Secret Messages
Released: 24 June 1983
UK Chart Position 4
Single Releases
Rock n Roll Is King - A3500 Black Vinyl 7" & 12"
UK Chart - 13
Secret Messages A 3720
7" & 7" Picture Disc
UK Chart - 48
Four Little Diamonds
A 3869 - 7" & 12" Black Vinyl
UK Chart - 84
Album Track Listing
Side one
Secret Messages
Loser Gone Wild
Bluebird
Take Me On and On
Time After Time (CD only)
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Side two
Four Little Diamonds
Stranger
Danger Ahead
Letter from Spain
Train of Gold
Rock 'n' Roll Is King
Re-issue CD Bonus tracks (2001 remaster)
No Way Out
Endless Lies
After All
Personnel
Jeff Lynne
Bev Bevan
Richard Tandy
Kelly Groucutt
Mik Kaminski
Louis Clark
Format
Vinyl
Label
Jet Records
Catalogue
JET LX527
Country
UK
Notes
1st UK Original Issue. On Jet label with yellow / pink light beams. The album was originally planned to be a double album, but was thwarted by Jet's distributor, CBS Records, claiming that producing a double vinyl album would be too expensive.
As a result Jeff Lynne had to reduce it to a single album.
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With printed paper inner lyric sleeve.
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Format
CD
Label
Jet Records
Catalogue
CDJET 527
Re-Issue Year
1983
Notes
1st UK/Europe issue on CD. Secret Messages album was the first ELO album to be digitally recorded.
The text on the CD rim says “Manufactured by CBS\Sony Inc. Made In Japan” at the end.
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The booklet was printed in Holland.
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The CD contained one extra track "Time After Time" that was not on the Vinyl issue.
Format
CD
Label
Epic
Catalogue
EPC 462487 2
Re-Issue Year
1988 - Holland / Europe
Notes
Re-Issue on Epic in Holland/Europe with mono lyric booklet.
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Also sold in the UK.
Format
CD
Label
Epic
Catalogue
502496 2
Re-Issue Year
June 2001
Notes
Re-Issue - Re-master with 3 extra tracks that were meant to be on the double album issue. Plus expanded fold out poster style booklet with history and information on the album.
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The first UK/European/USA CD issues had a pressing error. Rock & Roll Is King has the "thank you for listening " intro but not the "welcome to the show" outro !
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This was corrected on later pressings.
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Credit Max Cawthray
When viewed and played as a double album, Secret Messages is one of ELO greatest albums. Finally in August 2018 it was released as double LP and MP3/FLAC download, minus one track that may have not made the original planned issue anyway.
Original intended track listing for double album
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Side A
Secret Messages
Loser Gone Wild
Bluebird
Take Me On and On
​
Side B
Stranger
No Way Out
Beatles Forever - Missing
Letter from Spain
Danger Ahead
​
​
Side C
Four Little Diamonds
Train of Gold
Endless Lies
Buildings Have Eyes
Motor Factory/Rock 'n' Roll is King
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Side D
Mandalay
Time After Time
After All
Hello My Old Friend
Format
Double Vinyl
Label
Epic
Catalogue
19075837691
Country
UK / Europe
Issue Year
3rd August 2018
Notes
UK/ Europe double 180gm LP Issue on Epic Legacy label. For the first time ever, ELO’s Secret Messages has been released as a double album on August 3rd 2018.
Jeff Lynne’s eclectic creation of self-written, self-produced songs come to life as originally conceived in 1983.
This 2 LP release adds six tracks to its running order, all with cutting-edge synthesizers as well as up-front guitar mastery.
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Comes with plain white windowed paper inner sleeves, no lyrics.
