Biography of electric light orchestra evil

Evil Woman (Electric Light Orchestra song)

single by Electric Light Orchestra

"Evil Woman" is a song recorded by Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) and written by lead vocalist Jeff Lynne.

It was first released on the band's fifth album, 's Face the Music.

It was first released on the band's fifth album, 's Face the Music. Lynne wrote the song quickly when Deal with the Music was almost conclude but he didn't think they had a good lead unattached. I wrote this in a matter of minutes. The recover of the album was done.

Background

Lynne wrote the lyric quickly when Face the Music was almost complete but he didn't think they had a good lead single.[3] Lynne said:

I wrote this in a matter of minutes.

The rest of the album was done. I listened to it and reflection, 'There’s not a good single.' So I sent the band out to a game of football and made up 'Evil Woman' on the spot. The first three chords came right to me. It was the quickest thing I’d ever done.

We kept it slick and cool, kind of like an R&B song. It was caring of a posh one for me, with all the large piano solos and the string arrangement. It was inspired by a certain woman, but I can’t say who. She’s appeared a few times in my songs.[3]

Lynne described the structure saying it has a "repetitive chord sequence and then the melody turns into a chorus."[4]

When released as a single in behind , the song became the band's first worldwide hit.[5] According to Lynne, this song was the quickest he had ever written, in 30 minutes, originally as 'filler' for the group's Face the Music album.[5] The song placed in the uppermost 10 on both sides of the Atlantic in early It was released again in on The ELO EP.[6]

The lyric "There's a hole in my top where the rain comes in" in the song is a tribute to The Beatles' ballad "Fixing a Hole".[7]

Reception

Billboard praised the use of the title lyrics as a hook.[8]Cash Box noted the 20th-century influences and "commercial qualities" of the song, stating "from the classic hookline — a recurring four notes from 'Anchors Aweigh,' through an electronic schism from a dramatic TV serial two-thirds of the way through."[9]Record World said that the song "puts rock within a classical frame and shows one of the few bands capable of a viable combination of experimentation with commerciality."[10]

Green Bay Press-Gazette critic Warren Gerds described it as "a blend of almost-rock and almost-classical music" and said that "Some may say it's okay, even nice, rock but lousy classical music."[11]

Ultimate Classic Rock critic Michael Gallucci rated it ELO's 3rd best song, saying that it has "old-school strings and new-school keyboardsbacking a funky dance-floor beat that drives the song all the way to pop glory."[12]Classic Rock History critic Brian Kachejian rated it as ELO's 4th best song, saying that "Jeff Lynne took a simple three-chord progression that Led Zeppelin utilized at the cease of 'Stairway To Heaven,' and added his own touch, melody and production to score a huge hit."[13]Stereogum contributor Ryan Reed rated it as ELO's 7th best song.[5]

In Lynne listed it as one of his nine favorite ELO songs.[14]

Chart performance

Certifications

Jeff Lynne version

Jeff Lynne re-recorded the anthem in his own home studio.

It was released in a compilation album, Mr. Blue Sky: The Very Best of Electric Light Orchestra, with other re-recorded ELO songs, under the ELO name.[30]

Cover versions

Duran Duran released a cover version of the ballad on 9th October as part of the "De Luxe" edition of their sixteenth studio album Danse Macabre.[31] This song is reached number 36 in the Billboard Adult Top 40 Chart.

References

  1. ^"ELO singles".
  2. ^"Music Week"(PDF). p.&#;
  3. ^ abPotter, Jordan (2 July ). "The Electric Light Orchestra song Jeff Lynne wrote in "a matter of minutes"".

    Far Out. Retrieved 25 January

  4. ^Golsen, Tyler (4 May ). "Jeff Lynne on how he helped Tom Petty make 'Free Fallin''". Far Out. Retrieved 25 January
  5. ^ abcReed, Ryan (7 January ).

    Electric Light Orchestra - Wikipedia: "Evil Woman" is a song recorded by Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) and written by lead vocalist Jeff Lynne. It was first released on the band's fifth album, 's Face the Music.

    "The 10 Best ELO Songs". Stereogum. Retrieved 3 May

  6. ^"The ELO EP". Discogs. December Retrieved 3 May
  7. ^Spicer, Mark (). "The Electric Light Orchestra and the Anxiety of the Beatles' Influence".

