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.
Whiskey Girls
Electric Light Orchestra Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The kind of hips that make you fantasize
A slow smile, just meant to tease
One look and you'll be weak at the knees
They got my head in a whirl
'Cause I can't get enough of those whiskey girls
They got the world at their fingertips
They understand the rhythm of the night
I'm in a daze, I don't know wrong from right
They got my head in a whirl
'Cause I can't get enough of those whiskey girls
Hypnotized - by the whiskey girls
Compromised - out of this world
Lord above, could this be love
Ain't no doubt about it
I'm crazy about the whiskey girls
Whiskey girls are out on the town
They'll break your heart, they'll bring you down
Whiskey girls are out of control
For just one touch you'd sell your soul
The moon is high I'm getting out of the line
Wishful thinking with a one track mind
I'm having flashes, oh can't you see
They're walking through my private fantasy
Wearing only a necklace of pearls
Those slow walking, long-legged whiskey girls
Hypnotized - by the whiskey girls
Compromised - out of this world
Lord above, could this be love
Ain't no doubt about it
I'm crazy about the whiskey girls
Hypnotized - by the whiskey girls
Compromised - out of this world
Lord above, could this be love
Ain't no doubt about it
I'm crazy about the whiskey girls
Electric Light Orchestra's song "Whiskey Girls" is a catchy tune about the irresistible allure of women who drink whiskey. The opening verse describes the physical attributes of these "whiskey girls," with their long hair, flashing eyes, and hips that make men fantasize. The singer notes how they can make him weak at the knees with just one look and a slow smile. The chorus repeats the idea that the singer is hypnotized by these women and can't get enough of them.
As the song progresses, the lyrics delve deeper into the singer's fascination with these women. He suggests that they have the world at their fingertips with just a look and a lick of the lips; they know how to control and manipulate men through their understanding of the "rhythm of the night." Despite recognizing that they may break his heart and compromise his morals, the singer is still drawn to these women, feeling like he's crazy about them.
The final verse uses the imagery of a moonlit night and a private fantasy to convey the intensity of the singer's attraction to the whiskey girls. The women are described as wearing only a necklace of pearls, further emphasizing their sexual allure. The repetition of the chorus highlights the idea that the singer is hopelessly entranced by these women.
Overall, the lyrics of "Whiskey Girls" are a lighthearted exploration of male desire and the power that women can hold over men. The song's catchy melody and upbeat rhythm make it a fun listen, even as it explores these darker themes.
Line by Line Meaning
Long hair, flashing eyes
The whiskey girls have beautiful long hair and eyes that sparkle.
The kind of hips that make you fantasize
These girls have attractive hips that make you imagine things.
A slow smile, just meant to tease
When the whiskey girls smile, it's meant to tantalize and excite.
One look and you'll be weak at the knees
These girls have the power to render you weak with just one look.
They got my head in a whirl
The whiskey girls have caught the singer's attention and he can't stop thinking about them.
'Cause I can't get enough of those whiskey girls
The singer is infatuated with these girls and can't get enough of them.
They got the world at their fingertips
The whiskey girls have power and control over their world.
With just a look and lick of the lips
These girls can get what they want with just a simple look and a lick of their lips.
They understand the rhythm of the night
The whiskey girls know how to navigate and enjoy the nightlife.
I'm in a daze, I don't know wrong from right
The singer is so smitten with these girls that he's lost his senses and can't make rational decisions.
Hypnotized - by the whiskey girls
The songwriter is enchanted and under the spell of these whiskey girls.
Compromised - out of this world
The artist is so deeply affected by these whiskey girls that his actions could be considered beyond his control.
Lord above, could this be love
The songwriter is questioning whether his feelings for these whiskey girls constitute true love.
Ain't no doubt about it
But there's no denying his intense attraction to them.
Whiskey girls are out on the town
These whiskey girls are out partying and taking control of the city.
They'll break your heart, they'll bring you down
Be careful if you fall for them, as they have the power to hurt and disappoint.
Whiskey girls are out of control
These girls are wild and uninhibited, living life on the edge.
For just one touch you'd sell your soul
The singer is willing to do anything just to get one moment with these desirable girls.
The moon is high I'm getting out of the line
The singer knows it's time to withdraw and stop pursuing these tempting girls.
Wishful thinking with a one track mind
The singer is too focused on these whiskey girls and needs to broaden his horizons.
I'm having flashes, oh can't you see
The singer is having vivid, recurring daydreams about these girls.
They're walking through my private fantasy
These whiskey girls are the stars of the singer's most intimate, imaginative thoughts.
Wearing only a necklace of pearls
In his mind, the whiskey girls are wearing just a simple and seductive pearl necklace, further fueling his fantasies.
Those slow walking, long-legged whiskey girls
These girls are not just beautiful, but they also walk with a slow, tempting pace and have long, attractive legs.
Contributed by Gianna B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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.