top of page

ELO Compilations, Greatest Hits and Best Of

albums issued World Wide in 1990 to 1991

In association with Patrik Guttenbacher - Face The Music Germany, presented here is a discography of Electric Light Orchestra compilation LPs & CDs issued world wide in 1990 to 1991 along with information/description on each release.

Vinyl LPs plus later released CDs/MDs are listed along with the countries there were issued in, example front covers, LP labels and CDs are also shown.  Please see the countries listed on the main menu above for full catalogue numbers/details/issue variants.

Click a album cover below to be taken to the release information and details.

very_best_elo_lp_1990_cd1_front.jpg
very_best_elo_lp_front _cover.jpg
ole_elo_cd_1990_front_cover.jpg
destinationunknowncd_resize.jpg
afterglow_front.jpg
elo_clasics_5_front.jpg
Rocks The Classics MC
ELO - CBS Nice Price Line
best of best korean front_resize.jpg
losmonstruosfront_resize.jpg
elobestkoreafront_resize.jpg
rockariaspainfront8_resize.jpg
ghofthesuperstarsfront8_resize.jpg
Anchor 1
OLE ELO Jet LP 19
The Very Best Of ELO 01 4290 22

Title

First Issue Date

First Label Issue

Format & Country

Track List

The Very Best Of ELO

1990

ARCADE

LP – Holland/Europe

2 x CD - Holland/Europe

A1 Side:

Prologue - Twilight    
Mr. Blue Sky    
Heaven Only Knows    
All Over The World    
Showdown    
Tightrope    
Rockaria

 

A2 Side:

Calling America    
Hold On Tight    
I'm Alive    
Do Ya    
Don't Bring Me Down    
Shine A Little Love    
Rock And Roll Is King    
Roll Over Beethoven


B1 Side:

Eldorado Overture    
Can't Get It Out Of My Head
Telephone Line    
Evil Woman    
So Fine    
Livin' Thing    
Last Train To London

 

B2 Side

Sweet Talkin' Woman    
Turn To Stone    
Strange Magic    
Confusion    
Shangri-La    
Bluebird    
It's Over

The Very Best of ELO - 01 4290 62

The spring of 1990 had another surprise for E.L.O. fans, when Arcade Holland once again decided to release another E.L.O. compilation with "The Very Best Of E.L.O.". Originally only released on double-LP Arcade 01 4290 22, the album was released on two separate CD's and tapes with the title "The Very Best Of E.L.O. Volume 1" und "The Very Best Of E.L.O. Volume 2" as 01 4291 and 01 4292 followed by the numbers 41 (MC) or 61 (CD). 


By the end of the year a double-CD as 01 4290 62 was also released. Quite daring by Arcade to release another CBS license product after just two years. 

The Very Best Of E.L.O." is quite convincing with his brilliant album artwork though. With it's nightly skyline and the E.L.O. logo it resembles to "A New World Record". 
The artwork of "Volume 2" with the 'daylight' is not quite so strong, probably reflecting also the sales of volume two. Probably this was the reason to come up with the double CD. 

 

With these 30 songs, and in this wisely chosen running order, it is a brilliant collection. Looks like Arcade wanted to show everyone how one can built up a sampler just like a regular album. With the exception of Showdown, Shine A Little Love, Rock 'n' Roll Is King, Roll Over Beethoven, Evil Woman and Strange Magic, all songs are included in their album versions. 
 

Prologue and Twilight are cut as one song that ends no sooner then after the intro to the original albums follow-up Yours Truly, 2095. Nice to see album tracks such as Heaven Only Knows and Bluebird featured.

 

For the first time all four E.L.O. albums from the 80's are featured with two songs. A perfect compilation to win over new fans.

