ELO Compilations, Greatest Hits and Best Of
albums issued World Wide in the 1970's
In association with Patrik Guttenbacher - Face The Music Germany, presented here is a discography of Electric Light Orchestra compilation LPs issued world wide in the 1970's 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.
Title
First Issue Date
First Label Issue
Format & Country
Track List
Showdown / Masters Of Rock Vol 12
1974
Harvest
LP – Argentina
LP – Australia
LP - Belgium
LP – Germany
LP – Greece
LP – Holland
LP – New Zealand
LP – South Africa
LP – Sweden
LP – UK
LP - Venezulea
A Side:
10538 Overture (Long Version)
From The Sun To The World (Boogie No.1)
Whisper In The Night
Queen Of The Hours
B Side:
Roll Over Beethoven
First Movement (Jumping Biz)
In Old England Town (Boogie No.2)
Showdown
'ELO's first compilation was released in September 1974: The album "Showdown" was part of a mini series which also included a compilation album of The Move and Wizzard.
The reason for such a 'Best of E.L.O.', after only two studio albums, was the change of the record company, from Harvest / EMI to Warner Brothers at the end of the year 1973.
EMI wanted to make sure that they continued to get an income after the label change if ELO became successful, which in 1974 was still uncertain..
That track compiling was so-called “classical”. See how outbalanced the tracks of Jeff Lynne and Roy Wood relation to each other are. Because Roy was on his peak of success in the year 1974 with Wizzard.
"Showdown" was the ideal record for many "On The Third Day" buyers, who wanted to discover the earlier material, but couldn't decide which one of the first two albums they should buy.
In Holland the album was also released in the Masters Of Rock series, but with the original sleeve. Note the change of fonts on the front cover and the series logo as "Masters Of Rock Showdown".
One later edition was released in pink vinyl. The last edition was released in 1980, in black vinyl, and was available in the whole Europe, because of the common market.
On the Argentinean edition of "Showdown" you could see the Spanish translated song titles, although the tracks are still sung in English.
The German edition of "Showdown" was released as the 12th album of the Masters Of Rock series, entitled "Masters Of Rock Volume 12", with an adapted series sleeve.
Title
First Issue Date
First Label Issue
Format & Country
Track List
OLE ELO
1976 USA / 1978 Europe
United Artists
LP – Australia
LP & CD - Brazil
LP & CD - Canada
LP – Germany
LP – Greece
LP – Holland
LP – Spain
LP – Singapore
LP _ Taiwan - Unofficial
LP – UK - Withdrawn
LP & CD – USA
LP – Venezulea
A Side:
10538 Overture
Kuiama
Roll Over Beethoven
B Side:
Showdown
Ma-Ma-Ma Belle
Can't Get It Out Of My Head
Boy Blue
Evil Woman
Strange Magic
1st edition: Album Versions, except B4, B5, B6 without orchestra intros; B2 faded at 3:34)
(2nd edition: Album Versions, except A2 9:08, A3 single version 4:31; B4, B5, B6 without orchestra intros; B2 faded at 3:33)
United Artists Records got it right again. Not only the first American E.L.O. Compilation, but also the first, which was offered as an official album. It became the bands 3rd golden album in the USA.
Originally conceived as a Promo only Edition for the radio D.J.'s, as a thank you to the Radio Stations who were supporting the single “Strange Magic”, so in the first issues the track commentary notes stated that they hoped for a good chart position for the single.
"Olé ELO" Promo SP-123, was released in May 1976, and came in a black and white printed cover with small fonts "Olé ELO" name-play as albums title, a "special programming aid"- note and an A4 insert. The record itself is pressed in golden-transparent vinyl, and the album came with an A4 insert paper sheet.
The tracks are without their orchestra intros and interludes, so the D.J.'s could easily get start the ELO tracks so they didn’t have to do the awkward search for the song start on the original albums.
For the USA Bicentienial, a 3-LP Sets in red, white and blue vinyl were pressed and given away to VIP's. "Olé ELO" received positive feedback and seemed to target the spirit of the time exactly, so United Artists Records released the album as a regular edition on 11 June 1976.
The UA-LA 630-G, featured the albums name in bold letters, added the bands name and the album sleeves on the artwork were coloured. The backside of the sleeve was still identical with the Promo edition the album. With the unstoppable growth of E.L.O.'s success, the record company presented the American singles releases plus Kuiama in its album versions.
See Slide 2 using Navigation Arrows
Title
First Issue Date
First Label Issue
Format & Country
Track List
Encore - The Best of The Electric Light Orchestra
1976
Warner Brothers
LP – Australia
LP - New Zealand
A Side:
10538 Overture
Ma Ma Ma Belle
Eldorado
Roll Over Beethoven (Live)
B Side:
Eldorado Overture
Can't Get It Out Of My Head
Showdown
Boy Blue
Missing From My Collection
"Encore ELO - The Best Of The Electric Light Orchestra" was released by Warner Brothers in 1976 only in Australia and New Zealand. In the same way as EMI did with "Showdown", Warner Brothers took the initiative and made sure to get some more money by doing a second sale from the three E.L.O. albums, which were released by Warner Brothers, before the rights were bought from United Artists Records in early 1977.
