ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA
ALBUMS - UK, USA & Europe

"The Essential Electric Light Orchestra", Epic Legacy 88697973612, appeared on 14th October 2011 at Sony Europe. The Super Jewel Case contains two CDs that are clicked on top of each other in the case, making the basic and tedious flipping of the previous cases with the often very difficult extraction of the CDs unnecessary.

 

"The Essential" is a series by Legacy, which enjoys great popularity in the United States and has all the leading artists of Sony Legacy featured. Back in 2003 a single CD with 15 songs had already appeared from E.L.O.. The new completely revised set now contains 37 E.L.O.-singles. The revised artwork for the entire series is based on a base color and is otherwise entirely held in black / silver reflective paint. The basic color has been chosen mint green.

 

The song selection of the UK and US-Singles appeared again in chronological order. The 1995 double-CD "Strange Magic" featured all 27 US singles in their album versions (plus two songs, minus 3 "Xanadu" singles from MCA. The 1997 2-CD "The Light Years" contained all 36 UK singles in their single versions (+ 2 songs) which had appeared until then.

​

10538 Overture is the single version, which will fade out sooner and ends at 4:00 in UK. In the USA it ends already after 3:55 and one can't hear the horn getting quieter. On "The Essential" the reconstructed version from 1997 taken from “Light Years" has been used, on which exactly at 3:20 five tones in the descending Celloriff are missing and it ends only at 4:02. Roll Over Beethoven is the usual cut single-version of 4:30, as it was released worldwide. There is also a shorter DJ-version for radio stations in existance, running at 3:34.

 

Showdown is included here in its complete UK version (4:07), which was faded a bit quieter at the end. The shorter U.S. single version was already faded-out at 3:54. Ma-Ma-Ma Belle is featured here in a little earlier faded-out album version of 3:36, which begins without the piano prelude. The US version ended at 3:25. The UK version of 3:20 has a stark cut with a rising cello note in the second chorus and appeared as a reconstructed version on "Light Years".

 

Can't Get It Out Of My Head is included here in its single edit version with 3:06 running time, as it was released worldwide. After the first verse the second chorus follows straight away and the 37-second intermediate section has been shortened without the Moog/percussion duel to 20 seconds. On the reconstructed "Light Years" version contained here we hear at 1:20 a synth sound that is not included on the original single version because they probably had cut it a quarter of a second too early.

 

Evil Woman is contained in its usual pure song version with 4:10. It is as always the version minus orchestra transition, which is on the album. In the US the song was edited with 5 cuts, fade-ins and -outs down to 3:15. Nightrider is included here in the UK single version of 3:41. The used 4:26 album version fades in earlier and fades out later. The reconstruction is very well done, although you can hear the decaying string-riff on the single one more time (4x).

 

Strange Magic is also included in its usual pure 4:08 version, as we are missing the orchestra intro here too. The US single was only running 3:25, because it fades in later, has two edits, and is included on the "Face The Music" remastered CD from 2006. Rockaria! Here included as album version (3:14). The single version (3:12) starts 2 seconds later, without the false start of the opera singer Mary Thomas which is on "Light Years".

 

Telephone Line: Album version (4:40) like on the UK single. The US version is 3:57 long, begins only after the dial tones and misses the second line in the second chorus. Mr. Blue Sky: Album version (5:05), like on the UK single. The US single from CBS contains a 3:44 version, in which the radio tuning intro and the Concerto For A Rainy Day-Outro are missing. Sweet Talkin' Woman: Album version (3:48), like on the UK single. The US single version runs a little faster, so the song ends at 3:41.

 

It's Over: Album version (4:09). The single version has been cut in the US to 3:58. It begins after the 13-second string-intro. In the shorter radio version (3:38) additional 15 seconds were edited out after the piano solo (from 3:14 to 3:29). Shine A Little Love is contained in its 4:09 minute single version. It starts after the intro chorus sung backwards (Johannes Brahms' Die Blümelein Sie Schlafen).

 

Xanadu (New Version) with 3:21 running time re-recorded by Jeff Lynne for "Flashback" in 2000. Xanadu (Sung by Olivia Newton-John) appeared on Single in 1980 like the album version with 3:26. Don't Walk Away: Album version (4:47) like the UK single, but the guitar solo at the fade is a little quieter. Hold On Tight: Album version (3:06). A short version for US radio stations with 2:59 begins right after the guitar intro, directly with the piano.

 

Twilight was shortened from 3:42 to 3:29, missing the outro and the song fades in later. Here the fade-in is quicker, like on the reconstruction for "Light Years" and runs through the complete transition into the first notes of Yours Truly, 2095. Rock 'n' Roll Is King is included as single-version with 3:08 which was cut from the 3:45 album version by omitting the short intro and the "Secret Messages" album outro.

 

Secret Messages: Album version (4:44). On "Light Years" the single version with 3:33 was used, fading-in fast after the first 33 seconds and is already faded-out at 4:11 (23 seconds after the long "everywheeeeere") and misses a few takes before the fade. Four Little Diamonds: Album version (4:05). The single version was released worldwide with 3:55, because the song starts only after the count-in intro from Jeff. The album version was only used for the 12”-single (how fitting!).

 

In the USA and UK Alright and Moment Of Paradise were only released as promo singles for radio stations. Surrender: Album version (2:34), was only released as a download single. Latitude 88 North: Album version (3:34), same as before. On all other tracks the album version is identical to the single version.

​

The US edition of "The Essential" has the order code 88697 977522 , appeared on 17th October, and is printed in a medium blue. It is housed in a normal 2CD jewel case and is a straight 1:1 take-over from the EU issue except of the front cover image, which was printed without the reflective silver, just a shade of gray.

 

Why the color of the band name was then changed from mint green to blue instead, remains a mystery. Only a red sticker makes the artwork a bit more colorful. The songs are the same versions as on the EU issue. Although not all UK and U.S. singles are included, "The Essential" still offers all the essential E.L.O. Singles.

​