Anchor 2
The Very Best Of The Electric Light Orchestra 466558 1
The Very Best Of The Electric Light Orchestra 466558 2

Title

The Very Best Of The Electric Light Orchestra

First Issue Date

First Label Issue

Format & Country

Track List

1990

CBS

2 x LP – Holland / Europe
2 x CD – Holland / Europe
2 x LP – Spain
2 x LP – South Africa
2 x LP - Zimbabwe

A1 Side:

Evil Woman
Livin' Thing
Turn To Stone
Can't Get It Out Of My Head
Rockaria
Telephone Line


A2 Side:

Mr. Blue Sky    
Sweet Talkin' Woman    
Confusion    
Rock And Roll Is King    
Strange Magic
Calling America  

 

B1 Side 

Don't Bring Me Down
So Serious    
Getting To The Point
Do Ya    
Hold On Tight    
Secret Messages

 

B2 SideWild West Hero    
Here Is The News    
Shine A Little Love    
I'm Alive    
All Over The World    
Roll Over Beethoven

For the 20th anniversary of E.L.O.'s foundation, CBS USA decided to release the 3-CD Anniversary box-set "Afterglow". It remains a mystery to this day, but CBS Europe decided not to issue it in Europe & the UK.

 

Instead in Europe a double-CD with the artwork of "Afterglow" and the title "The Best Of The Electric Light Orchestra" was released. Epic 466558 2 was the first own CBS sampler of E.L.O. in five years, but was drowned by the many other releases in 1990.

 

Telstar and Arcade had paved the way and CBS was simply too late. Only one year later they were taken over by their own distribution company for Japan, Sony. It wasn't the track selection or anything else of CBS/Epic's "The Very Best Of The Electric Light Orchestra", just bad timing. 

While nine songs from the first LP almost equaled “E.L.O.'s Greatest Hits" Album track list, the second LP had more to offer. With So Serious, Getting To The Point and Secret Messages it offered songs of the late E.L.O. singles on a sampler.

 

Strangely missing was however Twilight, which had climbed up to No. 17 in Germany. All songs are featured in their album versions, (Evil Woman and Strange Magic - are included without the orchestra bridge) Mr. Blue Sky even features the 'radio-tuning' and Rock'n'Roll Is King and Secret Messages have the full album bridges and outros to the very last tone.

 

This makes it even stranger that Don't Bring Me Down once again misses the door-slam at the end. The LP was also released in Spain and South Africa. In Germany two MC's were sealed together, in Spain a single MC was released. 

Anchor 3
OLE ELO Jet LP 19
OLE ELO - 466305 2

Title

First Issue Date

First Label Issue

Format & Country

Track List

OLE ELO

1990

Epic

CD - Holland/Europe

10538 Overture
Kuiama
Roll Over Beethoven
Showdown
Ma-Ma-Ma Belle    
Can't Get It Out Of My Head
Boy Blue    
Evil Woman
Strange Magic

Re-Issued in Holland/Europe as part of "Memory Pop Shop" range of Cds. Rear cover states 1990 as issue date, booklet has 1993 listed.

Anchor 4
destinationback.jpg
Destination Unknown Promo CD

Title

First Issue Date

First Label Issue

Format & Country

Track List

Destination Unknown

1990

CBS

CD - Promo - USA

CD - Promo - Canada ?

Destination Unknown
Can't Get It Out Of My Head
Don't Bring Me Down
Evil Woman
Rock 'N' Roll Is King
Telephone Line
Hold On Tight
Turn To Stone
Do Ya
Roll Over Beethoven

Only weeks before the release of the 3 CD set "Afterglow" in the summer of 1990, CBS Associated released a Promo-CD as Picture CD in the USA. It was distributed to the Press and Radio Stations. "Destination Unknown" ZSK 2109 had 'Limited Collector's Edition!' printed on the CD itself, as it was never meant for a regular release, but as a 'Demonstration - Not For Sale' CD.


It looks like CBS had made thousands of it, as it was quite easy and cheap to get your hands on a copy back in 1990. The line 'Taken from the Epic/Associated release "Afterglow" Z3K 46090' clearly showed that "Destination Unknown" was simply made to promote the 3-CD box. As the title track had never before released in the USA, "Destination Unknown" opened the CD with the running order: 

All songs are featured in their version contained on "Afterglow". The selection features the obvious cuts of the albums, but it is nevertheless great: the record company straight away declared a promotional CD a "Collectors Edition"! One couldn't wait for "Afterglow". 

Anchor 5
No Answer UAS 5573
No Answer UAS 5573
Afterglow Z3K 46090 CD E No CD Logo
Afterglow Z3K 46090 CD L No CD Logo
Afterglow Z3K 46090 CD O No CD Logo
afterglow japan.jpg
Afterglow Japam CBS/Sony 5231-3

Title

First Issue Date

First Label Issue

Format & Country

Track List

Afterglow

1990

CBS

3 x CD - USA

3 x CD - Canada ?