So the compilation only contains songs from the three Warner Brothers albums "On The Third Day", "The Night The Light Went On In Long Beach" and "Eldorado". This compilation of live and studio tracks is still a one off release, and makes this album to be seen as a missing link in E.L.O.'s release chronology
The idea of “Encore of E.L.O.” was because the band was now having great success with the album "Face The Music" on Polydor Records and their first tour with "Eldorado" in Australia & New Zealand in 1975. Ken Smith and Philp Mortlock are responsible for the nice artwork.
All versions are exactly the same as on the original albums, except track A3 which is faded out.
Title
First Issue Date
First Label Issue
Format & Country
Track List
Joyride - Joyride (Original Motion Picture Sound Track)
1977
United Artists
LP – Canada
LP - Germany
LP - USA
A Side:
Tightrope
Can't Get It Out Of My Head
Boy Blue
B Side:
So Fine
Telephone Line
Rockaria!
(Album Versions, except Boy Blue without orchestra intro but with string up-beat and fade out; So Fine fade out end without end-tone)
For the soundtrack of the United Artists teeny road movie "Joyride", with the young Melanie Griffith, E.L.O. participated with some of their actual hits. The idea originated with 'the Ardens' and seemed to be a wise step in the bands career. Apart from the films song from Barry Mann, and the 'score music' from Jimmy Haskell, E.L.O.'s tracks are:
A: Tightrope / Can't Get It Out Of My Head / Boy Blue,
B: So Fine / Telephone Line / Rockaria!
So the album is a kind of half E.L.O. compilation. The film itself also featured the track Showdown. The soundtrack album UA-LA 784-H was released in early 1977 in USA, Canada and Germany on United Artists Records to try to increase E.L.O.'s well-known status.
Title
First Issue Date
First Label Issue
Format & Country
Track List
Special Digest – The Best Of ELO
1977
United Artists
LP – Japan - Promo
A Side:
Ma-Ma-Ma Belle
Can't Get It Out Of My Head
Boy Blue
Evil Woman
Strange Magic
Poker
B Side:
Livin’ Thing
Rockaria!
Shangri-La
So Fine
Do Ya
Telephone Line
(Album Versions, except A1 Single Version faded at 3:34; A3, A4, A5 without orchestra intro; B6 without dial-tones intro)
Missing From My Collection
In 1976 Jet Records changed worldwide distribution to United Artists Records, which were represented in Japan by Liberty Records. In 1977 UA changed the their Japanese distributor, and re-released "A New World Record", then in early 1978 re-released "On The Third Day", "Eldorado", and "Face The Music" on King Records. To promote the re-issues and also prepare the public of the forthcoming album "Out Of The Blue", United Artists / King Records released the sampler "Electric Light Orchestra Special Digest - The Best Of ELO", DY-5210, as promotional copy. The artwork of it, based on the (in Japan still unreleased) album "Olé ELO".
A 10-paged band biography about E.L.O. and its members was inserted to the album. The biography along with the album title "Electric Light Orchestra Special Digest" was only printed in Japanese letters.
Title
First Issue Date
First Label Issue
Format & Country
Track List
The Light Shines On
1977
Harvest
LP - Brazil
LP – Germany
LP – Israel
LP – Italy
LP – Japan
LP – New Zealand
LP - Peru
LP – Spain
LP – UK
LP – Sweden
A Side:
Roll Over Beethoven
In Old England Town (Instrumental)
Look At Me Now
Momma
Showdown
B Side:
Mr. Radio
The Battle Of Marston Moor (July 2nd, 1644)
Whisper In The Night
10538 Overture
(Album Versions, except A 1 Single Version 4:31, A2, B4 Single Versions)
With the hit singles and the 1976 success of the album "A New World Record" E.L.O. made their world-wide breakthrough, which resulted in rising record sales in Great Britain. This was reason enough for EMI to issue another compilation album. "The Light Shines On", (the first E.L.O. compilation which didn't open with 10538 Overture!), Harvest Records decided to put some efforts in to the release.
For the first time, all versions of E.L.O. songs, which were by then only released on singles, are included on one compilation album together. They also took care, that they did not include many of the tracks/somngs that had they used on the 1974 issue of "Showdown".
For the sleeve design Harvest used unreleased pictures, which were originally shoot for the debut album in 1971, but didn't were not used. The compilation "The Light Shines On" was a Colin Miles compilation. Comments from Harry Doherty told the E.L.O. success story, and made everyone clear, why this album couldn't be missed in any collection. And in some way, he was right, because with that amount of non-regular-album material, the issue was interesting to a ELO fan.
