight
A lovely ELO song.
Philip Kassabian
on Wild West Hero
An absolutely beautiful song.
Philip Kassabian
on Last Train to London
Never heard this ELO song before.
Philip Kassabian
on All Over the World
An ELO song that surprisingly few people know about. To me this rivals Mr. Blue Sky.
Philip Kassabian
on Ticket to the Moon
A song about a person being utterly confused in a difficult situation. He can't even fathom the journey he's about to take to the moon. It's surreal to him.
Philip Kassabian
on Strange Magic
A very mysterious and awe inspiring song. Definitely one of ELO's better songs.
Philip Kassabian
on Livin' Thing
It's a great song and to me it symbolizes the meaning of loss and how absolutely devastating it can be for a person.