E Disc:
10538 Overture    
Mr. Radio
Kuiama    
In Old England Town (Boogie #2)
Mama
Roll Over Beethoven
Bluebird Is Dead

Ma-Ma-Ma Belle
Showdown
Can't Get It Out Of My Head
Boy Blue
One Summer Dream

 

L Disc:
Evil Woman
Tightrope
Strange Magic
Do Ya    
Nightrider
Waterfall
Rockaria!
Telephone Line    
So Fine    
Livin' Thing
Mr. Blue Sky
Sweet Is The Night
Turn To Stone
Sweet Talkin' Woman
Steppin' Out
Midnight Blue    
Don't Bring Me Down

   
O Disc:
Prologue
Twilight    
Julie Don't Live Here
Shine A Little Love
When Time Stood Still
Rain Is Falling    
Bouncer    
Hello My Old Friend
Hold On Tight
Four Little Diamonds
Mandalay
Buildings Have Eyes
So Serious
A Matter Of Fact
No Way Out
Getting To The Point
Destination Unknown
Rock 'N' Roll Is King

Missing From My Collection

The 3 CD Box Set "Afterglow“ was released in 1990 by CBS on Epic Associated Z3K 46090, this marks several turning points at once in the compilation policy by the Electric Light Orchestra. "Afterglow" was not only the first three CD set but also the first sampler not to be released on vinyl.

 

The importance of the album can be estimated by the fact that Jeff Lynne was involved in the project. For the first time since 1979, Jeff Lynne wrote down his own personal comments for a sampler, with Jeff's 'afterglow' he set a final stroke if only temporarily on the chapter of E.L.O.. "Afterglow" marks the end of the first part of the career of E.L.O.

 

Taking a close look on the comments of Jeff, one can see that he feels relieved that it is over and that he can now concentrate on his career as a producer. Another new feature on this sampler was the inclusion of six songs that had been released only as single B-Sides before and who had been unavailable ever since. Topping this was the added bonus of three songs on this sampler that had never before been released. The songs in question were three out of five songs from the "Secret Messages" double-album that had been shelved, when the album was cut down to a single-album. "Afterglow" was only released in the USA, but was available worldwide via import.


The three cassette tape edition Z3T 46090 was released similar to the CD edition in a record sized 12"-box, making it obvious that an LP release would have been possible until the very last day. In the end it wasn't released, probably to cut costs, or because in America vinyl was on the way out in 1990. If released, the border on the LP box would have been turquoise, as the border of the MC box had been purple and the CD box pink, like on the sleeves inside. 

With 47 songs, the release is the most comprehensive compilation ever released by E.L.O. On the subject of songs chosen, the album offered a great overlook with not only well known hit singles featured, but also groundbreaking songs of the development of E.L.O. Included in the box was a 16-page 12"-sized booklet with loads of pictures and the E.L.O. story. For the first time, it featured a rather good discography with all E.L.O. releases in the USA an UK and line-ups, thanks to the support from FTM UK.

 

On one of the cassette labels, one song is misprinted, as I Know That You Know.
All songs are included in their album versions, except Showdown with fade-out, Mr. Blue Sky without radio tuning at the beginning and the Concerto ending. Rock'n'Roll Is King is the single version without faded ending, as is Four Little Diamonds with his longer intro. 


They both were taken from the masters of the unreleased double album. Strange Magic has its Orchestra Intro, but Evil Woman doesn't and Ma Ma Ma Belle loses its piano intro, but last until the last tone in the intro of Dreaming Of 4000. While Rain Is Falling has the CD fade-in, Destination Unknown has a garbled Saxophone Intro and No Way Out only one finger snap at the beginning. 

There was 2 CD versions / issues / pressings.

  • One set of CDs from 1990 was missing the "Compact Disc" logo

  • Another set from 1990 had the "Compact Disc" logo

Afterglow Japam CBS/Sony 5231-3
Afterglow Japam CBS/Sony 5231-3

In  October 1990, Japan released it's own edition with the title "Afterglow  E.L.O.-Anthology" as CBS/Sony 5231-3 in a white 3-CD Jewel Case housed in a 5" slipcase.

 

The 5"-sized booklet featured 106 (!) pages the pictures and discographical information of the US release plus all song lyrics, plus a Japanese album discography with all 13 newly released E.L.O.-CDs from 1990 and all lyrics and liner notes as translation into Japanese letters. 