The versions of Roll Over Beethoven and 10538 Overture are the edited short single versions. The German release was entitled "The Early Years Of E.L.O.", that was only stated on the record labels, because the record company decided to use the UK "The Light Shines On" sleeve without re-working the album title.
The Japan edition entitled "Best Of ELO / 1971 ~ 1973", was only stated on the obi-sleeves and the Japanese insert sheets in Japanese letters. The first Japan edition from 1977 also included a 4-page booklet, while the re-release from 1980 only included a 2-sided printed insert sheet.
The Peruian edition of "The Light Shines On" was very special, because EMI Peru decided to release the album "Showdown" from 1974 with the original front sleeve artwork and album title of "The Light Shines On". Only the sleeve backside was re-worked.
Title
First Issue Date
First Label Issue
Format & Country
Track List
The Light Shines On Vol 2
1979
Harvest
LP – Argentina – Promo As Vol 1 - Roll Over Beethoven
LP – Germany
LP – Italy
LP – New Zealand
LP – South Africa
LP - Spain
LP – UK
A Side:
10538 Overture (Full Length Version)
First Movement (Jumping Biz)
In Old England Town (Boogie No. 2)
Manhattan Rumble (49th St. Massacre)
From The Sun To The World (Boogie No. 1)
B Side:
Kuiama
Nellie Takes Her Bow
Queen Of The Hours
Roll Over Beethoven (Full Length Version)
(Album Versions, except B1 UK Album Version 6:56)
In March 1979 EMI released "The Light Shines On Volume 2" hoping to repeat the success of the 1977 release of "The Light Shines On". Another Colin Miles compilation with liner notes of Harry Doherty, who again described the success of E.L.O. by taking notion of their early-recorded material.
All of EMI’s ELO material was now available on The Light Shines On albums, Vol 1 + Vol 2 in the UK
The German edition was released on the EMI label Crystal, so the series title "Harvest Heritage" was dropped from the sleeve. The re-release from 1981, was issued on the red MFP Music For Pleasure label.
In Argentina the album was released without the "Volume 2" in the title, because over there was no "The Light Shines On" album issued in 1977 !
Title
First Issue Date
First Label Issue
Format & Country
Track List
ELO Greatest Hits
1979
Jet Records
LP + CD – Argentina
LP + CD - Australia
LP – Brazil
LP + CD – Canada
LP – Chile
LP – Colombia
LP – Ecuador
LP + CD + MD (1992) – Holland / Europe
LP – Greece
LP – Hong Kong
LP - Ireland
LP – Italy
LP – Israel
LP + CD – Japan
LP + CD - Mexico
LP – New Zealand
LP – Philippines
LP - Rhodesia
LP + CD – South Africa
LP + CD – South Korea
LP + CD - Spain
LP + CD + MD (1992) – UK
LP + CD + MD (1992) - USA
LP - Yugoslavia
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
(Album Versions, except A1, B4 without orchestra intro; A4 Single Version faded at 3:50; B3 Single Version faded at 3:36)
With the change of the distribution company from United Artists Records to CBS Records in May 1978, Jet Records and E.L.O. were now signed to CBS, then the biggest record company in the world.
After the re-issues of the early back catalogue (EMI Harvest issues and OLE ELO) and the release of new material, like the first E.L.O. No. 1 album "Discovery" in June 1979, E.L.O. could build further on their success.
It was time for an official compilation album from the Electric Light Orchestra, which could now for the first time be released worldwide on Jet Records.
In time for the Christmas sales, the album was released at 23 November and was entitled "ELO's Greatest Hits". The previously released compiltaions like "Showdown", "Masters Of Rock", "The Light Shines On" and "The Light Shines On Volume 2", could be seen more under the view of another copyright recycling of the early material by Harvest / EMI, and should have been never released if the ways of E.L.O. and EMI weren't separated.
For the LP "ELO's Greatest Hits" Jet Records made a lot of effort, because it is until today the only E.L.O. compilation LP with a printed inner sleeve. Used was a band shot of the seven-piece group, which came from the "Discovery" photo sessions from May. Apart from that, it was the first and last time the lyrics were printed on an inner sleeve of an E.L.O. compilation.
Another sign for the official status of that album, was the handwritten letter of Jeff Lynne which was printed on the albums back sleeve, in which he explained amongst other things, the new structure of E.L.O. as a four piece studio band, and the addition of the three string players during the concert tours. Jeff said a big thank you to the fans for their support.
A single picture of Jeff, printed above the letter, made everyone undoubted clear enough, that Jeff Lynne was the main member and power source behind that band E.L.O.
See Slide 2 using Navigation Arrows