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.
Suspended In Time
Elo Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
So sure i could need no one
My heart always on the run to nowhere
Now as you're holding me
My heart is reminding me
That now I could never be without you
But how can our love succeed
And so I appeal to you
Keep me suspended in time with you
Don't let this moment die
I get a feeling when I'm with you
None of the rules apply
But I know for certain
Goodbye is a crime
So love if you need me
Suspend me in time
Wasted the time away
Holding your love at bay
Now i can't last a day without you
Your smile is a thrill to see
Your eyes hold me tenderly
They'll shine in my memory forever
The lyrics to ELO's song Suspended in Time explore the idea of how love can transform someone who once saw themselves as invincible and had no need for anyone else. The singer reflects on a time when they were a "child and a fool in one" and believed they could make it on their own without the help or support of others. But now, in the present moment, they realize that they were wrong and that they could never be without their loved one.
Despite this newfound understanding, the singer acknowledges that their love still faces obstacles and challenges. They recognize that a "miracle" is needed for their relationship to succeed. The singer pleads with their loved one to keep them "suspended in time" and hold onto this moment, recognizing that being together has made them feel exempt from the rules of the world outside. They are so desperate to hold onto this love that they beg their partner to never say goodbye and to keep them frozen in this moment of bliss.
The song's theme of clinging to a fleeting moment of happiness is enhanced by its dreamy, ethereal sound. Jeff Lynne's signature production style of layering intricate harmonies and synth melodies creates a sense of timelessness and transports the listener to a different world. The lyrics, combined with the enchanting sound, evoke a feeling of longing and melancholy, as if the singer is aware that this moment of suspended time is temporary and cannot last forever. Ultimately, the song is about the power of love to transform and how, in its purest form, it can make you feel invincible and immune to the outside world's constraints.
Line by Line Meaning
A child and a fool in one
I was young and naive, thinking I didn't need anyone in my life
So sure I could need no one
I was confident in my independence and didn't think I needed anyone to love me
My heart always on the run to nowhere
I was constantly searching for something more, but never found happiness or contentment
Now as you're holding me
With you by my side, I finally feel complete
My heart is reminding me
I can feel my emotions stirring and reminding me how much I need you
That now I could never be without you
I know in my heart that I can never live without you
But how can our love succeed
I'm worried about our future together and whether our love will withstand the test of time
A miracle is what we need
We need something extraordinary to keep our love alive
And so I appeal to you
I am reaching out to you for help and support
Keep me suspended in time with you
Let's stay together forever and never let this moment end
Don't let this moment die
I want this love to last forever and never fade away
I get a feeling when I'm with you
I feel a sense of happiness and joy whenever I'm near you
None of the rules apply
This love is special and different from anything else, and doesn't follow society's norms and expectations
But I know for certain
I am confident that this love is real and true
Goodbye is a crime
I could never imagine saying goodbye to you, as it would be a terrible loss for me
So love if you need me
If you need me in your life, I'll always be there for you
Suspend me in time
Let's live in this moment forever and never let go of each other's love
Wasted the time away
I regret not realizing sooner how much I needed you in my life
Holding your love at bay
I suppressed my feelings for you and kept them hidden away
Now I can't last a day without you
I can't live without you now that I know how much I truly love you
Your smile is a thrill to see
Just the sight of you smiling fills me with happiness and excitement
Your eyes hold me tenderly
When you look at me, I feel like I'm at home and safe in your embrace
They'll shine in my memory forever
My memories of you will always be treasured and cherished, and will never fade away
Contributed by Xavier K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@ranmar773
I only met ONJ one time, but it is etched in my memory. I was a limo driver and drove Rod & Alana Stewart to Olivia's Christmas Party at her Malibu home in 1985. About an hour after we arrived, it began to rain. I was the only limo driver there and was standing outside in the rain with an umbrella, when ONJ suddenly came strolling out on her covered patio. She saw me, and motioned for me to come inside. She told me to sit in the kitchen, and proceeded to fix me a plate of food. She was married to Matt Lattanzi at the time, and they both checked on me from time to time to make sure I was comfortable. I was such a fan, and this kind gesture made me even more so. I met hundreds of celebs over the years but ONJ was my favorite to meet. She was a beautiful lady, an amazing artist and I miss her dearly. RIP, lovely and down-to-earth muse!
@hydro6917
no doubt she is in heaven singing with that angelic voice thanks for sharing your story about her
@ranmar773
@@hydro6917 Undoubtably she is entertaining the heavenly audience!
@MrRaziel25
oh man im jealous:) i have not doubt the food she cooked for you was absolutely delicious:)
@ranmar773
@@MrRaziel25 Olivia had her party catered, but the food was delicious! Of course, I was not as focused on the food, I was mesmerized by her. She was the most beautiful person I ever met, inside and out!
@MrRaziel25
@@ranmar773 oh of course :) i have no doubt about that, who wouldnt be mesmerized by her?:) heck i met amanda tapping who played samantha carter in stargate sg1 and wow she was so wonderful:)
@Jon_Pearl
My wife and I met at our local skating rink in 1979 and married the following year, in 1980. The 80's and musical performers such as Olivia Newton John and E.L.O. carried our souls throughout our early years, and we didn't realize while it was happening - but the times and music helped to make them some of the best years of our lives. Sing, smile, love, be kind to others, and take the time to reach back to listen to the music of your youth. It can transport you... (Edited, 4 months later... R.I.P. Olivia -- 26 September 1948 – 8 August 2022)
@FuzzyWuzzyBear89
This makes me tear up. Youth is so fleeting.
@jck1978
Beautifully said!
@Thomassina1
Beautifully expressed and so very true.