Worth to mention is this release, because it had three more E.L.O. tracks, missing on the USA edition. These round off the complete works of E.L.O. on "Afterglow". Evil Woman was shifted as E 13 to the first CD. On the second CD, Confusion and Last Train To London were added as L 17 and L 18 and Calling America was added as O 17 on the 3rd CD.

 

Hats off to Sony Japan. With this release a CBS take over was justified. 
With the official end of E.L.O. by the release of "Afterglow", the cannibalizing of the E.L.O. back-catalogue with countless CD-Samplers was now on, starting in the very same year

Anchor 6
seventiesfrontre8.jpg
seventiesfrontreLP.jpg
seventiesback8.jpg

Title

First Issue Date

First Label Issue

Format & Country

Seventies The Electric Light Orchestra

1990

Epic Brasilia

LP – Brazil

Track List

A Side :

Prologue
Twilight    
So Fine
Can't Get It Out Of My Head
Rockaria!    
Last Train To London


B Side:

Livin' Thing    
All Over The World    
Telephone Line    
Do Ya    
Strange Magic    
Tightrope    

Missing From My Collection

CBS / Epic Brasilia released a compilation in 1990 with the title "Seventies Electric Light Orchestra's Greatest Hits". CBS/EPIC 268.045/1-467478

 

All songs are featured in their album versions, with So Fine faded out a bit stronger at the end and with Strange Magic featuring his orchestral intro. Strangely enough this 3rd Brazilian E.L.O. Sampler had again no track from "Out Of The Blue" on it.

Anchor 7
elo_clasics_5_front.jpg
ELO Classics A 21583
No Answer UAS 5573
ELO Classics A24981

Title

First Issue Date

First Label Issue

Format & Country

Track List

ELO Classics

1990

CBS

CD - Canada

CD - USA

Evil Woman
Boy Blue    
Telephone Line    
Rockaria!    
Don't Bring Me Down
Ma-Ma-Ma Belle
Can't Get It Out Of My Head
Bluebird
Birmingham Blue
Loser Gone Wild

In the same year when "Afterglow" was released, "E.L.O. Classics" was out in the shops in the USA. The 1990 release CBS Special Products A 21538 was the last USA-edition to be housed in a so-called long-box. The 'long-boxes' were as wide as a normal CD and as high as an LP-sleeve to make it easier to file them and to prevent stealing.
As these long-boxes were often thrown away by record buyers, the US Record Industry decided, to stop producing these long-boxes in 1992.

 

The Artwork of "E.L.O. Classics" is more eye-catching on the long-box as it is on the CD cover itself. Strang-ely enough this self-made Artwork from the sleeves of the LP's "Electric Light Orchestra II" and "Out Of The Blue" does not very professional. The rather odd track listing for a USA release makes it look more like a bootleg then an official release. With a running-time of only 41:56 minutes, this rather short CD features a strange compilation of tracks 
 

Almost all songs are included in their album versions. Evil Woman loses it's orchestral intro, Boy Blue is featured in the "Ole E.L.O."-Version, but like Telephone Line, Bluebird and Ma-Ma-Ma Belle faded out two seconds earlier. Birmingham Blues starts without the long intro-tune, is faded out from 4:00 on and ends 17 seconds earlier at 4:06. God knows what these selection has to do with classic E.L.O. tunes.

 

There are seven singles featured, but also three rather unusual songs. As such, neither Birmingham Blues, nor Loser Gone Wild were ever featured on a sampler again. 


A US Cassette edition with the title "Rocks the classics" has a different artwork. It was released also 1990, but was very rare and has yet to be found.


After the takeover of CBS "ELO Classics" was re-released 1992, this time as a Sony Music Special Products, A 24981. The band name and "Classics" was added on the front cover, which was necessary because the practise of long boxes was abandoned. An 'Excelsior' lettering is printed on sleeve and label. 

Anchor 8
ELO Rocks The Classics MC

Title

First Issue Date

First Label Issue

Format & Country

ELO - Rock The Classics

1990

CBS

Tape and Maybe CD –  USA

Track List

Don't Bring Me Down
Bluebird
Birmingham Blue
Rockaria!
Ma-Ma-Ma Belle
Evil Woman
Can't Get It Out Of My Head Boy Blue    
Telephone Line    

Missing From My Collection

In 1990 a cassette with the title "Rocks The Classics" was released in the USA on CBS Special Products BT 21953.

