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 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.
Shangri-la
Elo Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(I'm getting out)
Sitting here, waiting for
Someone calling at my door
Too bad
I'm getting out of love
Wonder what tomorrow brings
Who knows?
I'm getting out of love
My Shangri-La has gone away
Fading like The Beatles on "Hey Jude"
She seemed to drift out on the rain
That came in somewhere softly from the blue
(I'm getting out)
(I'm getting out)
Clouds roll by and hide the sun
Raindrops falling on everyone
So sad
I'm getting out of love
My Shangri-La has gone away
Fading like The Beatles on "Hey Jude"
She seemed to drift out on the rain
That came in somewhere softly from the blue
My Shangri-La has gone away
Fading like The Beatles on "Hey Jude" (Do me, baby!)
She seemed to drift out on the rain
That came in somewhere softly from the blue
I'm getting out of love
Where is my Shangri-La?
Where is my Shangri-La?
I'm getting out of love
I will return
(I will return)
I will return to Shangri-La
(I will return)
I will return to Shangri-La
(I will return)
I will return to Shangri-La
The lyrics of ELO's song "Shangri-la" are about a person who is waiting for someone to call at their door and provide them with happiness or love. However, they soon come to the realization that waiting for someone else to bring them happiness is fruitless and they must take action to find it for themselves. The lyrics use the metaphor of a lost paradise, Shangri-la, to represent the lost love that the person is searching for. The line "My Shangri-La has gone away" represents the person's lost love, while the line "Fading like The Beatles on 'Hey Jude'" is a reference to the fading of a cultural icon that once represented hope and happiness.
The lyrics also describe the person's disappointment with the current state of things, with lines like "Clouds roll by and hide the sun" and "Raindrops falling on everyone" painting a picture of a dreary and disappointing world. However, despite the person's present struggles, they remain hopeful and determined to find their Shangri-la again, with the repeated line "I will return to Shangri-la" at the end of the song representing their determination to find happiness and love once again.
Line by Line Meaning
Sitting here, waiting for Someone calling at my door Too bad I'm getting out of love
The singer is waiting for someone, but they are leaving love behind.
What's the use of changing things? Wonder what tomorrow brings Who knows? I'm getting out of love
The singer is questioning the point of change and unsure of what tomorrow will bring, but they are leaving love behind.
My Shangri-La has gone away Fading like The Beatles on "Hey Jude" She seemed to drift out on the rain That came in somewhere softly from the blue
The singer's ideal paradise, or vision of happiness (Shangri-La), has disappeared slowly and gently like the Beatles' song "Hey Jude" and it feels like it's due to uncontrollable circumstances (like the rain).
Clouds roll by and hide the sun Raindrops falling on everyone So sad I'm getting out of love
The artist is surrounded by gloominess and sadness as the rain pours on everybody and they are leaving love behind.
My Shangri-La has gone away Fading like The Beatles on "Hey Jude" She seemed to drift out on the rain That came in somewhere softly from the blue
The artist's ideal paradise, or vision of happiness (Shangri-La), has disappeared slowly and gently like the Beatles' song "Hey Jude" and it feels like it's due to uncontrollable circumstances (like the rain).
My Shangri-La has gone away Fading like The Beatles on "Hey Jude" (Do me, baby!) She seemed to drift out on the rain That came in somewhere softly from the blue
The singer's ideal paradise, or vision of happiness (Shangri-La), has disappeared slowly and gently like the Beatles' song "Hey Jude" and it feels like it's due to uncontrollable circumstances (like the rain).
I'm getting out of love Where is my Shangri-La? Where is my Shangri-La? I'm getting out of love
The singer is leaving love behind and searching for their ideal paradise, or vision of happiness (Shangri-La).
I will return (I will return) I will return to Shangri-La (I will return) I will return to Shangri-La (I will return) I will return to Shangri-La
The artist hopes to return to their ideal paradise, or vision of happiness (Shangri-La) in the future.
Contributed by Logan N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@paulm749
Easily one of the most beautiful, magnificent outros in the history of rock music.
@timonousiainen354
November rain also have an epic finale. Ballads both. I wonder if Axl Rose knows Shangri-La?
@michaelbarry5933
The word "epic" is often overused. But it describes this outro (and the whole song) very nicely.
@evertvdb000
@@timonousiainen354 Agree.
@MrGmanishere
The ELO is probably the best ever rock band that hardly anyone ever mentions when they talk about great rock groups.
@thomaspalazzi7795
Their Own Style!
@thomaspalazzi7795
I had roll over Beethoven on a 45 in 1972 I was 12
@puck30
They certainly deserve their space in time.
@EHyde-ir9gb
Listen just remove the part after "best ever rock band" and youre spot on
@lucalone
that's because they were always a lil bit too poppy ... but great music nontheless !