    In Burns, Lori; Lacasse, Serge (eds.). The Pop Palimpsest: Intertextuality in Recorded Popular Music. University of Michigan Press. p.&#; ISBN&#;.

  8. ^"Billboard's Top Single Picks"(PDF). Billboard. 8 November p.&#; Retrieved 16 July
  9. ^"Singles Reviews > Picks of the Week"(PDF).

    Cash Box. Vol.&#;XXXVII, no.&#; 8 November p.&#; Retrieved 11 December

  10. ^"Hits of the Week"(PDF). Record World. 8 November p.&#;1. Retrieved 9 Rally
  11. ^Greds, Warren (28 March ).

    "Records in Review". Green Bay Press-Gazette. p.&#; Retrieved 9 December &#; via

  12. ^Gallucci, Michael (30 December ). "Top 10 Electric Light Orchestra Songs". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved 4 June
  13. ^Kachejian, Brian (26 September ).

    Their music is characterised by a fusion of pop and classical arrangements with futuristic iconography. During their first run from toLynne and Bevan were the group's only consistent members. The group's name is a pun that references both electric light and "light orchestral music"a popular way featured in places such as the BBC Light Programme between the s and s. ELO was formed out of Lynne's and Wood's desire to construct modern rock and pop songs with classical influences.

    "Top 10 Electric Light Orchestra Songs". Classic Rock History. Retrieved 30 April

  14. ^Taysom, Joe (2 November ). "Jeff Lynne's favourite Electric Illuminated Orchestra songs". Far Out. Retrieved 25 January
  15. ^Kent, David ().

    Australian Chart Book –. St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Manual. ISBN&#;.

  16. ^"Top RPM Singles: Issue a." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 6 March
  17. ^"The Irish Charts – Search Results – Evil Woman".

    Irish Singles Chart.

    It features a singer condemning an "evil woman" for breaking his heart and leaving him. The song was later used in the Broadway musical adaptation of Xanaduwhere it features the wicked muses Melpomene and Calliope, as well as the Sirens, as they plot to discredit and cause the banishment of their sister Clio. And now, Clio is to be granted Xanadu! Would that I were a god, I would smite her.

    Retrieved 6 March

  18. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 2, " (in Dutch). Dutch Top Retrieved 5 July
  19. ^"Electric Light Orchestra – Evil Woman" (in Dutch). Single Top Retrieved 5 July
  20. ^"Electric Light Orchestra – Evil Woman".

    Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 5 July

  21. ^"Official Singles Chart Top ". Official Charts Company.

    Jeff Lynne helped guide the Electric Light Orchestra to scores of hits, but one of the band's best-known singles was only written in a few minutes.

    Retrieved 5 March

  22. ^"Electric Light Orchestra – Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 5 Pride
  23. ^"Cash Box Top Singles – Week ending February 14, ". Cash Box.

    It was first released on the band's fifth album, 's Face the Melody. Lynne wrote the song instantly when Face the Music was almost complete but he didn't think they had a wonderful lead single. I wrote this in a matter of minutes. The rest of the album was done.

    Archived from the original on 2 September

  24. ^"The Singles Chart"(PDF). Record World. 31 January Retrieved 1 December
  25. ^"Top singles of '76". RPM.

    The Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) are an English rock band formed in Birmingham in by multi-instrumentalists Jeff Lynne and Roy Wood and drummer Bev Bevan. Their music is characterised by a fusion of pop and classical arrangements with futuristic iconography. [3].

    Vol.&#;26, no.&#;14 & 8 January Retrieved 15 May

  26. ^"Singles". Billboard. Vol.&#;88, no.&#; 25 December ISSN&#;
  27. ^"The Cash Box Year-End Charts: ".

    Cash Box. Archived from the original on 28 December

  28. ^"British single certifications – ELO – Evil Woman". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 28 May
  29. ^"American available certifications – Electric Light Orchestra – Evil Woman".

    Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 28 May

  30. ^"Mr. Blue Sky – The Very Best of Electric Light Orchestra". . Archived from the original on 27 October
  31. ^Blistein, Jon (9 October ).

    "Duran Duran Get Spooky on the Dance Floor With Modern 'Evil Woman' Cover". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 18 November

External links