The release could have been a prototype to the "E.L.O. Classics" CD. The however rather strange MC Artwork with pink, blue and purple coloured stroke on black ground and the 'higher' order number make it look more like a second try on the cassette market.

Anchor 9
ELO - CBS Nice Price Line
ELO - CBS Nice Price Line
ELO - CBS Nice Price Line

Title

First Issue Date

First Label Issue

Format & Country

ELO - CBS Nice Price Line

1990

CBS

CD - Japan

Track List

10538 Overture
Roll Over Beethoven
Showdown
Can't Get It Out Of My Head Evil Woman
Telephone Line
Turn To Stone
Strange Magic
Hold On Tight
Rock 'n' Roll Is King 
Calling America

Missing From My Collection

From 1st September to 1st November 1990 all E.L.O. albums were released in Japan on CD as part of the series Nice Price Line 1800, which meant, that every album was available for only 1800 Yen.

 

Due to the fact that "Discovery" was released in advance on 1st June, every 11 studio albums and "ELO's Greatest Hits" were following. The suitable Promo Sampler for the series named "CBS Nice Price Line 1800", CBS/Sony XADP 90015~15 and was released as a 2 CD-Set in a double Jewel-Calse without a booklet. 

The second CD included four songs from Kansas and 1 song from Pink Floyd, which also had some re-released albums in that series. With each one song from "No Answer" (CSCS 6026), "ELO II" (CSCS 6027), "On The Third Day" (CSCS 6028) "Eldorado" (CSCS 6029), "Face The Music" (CSCS 6030), "A New World Record" (CSCS 6031), "Out Of The Blue" (CSCS 6032), "ELO's Greatest Hits" (CSCS 6033), "Time" (CSCS 6035), "Secret Messages" (CSCS 6036) und "Balance Of Power" (CSCS 6037) every E.L.O. Album was considered.

 

Strange Magic was chosen for "ELO's Greatest Hits". The albums "Discovery" (CSCS 6006), and "Xanadu" (CSCS 6034), were not included. All versions were the usual album versions.

 

Roll Over Beethoven 8:02 with the harmonium intro, Evil Woman and Strange Magic without orchestra interlude intro and Rock 'n' Roll Is King without album outro.

Anchor 10
best of best korean front.jpg
Korean -The Best Of Best - The Electric Light Orchestra
best of best korean back.jpg

Title

First Issue Date

First Label Issue

Format & Country

The Best Of Best - The Electric Light Orchestra

1991

Seagul International 

LP - Korean

Track List

A Side:

Showdown 
Evil Woman
Telephone Line 
Strange Magic
Mission (A World Record) 
Tightrope 

   

B Side:

Livin' Thing 
Roll Over Beethoven 
10538 Overture
Shangri-La
Nobody's Child
Rockaria!

Missing From My Collection

On August, 30th 1991 the Korean record company Seang Records released on their label Seagul International a compilation with the title "Best Of The Best Electric Light Orchestra Evil Woman / Telephone Line / Livin' Thing / Roll Over Beethoven". This for us rather unusual title is in Korea a common case

It is remarkable that Nobody's Child and Mission (A World Record) were never before featured on a sampler. Almost all songs are included in their albums versions. Evil Woman and Strange Magic missed their orchestral intros and Roll Over Beethoven is the 4:30 single version.

 

Nobody's Child had a two seconds later fade-in (after the first "Boy Blue-Theme-Reprise") and faded out at 3:30 after the "ahh ahh" and ended at 3:42. The LP included an insert sheet in Koran letters

Anchor 11
losmonstruosfront.jpg
Los Monstruos Del Rock

Title

First Issue Date

First Label Issue

Format & Country

Track List

Los Monstruos Del Rock - ELO

1991

CBS

LP & CD - Mexico

A Side:

El Ultimo Tren A Londres = Last Train To London
Linea Telefonica = Telephone Line    
Se Acabo = It's Over
Confusion
Dulce Mujer = Sweet Talking Woman


 B Side:

Mala Mujer = Evil Women
Algo Viviente = Livin' Thing
Hechos = Showdown
Convertido En Piedra = Turn To Stone
Por Todo El Mundo = All Over The World

CBS Mexico also kept themselves busy and released "Los Monstruos Del Rock", only to be sold in Mexico. The song titles and liner-notes on the back of the LP sleeve and the also released CD edition are in Spanish language

All songs are featured in their album versions, but Evil Woman loses its orchestral intro. The black vinyl is so thin, that if you hold it against the light, the record shimmers in a translucent brown colour.

Anchor 12
elobestkoreafront.jpg

Title

First Issue Date

First Label Issue

Format & Country

Track List

Electric Light Orchestra

1991

Hanyang Records 

CD - Korea

Telephone Line

Midnight Blue

Turn To Stone

Can't Get It Out Of My Head Confusion

Hold On Tight

Shine A Little Love

Ticket To The Moon

Evil Woman

Last Train To London

Strange Magic

Livin' Thing

Rain Is Falling

Don't Bring Me Down.

Missing From My Collection

Made in Korea too, is the CD-Sampler "Electric Light Orchestra Best - Telephone Line / Midnight Blue / Ticket To The Moon / Last Train To London". Manufactured by Hanyang Records CTAT 3532 HYCD-2186, it was released in the early 90's. 

All versions are featured in their album versions, with Evil Woman and Strange Magic missing their orchestral introduction and Rain Is Falling being faded-out at the end.

Anchor 13
Early ELO CDS 79 7471 2

Title

First Issue Date

First Label Issue

Format & Country

Early ELO

1991

EMI Harvest

2 x CD – Europe
2 x CD - UK

Track List

1A

10538 Overture
Look At Me Now
Nellie Takes Her Bow
Battle Of Marston Moor (July 2nd 1664)    
1st Movement (Jumping Biz)
Mr Radio    
Manhattan Rumble (49th Street Massacre)    
Queen Of The Hours  

 
1B

Whisper In The Night    
1st Movement (Jumping Biz) (Quadraphonic Mix)    
Mr Radio (Quadraphonic Mix)
Nellie Takes Her Bow (Quadraphonic Mix)    
Whisper In The Night (Quadraphonic Mix)    
Roll Over Beethoven (Single Version)    


2A

In Old England Town (Boogie No. 2)
Momma
Roll Over Beethoven    
From The Sun To The World (Boogie No. 1) 

 

2B

Kuiama    
In Old England Town (Instrumental)
Showdown (Single Version)
Baby I Apologise    
Auntie (Ma Ma Ma Belle - Early Version)    
My Woman (Ma Ma Ma Belle - Early Version)
All Over The World (Showdown - Early Version)    
Bev's Trousers (Showdown - Early Version)

Early ELO CDS 79 7471 2

In 1991 EMI surprised us with a double-CD set in a Jewel Case, available all over Europe. "Early ELO 1971 - 1973" (CDS 79 7471 2) was a sort of an answer of EMI to CBS' "Afterglow", 
EMI had no own compilation released of their Harvest material since the "First Movement" sampler from 1986, and it had been obvious that something would come soon, EMI had put a great effort into "Early ELO 1971 - 1973". They had been in contact with Face The Music and Rob Caiger, who were allowed into the EMI archives, where he discovered among the officially released Harvest material (released on two albums and three singles), early versions and alternate mixes as part of the recording reels.

 

For the sleeve, another unused picture of the alternate artwork was used. It was similar to the one used on the "The Light Shines On" album. To go with the picture CD's was an eight-page booklet, showing a picture of an early line-up of E.L.O. and a text by John Tobler, covering the history of E.L.O. It started off with E.L.O. Part II's successful UK gigs from May.

 

As the booklet had no page-numbers, the inner-pages were included backwards, resulting in page 5 coming after page 2. By opening the clamps and swifting the order, it could easily be corrected.

The first nine, respectively five songs of each CD are like the two E.L.O. studio albums "The Electric Light Orchestra" from 1971 and "E.L.O. II" from 1973. As such they were released for the first time on CD in Europe, as CBS had released the first albums "No Answer" and "Electric Light Orchestra II" in 1990 only in the USA and Japan. The quadraphonic mixes of First Movement, Mr. Radio, Nellie Takes Her Bow and Whisper In The Night were taken from a quadraphonic master tape that had been created in 1973 from a multi-track tape, mixed down to four cannels.

 

By doing so, the engineers had unintentionally created re-mixes, that are easily recognisable as different to the stereo versions. As such, on Nellie Takes Her Bow (Quadraphonic Mix), the before unheard backing vocals by Roy and Jeff convince, and Mr. Radio (Quadraphonic Mix) is a revealing in its own right. Backwards sung radio voice in the solo part, a violin-track in the verses and a break before the ending-part, which is faded differently to the stereo version.

 

The commonly known Roll Over Beethoven single version from 1972 ends the first CD. The additional tracks on the second CD are the last Harvest Single Showdown with In Old England Town (Instrumental), especially created in 1973 for the single. Baby I Apologise is a song found at the end of the master tape of the first album. It's rather an idea for a song, not fully completed and most likely not intended for inclusion within the E.L.O. concept. Auntie (Ma-Ma-Ma Belle - Early Version) is one of the two early versions of Ma-Ma-Ma Belle, finally released by Warner Brothers, but having been already recorded for EMI. The vocals and the guitar-tracks are more to the front. 

My Woman (Ma-Ma-Ma Belle - Early Version), with the screaming third and fourth guitar-tracks is more close to the original version and lasts a bit longer then the released one. The early versions of Showdown offers not very many differences to the released version. All Over The World (Showdown - Early Version) have a more metallic sound and a new bridge at 2:39, while Bev's Trousers (Showdown - Early Version) features an almost mistaken start at the beginning of the second verse.

 

The voices of Roy, Jeff and Bev hearable at the beginning and ending of the versions weren't included on the album, probably because they were thought not to be suitable to the listeners.

 

To release before unreleased material, was something new to E.L.O. since "Afterglow" and EMI wouldn't take the chance to do so in a large way either. "Early ELO 1971 - 1973" also was released as a double cassette, with Whisper In The Night mistakenly entitled as Alternate Take on the sleeve. The likewise extravagant design had a 3-times foldout MC-insert featuring the complete story of the CD-booklet. The cassette buyers should be treated as good as the CD buyers.

Anchor 14
rockariaspainfront8.jpg
Electric Light Orchestra - Rockaria
rockariaeback8.jpg

Title

First Issue Date

First Label Issue

Format & Country

Electric Light Orchestra - Rockaria

1991

Sony Music SA

CD - Spain

Track List

Rockaria    
Evil Woman    
Living Thing    
Sweet Talkin´ Woman    
Don´t Bring Me Down    
Hold On Tight    
Wild West Hero    
All Over The World    
Strange Magic    
Roll Over Beethoven

Plain and all in pink, back in 1991 a compilation album with the title "Rockaria" was released in Spain. Planeta-Agostini, by licence of Sony Music S.A., Epic RCD021-2 has the in print 'Not For Sale - Attached To "Rock"', which is giving the idea that it was only part 21 of a sort of bundle-package in the series "Rock". After 1991 however, it was freely in the shops in Spain. The album was also given a cassette release.

Evil Woman and Strange Magic are featured without orchestral intros, Roll Over Beethoven is the 4:31 single version and Don't Bring Me Down misses the 'door slam' at the end. All other tracks featured are like their album versions. With a playing time of 39:18 minutes, "Rockaria" is not too long and supports as a CD in a series, E.L.O.'s significance to the rock history. 

Anchor 15
ghofthesuperstarsfront8.jpg
The Greatest Hits of The Super Stars - ELO
ghofthesuperstarsback8.jpg

Title

First Issue Date

First Label Issue

Format & Country

The Greatest Hits of The Super Stars

1991

Epic/ Columbia

LP – Korea

Track List

A Side :

Evil Woman
Livin' Thing    
Can't Get It Out Of My Head
Showdown    
Turn To Stone
Rockaria


B Side:

Sweet Talkin' Woman
Telephone Line    
Ma Ma Ma Belle    
Strange Magic    
Mr. Blue Sky

Missing From My Collection

In Korea, 1991 saw a further release of  "ELO's Greatest Hits", as part of a series called "The Greatest Hits Of The Super Stars 21 ". Epic / Columbia / Sony Music Entertainment Inc., DPL -5021 contains no inner sleeve or inserts.

 

The running order of the songs and versions are identical to the original edition of the album. Nice to see that during the course of a series every now and then so far unknown editions of Electric Light Orchestra compilations turn up

bottom of page